Sometimes, the Title of a Movie Tells You All You Need to Know

family, humor, lessons learned 2 Minutes

Sometimes, the title of a movie may not give you any idea what a film is about.

For example, “You’ve Got Mail” could have been about a stalker who sends somebody threatening emails. Or “Animal House” could have been about an elderly woman who lives with over 100 cats in her house.

Other times, the title of a movie gives you a sense of what the movie is going to be about.

For example, “The Adventures of Robin Hood” lets you know it’s going to be about Robin Hood. Or “Chinatown” at least tells you where the movie is set.

However, rarely does the title of a movie reveal both what the movie is about, as well as hint at how good (or bad) the movie is going to be.

Unfortunately, my son and I experienced such a situation last night with the movie we decided to watch.

It happened while we were getting ready to watch the first episode of the new season of Bosch on Amazon. As we were scrolling through the listings to find Bosch, we saw a movie titled, “Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf”. My son and I half-jokingly said let’s watch that later; my wife wisely said nothing. Secretly, though, I think both my son and I wanted to at least check it out.

So we all watched Bosch together (looks like another great season ahead), had some dinner, and then we played some cards. After that, the three of us went our separate ways (one of the keys to surviving a stay at home order), but later my son and I somehow ended up in front of the TV and I asked him if we should check out Sharktopus, after all, it was free if you have Amazon Prime.

He readily agreed, and two minutes later we were watching.

Three minutes later, we knew it was a mistake.

Ninety minutes later we were watching the credits.

In case you couldn’t guess from the title, this movie is about a crazed, mutant shark + octopus hybrid facing off against a crazed, mutant whale + wolf hybrid. And yes, it is as bad as it sounds.

But for some reason, and I am not proud to admit this, my son and I ended up watching the entire film.

I can’t even call it a B-movie, since that would be an insult to B-movies.

But at least it had truth in advertising.

I think most people, if they saw a movie titled, “Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf”, would have been smart enough to know how bad such a movie was going to be and not even entertain the idea of watching it.

But I guess my son and I just needed to prove it to ourselves, and now we are trying to spare you from making the same mistake.

For those of you who are interested (and I daresay that says something about you if you are), here is the trailer:

I’m really worried about the future of our world when I discovered that the trailer has over five million views…

And like I said, if you have Amazon Prime, this is streaming for free, in case you want to find out who wins…

*image from YouTube

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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61 thoughts on “Sometimes, the Title of a Movie Tells You All You Need to Know”

  3. Perhaps many of the views are from people curious to learn if it is as dumb as it sounds. I’m passing on the trailer and the movie.

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  4. For someone who has posted a blog entry every day for over five years, I am not surprised at your sense of commitment in watching the whole movie. And, you have expanded my vocabulary. I am now fully adopting the term, “C movie”, as a representation of a movie so bad it falls below the standard “B movie” reference. Great post, Jim! Say “Hi” to Pat for me!

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  5. Thanks for the glowing recommendation! I looked it up and it’s free on Prime here too but somehow I don’t think I’ll bother! If the only cast member whose name I recognise was a bit parter in Dynasty I think that says it all.

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  10. And just think those are minutes of your life that you will never get back! LOL!
    If you can watch that , have you watched Napoleon Dynamite? I will pass on the favor that you just did with your post. Spare yourself! I suffered through it , and my head about exploded! Haha!

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    1. Napoleon Dynamite is one of my all-time favorites! I’ve probably watched it a dozen times and still quote lines from it!

      And as for not getting those minutes back, I am sure I would have just found another way to waste them!

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      1. LOL!! Probably!
        Oh gosh, a favorite! I am sorry! 😃Does your wife like it? We were at our friend’s house and her husband mentioned it and my husband was up for it. My friend tried to warn me. against watching it but my curious mind didn’t listen. Oooh the pain, as our husband’s laughed and me and my friend kept holding our heads in our hands.

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      2. My wife does like it, as do our three sons. However, friends of ours, same age as my wife and I, couldn’t stand it. What can I say – there’s no accounting for taste! 🙂

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  11. “a crazed, mutant shark + octopus hybrid facing off against a crazed, mutant whale + wolf hybrid.”

    That just created some really ugly images in my head. I watch the trailer and nod. I kind of get why it got so much view. The thing is so silly… it doesn’t doesn’t make sense 😒

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      2. ridiculous is one of those words that can have multiple meanings:

        1. Jim Borden looked ridiculous on the dance floor – that’s “bad” ridiculous
        2. Kobe Bryant was ridiculous the night he scored 81 points – that’s “good” ridiculous

        I’d say Sharktopus was bad ridiculous and that Napoleon was good ridiculous…

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      5. Haha! You have a point there. I have thought of asking some of those commenters their thoughts on the movie…..BUT, there would be a risk of tnem agreeing with you about it, after all, they are crazy! If they did I can just imagine the puns that may come from the movie! Some things just aren’t worth the risk! 😃

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  14. That made me laugh, it’s the sort of film a comedian or writer would make up, I can’t believe it was real; but I can understand how all was lost from the moment you made the fateful decision to watch and couldn’t quite switch off. I bet you will remember that film far better than an intelligent, deep classic movie.

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  16. Jim, I have been there. Years ago, I stayed up with my son-in-law as we watched a film which was way out of bounds for me . . . “Saw” . . . the original film of a bizarre series. Let’s just say, “Never Again!”

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  17. Some things I was never meant to watch or pointedly made the decision never to watch…Dallas is one of them and this being not second but in the same category…I am the same as you with the scream/slasher movies but a good horror I like although now they are few and far between…

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    1. I loved Dallas, but smart move on your part not to check out Sharktopus! Directors of horror movies probably walk a tight line between too much gore and keep ing people n the edge of their seat…

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