I'm not obsessively protective of every word in my scripts. I know the reality of how films are made, I understand actors (hell, even when I act I tweak lines if I think it'll help), and I recognise that the most important thing is that your idea, the nugget that made you want to put the thing on paper in the first place, survives. I've recently had a short shot in Australia - have I mentioned that already? - and based on the early rewrites I saw, I'd be surprised if 20% of the dialogue I wrote made it to the final piece.

But in the feature I'm writing at the moment, there are three words that I do feel very protective of. Three words that I think are perfect, and have become very attached to. Three words I would be very sorry to see go.

The title.

Now, I'm not going to post the title, because this should hopefully serve to drum up a little flutter of advance interest in the script (which should be finished by the end of the month, because I have meticulously planned this biatch out and so writing it is much, much easier). But I will say this: it has a naughty word in it. Not a very naughty word, but still a naughty word. A word you probably wouldn't be allowed to put on posters where poor innocent kiddies could see it and ask their mummy what it meant.

So, my question is this: what do people think of naughty words in film titles? Are they worth including, even at the expense of the fuss they cause? Tarantino's latest magnum opus ended up just being called Inglourious in its marketing, and there's an interesting article here where a publicist says they're really not. Is he right? What are some of your favourite examples of movie titles with naughty words in (Ray - if you reply with just a 7,000 word post reproducing Google search results...)?

A more general point: do some films just have the perfect title? Case in point: a film that came out last year in the UK called Lesbian Vampire Killers. Crappy film, great title. Or Teeth, which actually goes the other way by hinting at the film's central premise but isn't called, for instance, The Biting Vagina. From a marketing point of view a really catchy, preferably either short and snappy or long and grand title (depending on the tone of the film) can help pique people's interest. I actually think it's something a lot of SS writers need to work on.

Also, have you ever become attached to the title of your works? I put a great deal of thought into them - even the scathing review of the episode of The Dark that I wrote adknowledged the title, and reviews of the shorts I post here often(-ish) give props to the name of the script. This script, and the final film, SHOULD be called what I've christened it. Swear word and all. It IS the title. It IS the film - in fact, it was only once I'd thought of it, very early in the planning stages of the script, that I knew I had a real hook and an idea worth writing.

So yeah, some stuff to chew on. I'm probably going to be posting a few of these 'open the floor to debate' threads in the next week because I've got the week off uni and as well as cracking on with writing and trying to line up some guests for the podcast, I want to have some chats about film topics that are on my mind. Unless nobody replies, which I've had happen before - Oscar Predictions Game 2010, anyone? - in which case I will recognise the lack of interest my topics for discussion generate and go sulk in a corner.

Oh, and P.S. - I am completely aware that when my script is finally posted, the title will be a huge letdown after this.

I want to fuck your sister comes to mind. And of course the Swedish film "Fucking Åmål" which was renamed "show me love"....

Quoted from Grandma Bear I want to fuck your sister comes to mind. And of course the Swedish film "Fucking Åmål" which was renamed "show me love"....

You want to fuck Jon's sister?  

There's only a few movies I can think of that have colourful language in the title. A  movie called Fuck which was doco about the word Fuck.  And of couse Baise-moi which is in French but equally as guttural.   But actually if you search for Fuck on IMDB you will find there are lots of movies with it in the title and many of them I would like to see.  

Shit turns up a smaller amount of titles, some of them mainstream.  Cunt returns very few, but there are some.  

If you took a look at the XXX equivalent of imdb then you would probably find very few of the blue movies use blue words in the title.

EDIT: Actually, now that I'm thinking about this that would make a great OWC.  You can write about anything but your title must contain a naughty word.

KICK A$$ seems emblazoned across the States.

Very good topic.

Being a fan of low-budget trash, the titles of films with certain production values can be the difference between being bought for distribution or not.  

Troma have been brilliant for releasing films with great titles over the years. You know, "Teenage Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell" etc. Alot of unwatchable films in their closet, but the titles are worth a giggle.

I can't believe how many films I have purchased because the title sounded funny. The films are usually a let down but I get what I deserve.

Off the top of my head:

"Big Tits Zombie"
"Violent Sh*t 3: Infantry of Doom"
"Monsturd"

Oh, my first post. How high-brow.

Hey everyone. Hope to get some scripts read soon.  

Quoted from B.C. Oh, my first post. How high-brow.

High-brow can be very low if you're standing on your head.

Quoted from mcornetto High-brow can be very low if you're standing on your head.

I own a movie called "Buttcrack".

Quoted from B.C. I own a movie called "Buttcrack".

I'm sure you like to show it to everyone too

Did we ever find out what the title of this script was? I read this topic awhile and it peaked my curiosity.