Movie titles are an overlooked yet important piece of a film.With just a few words, they can tell us exactly what the movie is about.12 Years a Slave, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre —these titles basically summarize the film’s story. Other titles are less wordy and not as self-explanatory, but they can still relay the genre, feel, or essence of the movie, likeScream, Star Wars,andThe Social Network.
But there are some movie titles that are extremely cryptic, and make us scratch our heads. Titles that make no sense the first time you see them —The Silence of the Lambs?What does that even mean? Are there lambs in this movie? It’s only after we watch these films that we understand their titles. Sometimes, the significance becomes clear just a few minutes into watching. Other times, the meaning isn’t revealed until the very last minute. Here are ten movie titles that only made sense after watching them.
10Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield
A group of friends, along with the rest of Manhattan, has their lives upturned when an enormous monster suddenly attacks the city. Filmed in documentary style,Cloverfieldcaptures the events in real-time, showing a firsthand, plausible account of a creature inexplicably appearing in New York City.
What Its Title Means
Back in 2008,J.J. Abrams was the the golden nerd of Hollywood, a possible filmmaking genius, the next potential Spielberg (untilStar Wars). AndCloverfieldwas shaping up to be his biggest movie.Its trailer went viralbefore going viral was even a thing. Viewers were enthralled when they saw the Statue of Liberty’s smoking head go hurtling through the air and into Manhattan’s streets. And when that one-word title popped up at the end of the trailer, audiences everywhere were wondering the same thing: “Cloverfield?What the hell is that?”
The mystery around this film turned it into a cultural phenomenon that had everyone talking and speculating. What is the monster? Where did it come from? And why is the movie calledCloverfield? Fortunately, audiences didn’t have to wait long for the answer to that last question.Cloverfieldbegins with a disclaimer, explaining that the following footage was recovered by the U.S. Department of Defense in the area “formerly known as Central Park” and is a part of an ongoing case. Its code-name: “Cloverfield”.
RentCloverfieldon Prime Video
9(500) Days of Summer (2009)
(500) Days of Summer
(500) Days of Summerseems like a classic tale of boy meets girl. But as the narrator warns us in the beginning, “You should know upfront, this is not a love story.” A masterful and realistic work,(500) Days of Summerdefies the tropes of the romantic comedyand subverts our expectations, reminding us that love stories don’t always come with a happy ending.
Your mind immediately throws a red flag when you first see this title — there aren’t even 500 days in a year. But its meaning quickly reveals itself when you watch it. Within the opening minutes of the film, we’re introduced to one of the main characters: Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) of Shinnecock, Michigan. We also occasionally see a set of digits that transform into another number – 500 becomes 488, which then becomes 1 – giving us the feeling of a clock or a timer. In a true eureka moment, we come to understand the film’s title: we’re watching 500 days of this man’s relationship with Summer Finn.
Stream(500) Days of Summeron Max
8American History X (1998)
American History X
American History Xtells two stories simultaneously: the incarceration and rehabilitation ofa violent neo-Nazi named Derek (Edward Norton)and the impact that his lifestyle has on his impressionable, younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong).
American History Xis an intense movie. Even its title seems to imply intensity, thanks to the letter “X” tacked on at the end of it. Its meaning becomes apparent, though, early on in the film. After antagonizing his Jewish history teacher with a civil rights essay on Adolph Hitler’sMein Kampf,Danny is given two options. He can either be expelled from school, or he can study history under his African-American principal in a one-on-one, current events course that the principal calls, “American History X.” Spoiler: Danny agrees to the latter.
RentAmerican History Xon Amazon Prime Video
7The Shining (1980)
The Shining
InThe Shining,writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) and his family move into the Overlook Hotel after he lands a job as caretaker over the winter season when the hotel is closed. But as it turns out, they’re not the only presence staying in this haunted hotel.
Unless you read Stephen King’s novelof the same name beforehand, you’d have no idea what’s meant by “the Shining” when you first watch this movie. Is it a shiny object that’s somehow pertinent to the story? Nope, not even close. It’s made clear early on that Jack’s young son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), has telepathic abilities.
After Danny moves into the Overlook Hotel with his family, Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), the hotel’s head chef, immediately recognizes his gift. Hallorann tells Danny that he, too, has this ability, “the shining,” his grandmother had called it. But beware, Hallorann warns the boy. The Overlook Hotel has the shining, too — and it’s dangerous.
RentThe Shiningon Prime Video
6Dances With Wolves (1990)
Dances With Wolves
Dances With Wolvesis a three-hour Western epic about American Civil War lieutenant John Dunbar, who questions his identity and purpose after developing a close bond with the Sioux, a Native American tribe. Not only did it star Kevin Costner, butDances With Wolveswas also the actor’s directorial debut.It’s one of only four Western films to claim the Academy Awardfor Best Picture.
Related:Movies Where the Title Spoils the Ending
This is another movie where unless you read the novel of the same name first, you won’t know what this title means. Dunbar (Costner) develops a love and appreciation for the Sioux’s lifestyle and values. He immerses himself into their culture and becomes an honored guest. Dunbar also develops a relationship with a wild wolf that he names “Two Socks.” After seeing Dunbar and the wolf interact and chase each other about, the Sioux bestow Dunbar with a new name about halfway through the film: Dances With Wolves.
StreamDances With Wolveson Prime Video
5Rain Man (1988)
InRain Man,selfish car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is shocked to learn that his deceased, estranged father has left his $3 million fortune to a mental institution. And he’s even more surprised to learn that he has an autistic older brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), who’s lived there all these years. A Best Picture Oscar winner,Rain Manis an iconic film that offers a fascinating look at autism.
At some point, Charlie explains that he had an imaginary friend named Rain Man during his childhood. Well OK, that explains the title then — except there’s a twist. Later in the movie (or maybe you figured it out yourself while watching it), Charlie is stunned by yet another revelation: Rain Man isn’t imaginary at all. Young Charlie was actually referring to his older brother, Raymond, but had trouble pronouncing his name correctly. Hence… Rain Man.
StreamRain Manon Prime Video
4No Country for Old Men (2007)
No Country for Old Men
Remember when we said that only four Westerns have ever won the Academy Award for Best Picture? Well,No Country for Old Menis another one of those four. Regarded as a Coen brothers' dramatic masterpiece,No Country for Old Menis a grim tale. After serendipitously finding two million dollars amid the aftermath of a drug deal shootout, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) learns that he, and seemingly everyone around him, has become the target of a psychotic hitman named Anton Chigurh (played to perfection by Javier Bardem).
Again, unless you read the book first, then this title may seem like a head-scratcher. Even after watching the movie, you still might not completely understand it. You need to watchNo Country for Old Menall the way up tothe film’s confusing and abrupt endingto really make sense of this title. And even then, you might need a rewatch or two to fully wrap your mind around its meaning.
At the end, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) realizes that he’s failed to protect Llewelyn Moss' family and bring Chigurh to justice. Feeling defeated, he recounts two dreams that involve his father. We won’t get into the specifics, but the last dream basically captures Bell’s views of America. For him, Chigurh represents the chaos, postmodernism, and nihilism that are enveloping the country, leaving no room for old values and traditional beliefs, or old men, like him.
RentNo Country for Old Menon Prime Video
3Lion (2016)
Liontells the incredible true story ofSaroo Brierley (Dev Patel), a young Indian boy who’s accidentally separated from his family. After 20 years of living with adoptive parents and embracing their lifestyle, Saroo decides to embark on a search for the family he lost all those years ago.
Over the course of Saroo’s emotional journey, you forget that you’re watching a movie calledLion. It’s not until the very last scene that you’re reminded of the film’s title. After Saroo is finally reunited with his family, text appears on the screen that reads, “Saroo learned that all those years ago, as a five-year-old, he had been mispronouncing his own name. He was ‘Sheru’, meaning… LION.” It’s an unforgettable ending that packs a powerful punch.
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2Chinatown (1974)
Originally released in 1974, Chinatown is an American neo-noir mystery movie starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. Its story was inspired by the California water wars, a series of conflicts between the city of Los Angeles and the people of Owen’s Valley around the beginning of the twentieth century. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations in total, with Robert Towne winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Jack Nicholson has some impressive filmson his resume, but Roman Polanski’s neo-noir classicChinatownjust might be his best. After being hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), private investigator Jake Gittes (Nicholson) becomes entangled in a suspicious investigation and uncovers some dark truths about her wealthy and powerful family.
Although it’s calledChinatown,very little of the film actually takes place there. It’s first mentioned when Jake refers to a traumatic event from his past while working as a police officer in Chinatown. What happened there? We never really find out, but it’s clear that those memories continue to haunt Jake.
Fast forward to the end of the movie. In classic neo-noir fashion, the villain wins, and Evelyn, who’s become Jake’s love interest, loses her life in — yep, you guessed — Chinatown. “Forget it, Jake,” a friend tells a horrified Gittes, “it’s Chinatown.” In other words, this place is chaos, Jake — and you just can’t win here.
StreamChinatownon Paramount+
1The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Silence of the Lambs
InThe Silence of the Lambs, FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is on the hunt for a wanted serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Her best chance of catching him is with the help of an incarcerated cannibal: the brilliant psychiatrist-turned-psychopath, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins).
The Silence of the Lambsis the perfect title for this movie. It just gives off a creepy vibe, doesn’t it? But aside from its eeriness, this title does bear significance. Hannibal loves to play psychiatrist-and-patient and delve into Clarice’s mind. It’s during one of these therapy sessions that Clarice describes a recurring nightmare and a traumatic childhood memory.
Related:10 Movies That Almost Had Different Titles
While living with her cousins on a sheep and horse ranch in Montana, Clarice was awakened one night by the sound of screaming — slaughtered lambs that she was unable to save. Lecter speculates that by catching Buffalo Bill and saving his victims, Clarice might silence the screaming lambs from her nightmares. The film circles back to this discussion at the very end, after Buffalo Bill has been caught, when Clarice receives a surprise phone call from an escaped Hannibal Lecter. “Well, Clarice?” he asksin that eerie voice. “Have the lambs stopped screaming?”
