MovieChat Forums > Dead Birds (2005) Discussion > The title was poorly chosen!

The title was poorly chosen!

posted 19 years ago by randywscott
17 replies | jump to latest

I am no stranger to allegory, I have a graduate degree in English literature and I say that not to impress but to lend credence to my belief. Dead Birds is a great movie but the title was very feebly supported as being an allegory for the criminals. Even the dead bird that one of them stepped on was another feeble atempt to justify the title. I have to agree it is a great title but the allegorical justification for the title is a little lame. Dead Crows would have been better at least because a group of crows is called a "murder of crows". I know the the title is used as a hook to catch the attention of the viewer but the choice of title in this case demeans an otherwise excellent movie. Just my opinion.RS

[–] violet_yoshi 19 years ago

The name confused me. Mind you I was browsing horror/sci-fi movies on On Demand. So I really wasn't looking at the DVD box of the film. I feel any needless agression/abuse of animals in a horror film, is just well, needless.

However, it seems here the concept of dead birds, is used to a rediculous point..just as you said, to substatitate the title. I also would imagine, alot of obviously fake or taxidermied birds shown in the close up scenes. Which really doesn't bother me much, cuz it's like the animals are already dead anyways, or CGI-ed.

I think they felt when people heard this had to do with the Civil War, most of the crowd who this film was advertised to would say "Oh great, another boring period movie". So that might be why they used a more catchy title.

[–] oroonocross 19 years ago

I don't think that this movie had the budget for CGI, or taxidermy for that matter

[–] roger-borjesson 19 years ago

But in the same time when I was in the videostore I actually thought (before looking on the back cover) this could be a B-movie version of Hitchcock`s more famous bird movie, but I was clearly wrong, so does anyone out there knows why they stucked to that title?

[–] spoken 19 years ago

Randy, I was coming to post much the same thing. I bought this a couple days ago and watched it thrice, once with Director's Commentary. Turner said that even though they couldn't create more birds he was sticking to his story that both the title and the single bird were allegorical. I laughed, literally, wondering if he knew the definition.

I suppose by the time the bird problem got labeled as "unfixable" it was too late for the Marketing people to change the title. Perhaps when Turner is a few years away from this film he'll change his mind and simply laugh at what could be a giant offering to the Goofs page.

:)

--
It's hard to connect when the phone line picks up talk-radio and/or goes "dead" due to rain.

[–] mattlove1-1 18 years ago

Production Minutes

A conversation that probably actually took place.

Producer #1: Boys, the reason we called this meeting is because we think we've got a distribution deal.

Writer: Really? That's great!

Director: I knew you guys could do it.

Producer #2: The only thing is, in order to get it, we had to promise to change the name.

Writer & Director (simultaneously): What?!?!?

Producer #3: Sorry, fellas, but nobody'll touch "Children of the Corn, Part VIII."

Director: Well, what about "Children of the Corn, Genesis?"

Producer #1: No! Listen, at this point the Children of the Corn series is so unpopular, it's impossible to distribute even as direct-to-video, and this film needs a theatrical release to make us back any money.

Director: But this will be the best Children of the Corn installment ever! We've got good actors, excellent effects, a scary storyline that explains how the whole Children of the Corn cult got started, and we avoided showing the monsters clearly, to add to the suspense. This movie could revitalize the whole series!

Producer #2: You're not getting the point. No one will see it with that title. Even serious horror fans stay away from Children of the Corn movies. It's like the Amityville Horror, only worse.

Writer: But what about fans like us, who've been waiting for a good Children of the Corn movie for decades? Couldn't we at least call it "The Corn Children" or something? Or how about a foreign-sounding title "Les Enfants des Mais" or "Kinder der Mais" or something?

Producer #1: I'm sorry, boys, but we have to be definite about this. TriStar won't take it if we don't get all references to the Stephen King story out of the title. Aside from the popularity, there are legal issues here as well.

Director: But this is a serious creative compromise!

Writer: I've got it.

Producer #3: Got what?

Writer: Let's call it "Dead Birds."

Producer #1: What kind of a name is that? There isn't a dead bird in the whole movie!

Director: "Dead Birds"…

Writer: Exactly! It's artistic, it's like a blank slate, allowing the audience to project the meaning onto the canvas themselves.

Producer #1: Well, it sounds pretty stupid to me, but I think they'd accept it. Are we agreed?

Director: You're sure we can't call it "Dead Birds, the Children of the Corn Genesis?"

Producer #2: Sorry Alex, there's no way.

Director: OK then, "Dead Birds."

[–] grrrdevin 18 years ago

Mattlove1-1, I explained it to the other guy, and I'll explain it to you too.

Producer #1: What kind of a name is that? There isn't a dead bird in the whole movie!

You either haven't seen the movie or weren't paying attention.

"I've been living off toxic waste for years, and I'm fine! Just ask my other heads!"

[–] jmbwithcats 19 years ago

I don't think the title really had any meaning except to be a intangible feeling.

www.kittysafe.net May be goin to hell in a bucket baby but at least Im enjoyin the ride

[–] dawatcher 19 years ago

Weren't certain birds at one time considered omens? And was it a crow? Naw, it was probably Poe's raven.

[–] Diaboliqa666 19 years ago

Crows and Ravens both were seen as omens, especially the Crow though. The Crow, as a great eater of Carrion, was seen as a bad omen of death, decay and all that kind of stuff.

The title threw me as well, and even though I am studying English for a degree now, I didn't connect it to the crim's in anyway. When I saw that feb little bird I thought "Oh no, not a movie with lots of dead and decaying birds", thankfully it was not the case.

It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed
change the world:
http://groups.msn.com/MinionsTriadIncorporated

[–] OrdinaryDay 18 years ago

I rented this movie cos I thought that it would be a movie about zombie birds who kill people but instead it was this boring as hell art house movie with no discernible plot!

I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every moment of it.

[–] Warvelo44 18 years ago

Ironically, this is coming from someone who:

A. Enjoys movies about zombie birds who spend their time attacking humans.

B. Rents movies without even looking at the back of the case.

[–] harlequin6127 18 years ago

I discerned the title to refer to the fact that dead birds are a warning sign of danger i.e. canaries in mines. They encounter a dead bird on the property, and it forebode the danger. That still does not mean the title works for the movie. I enjoyed the film, in any case.

[–] Bourbon_Man 18 years ago

As someone who has a graduate degree in English literature, I'm a little confused as to why you invested so much thought into the 'title' of a B-grade movie which you, in fact, enjoyed??

It's a well made horror film that lacks the glib, cynical, unsophisicated attempts at honouring the horror genre from hacks like Eli Roth!!

[–] harlequin6127 18 years ago

I could build up a tirade to explain my reasons for analyzing a movie after I watch it, or I could simply ask, "Why not?"

[–] cyborg264 18 years ago

Hey Randy Scott, get off my name.

Randy S.

[–] Tmax100 18 years ago

You English majors need to stop worrying about how allegorical movies titles are or are not and just judge the merits of the film as it is. Calling it "Untitled Henry Thomas Production" would be more accurate but it's not as atmospheric, is it? I find the title they used to be rather original and memorable.

The filmmakers are obviously fixated on The Shining, and Kubrick himself wasn't known for titles that made any sense. A Clockwork Orange, anyone? And yes, I know that A Clockwork Orange derives from Burgess not Kubrick.

[–] DirtyGrainius 17 years ago

Over analysis seems to be a side effect of many English Lit. grads. Heads up, you graduated. There is no need to overanalyze to impress another English Lit. grad(The Prof).

Here's one line line you know you'll most likely never hear in creative meetings.
-"I like the title but I'm just concerned about what the English Lit. grad demographic is gonna think."

"Inside the dusters there were 3 men"..."So?"....."Inside the men there were 3 bullets" - d{^_^}b