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Is there a reason why America loves movie/TV show titles with the word "American" ?

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J

Jon Carter

Member
I found a list after asking myself the question:

"American Angels: Baptism of Blood" (1989)
"American Animal" (2011)
"American Anthem" (1986)
"American Beauty" (1999)
"American Buffalo" (1996)
"American Cousins" (2003)
"American Cowslip" (2009)
"American Crude" (2008)
"American Cyborg: Steel Warrior" (1993)
"American Dragons" (1998)
"American Dreamer" (1984)
"American Dreamz" (2006)
"American Flyer" (2010)
"American Flyers" (1985)
"American Friends" (1991)
"American Gangster" (2007)
"American Ghost Hunter" (2010)
"American Gigolo" (1980)
"American Girl" (2002)
"American Gothic" (1988)
"American Graffiti" (1973)
"American Gun" (2002)
"American Gun" (2005)
"American Heart" (1992)
"American History X" (1998)
"American Hot Wax" (1978)
"American Idiots" (2013)
"American Kickboxer" (1991)
"American Kickboxer 2" (1993)
"American Loser" (2007)
"American Maniacs" (2010)
"American Mary" (2012)
"American Me" (1992)
"American Movie" (1999)
"American Mullet" (2001)
"American Ninja" (1985)
"American Ninja 2: The Confrontation" (1987)
"American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt" (1989)
"American Ninja 4: The Annihilation" (1990)
"American Ninja V" (1993)
"American Outlaws" (2001)
"American Pastime" (2007)
"American Perfekt" (1997)
"American Pie" (1999)
"American Pie 2" (2001)
"American Pop" (1981)
"American Psycho" (2000)
"American Psycho II: All American Girl" (2002)
"American Reel" (2003)
"American Reunion" (2012)
"American Roulette" (1988)
"American Samurai" (1992)
"American Scream King" (2010)
"American Shaolin" (1992)
"American Son" (2008)
"American Splendor" (2003)
"American Strays" (1996)
"American Teen" (2008)
"American Tigers" (1996)
"American Violet" (2008)
"American Virgin" (2009)
"American Wedding" (2003)
"American Yakuza" (1993)
"American Zombie" (2007)
"An American Affair" (2009)
"An American Carol" (2008)
"An American Crime" (2007)
"An American Haunting" (2005)
"An American in Paris" (1951)
"An American Reunion" (2003)
"An American Rhapsody" (2001)
"An American Summer" (1991)
"An American Tail" (1986)
"An American Tail: Fievel Goes West" (1991)
"An American Werewolf in London" (1981)
"An American Werewolf in Paris" (1997)
"Born American" (1986)
"Divorce American Style" (1967)
"How to Make an American Quilt" (1995)
"Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" (2008)
"More American Graffiti" (1979)
"My Fellow Americans" (1996)
"The Adventures of the American Rabbit" (1986)
"The American" (2010)
"The American Astronaut" (2001)
"The American Dream" (2011)
"The American Friend" (1977)
"The American Poop Movie" (2006)
"The American President" (1995)
"The American Scream" (2012)
"The American Success Company" (1980)
"The American Way" (1986)
"The Great American Girl Robbery" (1979)
"The Last American Hero" (1973)
"The Last American Virgin" (1982)
"The Myth of the American Sleepover" (2010)
"The Quiet American" (1958/2002)
"The Ugly American" (1963)
"The Young Americans" (1993)
"Wet Hot American Summer" (2001)
Click to expand...


TV does this with stuff like Young Americans, American Crime or American Horror Story.

I think it's really strange. Is there any other country that does this in their language?
 
J

jetsetrez

Member
Who the fuck would watch Swedish Ninja? That's right, nobody, because Swedish Ninja would be a bitch. American Ninja gets a 5 movie series.

Ninjas don't need fuckin healthcare.
 
B

Beren the Empty-Handed

Member
Because America! YEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

66347-america-fuck-yeah-gif-gdhg.gif
 
S

scamander

Banned
Fun Fact:
After the terribad reception and box office takings of the first Captain America film in Germany, they changed the name of the sequel to "The Return of the First Avenger" here, lol.
 
S

SchrodingerC

Member
For American Horror Story it's stories about what American's fear, i.e. hauntings, school massacres, asylums, home invasion, witches, voodoo, abuse, freaks, and any other real, or supernatural fears people have.
The title reflects this.

American Crime is about America's crimes based around class, race, gender/sexuality politics, and the complexity of the justice system. Again, the title reflects that.
 
kavanf1

kavanf1

Member
Because America is fucking amazing.




America, fuck yeah, comin' again to save the motherfuckin' day, yeah

America, fuck yeah, cos freedom is the only way, yeah

Terrorists, your game is through cos now you have ta answer to America, fuck yeah
So lick my butt and suck on my balls yeah.
 
J

Jon Carter

Member
SchrodingerC said:
For American Horror Story it's stories about what American's fear, i.e. hauntings, school massacres, asylums, home invasion, witches, voodoo, abuse, freaks, and any other real, or supernatural fears people have.
The title reflects this.

American Crime is about America's crimes based around class, race, gender/sexuality politics, and the complexity of the justice system. Again, the title reflects that.
Click to expand...

It's not that it's never a relevant descriptor, it's that it almost never is. I agree with American Crime, it makes sense, but not American Horror Story. Those fears are virtually universal. School massacres, not as much, but every country is terrified at the idea of harm being done to children.

You Know Nothing said:
Just watch The Americans on FX and thank me later.
Click to expand...

I liked what I saw of it and it's a great example where the title really fits the story.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
Whether deserved or not, it lends a project an aura of definitiveness and cultural, sociological relevance.
 
S

SchrodingerC

Member
Jon Carter said:
It's not that it's never a relevant descriptor, it's that it almost never is. I agree with American Crime, it makes sense, but not American Horror Story. Those fears are virtually universal. School massacres, not as much, but every country is terrified at the idea of harm being done to children.



I liked what I saw of it and it's a great example where the title really fits the story.
Click to expand...

School massacres seem more prevalent for Americans due to how our society treats guns and mental illness. School massacres definitely happen in other places, there's no denying that, but some days it feels like we're just counting down til the next one.

I guess a better explanation for AHS is how it's about different kinds of fears in an American setting.
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
Is this really limited to America? Looking at IMDB, there are a quite a few "Canadian" movies.

http://www.imdb.com/find?q=Canadian&s=tt&ttype=ft&ref_=fn_ft


Canadian Bacon (1995)
Being Canadian (2015)
Canadian Star (2015)
The Canadians (1961)
Canadian Dream (2011)
Canadian Pacific (1949)
The Canadian (1926)
Kanadiana (2002)
Canadian Muscle (2015)
The Wave Canadiana Blue (2011))
Blue Canadian Rockies (1952)
The Canadian Ballet (1998)
Canadiana Blaze (2002)
Canadian Psycho (2012)
The Little Canadian (1955)
The Uncanadians (1996)
Canadian Profile (1957)
I Am the Canadian Delegate (2007)
The Lost Canadians (2006)
Lost Canadians (2006)
Canadian Cruise (1949)
How to Be a Canadian (in development)
Canadian Ninja
Canadian Holidays (1985)
The Canadian Federation (1981)
The Canadian Arctic: Part 2 (1987)
Dangers of the Canadian Mounted (1948)
Canadian Pakistani Music Videos (2015)
Narrow Margin (1990) aka "Canadian Express"
Kudi Canada Di (1993)
The Canadian Arctic: Part 1 (1987)
The Great Canadian Tax Dodge (2015)
Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders (1953)
Chilly Beach: The Canadian President (2008)
The Canadian Delegation
Great Canadian Ghost Stories (1995)
Los Canadienses (1975)
The Last Canadian Road Movie (2003)
Going the Distance (2004) aka "Canadian Pie"
Click to expand...
 
J

- J - D -

Member
Half is pandering to patriotism or nationalism, the other is tongue in cheek indictment or social critique.

America.

edit: American Gangster came out in '07? Damn, time flies.
 
O

oti

Banned
Imagine if NPR decided to change "This American Life" into "This Life". I can see the hashtags in front of me.

#waragainstAMERICA
#myAMERICANlife
#AMERICATRUMPGUNSAMERICA
 
A

Aselith

Member
Those works are either contemplative of the American experience i.e. issues or stories unique to America or they are stories that follow the "American Dream" Horatio Alger style with the self-made man/bootstraps stuff whether to subvert it or play it straight.

Not always I suppose but that is usually why the American descriptor is added.
 
NekoFever

NekoFever

Member
I always felt like it was pandering, like when American politicians talk about "Americans" instead of "people", but it does suggest some kind of modern social critique. Like American Sniper works by pulling in the rah-rah support the troops brigade but also telling us that it's about the issues that affect modern soldiers.

So yeah, probably a combination of both.
 
O

oti

Banned
Familienoberhauptvogel said:
He said yes combined with no in german, yeno?
Click to expand...

You have a German username. Are you just a poser or what?

Palculator said:
I always go "Jain" to have a better split. Because in "Jein" the letters from "Nein" make up 75% of the word, whereas in "Jain" it's 50:50 letters from "Ja" and "Nein." It expresses true indecisiveness, "Jein" leans towards negative.
Click to expand...

I never use "Jain". That's just weird.

PayOffWizard said:
If you want tough then how about these apples...

The-Great-British-Bake-Off1-750x400.jpg
Click to expand...

Case in point, in Germany this show is just "The Great Baking". And it's teeeeeerrrrible in German. The production must be done by soulless robots.
efficient German robots
 
P

Palculator

Unconfirmed Member
oti xero said:
Case in point, in Germany this show is just "The Great Baking". And it's teeeeeerrrrible in German. The production must be done by soulless robots.
efficient German robots
Click to expand...
Your first mistake was "Jein", your second was watching German TV
that isn't Stromberg.
 
A

Always-honest

Banned
Young country trying to create a culture and identity.
That's why the flag is everywhere and why the anthem is everywhere.
Rushing their way into history like a bunch of fanatics.
 
O

oti

Banned
Palculator said:
Your first mistake was "Jein", your second was watching German TV
that isn't Stromberg.
Click to expand...

I went to a Weltbild bookstore (bookstores amirite) and saw a book with the "Das Große Backen" winner on the cover. I'm a huge fan of the Bake Off and this was news to me. Looked it up on YouTube and it's TEHERIBLÉ.
 
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