Why can't Americans understand British Film titles?

Anybody know why the film 'Adventures In Babysitting' was renamed 'A Night On The Town' when shown on British TV?
When i rented the video YEARS ago, it definitely had the original American title.
Has this happened to any other film, where the title has been changed for British TV only....?
 
But the thing I don't get about both books being retitled is this:

In the case of the "Philosopher's Stone" name change, the whole mythos of the title surely is lost to an American audience? The Philosopher's Stone is not a concept invented by J.K Rowling, but an actual substance once believed to exist by alchemists in history. Ms Rowling simply incorporated it into her book. It's not as if the term is her invention. So why change it to "Sorcerer," when (to my knowledge) no "Sorcerer's Stone" has been widely referenced in history. :confused:

As for the "Golden Compass," I'm really confused. Who decided it was a better name for American audiences than "Northern Lights"? It doesn't seem to make sense to me. There's nothing objectionable or controversial about the original title.
 
thats not strictly true, being an adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel, it was the Americans who changed the tile of the novel, we just changed it back.
 
OK. But why? And in this American version of the book, is the word "alethiometer" substituted with the worRAB "golden compass" all the way through? And if so, why?
 
You know in the first Harry Potter film? Well when Americans were watching it were they not thinking "why are they calling it the philosopher's stone when the film's called the sorcerer's stone?" Not knocking anyone here, just a bit confused
 
No they weren't, because all the scenes mentioning the stone were filmed twice, with both versions of dialogue being done.

You'll notice a couple of occasions where the dialogue is spoken but you can't see the person's mouth. I remember one scene where a door slams in front of Hermione and she's then heard saying something about the stone. Presumably this is because it's far cheaper to substitute only dialogue than it is to re-film entire scenes.
 
;10961982']The Harry Potter film was renamed in the states because they refer to the Philosophers stone as the sorcerer's stone.

It had nothing to do with presuming kiRAB wouldn't know what a philosopher was.
 
i always wondered why this was, i missed it the first couple of times that it was shown because i didnt know it was the same film. It was one of my favorites as a kid and i was really disappointed that i missed it!!!!
 
I dont think it's a question of not being able to understand.. It's just not used here, so why keep that retention in ones head if they never use it. I still always miss the defination of a "fortnight" and if ya told me it, I'd probably not wish to remember it unless I had to. I remember years ago I had a pen pal from Guildford Surrey, I told her I "was going to Sacramento for Thanksgiving". She hadn't a clue as towhat that meant.
 
To be honest I always thought "The Golden Compass" was a better name than Northern Lights, considering the next two are "The Subtle Knife" and "The AMber Spyglass". It just fits...
 
I am glad they didn't change Austin Powers: the spy who shagged me though. In the US when it came out, nobody understood what it ment. Their, shag means shag pile carpet.
 
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