A title drop, also known as a titular line, is a line in a film, television series, book, or other media, that contains the title of the work. Though present in other forms of media, the term title drop typically refers to films. In some instances, the title drop occurs at a movie's end, such as in Iron Man and The Breakfast Club , where the final lines heard in the films are “I am Iron Man” and “Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club” respectively. Title drops are not to be confused with title sequences, however, in which the title is shown through on-screen text, rather than being said directly. For instance, the Star Wars opening crawl would not be considered a title drop, but rather a title sequence as it is not spoken dialogue. Title drops have been around almost as long as movies themselves with some examples leading back to 1911. Since then, the use of the title drop has, overall, trended upward. [1] The reception of title drops is greatly varied, with some considered iconic, others cringeworthy, and others altogether out-of-place. [1] In studying title drops, it is important to consider the various types, the notable uses in film, as well as appearances in other media.
Title drops have been around for almost as long as movies themselves. The first movie ever made, A Horse in Motion, came out in 1878, and as little as thirty-three years after that, title drops began in film. [2] Though the exact first title drop has not been definitively found, Karadjordje, released in 1911, is an example of a very early title drop in a motion picture. This movie is a biopic centering around the character of Karadjordje and, thus, his name is said several times in the form of an intertitle.
Self-aware title drops occur when a character drops the title of the movie directly and is aware that they are saying it. An example of this type occurs in the comedy movie Hot Tub Time Machine when a character states the entire title of the movie in a comedic moment. Back to the Future uses this form of self-aware title drop as well.
Promotive title drops occur when a character or characters say the name of the media they are in multiple times as a means of self-promotion. This type of title drop is typically seen in lower-budget media.
Titular character title drops happen when a movie is named after the main character, like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, etc. The title of the movie will likely be dropped multiple times since the character’s name is itself the title of the film. In this case, title drops lose emphasis since they end up being said many times instead of only being said once or twice. [3] The 2023 film Barbie set the record for the most title drops in a single movie with the title spoken 267 times. [1]
Unaware title drops occur when the character, who is saying the title of the movie they are in, is completely unaware that they are doing so. This is common in more dramatic movies and is presented without breaking the fourth wall. This type is a more immersive form of title drop. [1] An example of this type is found in the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind .
Title drops have been on an upward trend every decade since 1960. [1] Here is a list of some notable, influential, and iconic title drops throughout history. [4] [5]
1940s: Casablanca is the most popular movie from the 1940s that contains title drops. However, the name of the movie is also the name of the location the movie takes place in, causing these references to have less emphasis. Double Indemnity is the second highest-rated 1940s movie with title drops, having only three. Having so few occurrences makes each title drop more noticeable.
1950s: Singin’ in the Rain contains eleven title drops all coming in the form of the title song, Singin' in the Rain. Vertigo has only one title drop towards the start of the movie when the character mentions that he has vertigo, a medical condition.
1960s: Both Harakiri and The Apartment are named after words that are used in normal vocabulary (within the context of the time and place) and therefore both contain many title drops through the form of normal character conversation.
1970s: Unlike The Godfather , which contains fourteen total title drops, The Godfather Part II only contains four. This makes each individual title drop more impactful.
1980s: Back to the Future is likely the most famous example from this decade, with the ever-memorable line, “Next Saturday night, we’re sending you back to the future." Also from the 1980s, The Shining contains two title drops, coming in the scene where one of the characters explains what “shining” is to another.
1990s: Goodfellas contains two title drops. While the title seems to be a term that might be commonly used among the main characters of this film, the term is actually not used until the very end. Fight Club contains twenty-five casual title drops. Rather than seeming like actual title drops, it is more like the characters are casually mentioning the fight club they are a part of.
2000s: All three of the Lord of the Rings movies contain one title drop each. Clearly, this was intentional, given that all three titles are each only said once per film. This is a cool easter egg to look for when watching the trilogy. The Dark Knight contains one title drop, which is the final line of the movie.
2010s: Interstellar contains just one title drop. Unlike many others, it is not placed at the beginning or end of the movie but, instead, is just said at some point during the middle.
2020s: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse contains forty-four uses of Spider-Man’s name throughout the movie. Every single one of these title drops is in the form of the character's name being mentioned. Barbie , as mentioned above, sets the record for most title drops in a single movie with 267 occurrences. This is due to the fact that the movie is not only named after a single character but that there are a large number of characters named Barbie.
Although the term title drop typically refers to film, here are some notable examples from other media types.
At one point in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the character Atticus explains to Jem that he can, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”
In the book A Brave New World, at one point the narrator speaks, “‘O brave new world,’ he began, then suddenly interrupted himself; the blood had left his cheeks; he was pale as paper”.
Fahrenheit 451 contains a partial title drop in the line, “They pumped the cold fluid from the numeraled 451 tanks strapped to their shoulders”.
Title drops in music are extremely common, considering many songs are simply named after a lyric they contain. The song “Pray” by MC Hammer holds the world record for the most title drops in a US top 40 hit.
In the TV show, Better Call Saul , the title is dropped in an impactful moment in the final episode of the show.
Verlan is a type of argot in the French language, featuring inversion of syllables in a word, and is common in slang and youth language. It rests on a long French tradition of transposing syllables of individual words to create slang words. The word verlan itself is an example of verlan. It is derived from inverting the sounds of the syllables in l'envers. The first documented use of verlan dates back to the 19th century, among robbers.
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film, video, or television presentation; or the physical area of a film that contains the synchronised recorded sound.
Legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice plays a critical role in the film's narrative. Legal dramas have also followed the lives of the fictional attorneys, defendants, plaintiffs, or other persons related to the practice of law present in television show or film. Legal drama is distinct from police crime drama or detective fiction, which typically focus on police officers or detectives investigating and solving crimes. The focal point of legal dramas, more often, are events occurring within a courtroom, but may include any phases of legal procedure, such as jury deliberations or work done at law firms. Some legal dramas fictionalize real cases that have been litigated, such as the play-turned-movie, Inherit the Wind, which fictionalized the Scopes Monkey Trial. As a genre, the term "legal drama" is typically applied to television shows and films, whereas legal thrillers typically refer to novels and plays.
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same story as the original but uses a different set of casts, and may use actors from the original, alter the theme, or change the flow and setting of the story, in addition since a remake is released some time after the original work it may incorporate new technologies, enhancements, and techniques that had not existed or was commonly used when the original work was created. A similar but not synonymous term is reimagining, which indicates a greater discrepancy between, for example, a movie and the movie it is based on.
A message picture is a motion picture that, in addition to or instead of being for entertainment, intends to communicate a certain message or ideal about society.
A teaser trailer is a short trailer and a form of teaser campaign advertising that focuses on film and television programming. It is a videography pre-release film or television show advertisement. Short in length, teaser trailers contain little material from the advertised content to be released.
A crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, common corporate ownership or unofficial efforts by fans.
Life-Size is a 2000 American fantasy comedy television film directed by Mark Rosman and starring Lindsay Lohan and Tyra Banks. It originally premiered on March 5, 2000, on ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney block. Lohan portrays a young girl who casts a magic spell to bring back her deceased mother and, instead, accidentally brings to life her fashion doll, played by Banks. The film then follows their relationship as the doll creates havoc while trying to fit into the real world.
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds, and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse in supporting roles. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies".
To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American coming-of-age legal drama crime film directed by Robert Mulligan starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, with Phillip Alford, John Megna, Frank Overton, James Anderson, and Brock Peters in supporting roles. It marked the film debut of Robert Duvall, William Windom, and Alice Ghostley. Adapted by Horton Foote, from Harper Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, it follows a lawyer (Peck) in Depression-era Alabama defending a black man (Peters) charged with rape while educating his children against prejudice.
A post-credits scene is a short teaser clip that appears after the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV series, or video game has run. It is usually included to reward the audience for having the patience to watch through the credits sequence; it may be a scene written for humour or to set up a sequel.
The Spectacular Spider-Man is an American superhero animated television series developed by Victor Cook and Greg Weisman and produced by Sony Pictures Television, based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. In terms of overall tone and style, the series is based primarily on the Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and John Romita Sr. era of The Amazing Spider-Man, with a similar balance of action, drama and comedy as well as a high school setting. However, it also tends to blend material from all eras of the comic's run up to that point in addition to other sources such as the Ultimate Spider-Man comics by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, as well as Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy.
Subtitles are texts representing the contents of the audio in a film, television show, opera or other audiovisual media. Subtitles might provide a transcription or translation of spoken dialogue. Although naming conventions can vary, captions are subtitles that include written descriptions of other elements of the audio, like music or sound effects. Captions are thus especially helpful to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Subtitles may also add information that is not present in the audio. Localizing subtitles provide cultural context to viewers. For example, a subtitle could be used to explain to an audience unfamiliar with sake that it is a type of Japanese wine. Lastly, subtitles are sometimes used for humor, as in Annie Hall, where subtitles show the characters' inner thoughts, which contradict what they were saying in the audio.
Barbie and the Three Musketeers is a 2009 animated fantasy film. It was released to DVD on September 15, 2009, and made its television premiere on Nickelodeon on November 22, 2009.
The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man which shares the title of the longest-running Spider-Man comic book series. It was produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Arad Productions, Inc., and Matt Tolmach Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It is the fourth theatrical Spider-Man film, serving as a reboot following Sam Raimi's 2002–2007 Spider-Man trilogy, and was followed by a second The Amazing Spider-Man film. The film was directed by Marc Webb and written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Steve Kloves, based on a story by Vanderbilt, and stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man alongside Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field. Teenager Peter Parker gains spider-like powers and fights crime as Spider-Man, attempting to balance heroics with his ordinary life.
Arthropods, which include crustaceans, arachnids, and insects, are characterized in many different ways. Their bodies are segmented and covered by a cuticle, and their appendages have joints. These and other features set arthropods apart from other groups. Arthropods, mainly insects and arachnids, are used in film either to create fear and disgust in horror and thriller movies, or they are anthropomorphized and used as sympathetic characters in animated children's movies.
Spider-Man Strikes Back is a 1978 American superhero film that had a theatrical release abroad, a composite of the two-parter episode "Deadly Dust" of the contemporary television show The Amazing Spider-Man, released on 8 May 1978. It was directed by Ron Satlof, written by Robert Janes and stars Nicholas Hammond as the titular character, Robert Alda, Robert F. Simon, Joanna Cameron, and Michael Pataki. The film was preceded by Spider-Man and followed by Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge.
Be My Cat: A Film for Anne is a 2015 Romanian found footage psychological horror film directed, produced, written, and starring Adrian Țofei, about an aspiring filmmaker who goes to extreme levels to convince actress Anne Hathaway to star in his film. It is the first entry in Țofei's planned indie trilogy which includes We Put the World to Sleep and Pure. It is also Țofei's first film and Romania's first found footage horror movie.
Kraven the Hunter is an upcoming American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by J. C. Chandor from a screenplay by Richard Wenk and the writing team of Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, the film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role, alongside Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Russell Crowe. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel Entertainment, it is intended to be the sixth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). The film explores Kraven's complex relationship with his father and his path to becoming the greatest hunter.
Madame Web is a 2024 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) and stars Dakota Johnson in the title role, alongside Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott. The film was directed by S. J. Clarkson from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claire Parker and the writing team of Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. In the film, the origin story of Cassie Webb (Johnson) is explored as she confronts her past while trying to save three young women from Ezekiel Sims (Rahim), who wants to kill them before they become Spider-Women in the future and kill him.