MovieChat Forums > Dead Babies (2000) Discussion > American Film Title

American Film Title

posted 20 years ago by mcerion
5 replies | jump to latest

I read the book Dead Babies a few years ago and I thought it was very good. It was viciously funny and surreal in all the right places. Until today, I did not even know that the film was released in the U.S. I guess I can't be blamed too much for that, since the title was changed and the film obviously received zero promotion.

I have 3 questions. Why was the title changed? Did Martin Amis approve of this?
Is the film any good?

The film trailer certainly looks interesting. I'm just wondering if the book translates well into a film. I seem to remember some graphic sexual scenes in the book and I was kind of doubt that they kept those intact.

[–] the-dude-abides 20 years ago

i never knew this movie was a book. ill definately have to see if i can locate a copy. as for the movie: it was fuct up. some scenes in it just about gave me nightmares.. that one dude's teeth rotting out of his head freaked me out in a big way. overall i'd say it's worth watching. it was a bit hard to follow sometimes, and it seemed a bit like an exploitation piece, but it was enjoyable. it probably would've been better had i read the book first.. i hate it when that happens.

[–] lukens 20 years ago

I'd seen this film on Sky Box Office ages ago and had been searching for the DVD for a long time since.

It was only recently (thanks to this site) that I discovered the film had a different title in the US, and also had a DVD release. I bought the DVD straight away, and watched it last night.

I think it's a great film, the DVD has no extras or anything, and isn't even in widescreen, but I think it's still worth getting.

I've never read the book, but my girlfriend has, she says the film does make some changes, but maintains the character of the book (although, she was a bit vague on where and how it differed).

The film does have quite a bit of sex in, but I don't know if it's a graphic as the book.

As for the name change - I assume it's because the American market couldn't cope with a film called 'Dead Babies' or thought the title didn't relate enough to the film, and so gave it the rather naff name 'Mood Swingers' instead (which I guess is a reference to both the mood altering drugs and the 'Swinging').

[–] PaulLondon 18 years ago

I guess you have got to see the film now so will have your own opinion on it. Like you, I loved the book, but, I thought the film was awful. The main problem is that some key scenes look like music videos and all thought of narrative goes out the window in favour of some spurious idea of 'style'.
Like Rachel Papers this was another really bad adaptation of Amis.

[–] cole-man 18 years ago

I bet it was wierd to ask a video store if they had dead babies.

[–] 18 years ago

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