MovieChat Forums > Alien Raiders (2008) Discussion > Ruined by a Bad Name. Change it please!

Ruined by a Bad Name. Change it please!

posted 16 years ago by mysticwit
25 replies | jump to latest

Whoever came up with "Alien Raiders" as the title needs a clue or two. I have to wonder if they read the script or saw the film at all.

It's a shame, too, because it's a decent movie that will be hurt by the inaccuracy of the name. I'm sick and tired of hollywood studios dimissing the genre market and catering to the lowest common denominator. I see a lot of arthouse films, but have a fondness for 'midnight movies' and this one would be a lot of fun with friends. But thanks to the title, people who'd enjoy it might not see it.

It was a lot of fun at Fantastic Fest, where I had to wait in the standby line to see it. It was worth the wait. I was smart enough to read the description in the program, which didn't match the title.

So, please, Hollywood, help though of us with a horror-tooth get to see the movies we enjoy, and stop messing with titles. (and for that matter, stop making all the good horror go straight to DVD, dammit, as this one seems destined to do).

[–] ccaptian 15 years ago

I just saw this at a little Horror and Sci-fi fest in Phoenix, Arizona. Ben Rock the director was there for a Q and A after and someone mentioned the horrible title. He said that they had a couple titles like "Supermarket" or "Inhuman" in mind but Warner Bros. really pushed for "Alien Raiders" for some reason. He said that was the only thing they really pushed and that if that was the only "turd burger" he was gonna have to eat for the whole movie then he could live with it. The movie is really good and does rise above a really lame title.

[–] mysticwit 15 years ago

Yeah. But the producer/marketing types read these comments, usually, and I for one want them to know they're shooting themselves in the foot sentencing this film to obscurity when it could have a wider, more appreciative audience.

[–] crayonzero 15 years ago

Well to that end, I concur!
Damn silly title will put folk off this film, you marketing types out there.

On a side note, to those who work in marketing, marketing is the work of the devil and you are his helpers. Your job causes more misery than most 3rd world tyrannies could ever aspire to.

stopchasingyourtail

[–] All_Seeing_Fly 15 years ago

Well I'm not watching a film called Alien Raiders, no way, not even good enough name for the Sci-Fi channel!
How about:

Space Aliens from up there.
Alien Ark of the Lost Tomb, raid!
Alien Turd Polishers!

Well I don't know...

[–] speaksoftly99-1 15 years ago

Watching the trailer, I thought "Stay Back" would have been a better title. Haven't seen it yet but it looks good and I'm definitely going to check it out. Trailer also reminded me of "Splinter", which I thought I was a good low-budget horror film.

[–] Redeverlasting 15 years ago

name was a floozy. i had skipped it until i came here and saw the ratings and read the reviews. was amazed at how good it was and it definitely should have been in theaters

[–] -Peavy- 15 years ago

same here, i was gonna skip it but wanted to check out imdb first for ratings, reviews and forum posts. ill check it out now tho, but the title very nearly put me off.

[–] dean2900 15 years ago

I have to concur about the title. I was looking up lists of SCIFI original movies (the worst) and thought this was a made for SCIFI channel special.

Seriously, if this movie is not SCIFI channel C movie Monster Movie then please change the name.

[–] notalefty20 15 years ago

I nearly didn't see this movie because of the name, but picked it up anyway. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is. Shame about the title though.

[–] bogwart-1 15 years ago

I saw the words The Dark Knight and thought what a bunch of idiots, they can't even spell 'night' properly so I'm not going to watch that.

[–] snitsaros 15 years ago

Lol. Brilliant. The Dark Night indeed :)

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Ponzer 15 years ago

I agree, whoever came up with the name should be dragged out in an alley and get shot. It's a mindnumbingly stupid name.
I almost didn't watch the movie cause of the name. If it weren't for some glowing reviews here I would had never watched this movie.

"I am a leaf on the wind - watch how I soar."
Hoban 'Wash' Washburn

[–] aforandy 15 years ago

The problem for the marketing dept is that they have to persuade the public to engage with the product long enough to consider buying it. "Alien" helps there, as it fires the neurons other words won't reach. Its a rather clever film, and it would have most impact shown to people who have no prior knowledge of it. Maybe the sequel can be better-named, now we all know.

[–] Youcanmakeabettermovie 15 years ago

I agree. 'Inhuman' was a way better title but at least they didn't keep 'Supermarket'.

"I'm a lead farmer, maggot farmer!" (Tropic Thunder edited for TV)

[–] only1soe 15 years ago

Yeah I have to totally agree that the name is HORRIBLE. I think Supermarket would of been better due to the fact that you would have not known what you were getting into.

Carlos Bernard said he liked the Supermarket title as well in a interview I read. He also said it was about a 5 million dollar budget which I highly doubt.

Good actors, Good story, and decent FX when they actually showed them. Shot pretty much all in one location and on HD (not film) so how was 5 million spent?

[–] rideitlikeyoustoleit 15 years ago

"Yeah I have to totally agree that the name is HORRIBLE. I think Supermarket would of been better due to the fact that you would have not known what you were getting into."

I was thinking the same thing. I saw the previews for this movie and I thought it looked promising. After just watching it, I thought it was actually pretty good. If it wasn't for the trailer, I would have thought it was another one those Sci-Fi Channel movies, and that generally isn't a good thing.

[–] MadWatch 15 years ago

I totally agree. The title Alien Raiders seems totally like some bad, sci-fi movie from the early 80s and will probably turn a lot of people away. This movie is totally deserving of a much better title.

[–] superman1 15 years ago

But does the title define the film, in the simplest way?
Other titles mentioned are vague, and therefore weak.

[–] eh-earle 15 years ago

Hahaha so true man, that was the first thing i thought after i watched the movie. "Wow, that was really cool...but what the hell is up with that name??" If i'd gotten it out based on the name I would have expected something totally different and possibly been really disappointed (though I wasn't because I do happen to have decent taste lol). As it happens, one of my friends reccommended it to me, which is the only reason I hired it! Shoot the guy who chose the name! (I have my doubts it was the script writer, since the script was really quite good)

[–] gotmyorangecrush 14 years ago

In all honesty anyone who lets the name of a film influence their overall enjoyment of such a film is an idiot, end of story. Sorry to be so blunt but this is a very black or white issue. Its a name for gods sake. I for one loved this film and I don't care what the name is. It could be called "Fluffy alien nerf herders" for all I care. I see movies for enjoyment and the name of such films don't even begin to enter into the equation.