Real films in Seinfeld?

Dec 9, 2002, 6:00 AM ET7 posts by 5 posters

❓ Question

Viewers discuss why Seinfeld used mostly fictional movie titles rather than real films, with one user suggesting fake names create timeless episodes unbound by specific release dates.

7 posts

Stephen (aka steford)Dec 12, 2002, 11:32 AM ET

Following on from the non-existent Rochelle Rochelle film mentioned earlier this week is a question that's been bothering me for a while. With the obvious exception of "The English Patient", "Superman" and "Schindler's List" (probably some/lots more) why were all the film names in Seinfeld made up?

KubotaeatsDec 9, 2002, 6:00 AM ET↩ Stephen (aka steford)

"Stephen" wrote in message news:atadm1$1152qf$[email]...

earlier

made

I'll take a stab.   The episodes  have more of a timeless passive  sense if
they use fake movie  names. And you have no idea what they are gonna endure
and you can't assume a reaction after they see what they are gonna see.
If they were like "  hey, let's go see Phantom Menace"....and your mind
goes,  ok this episode is a few years old and boy they are gonna dislike
that piece of ****!  Depends on the joke too. One's skewed opinion of  a
real life title that was in fact an "average' plain'old movie can interfere
with the central joke.   Fake movie names shows a writers creative side too
along with making up their own descriptions of movies like Rochelle
Rochelle.  Death Blow?  Sack Lunch?  That's pretty funny stuff.  I forget
that movie title  George couldn't see with Jerry because he had to watch
something with Susan.  It was with Harrison Ford. Anbody remember that
title?

It's different with stuff like using "Home Alone", because George crying makes perfect sense.

JocabTheGeniusDec 15, 2002, 1:30 AM ET↩ Kubotaeats

Firestorm?

TheNewsGuy(Mike)Dec 12, 2002, 5:11 PM ET↩ Stephen (aka steford)

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 16:32:00 -0000, "Stephen" wrote:

Check my "Movies" page

Stephen (aka steford)Dec 12, 2002, 6:20 PM ET↩ TheNewsGuy(Mike)

"The News Guy(Mike)" wrote in message news:[email]...

earlier

made

Stephen (aka steford)Dec 12, 2002, 6:21 PM ET↩ TheNewsGuy(Mike)

"The News Guy(Mike)" wrote in message news:[email]...

earlier

made

Yes very nice - I'm interested in spoken references to films that don't exist eg Prognosis Negative, Rochelle Rochelle etc Why do shows/films/books do this?

TheNewsGuy(Mike)Dec 13, 2002, 11:44 AM ET↩ Stephen (aka steford)

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 23:21:32 -0000, "Stephen" wrote:

Seinfeld does both.

They mention real movies that sometimes aid in the rich cultural millieu of the storires as well as supporting the plot line like, JFK, Schindler's List, The English Patient, etc.

But the also make up movies, much of them whimsical and funny, so as not to lock themselves into a time frame.

Fake movies from the FAQ
============================
        -Agent Zero [The Pool Guy]
        -Barcelona [The Engagement]
        -Blame it on the Rain [The Calzone]
        -Brown-Eyed Girl [The Pool Guy]
        -Blimp-The Hindenburg Story [The Puerto Rican Day]
        -Checkmate [The Pool Guy]
        -Checkmate [The Movie]
        -Chunnel [The Pool Guy]
        -Chow Fun [The Pool Guy]
        -Cry, Cry Again [The Little Kicks]
        -Cupid's Rifle [The Pool Guy]
        -Death Blow [The Little Kicks]
        -Firestorm [The Pool Guy]
        -Means to an End [The Calzone]
        -Mountain High [The Pool Guy]
        -The Muted Heart [The Engagement]
        -The Pain and the Yearning
        -Ponce De Leon {The Dog]
        -Prognosis Negative [The Dog]
        -The Other Side of Darkness [The Comeback]
        -Rochelle, Rochelle [The Movie]
        -Sack Lunch [The English Patient]