Title Brainstorming Party Time!

[kungfuwaynewho]

Everyone's invited - even and especially those who haven't looked at a single word of my screenplay.  Because the first thing anyone looks at is the title, and it will help shape preconceptions, make you decide if you want to read or not, etc.

What you need to know: it's a vampire movie set in 18th century Romania.  It's more about creepy and atmosphere than it is about shocks and gore.  So I've got some ideas, and if you want to throw something in the pot, please do so.  Because I am horrible at coming up with titles and it is now T-minus one month and I'm starting to freak out.

Different Names for Vampires
Strigoi
Moroi
Vampir
Vampyre
Upir
Upyr
Upyri
Wampir
Dhampir
Dhampyr
Izcacus

Place Names
The Castle
(The) Castle Bathory
The Castle on the Mountain

And that's all I've got.  In the fine tradition of brainstorming, I'm not censoring anything I think of, so if there's something on here that makes you go "oh girl you can't name it that," then say so, no prob.  And if you can think of anything at all, toss it out there.

Comments

[nhpw.livejournal.com]

Call me crazy, but what if you took any and all references to "vampire" out of the title? One of the things I really like about the script is that it does not scream THIS IS A VAMPIRE STORY at the top of its lungs, and it would be good to see that come through in the title as well.

I keep going back to the Bathory legend and wondering if you can use something in there. Erzebet was known as the Blood Countess... maybe something with "blood" in it?

I also think, given what we learn about Janos down the road and the way he's coming off as more hardcore religious in this draft, that some sort of veiled biblical reference would work.

That is a lot of ideas but no outright suggestions. Sorry :( I will keep thinking on it, though!

[nhpw.livejournal.com]

What about "house" instead of "castle" - "House of Bathory" or something? You know, like how a church is "the house of God." "Castle" kind of makes me think all grand majesty and kings and queens and shit. OR - getting rid of Bathory entirely - using "Briccus" instead.

[hollywobbles.livejournal.com]

I like what nhpw said about taking out the vampire references. Also about the idea for veiled biblical references -- I think that's a great idea. With the creepy religious themes you have going, that'd be perfect, and it'd hit just the right note of creepy-without-resorting-to-blood-and-gore. Classy-creepy, if you will.

I'll start thinking about Bible references, laments, curses, prophesies, although at this point, it probably would have behooved me to have been following this draft so far, so I can see what Janos's "hardcore religious" changes were. Is there anything he quotes or says that might work for a title? Any Latin prayer phrases that might be used to ward of vampires, or as a plea for God's mercy or protection?

[(Anonymous)]

I like the Castle titles, because, yeah, I think there is a bit of a vampire saturation, although I do like Wampir. Wampir or Castle Bathory would be my picks.

[cath822.livejournal.com]

(Hi. That was me.)

[la-loony.livejournal.com]

Whatever you pick, don't pick 'The Castle on the Mountain'XD
I haven't read anything yet (gosh girl it's so much first I thought I could read it when I'm done with my paper, now I'm done with the paper but there are so many more entrys to read from youXD), so I just go with my gut and my imagination of how they would translate the title into German...and that one doesn't sound good.

I think Castle Bathory is not bad, but I will come back with something more specific as soon as I managed it to read the script.

[nhpw.livejournal.com]

Whatever you pick, don't pick 'The Castle on the Mountain'XD

Seconded.

[singer-shaper.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could pick a title that focuses on the plot rather than the setting? I'm afraid I don't have a more specific suggestion, but it seems that you want to avoid identifying with the '30s film.

[mac-beth13.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well I was thinking of perhaps Bathory Manor for place name. I'm with the rest of the consensus, please not 'Castle on the Mountain'.

You've been working on this for so long I can't remember, were you purposefully staying away from Nosferatu?
I like the 'Vampyre' spelling but I know you were hoping to get away from that. Maybe you can play on the term Hematophagy (the ability of certain animals to feed on blood). There is also Hirudo which is the genus of leeches. I actually kinda like the sound of that one, IDK why. ;)

Good luck with the writing! :)