Movies With Very, Very Long Titles

Some movies keep it short and sweet while others turn the title into a whole sentence that sets the tone before the opening scene even starts. These titles can hint at plot, theme, or attitude, and they often stick in your head because they read like a story all by themselves.

Here are fifteen films where the title goes big. You will find what each one is about, who made it, and the kinds of details that help you place it in context without needing to look anything up first.

‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ (2014)

This black comedy from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu follows a former superhero star who stages a risky Broadway comeback. Michael Keaton leads the cast with Emma Stone and Edward Norton in key roles as the production grapples with creative pressure and personal turmoil.

The film is famous for cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s fluid long takes that create the feeling of one continuous shot. It won multiple Academy Awards including Best Picture, and it was produced and released by Fox Searchlight Pictures with extensive New York stage and street locations.

‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ (2007)

Director Andrew Dominik adapts Ron Hansen’s novel to chronicle the uneasy bond between outlaw Jesse James and admirer Robert Ford. Brad Pitt portrays James while Casey Affleck plays Ford, and the story examines notoriety, loyalty, and the slow unraveling of a legend.

Roger Deakins’ cinematography is noted for its painterly images that evoke frontier photography. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Cinematography, and it was distributed by Warner Bros. in many territories.

‘The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain’ (1995)

Set in Wales, this comedy drama centers on villagers who challenge a mapmaker after he declares their local peak too short to be called a mountain. Hugh Grant stars alongside a large ensemble that brings the village to life through local customs and pride.

The screenplay by Christopher Monger draws on a well known anecdote about measurement rules and community identity. Filming took place in Welsh locations with British production partners, and the story highlights the real criteria that separate a hill from a mountain.

‘The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society’ (2018)

Adapted from the novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, this drama follows a London writer who travels to Guernsey to learn how a small book club sustained its members during occupation. Lily James leads the cast with Michiel Huisman, Penelope Wilton, and Jessica Brown Findlay.

Directed by Mike Newell, the film uses Guernsey settings and British studio work to recreate postwar life. Distribution included a theatrical release in the United Kingdom through StudioCanal while Netflix handled streaming in several international markets.

‘Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood’ (1996)

This parody gathers tropes from urban dramas and turns them into a string of sketches that riff on well known scenes. Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans star and play off references to films such as ‘Boyz n the Hood’, ‘Menace II Society’, ‘Juice’, and ‘South Central’.

Paris Barclay directed with Keenen Ivory Wayans involved as a producer and on screen presence. The production came from Miramax’s Dimension label, and the film’s humor relies on direct callbacks to popular titles and visual gags that mirror their original shots.

‘The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared’ (2013)

Based on Jonas Jonasson’s bestselling novel, this Swedish comedy follows a centenarian who escapes a care home and wanders into a series of misadventures tied to his unusual past. Robert Gustafsson stars, and the story cuts between present day mishaps and earlier episodes in the character’s life.

Felix Herngren directs with a mix of slapstick and historical flashbacks filmed across Sweden and additional European locations. The movie proved popular in Scandinavia and led to a follow up titled ‘The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared’.

‘A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence’ (2014)

Roy Andersson completes his Living trilogy with a set of vignettes that observe everyday people in static, meticulously composed scenes. The title signals the wry, observational tone that connects ordinary routines with big questions about meaning.

The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and features Andersson’s signature studio built sets and pale color palette. It links thematically to earlier entries ‘Songs from the Second Floor’ and ‘You, the Living’, and it was produced through the director’s longtime Swedish company.

‘The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension’ (1984)

This science fiction adventure introduces a neurosurgeon, test pilot, and rock musician who leads a team called the Hong Kong Cavaliers. Peter Weller plays Buckaroo Banzai, with John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, and Jeff Goldblum among the ensemble.

Directed by W. D. Richter, the film mixes comic book energy with practical effects and inventive production design. Released by 20th Century Fox, it spawned tie in comics and ongoing interest in the character’s offbeat universe.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)

Peter Jackson’s adaptation launches the quest to destroy the One Ring, bringing together Frodo, Gandalf, and the Fellowship on a journey from the Shire to the borders of Mordor. The cast includes Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, and Cate Blanchett.

Shot across New Zealand with Weta Digital providing visual effects, the film combined large scale location work with miniatures and motion capture. It earned multiple Academy Awards and set up one continuous production for the entire trilogy.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

The finale concludes the war for Middle earth and follows Frodo and Sam to the fires of Mount Doom while armies gather at the Black Gate. The cast returns under Peter Jackson’s direction to complete the story begun in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’.

This entry matched the record for the most Academy Awards won by a single film with a total of eleven. It also completed one of the most ambitious single shoot productions, with an extended edition assembled from additional footage and finished effects work.

‘The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover’ (1989)

Peter Greenaway’s drama unfolds inside a lavish restaurant where a violent gangster and his wife cross paths with a quiet patron. Helen Mirren and Michael Gambon lead the cast while the setting shifts room by room to mirror power and desire.

Costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier and cinematography by Sacha Vierny create striking color coded spaces tied to the narrative. The film received an NC 17 rating in the United States and remains a notable collaboration between British and European production partners.

‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ (2015)

Adapted from Jesse Andrews’ novel, this coming of age story follows a teen who makes parodies of classic films with his friend and befriends a classmate facing illness. Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke anchor the main trio under director Alfonso Gomez Rejon.

The movie premiered at Sundance where it won both the Grand Jury and Audience awards in the U.S. Dramatic category. Filming took place in Pittsburgh with support from local schools and neighborhoods that match the book’s setting.

‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’ (2012)

Writer director Lorene Scafaria tells the story of two strangers who pair up for a final road trip as an asteroid approaches Earth. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley play neighbors who trade goals and letters while the world around them winds down.

Focus Features released the film after a production that used Southern California locations to stand in for multiple stops. The soundtrack mixes pop and classic cuts to underscore the two leads as they choose how to spend their remaining time.

‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar’ (1995)

This road comedy follows three New York drag queens who head cross country after a pageant and end up stranded in a small town. Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo headline, with Julie Newmar appearing as the person named in the title.

Directed by Beeban Kidron, the film was produced by Amblin and released by Universal Pictures. It featured elaborate costuming and makeup design and introduced mainstream audiences to a lively snapshot of drag performance culture.

‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994)

An Australian trio of drag performers travels from Sydney to a casino in Alice Springs aboard a bus they nickname Priscilla. Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce star as the performers who bring their show to remote stops along the route.

Directed by Stephan Elliott, the film is known for bold costumes by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner that won an Academy Award. The production covered a long stretch of the outback, using real towns and roadside landmarks to mark the journey.

Share your favorite long titled movies in the comments and let everyone know which epic names you think deserve a spot.