Is The Last Mimzy the Worst Movie Title Ever?

I can remember back in the very early 80s when I and my friend Moose-no, wait, it was Mark Kochinski-heard that the title for a new movie to be produced by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg was going to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Though Mark and I were both big fans of George Lucas' Star Wars and Steven Spielberg and felt that any collaboration between the two would result in cinematic genius, we were both equally astounded by the title. I mean, sure, now it seems perfectly great. But you've got to realize that the first time we heard it was before anyone had ever even seen so much as a photograph of Harrison Ford wearing a fedora. It sounded stupid. On some days, it still sounds stupid.

Though not nearly as stupid as The Last Mimzy. I think it was at the showing of Flushed Away-which, by the way, is far away funnier than Cars or Happy Feet-that I first saw the preview for The Last Mimzy and all I can remember of it was thinking what a truly dreadful title that was for a movie. Naturally, as the movie gets closer to actually hitting theaters and television shows geared toward kids are bombarded with commercials for The Last Mimzy, it got me to considering if that is, indeed, the single worst movie title of all time.

I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on whether it will turn out to be a terrific title. Sometimes that does happen; witness Raiders. But from a purely marketing concept, a title is really one of the most effective tools any creative artist has for getting people to buy the product. A terrific title can sell a bad movie for at least a day or two-witness Snakes on a Plane. And a bad title has killed more than a few good movies-witness The Hudsucker Proxy.

Now, clearly, in any examination of bad movie titles there have to be some ground rules. Incredibly low budget films that never even had a chance should be excused. You know, things like Assault of the Killer Bimbos or Plan 9 From Outer Space. We need to focus on movies made by guys who just simply should have known better. Movies that feature recognizable actors or directors. Movies made by people who have actually have offices with chairs and desks and hold buttons on their phones.