My dear little Schmoes -- I need a title...and I need your help to find it

[James Logan]

So, listen up, people. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm currently working on an epic, it's about a wandering knight (and that's the current title, WANDERING KNIGHT). The overall feel of the movie will be very much à la BRAVEHEART.

Now, some Schmoe (Arto http://www.joblo.com/ubb/tongue.gif ) told me lately that the WANDERING KNIGHT title sounded ok, but was too obvious considering the plot. So I was wondering: 1°) do you Schmoes think it can work?, and 2°) do you have any ideas of other titles I could give to this script, knowing it's an epic about a solitary knight who has to face a whole world who is far from sharing his values?

There y'a go. Hope you can help me out on this one. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Kastman]

The Lone Knight

All alone in the knight

[Reigh Kaufman]

Knight Rider...

No, wait a minute...

How about Crusader...God's Lonely Man...Last Knight (that was a joke)...

[ak]

I'm not really being inspired at the moment, but I can tell you honestly that "Wandering Knight" sounds a little redundant, and wouldn't attract my attention toward the box-office.
I also think that using "knight" in a pun manner in the title also seems rather redundant and not something that seems greatly inspiring.

Alas, I cannot think, so at least those who have given suggestions are better than mine, but I think you need to stop thinking about the title, and let it come naturally.
All my film idea titles have come through inspirational moments or out of the blue. The more you think the more tangled up you get.



[This message has been edited by ak (edited 07-20-2002).]

[RaiderMan]

A Knight's Quest! Bingo that's it most certainly...wait...maybe....

[[SD] Bob Plisskin]

I think the plot sounds a bit biblical you know how jesus was persecuted for trying to change everyone when he was infact right. Maybe you can work something from that?

<OB>

[TheFrost]

Outsider

Hows that? I came up with the idea reading your plot: "it's an epic about a solitary knight who has to face a whole world who is far from sharing his values?" So to me he sounds a bit like an outsider (poor boy http://www.joblo.com/ubb/frown.gif)

Hope it helps

[Ezikel]

How about A Knights Tale? Wait....

Personally I liked KNight Rider but then again I am, according to you, "wierd", so what do I know.

Whats the name of the main character so you might be able to work it around it. Something like "Arise Sir.... (insert knights name here)"

[blankpage]

Who you calling little,punk?

Anyways WANDERING KNIGHT seems to simple and dull.Maybe something like,

The Quest of (instert knight's name)
Searching for Paradise
The Knight and his war
Brave Knight
The Wars of people

Stuff like that could help http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

--blankpage
http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[James Logan]

Thanks for the contributions, folks...keep 'em coming. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

Bob, it does have loads of biblical references, so you're right, I'll check that out. Thanks for the suggestion.

And Ez', c'mon, I like weird people. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif Besides, the first name of the character in the script is Ezekiel (not written like your name, but heck, it's the same). Although it's no hommage to you, it doesn't bother me if you consider it one. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/tongue.gif

[James Logan]

So, here's what we've got:

WANDERING KNIGHT
THE LONE KNIGHT
KNIGHT RIDER
CRUSADER
GOD'S LONELY MAN
OUTSIDER
SEARCHING FOR PARADISE

Those are the best yet to me...but I have feeling the title I want isn't in there yet. Crap. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[[SD] Bob Plisskin]

I was just thinking about Ezekial 25:17 and maybe you could call it the shepherd, because the knight is the shepherd to humanity, shepherding the weak through the valley of darkness.

<OB>

[James Logan]

THE SHEPHERD! Now that's magnificient, Bob. I'll read the specific passage of the Bible later, but that sounds like one heck of a good title. I think until we find better (if we do), that'll be the one.

Geez, thanks, dude! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[[SD] Bob Plisskin]

just don't forget about me when it comes to writing the credits!! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

<OB>

[PhantomRhyter]

Using "The Sheperd" as your title might give the wrong impression as to the sort of film you're trying to write (It's not 'bad' though). You might want to augment to it something like "The Sheperd's Quest" or "The Sheperd of Arms" or something like that.

Good titles can be gleaned from the Bible, as a matter of fact Ernest Hemingway got the title for Th Sun Also Rises from the book of Ecclesiates (and a whole song 'Turn, Turn Turn', was based on the whole Book of Ecclesiastes too, that was released by the Byrds in the 1960s). If I were going to search the Bible for inspiration for a title I would suggest that you check out the Book(s) of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Psalms, and Proverbs, as where this is where the really cool philosophical stuff is to be found.

One other thing you can do is simply title it by the name of the lead character. A couple of years back my cousin loaned me an excellent novel about the journeys and quest of an irascible, cynical monk during the period of the Crusades entitled Godric. It was classic (and I would LOVE to make a movie out of it), and its title was also the name of the main character.

One other thing certain words carry their own power, a good title (or conversely, a bad title) can make or break a story (strange how that works but it does seem to work that way) of the suggestions given to you so far, certain ones seem to carry more preponderance (for lack of a better word) than others. For example, I think something along the lines of "Solitary",
"Solitude", or even "Sole" work much better for you than "Wandering" or any derivitive thereof. I'm not sure if the word "Knight" would work well for you in the title either. So you might eventually come up with some combination such as "Quest of the Solitary Sheperd", or "In Solitude Seeks the Sheperd" or some such. Anyway hope this helps you get closer to what you're looking for.

Chills,
PhantomRhyter

[Silverload]

How about Valiant or The Valiant http://www.joblo.com/ubb/confused.gif

[James Logan]

Thanks for the help everybody.

Phantom, I agree with you on most points and I think I'll pick up the idea of checking out the Bible for titles. I also saw this script as a game of references, so if the title was one more reference it would pose no problem at all (to the contrary).

So if anyone comes up with something new, feel free to post it, I'd appreciate it a lot, but you Schmoes already showed me the right direction through all your replies. Thanks a lot, you'll get a "Thanks" category in the end credits. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif

[jenzie]

You need to contact Terry Gilliam because it sounds like Don Quixote to me!

Wait a minute

Thats it!! The perfect title!!!!!

The Fisher King!!!!!

Only joking!!! How about Knight Tyme?

[The Lizard King]

Shepherd Without a Sheep, an oscar worthy title!!

[James Logan]

Extrapt of the Bible courtesy of Bob Plisskin:

Ezekial 25:17. 'The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost children. And i will strike down upon thee with great vengance and furious anger those who attempt to poisen and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the lord when i lay my vengance upon you.'

So I thought I could also name it THE FINDER OF LOST CHILDREN...does it sound good or lame to you?

[PhantomRhyter]

Logan,

Figuring that there is going to be some internal conflict in your character such as his wrestling with his own faith in such a horrid world as we live in, I'm beginning to think of him as a lost sheperd, so what do you think of that for a title? "The Lost Shepard"?

You could possibly have it to where he begins life as a monk --preferrably serving somewhere in the Balkan States, or eastern Europe. He however, witness some atrocity (possibly a raid by Muslim on a Christian/European village) and becomes so enraged that he decides to become a Sword for the Lord, rahter than a priest??? Anyway, just some thoughts--> hope it helps out.

Chills,
PhantomRhyter

[docholiday_13]

Ass Kicking Man In Armour with Sword Kicking Ass

[James Logan]

Phantom, the title is good...THE LOST SHEPHERD...will have to keep that one in mind.

The rest though can't work. I absolutely, definitely, want part of the character's inner conflict to be caused by a woman (dead, but still alive in his memory). That's the part of the story I've already completely fleshed out, so the guy can't be an ex-monk or priest...unfortunately.

I'll be back to ya if I find anything new. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[boggie]

Terminator 3: How The Hell Did I Get Here?

[boggie]

The People vs The Wandering Knight?

[boggie]

Sojourner

[boggie]

How about sopmething misleading to tempt in the punters, like "Hypersonic Space Monkeys From Neptune". If I saw that title in the cinema, I know I'd go.

[boggie]

The War Within

[acid_allen]

that passage from the bible is in PULP FICTION

Samuel L Jackson says it before he kills some dude

http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif ACID http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[AxeDamn]

How about just plain "Wanderer"? I dunno, maybe it's too simple.

[atdtennis]

Adventures of a Knight

[Reigh Kaufman]

Pendragon.

It has a cool ring to ita nd it's pinched from Arthurian legend.

[PhantomRhyter]

When I think about it the title THE LOST SHEPERD sounds a tad bit empty, so I might amend my suggestion to add a place name to the title such as 'THE LOST SHEPERD OF AVALON' or whatever the place name of your story may be. Anyway, hope this helps get you closer.

Chills,
PhantomRhyter

[QUENTIN]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by James Logan:
Extrapt of the Bible courtesy of Bob Plisskin:

Ezekial 25:17. 'The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost children. And i will strike down upon thee with great vengance and furious anger those who attempt to poisen and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the lord when i lay my vengance upon you.'

So I thought I could also name it THE FINDER OF LOST CHILDREN...does it sound good or lame to you?</font>

LOL. That is "Ezekiel 25:17" as it appears in Pulp Fiction, but not actually Ezekiel 25:17. Tarantino wrote his own Bible verse, taking a bit from Ezekiel 25:16 and 17, a bit from Job, and some of his own stuff, influenced by none other than Jesse Jackson. In no Bible will that verse appear as it is above printed. Just thought it was funny when Bob said it reminded him of Ezekiel 25:17, as that is the passage the hitman Jules Winnfield claims to quote in Pulp Fiction three different times, and then included not the Bible quote, but the film quote, over half of which you won't find in the Bible. Mentioning this only because if you're looking to tie it into the Bible, Tarantino films are great, but not quite holy, so you might want to look up the verse. I do believe the shepherding children may be in there though, so you could keep your title as refference.

Personally, I most like the sound of "God's Lonely Man", the title of the Thomas Wolfe poem which was part of Paul Schrader's inspiration for the Taxi Driver script. Maybe something like God's Shepherd or The Shepherd's War/Struggle. I dunno, your script, just giving some info about the faux Ezekiel quote.

[This message has been edited by QUENTIN (edited 07-31-2002).]

[Reigh Kaufman]

Exactly where I pinched it from (though I was aware of Schrader's magpie skills). I also nicked Pendragon from Holy Grail, but nobody will spot the reference from that...unless?

[[SD] Bob Plisskin]

the true quotation is simply "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness" I didn't mean for James to get the full tarantino version but I sent him an unrelated mail and it was my signiture on hotmail, the bit about the shepherd is in the bible, just not the wrath bit.

&lt;OB&gt;

[Wurms]

My first post here http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif So I thought it should be helping someone out.

Well, it would help to know a bit more about the story. What is the character trying to resolve? So far we know he is on his own and lost a loved one. But what are his goals for traveling? What is the overall point of the story.

How about Battlefield Earth? DOH! My bad, that was taken already by an oscar winning movie.

Here are some suggestions:
Way of the Warrior - since nobody believes his values/ways, and he is a lone knight/warrior.

Tears (and/for/with) Blood - He lost his love, and since its an epic ala Braveheart then apparently those tears are going to shed blood as well.

Journey to Oblivion - He appears to be traveling (on a journey) all over to places where people do not care about his values and disregard him.


Just don't use Knight in the title. Its too direct, like something that would be used in an Action or Comedy movie (ala Black Knight, A Knights Tale, Shanghai Knights).

Braveheart wasn't titled: The Scottsman, or A Kilt and a Sword. Dances with wolves wasn't titled: White Indian or The Lost White Man.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

I like the board too http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif Glad to join. Read some stuff, lots of interesting ideas around here.

[This message has been edited by Wurms (edited 08-01-2002).]

[James Logan]

Thanks everybody, and especially Quent': I just realized reading the Bible that half the quote Bob gave me was missing, and I was wondering if it was only my version of the Bible that was cut or something. So thanks for the confirmation. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

Still, I think Bob's idea of searching in the Bible is good, and I'll look for something along those lines. There MUST be something cool like THE FINDER OF LOST CHILDREN in the Bible somewhere...