Stranger than Fiction

“You had me at ‘grenade’” / “Show me the MAC-10!”

Clearly, I missed out by not watching the director’s cut of Jerry Maguire!

But seriously — when films go abroad, especially to Asia and Africa, they’re promoted with hand-painted signage made by people who haven’t seen them, and often are following the most cursory description of the plot and a couple of photos.

The roots of “Show me the money!” are still visible in the translation from film to poster…

…but I have no idea what’s going on with dismembered Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character). I think the machete-wielding guy to Rod’s left is supposed to be Frank Cushman’s dad (played by Beau Bridges), and that his holding Rod’s severed arm, which in turn is holding a grenade, is an action-film allegory for what actually happens in the movie.

Want to see more movie posters like this? Deadly Prey Gallery is an Instagram account that features wild Ghanian interpretations of American films.

Joey deVilla

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