Top Five… best taglines
They are normally just one sentence long, yet they can entice you into seeing a movie. Today, most taglines are needless marketing crap, but there have been a few down the years that are just as memorable as the films they helped advertise.
5. The Fly (1986): ‘Be afraid. Be very afraid.’
Endlessly quoted and parodied, this tagline is arguably more famous than its film. The key to its success is in its simplicity and in its repetition. Being afraid is bad enough, but if I should also be very afraid, then I could be in for a good scare. The 1958 version had some good ones too, like the plot-spoiling ‘The fly with the head of a man! And the man with the head of a fly!’ and the baffling ‘It’s the terror-topper first introduced to the public in Playboy magazine.’
4. Godzilla (1998): ‘Size does matter.’
Again, simple is better. Although this tagline is blatantly inaccurate (its tiny three words are way more effective than the huge, crap behemoth of a movie that went with it), it still hits the spot. This tagline is clever and gets straight to the point, but it too would have been rubbish had it starred Matthew Broderick.
3. The Thing (1982): ‘Man is the warmest place to hide.’
Although its main tagline was the blandly boastful ‘The ultimate in alien terror’, it was its secondary promo that was more memorable, and more suited to the plot of John Carpenter’s brilliant horror with Kurt Russell. If you read this tagline without knowing anything about the movie, it really provokes your curiosity. Is man really the cosiest spot to hide in? What about Tauntauns?
2. Deliverance (1972): ‘This is the weekend they didn’t play golf.’
It sure is. This is also the weekend they played banjo, were raped by a hillbilly, broke a leg and drowned. Fun tagline though.
1. Road House (1989): All of them
Patrick Swayze’s finest hour as nightclub heavy James Dalton also has the greatest set of taglines of any movie. There are three, and they are just too good to separate. Here they are:
– ‘The dancing’s over. Now it gets dirty.’
Fine mocking of Swayze’s appearance in another movie, and a good indication that in his latest picture, he won’t be having the time of his life. No no. He will be too busy ripping out a man’s throat. With his bare hands. Proof that no one puts Swayze in a corner.
– ‘Dalton’s the best bouncer in the business. His nights are filled with fast action, hot music and beautiful women. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.’
If you like dumb action movies, this tagline is gonna make you wanna see Road House. If you hate dumb action movies, this tagline tells you exactly what’s in Road House.
– ‘Dalton lives like a loner, fights like a professional. And loves like there’s no tomorrow.’
And this is just icing on a testosterone-filled cake. And it makes no sense whatsoever. Contrary to the tagline, Dalton has loads of friends, fights like Patrick Swayze and loves fighting like Patrick Swayze. But who said taglines had to be truthful?
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE TAGLINES? TELL US BELOW…
CLICK HERE FOR TOP FIVES ARCHIVE
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OTHER POSTS:
Movie Battle: Vertigo v Rear Window
Movie Battle: Reservoir Dogs v Pulp Fiction
Movie Battle: Ringu v The Ring
Ross v Ross 
August 13, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Some of my faves…
“In space, no one can hear you scream” (ALIEN)
“Look closer” (AMERICAN BEAUTY)
“Why so serious?” (THE DARK KNIGHT)
August 13, 2009 at 9:46 pm
i second the Hatter’s choice of Alien.
i also like: ‘Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. It’s fun to be a vampire.’
August 14, 2009 at 1:18 pm
“leave youe expectations at the door” (Velvet Goldmine)
“Give yourself over to absolute pleasure” (The Rocky Horror picture show)
“love is a force of nature” (Brokeback mountain)
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. But why would anyone want to do a thing like that?” (Trainspotting)
“Why so serious?” (the dark knight)
August 14, 2009 at 5:15 pm
“The Opposite of Sex” — “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be offended.”
“The Usual Suspects” — “Five criminals. One lineup. No coincidence.”
“Barton Fink” — “Between Heaven and Hell, there’s always Hollywood.”
“Apocalypse Now” — “The horror … the horror”
August 14, 2009 at 9:39 pm
‘If you see one movie this summer, see Star Wars. But if you see two movies, see Austin Powers’ – brilliant.
I yield though, not as brilliant as Road House
August 21, 2009 at 8:10 am
Crank 2 – “He died…but then he got better.”
August 21, 2009 at 10:06 am
“when he said “i do” he never said what he did” – True Lies.
I still think Alien has the best tagline though
August 21, 2009 at 10:25 am
“Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”
(SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION)
August 21, 2009 at 10:41 am
Terminator – I´ll be back
The Shining – Wendy, I’m home
The Field – She’s a woman like your mother. If we knew how to keep the women happy we’d still be in paradise
August 21, 2009 at 10:50 am
“Every Government has one…” HIDDEN AGENDA
“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll hurl” WAYNE’S WORLD
“Watch it or they’ll shoot the dog!” A RAGE IN HARLEM
“Buy a bag, go home in a box” POPCORN
August 21, 2009 at 10:56 am
“For them, war wasn’t hell. It was practice.” -The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
And Alien.
August 21, 2009 at 10:59 am
ALIEN’s “in space, no one can hear you scream.” is still the best
August 21, 2009 at 11:27 am
Fight Club
“Mischief. Mayhem. Soap”
August 21, 2009 at 11:28 am
Goldeneye: “You know the name, you know the number…”
August 21, 2009 at 11:34 am
Sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy (Girl interrupted)
August 21, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Clerks: Just because they serve you, doesn’t mean they like you.
It was so good, Kevin Smith put it in Clerks 2
August 21, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I’m partial to Full Metal Jacket’s “The wind doesn’t blow in Vietnam, it sucks.”
Also, the Exorcist’s “It will scare the hell INTO you.”
Pretty slick.
August 21, 2009 at 12:46 pm
It is a terrible movie but the tag line is clever
Candy “She’s only faithful to the book.”
August 21, 2009 at 12:46 pm
“My name is Frank, I’m an alcoholic. I kill people for a living. This is anonymous, right?” – You Kill Me
August 21, 2009 at 12:46 pm
1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre:Who will survive and what will be left of them
1972 Last House on The Left:To avoid fainting, keep repeating “It’s only a movie…It’s only a movie
1978 Dawn of the Dead:When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.
1986 Night of the Creeps:The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is… they’re dead.”
August 21, 2009 at 12:47 pm
“We are going to eat you.” – Zombie
August 21, 2009 at 12:52 pm
“Who will survive, and what will be left of them?” Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
And Alien is the best of all time. Godzilla? Seriously? Wow.
August 21, 2009 at 12:56 pm
1.) “UH-OH” – South Park Bigger, Longer & Uncut
2.) “Why so serious” – The Dark Knight
3.) “Meet WALL*E. After 700 years of doing what he was made for, he’ll soon discover what he was meant for.” WALL*E
August 21, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Harland..
can I just say, thanks for making my Friday
‘The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is… they’re dead.’
that is just genius
August 21, 2009 at 1:04 pm
“Remember, remember the 5th of November, the gun powder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gun powder treason should ever be forgot.” – V for Vendetta
“Why so serious?” – The Dark Knight
“You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll hurl.” = Wayne’s world
August 21, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Funny Games (U.S.): You must admit, you brought this on yourself.
Black Christmas: If this movie doesn’t make your skin crawl…it’s on too tight.
Glamorama: The better you look, the more you see.
August 21, 2009 at 1:16 pm
By the way, Paul the Ball, good one. Night of the Creeps. Classic…and classy!
August 21, 2009 at 1:25 pm
“Come in, Relax, Take a shower” – Psycho 1998
“Welcome to the Suck” – Jarhead
“Better late than never” – The 40 year old Virgin
“Family is not a word, its a sentence” – The Royal Tennenbalms
“It’s about time” – Back to the Future 2
“Don’t make plans for August” – Independence Day
“Collide with destiny” – Titanic
“Fifty million people watching but no one saw a thing.” – Quiz Show
August 21, 2009 at 1:26 pm
sorry I Killed Jenny Schecter, i cant claim credit for that – i was laughing because Harland a few comments above had posted it – he deserves the kudos
your knowledge of horror movies is impressive, though
most impressive
August 21, 2009 at 1:32 pm
“You will believe a man can fly”- Superman
August 21, 2009 at 1:33 pm
1. “In Space No One Can Hear You Scream.” Alien.
2. “Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.” The Lost Boys.
3. “Why so serious?” The Dark Knight.
4. “Be afraid. Be Very Afraid.” The Fly.
5. “This time it’s war.” Aliens.
6. “It’s nothing personal.” Terminator2:Judgment Day.
August 21, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Some favorite comedy taglines:
“You’ve read the ad! Now see the movie!” – Airplane!
“We’re ready to believe you.” – Ghostbusters
“Movie? What movie?” – Top Secret!
“For Harry and Lloyd, every day’s a no-brainer.” – Dumb and Dumber
“He’s the best there is! (Actually, he’s the only one there is).” – Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
“The amps are on, but nobody’s home.” – Airheads
August 21, 2009 at 1:49 pm
“Every town has a story. Tombstone has a legend.” – Tombstone
August 21, 2009 at 2:19 pm
“Makes Ben Hur Look Like an Epic” — Monty Python and the Holy Grail
“We’re on a Mission from God” — The Blues Brothers
August 21, 2009 at 2:28 pm
“Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people” – The Painted Veil. It’s so poetic and once I watched the movie, the tagline clicked in a way that no tagline for any other movie had ever done for me before.
August 21, 2009 at 2:28 pm
“A family comedy without the family” -Home Alone.
August 21, 2009 at 2:33 pm
“Every once in a while a movie comes along that makes you feel like falling in love all over again. This is not that movie”- War of the Roses
“The wrong man. In the wrong place. At the right time.” – Good Morning, Vietnam
August 21, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Two personal faves –
Rocky Horror Picture Show: “A Different Set of Jaws”
The Usual Suspects: “You Can All Go To Hell.”
August 21, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Demented. Deranged. Deceptive. De Palma. (Raising Cain)
August 21, 2009 at 3:04 pm
“Love Never Dies” — Bram Stoker’s Dracula
And, of course, Alien’s brilliant tag line.
Road House and Godzilla make the list, but “In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream” doesn’t? Some top 5 list, eh?
August 21, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Max
a tagline with a pun on the director’s name
now that is just brilliant, that might be my favourite listed so far
August 21, 2009 at 3:15 pm
From Dusk Til Dawn: Vampires. No Interviews.
August 21, 2009 at 3:38 pm
“Family Is Forever” – Halloween 2
August 21, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Jeff..
your reservations about Godzilla I grant you, but even I would think twice about staging a robbery of the Double Deuce if Swayze was on the door.
I am an exceptional thief, Mr Jeff. And since I’m moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite.
August 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Alien is great, Superman is great.
Also:
‘There’s only one thing wrong with the Davis baby …” It’s Alive
“If you only see one movie this summer … you don’t get out enough” Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear
“Frank Drebin is Back. Just Accept it.” Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear
“Television the way it was meant to be seen: on the big screen!” UHF
August 21, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Um, this list was pretty terrible. Other that “Be afriad, be very afraid” I don’t think any of them are good taglines at all.
August 21, 2009 at 4:18 pm
“They made the city to see what makes us tick. Last night one of them went off.” Dark City. Brilliant!
August 21, 2009 at 4:18 pm
You’ll Laugh, You’ll Cry, You’ll Kiss 3 Bucks Goodbye – Harware Wars
The Taglines for Alien and Superman should have definatly been numbers 1 and 2.
August 21, 2009 at 4:27 pm
“Are you eating it or is it eating you?” The Stuff
August 21, 2009 at 4:28 pm
They Love Thier Grandchildren…..Well Done. -Rabid Grannies
August 21, 2009 at 4:32 pm
“Every generation has a legend. Every journey has a first step. Every saga has a beginning.” – Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace
Gotta love the ones from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and From Dusk Till Dawn as well. Alien is a classic tagline that cannot be left out of any top 5 list.
August 21, 2009 at 5:07 pm
No ‘Alien’ on this list?! “In space, no one can hear you scream” is #1 in my humble opinion.
August 21, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Jaws 2 : Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.
Godzilla 2000: If you cant take the heat…..Run!
Pet Sematary: Sometimes dead is better.
JasonX: Evil gets an upgrade.
Halloween: The night HE came home.
August 21, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Am I the first to ask why there’s no Alien on this list? No… just kidding..
Come on. I dont think much of this list (Road House at #1??!!!) but Alien’s tagline is way overrated, the David Beckham/Simon Pegg/Ricky Gervais of taglines.
it doesnt even make sense – when John Hurt was writhing around on a table I could hear everyone screaming…
August 21, 2009 at 5:15 pm
America was Born in the Streets – Gangs of New York
August 21, 2009 at 5:16 pm
“What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey.” – Planes, Trains and Automobiles
“Leisure rules.” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
“He was never in time for his classes… He wasn’t in time for his dinner… Then one day… he wasn’t in his time at all.” – Back to the Future
“If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones.” – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
“The story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy… and meet girls.” – Stripes
August 21, 2009 at 5:17 pm
They’re coming to save the world. : Ghostbusters
August 21, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Straw Dogs: “The knock on the door meant the birth of one man and the death of seven others!”
August 21, 2009 at 5:18 pm
How could you possibly have missed Alien?
And what about almost equally classic:
“Don’t go in the water.” – Jaws
“They’re here.” – Poltergeist
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” – Star Wars
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” – Cool Hand Luke
“I see dead people.” – Sixth Sense
That’s a poor list that has Godzilla and none of those. Boo.
August 21, 2009 at 5:22 pm
The best tagline ever….. still has to be Alien…… “In space, no one can hear you scream….” the others an their list pale bt comparison
August 21, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Good taglines. In fact the movies are good too.
August 21, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Ross, do yourself a favor…in fact, do all of your readers a favor: read ads and one-sheets of movies made before 1980. And you can start with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: For Three Men the Civil War wasn’t Hell. It was Practice!
August 21, 2009 at 6:12 pm
“Work sucks.” – Office Space
“History is about to be rewritten by two guys who can’t spell.” – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
“Protecting the Earth from the scum of the universe.” – Men in Black
“The hunt is on.” – The Hunt for Red October
“He’s crude. He’s crass. He’s family.” – Uncle Buck
“A rags to riches to rags story.” – Uncle Buck
“The con is on.” – Bowfinger
August 21, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Oh, wait, “A rags to riches to rags story” was actually the tagline for The Jerk.
August 21, 2009 at 6:17 pm
yeah Damian, Deliverance is one of my favourite 80s movies
love the bit near the end where Oh Yeah by Yello kicks in
August 21, 2009 at 6:19 pm
It wasn’t used, but proposed for “Cockfighter” starring Warren “Motherf**king” Oates — He’s rolling into town with his cock in his hand and what he does with it is illegal in 48 states.”
August 21, 2009 at 6:20 pm
no need to apologise Mo, youre hitting us with some quality taglines
August 21, 2009 at 6:46 pm
My fav from recent releases:
“See it With Someone You F**k” – The Girlfriend Experience
August 21, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Don’t forget “Whoever wins we lose.”AvP
August 21, 2009 at 7:21 pm
“In a small town, word travels fast. But bullets travel faster…”
can’t remember the name of the movie, but it’s pure gold
August 21, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Wow. Memories are pretty short.
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” Star Wars
“The film that is so funny it was banned in Norway.” Life of Brian
“I am not an animal! I am a human being!” The Elephant Man
“He was never in time for his classes… He wasn’t in time for his dinner… Then one day… he wasn’t in his time at all.” Back to the Future
“A nervous romance.” Annie Hall
August 21, 2009 at 8:05 pm
“Here comes the bribe” – The proposal
August 21, 2009 at 8:21 pm
“Does for rock and roll what “The Sound of Music” did for hills” – This Is Spinal Tap. I love it.
But yeah, Alien and Superman are memorable ones.
August 21, 2009 at 8:49 pm
My favorite has always been from “Say Anything. . .”:
“To know Lloyd Dobbler is to love him.
Diane Court is about to know Lloyd Dobbler”
August 21, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Any list like this that does not have “In space, no one can hear you scream” at the top is missing something big!
August 21, 2009 at 9:18 pm
How does Alien not make the list?
August 21, 2009 at 9:31 pm
‘Big Cops. Small Town. Moderate Violence.’ – Hot Fuzz
August 21, 2009 at 9:38 pm
“Hardware” (from 1990 starring Dylan McDermott) isn’t a very good movie, but it had a great tagline. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a couple stumbles across the remains of a hostile robot designed for war that was abandoned by the government due to its inability of self-control. Naturally, all hell breaks loose. The best part, though, is the tagline:
“You can’t stop progress.”
Too bad the movie sucked.
August 21, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Always thought that “Check in, relax, take a shower” was a classy line for Psycho.
And who can deny the brilliance of “Does for rock’n’roll what the Sound of Music did for hills!”?
August 21, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Umm, hello? Anyone ever heard of Saw?
“How much blood would you shed to stay alive?” This great tagline makes one question their own will to live.
August 21, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Wasabi: “Quite possibly the greatest French-language, English subtitled, Japanese action comedy of all time.”
August 21, 2009 at 11:17 pm
the longer you wait the harder it gets – 40 year old virgin
August 21, 2009 at 11:22 pm
“take the stairs….Take The Stairs…..FOR GOD’S SAKE, TAKE THE STAIRS”
(British Horror Film) The Lift
August 21, 2009 at 11:29 pm
I’m shocked that this list missed possibly the 2 greatest taglines of all time. Which is..
In space no one can hear you scream-Alien
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water-Jaws 2.
Also another personal favourite is.
She makes dinner. She does windows. She reads bedtime stories. She’s a blessing…in disguise Mrs doubtfire
August 21, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Here’s a few I remember but I’ll bet no one else does:
” It doesn’t exist but you can go there.’ ” The 13th Floor “.
‘ Leave no man behind ‘ ” Black Hawk Down ”
‘ Think you’re alone ? Think Again. ‘ ” Hollow Man ”
‘ High seas. Deep terror. Try and stay calm . ‘ ” Dead Calm ”
and why doesn’t anyone remember…’ You won’t know the facts until you see the fiction ‘ ? Uh, ” Pulp Fiction ” anyone ?
August 22, 2009 at 12:27 am
“The man… The music… The madness… The murder… The motion picture… Everything you’ve heard is true.” – Amadeus
“Never give a saga an even break!” – Blazing Saddles
“They’re not just getting rich. They’re getting even.” – Trading Places
“Have the adventure of your life keeping up with the Joneses.” – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
“The fastest hands in the East meet the biggest mouth in the West.” – Rush Hour
August 22, 2009 at 12:53 am
“Better late than never.”–The 40-Year-Old Virgin
“Why so serious?”–The Dark Knight
“Something wicked this way comes.”–Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Fear can hold you prisoner, but hope can set your free.”–The Shawshank Redemption
“You’ve got to get on to get off.”–Shortbus
“You’ll know when you’re in it.”–The Hurt Locker
“To avoid fainting, keep repeating: ‘It’s only a movie… it’s only a movie… it’s only a movie…'”–The Last House on the Left
August 22, 2009 at 1:12 am
I’m sorry to have to tell you this but a lot of you are very dumb and do not know the difference between QUOTES and TAGLINES!!
Come on, people!!
August 22, 2009 at 1:16 am
The music
The memories
The madness…
The Movie
(Pink Floyd The Wall)
Always loved that one
August 22, 2009 at 2:10 am
“Not as good as regular superheroes…but slightly better than you.”- The Specials
August 22, 2009 at 2:12 am
Some good ones are missing here…
The newest attorney at the world’s most powerful law firm has never lost a case. But he’s about to lose his soul. Evil has its winning ways.
— The Devil’s Advocate
What’s forgotten is not always gone.
— The Long Kiss Goodnight
August 22, 2009 at 2:14 am
“Like father. Like son. Like hell.”
At Close Range – 1986 Sean Penn and Christopher Walken
August 22, 2009 at 2:22 am
“Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water….you can’t get to it”—Blood Beach
August 22, 2009 at 2:58 am
“Family isn’t a word…it’s a sentence.”
– Royal Tenenbaums
August 22, 2009 at 3:39 am
The Devils Rejects: “This summer, go to hell!”
but Alien is still the best
August 22, 2009 at 4:12 am
The Party – “If you’ve been to a wilder party, you’re under arrest.”
Marathon Man – “It isn’t safe.”
August 22, 2009 at 5:18 am
Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven. – A Clockwork Orange
A lot can happen in the middle of nowhere. – Fargo
There were three men in her life. One to take her… one to love her… and one to kill her. – Once Upon A Time In The West
This is Benjamin. He’s a little worried about his future. -The Graduate
Anything can happen during the dog days of summer. On August 22nd, 1972, everything did. -Dog Day Afternoon
August 22, 2009 at 5:58 am
Justice is coming to all of us, no matter what we do
(Watchmen)
A basterd’s work is never done
(Inglorious Basterds)
the tagline for Alien is a classic
August 22, 2009 at 6:08 am
he knows no fear
he knows no danger
he knows… NOTHING
– Johnny English
August 22, 2009 at 7:09 am
The difference between life or death can be decided in a split second. – Run Lola run
There is no right or wrong, only fun and boring – Hackers
They’re armed. She’s dangerous. – Serenity
There can be only one. – Highlander
Nice guys finish last. Meet the winners. – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
August 22, 2009 at 7:13 am
I’ll make him an offer he cannot refuse……. – godfather
August 22, 2009 at 7:14 am
Oh, lord, how could I have forgotten this one?
No Nudity. No Violence. Unspeakable Obscenity. –The Aristocrats
August 22, 2009 at 7:56 am
Maybe cuz it was one of my first fav movies, but Poltergeist, and “They’re here” did it perfect for me.
August 22, 2009 at 8:07 am
The Fisher King : A modern day tale about the search for love, sanity, Ethel Merman and The Holy Grail.
Scary Movie 4 : The fourth and final chapter of the trilogy.
City of God : Fight and you’ll never survive….. Run and you’ll never escape.
August 22, 2009 at 8:33 am
i like
Look Closer….. (American Beauty)
Things fall down. People look up. And when it rains, it pours. (Magnolia)
Once upon a time…in Nazi occupied France (Inglorious Basterds)
Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire. (Schindler’s List)
The future is history. (12 monkeys) – how could people forget this!
and lastly ALIEN no need to even quote it
August 22, 2009 at 8:34 am
“Here we go again…again.” Scorcher 6
From Tropic Thunder fake trailers. Not really a movie, but still damn funny.
August 22, 2009 at 9:48 am
May sound strange but
“Space…It’s deeper than you think” Muppets in Space
August 22, 2009 at 9:51 am
Crappy movie but “Something has found us” – Cloverfield
August 22, 2009 at 11:16 am
“He’s in town with a few days to kill” – Predator 2
August 22, 2009 at 12:10 pm
“Sanka, are you dead? Ya man”
cool runnings
August 22, 2009 at 12:42 pm
“Catch it!”–cabin fever
“If this one doesn’t scare you, you’re already dead”–phantasm
“You lose some. You get some”–forgetting sarah marshall
“Who ya gonna call?”–ghostbusters
August 22, 2009 at 12:46 pm
“The story about a boy, a girl, and a galaxy.” – Star Wars
“In a world… one man… a renegade cop…. a robot renegade cop… when your life is no longer your own…” – The Comedian
August 22, 2009 at 12:50 pm
This one creeps me out in the trailer…
“Abracadabra, I sit on his knee. Presto, change-o, and now he’s me! Hocus Pocus, we take her to bed. Magic is fun…when you’re dead.” – Magic
August 22, 2009 at 3:15 pm
some left out:
the last hope for humanity… rests on a high-power machine gun(planet terror
if you’re not back by midnight… you won’t be coming home(prom night)
they were seven…and they fought like seven hundred(magnificent 7)
the body count continues(friday the 13th part 2)
train them..excite them..arm them.. then turn them loose on the nazis(dirty dozen)
August 22, 2009 at 3:34 pm
“So young. So bad. SO WHAT!” – Reform School Girls
August 22, 2009 at 3:53 pm
“He’s in town with a few days to kill.” Predator 2 – lousy movie, great tagline
August 22, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Yes, that Predator 2 tagline is clever. Always liked that one.
Lots of great ones over the years, but my favorite recent one if from Fanboys (and it helps if you can picture the one-sheet):
“Never tell them the odds”
August 22, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Sorry. That should have been “is from Fanboys”, not “if from Fanboys”. My goof.
August 22, 2009 at 5:54 pm
“Where nothing can go wrongg…” – Westworld
August 22, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Whit meat. Dark meat. All will be carved.
Thanksgiving (from Grindhouse)
August 22, 2009 at 7:01 pm
“Teen Wolf” used the tagline, “He always wanted to be special, but he never expected this”.
“Teen Wolf Too” then cleverly inverted this with, “He never wanted to be special, but he always expected this.”
Well, I thought it was clever (but I’ve never seen either film).
August 22, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Prom Night – If your’re not back by midnight, you won’t be coming home
Volcano – The coast is toast – Los Angeles erupts 1997
Dante’s Peak – Exploding soon
Titanic – Collide with history
Terror Train – All aboard..if you dare
August 22, 2009 at 8:38 pm
“Invisible. Silent. Stolen.” – The Hunt for Red October
“Only their mother can tell them apart.” – Twins
“The show has been cancelled, but the adventure is just beginning…” – Galaxy Quest
“They’re not your average superheroes.” – Mystery Men
And Shanghai Noon had some funny taglines:
“The classic western gets a kick in the pants.”
“The old west meets the far east.”
“The first kung-fu western ever.”
August 22, 2009 at 8:41 pm
No way this list doesn’t have “alien”!
or the brilliant tagline from “The last detail”
-No *#@!!* Navy’s going to give some poor **!!@* kid eight years in the #@!* brig without me taking him out for the time of his *#@!!* life.
August 22, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Evil Dead II: “The Comedy/Horror of the Decayed”
X-Files: “The truth is Out There”
“Something beyond comprehension is happening to a little girl on this street, in this house. A man has been called for as a last resort to try and save her. That man is The Exorcist.”
August 22, 2009 at 10:11 pm
PREDATOR: If it bleeds, we can kill it…
SCENT OF A WOMAN: Col. Frank Slade has a very special plan for the weekend. It involves travel, women, good food, fine wine, the tango, chauffeured limousines and a loaded forty-five. And he’s bringing Charlie along for the ride.
CITIZEN X: You don’t want to know what he does… You just want to know when he’s caught.
HOLLOWEEN: The trick was to stay alive.
APT PUPIL: If you don’t believe in the existence of evil, you’ve got a lot to learn.
SCHINDLER’S LIST: Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.
August 22, 2009 at 11:02 pm
The adventure 65 million years in the making. (Jurassic Park)
August 22, 2009 at 11:22 pm
“GARBO TALKS!” – Anna Christie
“GARBO LAUGHS!” – Ninotchka
“A LION IN YOUR LAP!…A LOVER IN YOUR ARMS!” – Bwana Devil
August 23, 2009 at 12:16 am
2 from Die Hard with a Vengeance:
Think fast. Look alive. Die hard.
John McClane is about to have a very bad day.
August 23, 2009 at 12:52 am
Sorry, i can’t give you ONLY five of my favorites:
“In God We Trust. All Others We Monitor…” – Enemy of the State
“There Is No Such Thing As A Simple Miracle.” – Awakenings
“Where Do You Hide When The Dark Is Alive?” – Bats
“The Day They Moved In… Beverly Hills Moved Out.” – The Beverly Hillbillies
“Nature Called. Look Who Answered.” – Big Daddy
“Even In War… Murder Is Murder.” – Casualties of War
“You Can’t Prepare Where The Truth Will Take You.” – 8MM
“Don’t Get Mad. Get Everything.” – The First Wives Club
“To Find The Truth, Follow The Lies.” – The General’s Daughter
“Fortune Favors The Brave.” – In God’s Hands
“Solution To The Gun Is Not The Gun.” – The Making Of Mahatma
“History Is Made By Those Who Break Rules.” – Men Of Honor
“Love With Safety Off” – The Mexican
“Sometimes The Most Desireable Relationship Is The One You Can’t Have” – The Object of My Affection
“No More Mr. Nice Guy.” – Payback
“Some Things In Life Just Can’t Be Explained.” – Phenomenon
“She Was Prepared For Anything Until Love Stormed In.” – Picture Perfect
“Anyone Is An Enemy For A Price.” – Ronin
“The Only Person You Need To Be Is Yourself.” – Save the Last Dance
“Some Relationships Can’t Be Explained… They Just Work.” – Three of Hearts
“Love Doesn’t Come Cheap” – Wedding Date
“Finally… A Man Is Listening.” – What Women Want
“Be Careful What You Wish For” – Wishmaster
August 23, 2009 at 1:08 am
“If you believe in love at first sight, then you never stop looking.” -Closer
August 23, 2009 at 1:43 am
Are you watching closely? – The Prestige
I love the smell of napalm in the morning. – Apocolypse Now
August 23, 2009 at 2:53 am
“It goes to 11” – This Is Spinal Tap
“But why is the rum gone?” – Pirates of the Caribbean
August 23, 2009 at 3:12 am
Are some of these actual taglines or just quotes?
“We’re on a Mission from God” — The Blues Brothers
“I´ll be back” – Terminator
“Wendy, I’m home” – The Shining
“Why so serious” – The Dark Knight
“They’re here.” – Poltergeist
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” – Cool Hand Luke
“I see dead people.” – Sixth Sense
I think these were simply quotes. They may have been in the trailers but were they really taglines?
August 23, 2009 at 4:38 am
Don’t see it alone, unless you like talking to yourself! (The Minus Man)
If my memory of her has an expiration date, let it be 10,000 years (Chungking Express)
They met at the funeral of a perfect stranger. From then on, things got perfectly stranger and stranger. (Harold and Maude)
Love. Expulsion. Revolution. (Rushmore)
The story of an uncommonly gentle man. (Edward Scissorhands)
And the one I can’t believe nobody has said yet:
Her liffe was in their hands. Now her toe is in the mail. (The Big Lebowski)
August 23, 2009 at 7:28 am
“It’s full of stars!” – 2001: A Space Odyssey
August 23, 2009 at 7:52 am
“The Ultimate Trip” 2001 A Space Odyssey
“Dead in the heart of Texas” Blood Simple
“One man’s struggle to take it easy” Ferris Bueller
August 23, 2009 at 7:53 am
“When the gang’s take over the highways…remember, he’s on your side” Mad Max
August 23, 2009 at 9:20 am
I like the one for The Fountain:
“What if you could live forever?”
Intriguing question.
August 23, 2009 at 9:23 am
“everyone pretend to be normal”. Little Miss Sunshine.
August 23, 2009 at 9:27 am
Clayton-
“I’ll be back” and “Wendy, I’m home” aren’t taglines and the one from the Blues Brothers is “They’ll never get caught. They’re on a mission from God.” but the rest of the ones you listed are.
August 23, 2009 at 11:17 am
if you see one spider movie this year you will have missed out (eight legged freaks )
August 23, 2009 at 12:49 pm
“The only thing more terrifying than the last 12 minutes of this film are the first 92.”
Suspiria
August 23, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Leprechaun: “The Luck of the Irish Just Ran Out”
August 23, 2009 at 1:26 pm
“Cool. Funky. Peace” – Samurai Fiction
August 23, 2009 at 2:07 pm
“Between the wind and the lion is the woman. For her, half the world may go to war.” – The Wind and the Lion
(Hey, Helen of Troy. You can take your “face that launched a thousand ships” and shove it!)
August 23, 2009 at 3:57 pm
“A Woman in Trouble” – Inland Empire
“It’s a Strange World.” – Blue Velvet
“Prepare to Visit a Town You’d Never Want to Call Home” – Gummo
“They Did a Bad, Bad Thing.” – Eyes Wide Shut
“Television will never be the same!” – Network
“Welcome to the endangered species list.” – Deep Blue Sea (Come on!)
August 23, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Heads will roll. “Sleepy Hollow”.
August 23, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Anyone remember this one?
The Wild Bunch.
“Nine men who came too late, and stayed too long.”
It’s a tagline that has stayed with me for 40 years.
August 23, 2009 at 6:14 pm
“If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones” – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
August 23, 2009 at 7:52 pm
“Clint Eastwood gives New York City 24 hours, to get out town”
From the movie “Coogan’s Bluff” (1969), where Clint Eastwood plays a modern day, small town Sheriff from Arizona (sort of like McCloud) who treks to New York to extradite a fugitive back to Arizona. Remember, that at this point in his career, Eastwood was known only for westerns.
August 24, 2009 at 1:52 am
Quite a few of these are quotes from movies..NOT taglines…
Example of a TAGLINE would be:
“In Space No one can hear you scream” – ALIENS
August 24, 2009 at 2:24 am
1973’s “Savage”:
Men call him Savage. Women call him all the time.
August 24, 2009 at 2:48 am
Re: the Badzilla one “Size Does Matter” I kinda like the takeoff the Lucas people came up with:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – Plot does matter.
Of course, there was a lot of irony in that statement….
August 24, 2009 at 3:07 am
“Dream It In Your Living Room, Be It In The Theatre!” – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (15th. Aniversary Video Tagline)
“Trust Me, I’m a Doctor!” – Shock Treatment
“Don’t Panic!” – The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
“Something Is Wrong With Esther!” – Orphan
“It started Out As A Typical Day At The Tendo Matial Arts Traninig Hall” – Ranma1/2:The Movie Big Trouble In Neconron China
“If you hear a strange noise stay put” – The Boogins
“Every year Hollywood makes alot a of movies, this is one of them!” -Mystery Sceince Theatre 3000: The Movie
“Somone has taken their love of horror movies too far!” – Scream
“Boldly Go!” – Star Trek
“In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary…A year later their footage was found” – The Blair Witch Project
“Rip out! Barbecue! Deour! How Long Can You Take It?” -Canibal Holocaust
“The Madness, The Memories, The Music, The Movie” – Pink Floyd The Wall
“You Are Not Welcome Here!” – District 9
Not a movie (actualy a seies) but, I thaught I’d put it here anyway.
“November, 3 2009, The Visitors Are Comming! – V
August 24, 2009 at 3:41 am
Several already listed are faves of mine. I’d add to the list – of personal faves, anyway –
“The man with the hat is back. And this time, he’s bringing his Dad.” and “Have the adventure of your life keeping up with the Joneses” – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
“The story of a rebel and his bike.” – Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
“He Sold His Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll” – Phantom of the Paradise
“A romantic comedy. With zombies.” – Shaun of the Dead
“Never before in the history of human civilization has there been a movie called ‘Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl'” – Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
August 24, 2009 at 4:09 am
Ive always been partial to :
She gets kidnapped, He gets killed, But it all ends up okay. The Princess Bride…
I see the tag line for Crank 2 kinda rips this off.. as well as ripping off Monty Python…
August 24, 2009 at 5:01 am
My Own Private Idaho: Wherever, whatever, have a nice day
August 24, 2009 at 7:08 am
Many movies use a quote from the film as a tagline. Take a look at the Poltergeist poster as an example.
August 24, 2009 at 7:56 am
Thanks Z, we haven’t had that example yet.
It’s always great to bring something novel to the discussion.
PS. I Love You: “Sometimes there’s only one thing left to say.”
Finding Neverland: “Unlock your imagination.”
Twilight: “When you can live forever what do you live for?”
August 24, 2009 at 8:37 pm
F**kin’ Road House, man. Instantly just became the best damn poster of all time. Never hurts to have Patrick Swayze on it, either.
August 29, 2009 at 4:22 am
“Hey Bud, Let’s Party!” – Fast Times At Ridgemont High!
“They’re Back From The Dead, and Ready To Party” – Return Of The Living Dead
“The Odd Are About To Get Even!” – Revenge Of The Nerds
“All You Need Is Love” – Across The Universe
“Death Has Saved The Best For 3-D!” – The Final Destination
August 30, 2009 at 6:38 am
I know it was a Van Damme movie , but I allways liked this one from
” Timecop ” ( I guess I’m a sucker for movies about time travel )
‘ Turn back the clock,
and you’re history ‘.
And I’m quoting this one from memory so I’m not sure I got it right,
from ” Reservoir Dogs ”
‘ They don’t know each others name, but they’ve got each others number’
August 31, 2009 at 2:49 am
“The new police recruits. Call them slobs. Call them jerks. Call them gross. – Just don’t call them when you’re in trouble. ” – Police Academy
“Once Upon A Time In Nazi Occupied France……” – Inglorious Basterds
“If they really got what it takes, it’s going to take everything they got” -Fame (1980)
“I’m gonna learn how to fly” – Fame (2009)
“Choose Your Destiny…” – Mortal Kombat
“No Day But Today” – Rent
“Her voice became his passion. Her love became his obsession. Her refusal became his rage….. ” – The Phantom Of The Opera
“25 Years Of Absolute Pleasure” – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (25th. anniversary DVD release Tagline)
September 1, 2009 at 11:06 am
[…] Five… worst taglines A few weeks ago Ross McG gave his verdict on the best movie taglines and the response was tremendous, thanks to you all and the good people at IMDb. As a special treat, […]
October 5, 2009 at 3:52 am
“Be Your Own Hero” – Whip It
May 21, 2010 at 6:30 am
‘No leader can survive becoming a legend.’ Rumble fish (1983)
‘Today, I killed my best friend.’ Batoru rowaiaru (2000)
‘Gambler. Thief. Junkie. Killer. Cop.’ Bad Lieutenant (1992)
May 21, 2010 at 7:34 am
‘All’s good if it’s excessive.’ Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975)
July 31, 2010 at 3:27 pm
[…] What’s your proudest moment as a blogger? ROSS McD: Getting a TV gig out of it? Having a weekly newspaper column? Making the IMDb hitlist or WordPress front page is always a thrill… ROSS McG: https://rossvross.com/2009/08/13/top-five-best-taglines/ […]
June 11, 2012 at 9:33 pm
Guys, loved your dissection of what is undoubtedly the finest tagline ever. Clearly this subject generates some serious interest – and with such a long list of comments admittedly I haven’t read them all, but would be surprised if the following offering features amongst them. You’ve got to hear this unashamedly cheesy summation of the paper-thin plotline of lesser known 1987 Burt Reynolds actioner ‘Malone’. You ready for this? Here goes:
Malone –
Ex-Cop
Ex-C.I.A.
Ex-plosive.