Dude, Where's My Car? may be one of the most perfectly named movies in the history of cinema. You instantly know what the movie is about from the title. There's nothing obscure about the title Dude, Where's My Car? but it is still has enough of a hook to make the name memorable instead of obvious. The movie poster, video box, and any other image of the film always show the film's two young protagonists with a look of puzzlement on their faces. In a word balloon above the head of one of our heroes the film's title is enclosed so it looks like he is asking you, the viewer, "Dude, Where's My Car?" Who wouldn't want to see a movie where the characters appeal to you in such a direct, comic-strip style?

It could be argued that Dude, Where's My Car? has too long of a title. Audiences prefer movies that have short, easy to remember names. Movies both good [Casablanca] and bad [Twister] have benefited from this fact. The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies would have undoubtedly been a hit movie if it's title was slightly shorter. This mind-set is so prevalent that movies with titles that aren't all that long to begin with shorten their name even if the resulting contraction is meaningless such as how Independence Day is scrunched down to ID4. While Dude, Where's My Car? could be reduced to Dude? the fact that it hasn't is a testament to the power of the film's title. There is no mistaking Dude, Where's My Car? for other, lesser titled, movies.

In many ways the title Dude, Where's My Car? has transcended the movie it names. Dude, Where's My Car? has become a punch line to jokes that aren't directly related to the movie, it has become an unavoidable sight at any video store, it has become a part of the lexicon of pop culture. Indeed, there's no real reason to see Dude, Where's My Car? As long as you are aware that there is a movie named Dude, Where's My Car? you're fine; actually seeing the movie would be redundant. For example, I didn't feel that I needed to actually watch Dude, Where's My Car? before I undertook this review. In spite of that handicap I still feel confident in my recommendation that Dude, Where's My Car? has a very good title.

Questions asking why the heck I thought the preceeding was a good idea can be directed to gleep9@hotmail.com. If you can find your car head on back to either the Third Movie or Main page.