So when the film was named as Cleopatra, audience in English speaking countries can easily understand what the film’s content is。 Meanwhile this film will remind them of the wonderful and attractive queen whose reign symbolizes the end of the Hellenistic Era and the beginning of the Roman Era in the eastern Mediterranean。 However, if translators simply translate the English film title into “克丽奥佩特拉”, Chinese audience will just see it as a name and even a man’s name because of a lack of relevant cultural background。 In the process of English film title translation, the translator doesn’t comply with the cultural equivalence and thus the translated film title confuses Chinese people。 This example explains the importance of cultural equivalence。 So the translator further identified it into “埃及艳后”, Chinese audience can understand this film better。 Since “埃及”（Egypt）implies the place in which the story happened, and the brief word “艳”（alluring beauty）better conveys the beauty and charming of the protagonist。 The single word “后”, which means queen and points out the status of the main character。 This kind of translation achieves cultural equivalence, imparts cultural connotations to the Chinese people and promotes cross-cultural exchanges。
III。 Reflection of Cultural Equivalence in Film Title Translation
By using cultural equivalence, translators can reproduce and recreate history, ethics, cultural background information and customs。 In this way, Chinese audience are able to have a better understanding of the translated film title and better appreciation of the film。
3。1 Definition and Function of Film Titles
Film title carries more significance。 According to The Complete Film Dictionary, film title is not only the most important part of the scene but also a means of conveying information to the audience。 But when we see a film, there are also credit titles, main titles, subtitles and end titles。 Credit titles appear at the start and the end of a film to cite the various personnel responsible for the motion picture; main titles give the name of the film; subtitles are placed at the bottom of the scene to translate foreign language; end titles told the audience that the film is concluded and end titles given us the credits。文献综述
In terms of functions, film titles are informative, expressive and aesthetic。 A film title can tell us the main idea which includes the protagonist, the time and place of the film。 This is the informative function。 No matter what the film language is, film titles must be aesthetic by adding elegance, power, humor and other aesthetic effects in order to entertain audiences aesthetically。 And the expressive function means the director of a film wants to strike a responsive chord in the hearts of his or her viewers by using the film title。
3。2 Cultural Connotation Between Targeted and Original Film Titles
The process of English film title translation has always accompanied with cultural exchanges。 In other words, films are the conveyer of specific cultures。 Of course, specific cultures can also be found in film titles。 In the process of English film title translation, respective cultural connotation is also presented。 Through the comparison of cultural connotation between targeted and original film titles, translators can make better use of cultural equivalence during English film title translation。 The comparison will be achieved in the following ways:
3。2。1 Philosophical Connotation
“People in English-speaking countries like to communicate and express themselves in a bold and direct way, while Chinese culture emphasizes subtle and delicate communication。 When it comes to film titles, English film titles are often direct and undisguised, while Chinese film titles often apply some euphemisms or a circuitous way of expression。” The following example can be used to explain this point of view。 英语电影片名汉译中的文化对等(4):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_96088.html