The original title of the film—"Bicho de Sete Cabeças"—is based on the song of the same name by Zé Ramalho and Geraldo Azevedo. Bodanzky declared that it was necessary to replace the book title because the film was not exactly the transposition of the book to cinema, but an adaptation inspired by it. This title can be translated as "seven-headed beast;" ""fazer um bicho de sete cabeças"" ("to make a seven-headed beast") is an expression in Brazil commonly used to describe an overreaction that can be compared to the English expression "to make heavy weather."