311 Messages
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7.2K Points
Automated system incorrectly capitalizing some titles
Occasionally, a film is released with two interchangeable titles linked by the word "or". The most famous example of this is probably Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). Most people reading this will understand that the second part of this title represents an alternative title and should be capitalized accordingly. However, the automated system is not able to detect such nuance. This has led to the creation of some erroneous IMDb display titles uncapitalizing the initial word of the second version of the title, usually because it begins with the word "the".
Here are some examples of this happening:
The Astronomer's Dream; or, the Man in the Moon (1898)
Princess Nicotine; or, the Smoke Fairy (1909)
The Dover Boys at Pimento University or the Rivals of Roquefort Hall (1942)
Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told (1967)
Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972)
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
Soldier Jack or the Man Who Caught Death in a Sack (1989)
Twin Peaks: Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer (1990)
Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love (2019)
Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World (2020-)
WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn (2021)
The Extortionist, or the Revelatory Admissions of a High-Rise Loser (2022)
Spider Baby, or the Maddest Story Ever Told (2024)
In each of the above instances, the word "the" is the initial word of an alternative title and should be capitalized. A human being can figure this out pretty easily, but the automated system can only detect the capitalized "The" and assume that this is an error, while failing to see the bigger picture.
This issue goes to show the problem with relying on automated systems. There is simply no way with our current technology for an automated system to detect the subtle difference between titles like the ones shown above and titles like The Beginning or the End (1947) and The Wing or The Thigh? (1976), which are not meant to be read as two alternate titles.
Peter_pbn
Champion
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14.3K Messages
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329K Points
5 months ago
I think you are only partly right because some of those titles have been listed with lowercase "the" for much longer than the current autocorrection has been in place.
IMDb's written policy is quite strict, and that is presumably what the autocorrection follows: "English language words which must begin with a lower-case letter (unless at the end of a title) are: a an and as at by for from in of on or the to with."
Perhaps there is a need to discuss the policy.
That said, we already have a few examples of things that should probably not be autocorrected, so I do think autocorrection is causing errors.
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/the-shouldnt-always-be-lowercase-in-titles-automatic-fix-in-editor-is-wrong/61d9bb95f5b9527873e6cc59
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/strange-capitalization/6557ba769a86502528eee927
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/the-word-and-is-usually-written-as-and/65693f3c58976622ce9e278f
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/unable-to-fix-capitalization-of-titles-through-system-charlie-ben-podcast-aka-dropping-in-with-charlie-houpert/65f8a896907f9d030710f023
(edited)
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Bethanny
Employee
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5.4K Messages
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57.3K Points
5 months ago
Hi @timothy_gray_el34lojg1aih1 -
This cases are exceptions as usually we would follow the regular capitalization rules. If you find any feel free correcting through our online form, of course if you encounter any problems while doing it let me know.
Cheers!
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