gromit82's profile
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283K Points

Thursday, July 30th, 2026

In Progress

Frank Claudius (1927); Emperor of the Planet of Rotting Fish (1934)

I am starting a new thread about these titles because I received an unsatisfactory answer to my inquiry regarding Frank Claudius, and I suspect that I will get one for the other film as well, as the same problem applies to both titles. (See https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/there-was-no-internet-in-1927/6a5d4f44d032a48cd1551f95 for the original thread.)

The films in question are:

Frank Claudius (1927): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/releaseinfo/

Emperor of the Planet of Rotting Fish (1934): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39378035/releaseinfo/

(Incidentally, the title for Emperor is miscapitalized, but that's hardly the main problem. I'm referring to it with standard capitalization here.)

As you will see from the Release Date page for each film, Frank Claudius is listed as being first released in 1927 in the UK on the Internet. Other release dates for this film include the USA and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1963, both also on the Internet, and New Zealand in 1980, also on the Internet. 

Emperor is listed as being first released in the USA in 1934 on the Internet, and then in Nigeria in 1963, also on the Internet.

Hopefully everyone here is already aware that there were not even any computers as we know them in 1927 or 1934, much less was there an Internet at the time. The predecessor network to the Internet did not exist until the late 1960s (i.e. after 1963), nor was it possible to distribute movies on the Internet in 1980. Hence, all the release dates mentioned above must be fake.

I submitted requests to delete both films on the grounds that they have fake data. If these are real films which have been listed with fake release dates for some reason, they can be re-submitted with correct data. Of course, if these films were actually made since the year 2000 (and if they were ever made, I assume that it was since that year), the submitter would normally be expected to provide a Miscellaneous Link for each film. Currently each film has just one external link listed -- in each case, it's a YouTube link which says "This video isn't available anymore." No other evidence has been provided of these films' existence.

I received a response from IMDb to my request to delete Frank Claudius. Here's what it said:

Hello there,

Thank you for your message.

Our aim is to be the most complete and reliable source of movie information on the web. Therefore, in order to continue offering our users an accurate and trustworthy service, it is our policy not to alter or delete any correct and factual information or credits from our records.

In line with this policy, we are unable to delete this title because it exists and was made available to the public, as indicated by the release date shown here:

https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/details 

However, if you believe that any of the information associated with the title is incorrect, we encourage you to submit a correction along with supporting evidence so that our editors can review and verify the requested changes.

To update a release date on a title, please refer to our Help guide, which provides step-by-step instructions:

https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/titles/release-dates/GVUUDEPJNAW6G35P?ref_=helpcs_c#howtosubmit

If you have any further questions, please let us know.

Best regards,
IMDb.com

Is IMDb seriously trying to tell me that the release details at https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/details which say that Frank Claudius was released on the Internet on January 5, 1927 prove that the film was released and is available to the public? (Non-IMDbPro users: The information on that page is substantially the same as what appears at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/releaseinfo/ .)

Or, more likely, did nobody at IMDb actually read my message and think about what it said? Did they just push it off to be dealt with by the automatic response software?

Oldest First
Selected Oldest First

Employee

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2.9K Messages

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30.2K Points

25 days ago

Hi gromit82, 

Thank you so much for raising this issue with us again, we really appreciate your dedication to IMDb here. 

I have seen to the removal of these two titles from the database, based on the information you have correctly highlighted here. The titles should appear as deleted from the site shortly. We're also taking further steps to prevent the contribution of clearly ineligible release dates, to ensure submissions such as these can't be listed on IMDb going forward. 

Lastly, I apologize for the response you've received and copied in above. This is being escalated to the relevant team for review and staff retraining purposes. 

Thanks again!

57 Messages

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1.1K Points

25 days ago

Yes, thank you much again for your sustained efforts, which did pay off in the end!

Though the titles below are much more difficult to sort out, the clear issues with a string of faulty, botched or maybe even deliberately compromised titles from New Zealand film festivals around 2015 need to be addressed, as first pointed out by user Whistleblower (thanks!).

Again, a lot of incompatible movie data, resulting from edits or mergers of previous entries (see the Internet Archive Links) and mentions of 'vintage' internet releases:

Life in the Shed (2016)/Renters (1963)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6156528/releaseinfo/

(Update: IMDb staff has just deleted obvious fraud of premiere release: "United States, April 1, 1963 (internet)")

"Also known as (AKA)
(original title)
        Renters
        Life in the Shed
        The Ship Arrives
    Australia
        Life in the Shed(Working Title)
    United States
        Renters"

cf.

https://web.archive.org/web/20170213224806/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6156528/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40856895/

----------

Iren (1969/Iron Lane (2015) (The Belfast Line) (that is Iren with a capital I of "Isaac', a 1969 pilot for an aborted TV series, made in Sweden, starring Karen Black, but not THE Karen Black?!)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5993246/

Premiere release date specified as: "France1969 (internet)"

I suspect even NFT fraud here, as one external link goes to OpenSea.io!

"Also known as (AKA)
    (original title)
        Iren
        Iron Lane(Working Title)
        The Belfast Line
    Sweden
        Iren
    United Kingdom
        Iren Lane(Working Title)
    United States
        Iren
    World-wide
        Iren(English)"

cf. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20170213095235/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5993246/

---------------------

The Slave Trade (2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8343518/externalsites

No old Web Archive record.

but the one external site link points to, again, Life in the Shed.

------------------

The Shoe Box (2013-2026)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016764

Release dates:

New Zealand - December 1, 2013
New Zealand - December 1, 2013(internet)
United States - August 14, 2015(internet)
United States - November 1, 2015(New York City, New York)
United States - 2024
United States - August 10, 2024(internet)

cf.

https://web.archive.org/web/20170212195943/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016764/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/placeholder_title-John-Doe/dp/B0GWP6XQD6 

https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/the-shoe-box-i4016764/p/yjx8uiab

Originally directed by Warren Philp, with Warren Philp as Dr. Warren Jones, now 4 episodes with heavy digital or AI-generated images, directed by Warren Holliday, but now as actor 'Electra Commander', and really weird other cast names.

Maybe legit pseudonyms, but with links to, again, 'Life in the Shed' and 'Iron Lane', strangely diverse internet release dates, and all dead external links, really suspect.

I guess the staff can use all our help in this, as they have suggested, but in the end it's their responsibility, as they can only look into the update and contribution records. As it should be.

Best regards,

Richard

(edited)

6 Messages

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126 Points

Thank you.

(edited)

Employee

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8.7K Messages

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91.5K Points

@Richard_J​ - Hi, 

Thank you for providing all of the information. This information has been forwarded to the appropriate team for further investigation (Ref Ticket #D501906728). We'll reply once we receive further updates. Thank you for your patience.

Cheers!

(edited)

57 Messages

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1.1K Points

@Maya​ Looking forward to the outcome! As you may have missed this from my previous mails, or the original thread, please note that "Life in the Shed (2016) in its original submission, is still listed as an entry for the New Zealand Web Fest 2016, for "Best Pilot or Trailer (Unproduced show)":

https://web.archive.org/web/20170213224806/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6156528/

or maybe as the version in its current listing:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40856895/

Independent NZ sources:

https://nzwebfest.co.nz/archive-2016/

https://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2016/10/nz-web-fest-announces-finalists/

But, quite interestingly, this was the only nominee in this category which didn't have a (public) online video as a preview (!):

https://web.archive.org/web/20170409180310/http://www.nzwebfest.co.nz/nzwf16-programme/

It may be worthwhile contacting the NZ Web Fest organizers here, if they have archived records of the real creators, and what may be the cause of some controversy, if any: 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nz-web-fest

Regards,

Richard

(edited)

8.9K Messages

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180.8K Points

25 days ago

@gromit82

The films in question are:

Frank Claudius (1927): 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/reference/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665/releaseinfo/

The requested URL was not found on our server.  Thursday, July 30th, 2026

WayBack Machine July 20 2026 (not saved by me)
https://web.archive.org/web/20260720061135/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665


Emperor of the Planet of Rotting Fish (1934): 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39378035/reference/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39378035/releaseinfo/

The requested URL was not found on our server.  Thursday, July 30th, 2026

WayBack Machine July 20 2026 (not saved by me)

Emperor of the planet of rotting fish
https://web.archive.org/web/20260720061135/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39378035/

(edited)

6 Messages

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126 Points

Thank you.

(edited)

8.9K Messages

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180.8K Points

@whistleblower

Probably saved by

Anonymous
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/users/6a57c1251cd91b1fac320b20

The page could not be found  (Monday, July 27th, 2026)

- - -

Anonymous
Sunday, July 19th, 2026
"There was no internet in 1927."

https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/there-was-no-internet-in-1927/6a5d4f44d032a48cd1551f95

Closed | Solved

- - -

Anonymous??

https://web.archive.org/web/20260716185847/https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/users/6a57c1251cd91b1fac320b20

mizzy244
Joined Wednesday, July 15th, 2026

.

(edited)

6 Messages

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126 Points

Thank you.

(edited)

6 Messages

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126 Points

24 days ago

Thank you.

(edited)