Maxence_G's profile

4.5K Messages

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71.2K Points

Monday, September 20th, 2021 12:30 AM

3

IMDb Should Have a Better Poster Policy

Currently, the rules are:

The most iconic and widely-recognized poster, of the best image quality. English language posters are preferred if available, although we may exercise editorial discretion to override this in some special cases.

https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/images-videos/how-do-i-update-my-poster/GA8N34CWGUMJJM98?ref_=helpsrall#

I suggest instead we display, when possible, one of the original release posters of the film. So we could avoid having such atrocities:

À bout de souffle: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053472/reference

Poster: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053472/mediaviewer/rm3074093057/

157 Messages

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2.3K Points

10 months ago

Atrocities like that get corrected usually. Still, I totally agree with the point you make. I'm sick and tired of these so-called "studio partners" that lock certain movies with very dubious, sometimes rightdown negligent, even atrocious primary images.

What I'd propose is this: use the same rule that applies to the NOIR genre. This genre can only be applied to movies released between 1927 and 1958:

https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/titles/genres/GZDRMS6R742JRGAG#

Of course, many contemporary movies would kill to use the NOIR label to add prestige to their pedigree, but IMDb puts their foot down.

Consequently, I would apply a similar rule to primary images, but I'd use 1990 (the year IMDb was founded) as the upper limit.

Under this rule, no "studio partner" would be allow to lock the primary image of any title released before 1990.

And even for movies from that date forward, they could only do it in movies that the "studio partner" actually released in the first place, not movies the "studio partner" acquired from the original releasing entity, usually after bankrupcy sales and such.

157 Messages

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2.3K Points

Then again, some atrocities remain no matter what. My e-mail appeal asking to revise my rejected deleting submission for this one has just been rejected:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066299/mediaviewer/rm3595107073/

That movie would be better off with an empty gallery than with such a retina-burning aberration.

"Like all workaholics, I am profoundly lazy." --Aki Kaurismäki

2.7K Messages

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83K Points

10 months ago

I agree this guide should be changed. I think the primary image for a title should be the first official poster (obviously in as good as possible quality), regardless of the language it was in.

157 Messages

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2.3K Points

I agree, except on the language part.

I think the "English language posters are preferred if available" directive is perfect as it is.

IMDb is a US-based site, and English is lingua franca.

"Like all workaholics, I am profoundly lazy." --Aki Kaurismäki

2.7K Messages

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83K Points

@Tonio_Fraga​ Well, I guess we have to agree to disagree then.

That being said, when it comes to languages, IMDb is branching out when it comes to plot outlines, which suggests they want to be as inclusive as possible so people from all around the globe can use the database. I assume that ideally, they want more sections of the database to be available in more languages. So I'm not sure how valid the lingua franca argument is in the long run.

(apart from that, Col Needham once said that IMDb was based on the internet instead of in one specific country).