Just to emphasize things for the IMDb staff: Frank Claudius (1927) at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665 has its first release date listed as being in the UK, on January 5, 1927, with the attribute (internet). That was long before the Internet existed. It was even before computers as we know them existed. Several of the film's other release dates in other countries also have the attribute (internet) despite also predating the ability to show films online.
The film's IMDb page does not have an option to submit deletion of the title, but the person who submitted this title was apparently trying to enter nonsense into the database. The title should be deleted.
How does this utter, partly AI-generated nonsense even get approved by the editors, apparently without any solid evidence? If this is more than an incident, it reflects quite badly on the status of IMDb and its staff, while most contributors of course do their utmost just to get reliable data online!
Cast and crew include ... Pinoccio Sellars, Trubadoor Sellars, Dumbo Sellars, and Buffone Sellars ...
Release date United Kingdom : January 5, 1927 (internet) United States : April 1, 1963 (internet) The Democratic Republic of Congo: April 14, 1963 (internet) New Zealand : March 6, 1980 (internet) Australia : October 21, 1997 (internet) Congo : April 17, 2013 (internet) - - -
This issue has NOT been solved, even though the thread status says so. I'm definitely going to cut the editing staff some slack here, because it's the silly summer season after all, but in the end these titles should go, as they continue to deface the IMDb.
Thank you for reporting! If you have found titles for deletion, please follow the reporting as per our guidelines for Title Deletes.
If these titles do not have the option on the contribution form, the request(s) will have to be submitted through this specific Contact form instead, for our editors to review further.
I'm a bit surprised that the original posters have not already reported these titles. Perhaps they thought that making these pertinent issues known to the staff on this board was enough for the editors to take action. I assumed as much. At any rate, these titles should never haven been okayed in the first place. As I can't invest the time right now, I'd leave it to the original 'whistle blowers' to sort this out with the staff.
I have now sent in requests to delete both Frank Claudius and Emperor of the planet of rotting fish. But the IMDb software should have caught the fake release dates on its own and rejected such Internet release dates as 1927, 1934, and 1963.
@gromit82 Thank you. Exactly! On top of that, the accompanying images are clearly AI-generated slop, and the supposed trailers or full features on YouTube which the external links refer to as 'proof' have already been removed.
And the bane of the current state of the internet: it's already found its way into Google AI-summaries (which I have censored a bit, so as not to give the algorithm more traction):
The phrase relates to a historical trick or an obscure film reference: Qin Shi Huang or a 1934 short film.
Obscure Film:**** is listed on IMDb as an ultra-obscure 1934 short film written by Pinoccio Sellars.
It's quite interesting what AI adds to this dubious find, if you ask for more info. Let this be a warning!
Why It Appears Online
User-Generated Database Exploits: Platforms like IMDb allow users to submit trivia, independent projects, and obscure data. Users frequently abuse these submission forms to plant joke entries or fake titles, often creating fictional directors and writers (like "Pinoccio Sellars") that linger undetected in the system.
AI and Algorithmic Echo Chambers: When unusual text strings are fed into large language models or search engines, the systems parse the literal keywords available in public databases (like the rogue IMDb entry) without having the real-world verification to tell you it's a prank
The mind boggles: AI crticizing its very methods after first acknowledging its existence!!
@whistleblower I guess it would help A LOT if you provide details why you believe these titles (which are highly diverse) are fake, and submit them to the IMDb staff in the usual way. What are we supposed to do with links to just a few dubious titles?
For instance, I can see why there are huge problems with Renters (1963), as the poster is captioned 'Life in the Shed', which, also according to the external links, was indeed an entry to the 2016 NZ Web Fest as "Best Pilot or Trailer (Unproduced show)":
This Warren Holliday has more credits to his name (always a good sign), but a short "The Sandy Bay Kids' from 1963 (!), without any further credits, and The Shoe Box, four (partly?) AI-generated 9 minute science fiction episodes ranging from 2013 to 2026, with a "John Doe placeholder" (??) link to this:
No, I didn't expect you to do anything, and thanks for the in depth appraisal. But nevermind, best not to prod the bear, leave it sleeping, as they say.
Admittedly, even calling the problem to the IMDb staff's attention won't necessarily get it fixed. But doing nothing will definitely not get the problem fixed.
gromit82
Champion
•
8K Messages
•
282.8K Points
11 days ago
Just to emphasize things for the IMDb staff: Frank Claudius (1927) at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316665 has its first release date listed as being in the UK, on January 5, 1927, with the attribute (internet). That was long before the Internet existed. It was even before computers as we know them existed. Several of the film's other release dates in other countries also have the attribute (internet) despite also predating the ability to show films online.
The film's IMDb page does not have an option to submit deletion of the title, but the person who submitted this title was apparently trying to enter nonsense into the database. The title should be deleted.
6
MAthePA
2.1K Messages
•
58.5K Points
10 days ago
One more of the series:
Emperor of the planet of rotting fish (1934)
1
Maya
Employee
•
8.5K Messages
•
88.9K Points
3 days ago
Hi all-
Thank you for reporting! If you have found titles for deletion, please follow the reporting as per our guidelines for Title Deletes.
If these titles do not have the option on the contribution form, the request(s) will have to be submitted through this specific Contact form instead, for our editors to review further.
Cheers!
3
0
whistleblower
2 Messages
•
72 Points
23 hours ago
Just some anomalies with the internet as 1963.
(edited)
4
0