themoviesmith's profile

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Saturday, July 23rd, 2022 4:20 PM

Nine Live Polls: The U.S. Armed Services

A nine part poll series on the movies and TV series of the Armed Services of the United States divided by branch. At urbane's suggestion the Navy and Army lists were split because they have so many titles.

Army Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303976/

Army TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363450/

Navy Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567301956/

Navy TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363441/

Marine Corps Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303329/

Marine Corps TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567603378/

Air Force and Space Force Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567306684/

Air Force and Space Force Series List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567601835/

Coast Guard List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567302779/

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2 years ago

R.I.P. United States Space Force

There is no film about them.

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@cinephile​ No, but they do have there own streaming series, Space Force.

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I have included them in the Air Force titles list.

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2 years ago

I like the idea and general execution of it. I do have a couple suggestions for your consideration.

1) I would tighten up the inclusion criteria a bit (ie Space Force is not in the USAF) and add notes when necessary for those titles that are a bit amiguous, have multi-branch representation or otherwise have a need, so poll takers understand you understand that you aware of situation specifics:

A)Apocalypse Now (half the movie is set on a Navy PBR and four of the seven top characters are Navy personel)

*multi-branch representation

B) The Right Stuff, both versions (The Mercury Seven astronauts are sourced from the USAF(3), USN(3) and USMC (1).)

*multi-branch representation

C) A Few Good Men (three of the top nine characters are Navy personel, while six of the top nine are Marines)

*multi-branch representation

D) Pearl Harbor (Despite the name and settings, it really more about the US Army Air Corp flyers and US Army nurses. It shouldn't be classified as being about the US Navy, even a multi-branch representation note would be generous toward the limited action the Navy gets in this film)

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ These are all done. I will work later on dividing the Army and Navy lists into movies and TV series. You're right there are way to many titles to have them combined. Thanks

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2 years ago

It seems really hard do each of these armed service branches justice. There are way too many titles for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and far too few titles for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Coast Guard with the U.S. Marine Corps. and U.S. Air Force lying somewhere in between those extremes. 

ARMY: 

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20army&sort=num_votes,desc

NAVY: 

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20navy&sort=num_votes,desc

MARINES: 

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20marine&sort=num_votes,desc&start=1&ref_=adv_nxt

AIR FORCE: 

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20air%20force&sort=num_votes,desc&start=51&ref_=adv_nxt

COAST GUARD: 

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20coast%20guard&sort=num_votes,desc&start=1&ref_=adv_nxt

Maybe, one way to manage the disparity is to split the armed services that can justify two polls into a theatrical movie title poll and a seperate combined television and streaming title poll. This way you won't omit worthy titles and be well covered over the history of each branch. Alternatively, you could beef up some answer pools by including films involving the armed service commands, US Army Air Corp [ie VIII Bomber Command's Twelve O'Clock High (1949) begets the Eighth Air Force of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)] and US Air Force Space Operations [ie NORAD's War Games(1983) remains the same command just moving from the Air Force to the Space Force as the United States' bi-national partner] that later evolved into own armed force branches.

Plus, the answer pool seems very heavy on the movies set during the last 75 years and doesn't fully represent the almost full 250 years of U.S. military history (Civil War, War of 1812, Boxer Rebellion, Banana Wars, Barbary Wars, Oregon Indian Wars, American Revolution, etc.), including larger and smaller conflicts. There seem to be notable movies that could be included that are important in telling the story of a particular armed service, a particular conflict or facet of a engagement.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_armed_conflicts_involving_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations

FYC:

Hacksaw Ridge (2016), Glory (1989), The Monuments Men (2014), 12 Strong (2018), Camp X-Ray (2014), Casualties of War (1989), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Greyhound (2020), Midway (2019), Sand Pebbles (1966), Red Tails (2012), Memphis Belle (1990), Gettysburg (1993), 1941 (1979), The Caine Mutiny (1954), Catch-22 (1970), Good Kill (2014), The Big Red One (1980), Midway (1976), Mister Roberts (1955), Miracle at St. Anna, Twelve O'Clock High (1949), Operation Petticoat (1959), Shores of Tripoli (1942), John Paul Jones (1959)

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ Thanks for the input, let me see what I can do.

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@urbanemovies It took some doing but I reorganized all the lists and narrowed the navy and army movie lists to 35 titles. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Thanks; I appreciate all the input and suggestions!

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2 years ago

My Vote: For Army List

Band of Brothers

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@CyrilMartin​ This gets my vote on the US Army TV list too.

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2 years ago

There are four USCG reality TV series missing: Coast  Guard Alaska, Coast  Guard  Florida, CoastGuardMissionCritical  and CoastGuard (1995-1999). Plus, a number of lower voted movies that the USCG dominates the story line. See the links to In popular culture section of the USCG Wikipedia webpage and the USCG's film and TV Office webpage to fill out the answer pool. FYI, August 4th is the USCG birthday and this is the easiest list to ensure it complete and finish. 

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ In the process of adding titles now.

Thanks!

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2 years ago

US Space Force

I only know of the one TV series and no films that portrays the US Space Force as we know it.

However, there are other US fictional space agencies that were depicted in previous science fiction films set in 2020 A.D. and beyond , like Air Force Space Command in 1959's First Man into Space and American National Space Administration (military split of NASA) in 1968's Planet of the Apes that maybe be justified as being the US Space Force (albeit by a different name). I would think any organization that has a military focus, that is not called NASA, and is a U.S. based Space agency (not a world) is basically the US Space Force. You might be able to find a dozen or more to justify giving the US Space Force its own poll, if you want. As I run across more titles like these I will point them out.

(edited)

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2 years ago

US Marine Corps

I think the list is solid as is. Personally, where you are pushing the limit, I would split off a TV version to have about ten to twenty TV series and TV movies. You then could add some notable older theatrical USMC movies that are not on the list (Max, Last Flag Flying, Mine, The Flying Leathernecks, Battle Cry, Brothers, Gung Ho, etc.) with the open slots you created. The USMC TV titles that are not listed are The Code, The Kill Point, The Lietenant(1963), Men of Annapolis TV series, Blue Angels TV series, and Siege of Firebase Gloria TV movie. 

But, I think it is fine either way and more of a judgement call.

https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_the_United_States_Marine_Corps

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Television_shows_about_the_United_States_Marine_Corps

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ I took you advice and split this list too. Way too many good titles to limit to one list. Thanks for all your help! Two sets of eyes are definitely better than one.

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@themoviesmith​ I agree 6 armed services and most needing two polls to include all the worthy titles. Again, I took a shot at a character version of this theme and it was overwhelming. I added some more comments below with couple titles that need to be shifted around bit. Two eyes and two heads pays dividends.

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@urbanemovies​  possible USMC movie, Ice Station Zebra (Navy/Marines)

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2 years ago

US Air Force

I think the list is solid as is. Personally, I would split off a TV version to have about ten to fifteen TV series and TV movies. It would make the lists more complete and still have some room to add future US Air Force titles. You then could add some notable older theatrical Air Force movies that are not on the list (The Thing from Another World, Sayonara, Good Kill, Air Force One, Project X, Last Full Measure, Bombers B-52, Aloha, Good Morning Vietnam, etc.) with the open slots you created. The US Air Force TV titles that are not listed are The Project Blue Book TV sci-fi series from the History channel, possibly the Taken TV series and The Day After TV movie. 

But, I think it is fine either way and more of a judgement call. Also, the 75th anniversary of the US Air Force (18 Sept 1947) is a month out and the 115th anniversary of its original founding as an Army unit (1 August 1907) is a week away. You celebrate both anniversaries with two polls.

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ Changed made. Split the list in two.

Thanks.

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@themoviesmith​ IMHO, I would list the two Iron Eagle sequels under the original one to be consistent with how you did it elsewhere. Plus, the sequels were really bad, so I doubt the garner any votes over the first installment. You could add Seven Days in May and Fail Safe which feature Air Force Generals, James Mattoon Scott and Warren A. Black and to some degree the Strategic Air Command and the U.S. Air Force nuclear capability.

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@urbanemovies​ Yeah I had placed the sequels in there in order to inflate the total number of titles, but now that they're more titles I will merge them. Added your suggestions. I had already included Strategic Air Command. I like that movie a lot.

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2 years ago

US Army & Navy Television

Again, both TV lists for the US Army and US Navy seem solid for the most part. I do see a handful of notable TV series omissions (see lists below). Structurally, where there are so many theatrical film titles, shifting some of that burden to the TV split would be a good idea. If you included made-for-television movies, TV specials, TV mini-series, TV series, reality series and streaming series under an everything else TV poll specific to each military branch it would create more balance and some space on the theatrical side. Also, it avoids the whole issue of whether it is movie or special or two or three part mini-series for the TV broadcasts that were television events.

I would probably take a look at the TV movies again, if you plan to fold them under the TV polls. I listed a couple, but there are quite a few worthy ones that might deserve inclusion when have slots to spare and they could replace some of the weaker TV series, making for overall stronger answer pools across the board.

US Army TV: Enlisted, The Unit, F-Troop, Private Benjamin (TV Series), Combat!, Hogan's Heros, The Lost Battalion (TV movie), etc.

US Navy TV: Operation Petticoat(TV series) Men of Annapolis, Silent Service, Carrier, Winds of War, War and Remberance, Ironclads (TV movie), etc.

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ I've added these to their respective lists. Can't not believe I forgot F-Troop and I thought I had placed The Unit on the list already. Good catch! Appreciate the help.

(edited)

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@themoviesmith

Corrections

I do see a couple errors of titles being the on wrong list, as well as, being listed as another title with the same name. The wrong Taken (correct:Taken (2002)) mini-series [Air Force TV] and wrong Gung Ho (correct:Gung Ho! (1943)) movie [Marine Film] are listed. I wouldn't list American Dreams (2002–2005) on the [Marine TV] list, as I don't recall the US Marines being a very major part.The television series, Major Dad (1989–1993 TV series) and Black Sheep Squadron (1976–1978 TV series) need to be moved to the [Marine TV] list from the [Marine Film] list. The Terminal List (2022 Streaming series) needs to be moved to the [Navy TV] list from the [Navy Film] list. The movie 1941 (1979) needs to be moved to the [Army Film] list from the [Navy Film] list, as it features a US Army tank crew, a US Army Air Corp pilot and a US Army General. The only real navy personel in the movie are from a Japanese Imperial submarine. IMHO, I would pull Gone with the Wind (1939) to make room, as if it is about any branch, it is about the C.S.A confederate army. The U.S. army has only a couple minor scenes played by bit players. Plus, you could add the multi-service represented The Pentagon Wars (1998 TV movie) to the Army and Air Force TV lists.

Service Branch Title Preference

IMHO, I would set the bar really high for the US Army and US Navy film lists, these movies need to be all about their respective branch. I would even give a lower voted title preference here, if it is a more important title to its respective branch. I especially like the another title not listed options at the end as a final option, as there are going to be worthy titles left off the lists. Other than the specified corrections, I find these lists to be pretty solid, as which titles get ommited verus excluded is a matter of judgement.

U.S. Military Academies

I would advocate for one or two West Point themed films, since a few Annapolis-related titles are on the US Navy/US Marine lists. Maybe The Long Gray Line (1955) could take the spot of The Last Outpost (1951) here or another title of your choosing. I would add The West Point Story (1956-1958 TV Series) to the [US Army TV] list. See other US Army West Point titles here: https://library.westpoint.edu/c.php?g=422474&p=3016942  or https://m.imdb.com/search/keyword/?keywords=west-point&ref_=tt_stry_kw or https://m.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=United%20States%20Military%20Academy%2C%20West%20Point%2C%20New%20York%2C%20USA&ref_=tt_dt_loc for a selection. There really isn't an ideal US Air Force Academy title to add. The movies, Air Cadet (1951) with an early Rock Hudson role came out three years before the academy was founded and the on-topic  A Year in the Blue: Inside the Air Force Academy (2014) is a documentary film. You can decide if either is worthy. I wouldn't even know where to start about a US Coast Guard Academy title. The US Space Force cadets are going to be going to the US Air Force Academy, just like the US Marines sends its cadets through the US Naval Academy.

Answer Pool Culling

IMHO, I would cull some of the lower voted movie/series titles that you don't feel strongly about or nobody is going to recall and do not have a realistic chance of getting a vote (maybe set >100 IMDb votes as a thresold). I think a couple of U.S. Coast Guard movie titles could go especially, if the Coast Guard itself or service member isn't at least a significant subplot in the title, rather than just in a passing scene. I think the culling of some of these titles will make the overall lists stronger, However, I would leave some of the 50s and 60s TV titles that are simply disadvantaged by age rather than by lacking star power or being important titles in their day.

Service Branch TV List Scopes

 IMHO, I would add a sentence specifying the scope of each service branch TV poll lists to include made-for-television movies, television specials, episodic television series, episodic streaming series, reality-based series and other non-theaterically released (ie video, etc.) titles to be clear. This could be done on the actual poll or on the back of house service-specific poll suggestion.

U.S. Army TV https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_movie,tv_series,tv_special,tv_miniseries&keywords=U.S.+Army

U.S. Navy TV https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_movie,tv_series,tv_special,tv_miniseries&keywords=U.S.%20Navy&sort=num_votes,desc

U.S. Marines TV https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_movie,tv_series,tv_special,tv_miniseries&keywords=U.S.%20Marine&sort=num_votes,desc

U.S. Air Force TV https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_movie,tv_series,tv_special,tv_miniseries&keywords=U.S.%20Air%20Force&sort=num_votes,desc

U.S. Coast Guard TV https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_movie,tv_series,tv_special,tv_miniseries&keywords=U.S.%20Coast%20Guard&sort=num_votes,desc

????

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ Thanks for the suggestions. This project has turned into a WAY bigger project that I thought. I've made the changes and thanks for double checking. There are some titles I can't believe I had left off. Appreciate it!

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@themoviesmith​ Yeah, it was quite a few hours, but worth it and I think the time was to be expected. I can't make the claim its perfect, but feel the topic was well vetted and well executed. I think it was far easier to take the approach of doing them all at once. It was far more efficient and the time investment in end for nine poll suggestions, I don't think was too much. It seems worse because you are probably thinking of it as a single poll suggestion.

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2 years ago

US Navy Films

IMHO, I would list the Top Gun sequel with the original to be consistent with how you have done it elsewhere. Plus, the movies are very similar, in my opinion. I would take a second look at these highly rated, Oscar nominated, or othewise very Navy movies: Sand Pebbles, Mr. Roberts(plus its sequel, Ensign Pulver in the same slot), Run Silent, Run Deep, In Harm's Way, The Last Detail, Ice Station Zebra (Navy/Marines), and The Fighting Seabees. I am sure there are others that could be added, but these seem to check a variety of boxes the most to me. I think in some cases they are better US Navy representatives or cover a time period or naval command not already represented or an aspect/theme that is under represented. Obviously, to add a title you have to remove a title, as answer slots at a premium. So, some tough calls will have to be made.

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ I sorted by votes and eliminated the ones with the least votes on IMDb. Decided to leave Top Gun and it's sequel separate since Maverick is recently fresh in everyone's mind and is in my opinion better than original. I feel both them merged together in one option would unfairly represent the actual tally.

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@themoviesmith​ I get the thoughts on Top Gun, I can see both having fervant fan bases that would champion one over the over. I am curious to see if the new kid on the block tops the classic film. You might want to move Top Gun off the top spot, it doesn't need the extra help.

(edited)

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2 years ago

US Army Films

IMHO, I would take a second look at these highly rated, Oscar nominated, or othewise very US Army movies:  The Thin Red Line, The Men Who Stared At Goats, The Big Red One, Fort Apache, From Here to Eternity, Wings, A Soldier's Story, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Battle of the Bulge, Battleground and The Patriot (US Continental Army). I am sure there are others that could be added, but these seem to check a variety of boxes the most to me. I think in some cases, they are better US Army representatives or cover a time period or Army command not already represented or an aspect/theme that is under represented. Obviously, to add a title you have to remove a title, as answer slots at a premium. I think some should replace the half-dozen US Army movies that are combined lesser seen and have a lower than 6.0 IMDb-rating. IMHO, those are the the type of film title that should be the first to go. So, some tough calls will have to be made. 

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ This was by far the hardest one to narrow done. I had 11 extra titles when all was said and done. Even after sorting by vote it was still hard to remove, but finally whittled it down. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

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2 years ago

Homestretch, Quick Fixes & Final Thoughts

Army TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363450/

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to Logan's Heroes even though it all Army Air Corp, other foreign armed services are represented

Navy TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363441/

???? add Emerald Point N.A.S. TV series

add the "Multi-Service Representation" notes to the JAG TV series and Men of Annapolis

Marine Corps Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303329/

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to the A Few Good Men film

???? I probably wouldn't add the film, but you could add the Midway (1976) and a "Multi-Service Representation" note for the USMC for its land troop, airplane and Torpedo boat defense of the island.

Marine Corps TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567603378/

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to JAG TV series

???? add the Men of Annapolis TV series with the  "Multi-Service Representation" note

Air Force and Space Force Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567306684/

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to The Right Stuff film

add  the "or any its sequels" note to Iron Man film

Air Force and Space Force Series List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567601835/

No changes

Coast Guard List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567302779/

I would swap the CG Mission Critical TV series  out #35 spot for another title that isnt about the Coast Guard 100%. (ie Around the World title). I still would check the Wikipedia plots on some of the older Coast Guard films; I have no doubt the Coast Guard is in them, just how much.

Army Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303976/

Typo on  "or any othe rfilm not listed" on #35 "The Patriot"

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to MacArthur film

Navy Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567301956/

add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to the Midway film for the USMC for its land troop, airplane and Torpedo boat defense of the island.

On the Army and Navy Movie lists you could argue all day about which films belong and which ones don't and in the end you are still going to have deserving films left off. When there are far too many great films and far too few answer slots to fill them, it is inevitable.

That said, my take is 99% in agreement with yours. However, I don't think the Army films, Basic and The General's Daughter belong on the Army film list, when you are leaving The Long Gray Line, Fort Apache and to a lesser extent The Men Who Stared At Goats off. Likwise, I don't think the Navy films, Wings of the Eagle or The Philadelphia Experiment belong on the Navy film list, when you are leaving Run Silent, Run Deep, In Harm's Way off instead. 

(edited)

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@urbanemovies​ Changes were made. Run Silent, Run Deep and Harm's Way were already on the list. As for the Army movie I replaced General's Daughter with Fort Apache, it's a John Wayne classic. But I think Basic is more memorable than Long, Gray Line so I left in there.

Thanks for all the help! I greatly appreciate it having knowledgeable second set of eyes in there!

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@themoviesmith​ No problem, I am a fan of the genre and was glad to see all the time invested watching these movies put to good use.

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2 years ago

USAF Film

Battle Hymn is a 1957 American war film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Rock Hudson as Lieutenant Colonel Dean E. Hess, a real-life United States Air Force fighter pilot in the Korean War who helped evacuate several hundred war orphans to safety. 

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@urbanemovies​ Added

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@themoviesmith

Another movie title for the Air Force list, this one gives some star power, a high rating and is a bit different.

(edited)

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Thanks. Added it to the list. I also added the TV series of the same name for the TV list.

Champion

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2 years ago

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@Peter_pbn​ Thank you!

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2 years ago

One down, eight to go. I am not surprised, but still disappointed that some of the low vote getters have not garnered more support.

(edited)