IMDb eliminating its message boards

I think, perhaps, some of the differences that people may have found in their experience with the message boards could be related to the typical content they would be looking up. I like a lot of independent films, so quite often there would be a message along the lines of 'similar' movies. Or, just discussing the directors/writers of these films. Sure, you can find all manner of discussion on blockbuster films, but lesser known films, not so much, if at all.

You may also find some discussion on other message boards, but you have to search for any results and weed out unrelated posts/threads, rather than have it all in a convenient location (the film or actor's IMDB page).

They (IMDB) mention using the trivia section for some of this type of content, but that does not allow interaction, or questions.

Quite often, I won't even know what I want to see in the message board section, but I'll just look and see that someone has started an interesting thread on the subject matter. Kind of like I find on these forums. It's infrequent that I start a topic, but I'll often just search for a musician of interest and see that someone has started a thread that I'll participate in. With IMDB, the search equivalent is going to the film/person's page and looking at the message boards.

I don't doubt that improvements can be made to the site to touch on some of these ideas, like a similar movie idea and/or "If you like this, you'll probably like this" type of entry. But a) that'll take a while before it's actually usable (i.e. people have to put in the effort to do that), and b) It'll probably just be a list with no explanation as to why you may like the other films. The other frustration is that all that information is (well, was!) already there, and has apparently been discarded (for all intents and purposes.)

 

I found it useful primarily for older / more obscure titles. Usually the troll-factor on those were near zero to being with, and usually there were some interesting tidbits that I wouldn't get from the standard information presented.

 

Yes. That's the point that some people apparently have a hard time getting through their skulls--the older and/or obscure actors, actresses, and titles (of which there are thousands) rarely had trolls or objectionable posts on their particular message boards.

 

As the youngsters say, THIS

The boards for older films, TV shows, and actors were generally troll free and very useful for interesting discussions.

The disaster areas were boards for newer films and actors, the Film General board, and anyplace that allowed political discussions or catered to the teenage/slacker demo. I'm told the game boards were the worst of all, but I can't confirm that as I never went there.

 

Welcome !!!

 

This. Ive been to literally hundreds of different imdb movie boards and seen virtually no "trolls", my favorites were where someone who worked on the film as an extra or something would comment, lots of interesting info now gone. im amazed they're doing/did this. well, not amazed. saddened. tbh ive also visited some of the popular film boards as well and haven't seen any massive troll factor, its pretty easy to just flick by that stuff, no?

 

isn't THIS a message board? you're here (-: it was used to discuss the movies/tv shows with other people. get an opinion that wasnt your own. character motivations, insights etc.

 

Yeah, but this place is way cooler.

 

Every time I've visited a page on imdb these last few days, I've instinctively scroll down to the bottom to see what people were saying on the message boards. Feels like a huge part of the site is gone.

 

And Steve validates parking.

 

Dont go there now.

 

is it possible theyre doing this completely based on financial reasons, free up server space for more ads etc and they did the numbers beforehand....and theyre using this as a convenient (timely) excuse? 'trolls/bullying' etc? if that's the case then its easier to accept anyway

 

It really is strange not seeing the message boards anymore. I had truly taken for granted the amount of times I glanced over at them for a given movie or performer. IMDB seems a little less fun now.

I think it's been already mentioned in this thread, but I believe the greatest strength of the boards was that the user had a potential discussion database for virtually every actor that ever appeared on film or director who made one, all in a few cross-referenced mouse clicks. Countless times I would learn something about an obscure film participant of days gone by: Their backstory. Whatever happened to them. Someone who knew what they were doing these days or were actually related to them. Even the subjects themselves would sometimes pop-up in a discussion thread.

There may be other places of more "scholarly" film and TV discussion on the internet, but I can't think of another place that had the sheer amount of fun and useful tidbits in one locale. Sifting through whatever noise might exist there from time-to-time was a pretty painless price to pay for me.

The fact that it's all apparently not archived anywhere stings even more.

 

There were petitions, but you cannot petition the law with prayer.

 

Yeah, to be honest, it was a weekly habit. I still visit and then forget they have been disabled. It was such a big part of the draw to IMDB.

I recently watched the film Prisoners and wanted to know people's thoughts about certain plots points, characters, etc. and I couldn't. Such a shame.

 

Wonder if they get the same hits as they did when they the message board was active.

 

I've barely been on the site since they took the boards down. Wanted to go while watching some sitcoms, to see what people thought of the latest episodes, but no use!

 

same here, why put up with the constant ads shoved in your face when the same info is on wikipedia now anyway, they lost me

 

The same info is not on Wikipedia
You lost me.

 

well, general movie/tv info: cast, director, dates etc....I don't go there for user reviews or trivia really

 

I used the message board where a goldmine of info could be found which was not in reviews /trivia or outside source Wikipedia.

 

ditto, but alas, no more. but at least they got the evil "trolls" problem solved

 

The trolls only existed in new block buster movies. Old films where thankfully left alone.

 

I know

 

I recently rediscovered some old TV westerns and would love to go to the IMDb message boards to see what fans have to say about them.

Alas...