User talk:68.39.174.238/films
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Regardless of whether you're here to comment on the page, on a film on the list, add a film, or make some other edit, please read this page. Nothing on here is a "new policy" or a policy that only applies to this page, rather it is an application of long used policies to this page, and some history.
[edit] Adding a film to the page
If you're here to add a film to this page, the MOST important thing you need is at least one "solid" source.
Generally speaking, a "solid" source for a film in the context of this article meets the following characteristics:
- It is widely recognized both in and out of the profession and culture as being dependable, reliable, and legitimate. An example would be the New York Times' movie guide, or Roger Ebert.
- It unambiguously calls the film "the worst", "one of the worst", or uses some other similar superlative.
- It is not wildly contradicted by other equally reputable ones. For example, the movie reviewing profession very evenly disagrees with itself about the badness of a film. This would be most useful on the page about the film itself, not here. Films can be contentious even amongst professionals, but the "worst ever" are usually universally denounced.
Sources such as the IMDb (User ratings), Rotten Tomatoes, etc. which rely on nonprofessional ratings, do not usually qualify and should not be used as the sole source for an entry's "badness". They may be used in addition to a critical evaluation, such as to show the public agreement, or to source relatively uncontested information (EG. The producer, director, cast, etc).
The importance of this (Sourcing) is almost impossible to overstate. Prior to the firm requirement of sources, the page was massive (See Talk:Films considered the worst ever/Removed films) and loaded with films that were in dispute (See above, 4th point) or which were disliked by a vocal minority (Not hard to find in filmmaking). Also, because of the prevalence of such additions, most lists similar to this one (Best/Worst [..]s ever) are in deplorable state, filled with original research, bias and acrimony, or are just deleted. The best assurance against this happening here is the strong and bilateral maintenance of this requirement.
Finally, when adding the film, give a brief description of the reviews it received and the reasons given for its disastrous reception.
If you want other people's opinions on a new entry, or a potential source, feel free to ask on the talk page.
[edit] Making a comment on/Responding to the existance of this page
While at first glance/read, the idea of having a page on such an unbelievably intrinsically opinionated subject suggests a disaster similar to other pages of this nature, which are either sunk in WP:OR or were deleted for being sunk in OR.
Check the section above this. Various editors take turns, as they feel, checking new additions to this page, reading up on the latest crap films, etc. As a result, uncited claims are quickly tagged as such or removed, and blatantly unsuitable films are noticed and removed. If you see something you think missed them, feel free to deal with it appropriately or ask on the talk page.
Please note that many people, disgusted for whatever reason at the existence of this page, sound off loudly on the talk page. While, as anywhere, constructive criticism (That is, criticism that suggests ideas to remedy the perceived problems) is welcome, incivil attacks or vague sarcasm and rants are not so much. Truely useless or incoherent posts may be ignored by everyone or just removed.
[edit] Before trying to get this page deleted
Note that this page has survived 5 AfDs from 2003 to 2006, all closed as unambiguous keeps patronized by many well known users (EG. Not sockpuppets). While other pages have survived far more AfDs and been deleted in the end, the reason for their final demise was a lack of sources. As can be seen, this page has numerous sources well distributed throughout the text.
