I noticed something handy with the Sci-Fi Challenge. There was one participant (I think it was Fist of Doom, but I might be wrong) whose list was the last post. He updated his list frequently. Instead of editing it each time, he copied and pasted it into a new post (deleting the old). As a result, that thread was bumped often...but wasn't cluttered by dozens of "bump" posts.

Hope I explained that well. Anyway, I think it was an effective way to keep that challenge thread visible most of the time.

A sub-forum with individual threads? We're taking a fun community activity and making it exclusionary. The common list was borderline as it was, especially with a dedicated thread just for it. Count me against the idea. We need to bring everybody together, not just the "elite" ones.

Alright. it's decided then. Whoever is the last to post their list, they must do what Fist of Doom did in the Sci-Fi Challenge! :D

Seriously though, I do think this is a good idea since for some reason we can't get a Sticky.

Less people might participate, simply because most visitors go straight to the DVDTalk subforum and don't bother to look at the other subforums. If you didn't know about it, you might miss it altogether. We might want to keep a thread going in DVDTalk just to let people know it's there (a sticky would be best). However, I don't think it should be called "exclusionary" or "elite"... all are invited, it's simply a way to organize the challenge.

I do believe it would promote more discussion about individual lists (exactly opposite of exclusionary and elite). Imagine people posting comments in your thread about your list. The owner of that thread could get into some really interesting, specific discussions about their list with other participants. I think this is difficult to do in the current format with one long thread containing all the lists.

Another advantage is that the challenge subforum could be active all year long...there is the holiday challenge, Academy Award challenge...no limit.

I realize this is a somewhat radical change, so maybe this year it could go on as usual, but revisit the idea for next year. It would also help if this could be done on a "trial basis", so maybe we could see if it really works as I imagine it would.

I don't understand anything you just said. How is the existing method "borderline?"

How would having a separate sub-forum be elite/exlusionary? I think it might actually garner more interest because there is a separate sub-forum for it, not just a single thread. Casual users might notice a whole sub-forum rather than a single thread which may fall out of their normal viewing window.

I would say how I think about it is exactly opposite of what you just said ;) Both in the existing method and the sub-forum idea.

I just looked more closely at how subforums are organized. If we could get a subforum placed in the DVDTalk forum, it would be right there at the top of the page, above the stickies. The only subforum there at the moment is "DVD Talk Covers, Cases & Inserts". Take a look and you'll see what I mean. If a challenge subforum were to go there, I think it might actually get more exposure.

"Bump" duty is tough, y'all. The pressure to keep the thread on the first page is unreal! :lol:

I'm not complaining, though, since the extra posts rid me of the dorky Cool New Member status.

Unless something changed, if you delete one of your posts, your post count goes down by one.

Almost forgot about this. All the votes have been counted. Here are the results.

The Pit and the Pendulum received 3 votes (Trevor, Chad, Doc Moonlight)
Witchfinder General received 2 votes (edwardnortonfan, JOE29)
House on Haunted Hill received 1 vote (Darth Maher)
The Tingler received 1 vote (Mister Peepers)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes received 1 vote (NoirFan)

So the official pick for the Oct. 25th movie is: The Pit and the Pendulum.

I'm for the Subforum idea. I think it'd be any easy way to organize things.

Apologies in advance for asking this a) two days before posting the thread and b) on Labor Day weekend when many aren't around...


Would everyone be alright with a 7 commentary limit?


Why 7? It just sounded appropriate. Originally I was going to ban them altogether, but I couldn't in good conscious deny anyone their Joe Bob Briggs or MST3K versions! I know many weren't happy with allowing them at all last year and I honestly think this would be a good compromise for both sides of the argument.

Again, sorry for bringing this up last minute. It's been an extremely busy month for me - I'd originally planned on asking this around the first of the month and just plain forgot. Come this time next year I'll probably be eating my words concerning the poll!

I'd be in favor of no commentaries at all, but a limit of 7 is fine. Maybe it should be 6, as in:
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d...h1/Ken-666.jpg

I'm in the no commentaries camp too. I watched several films with commentaries during the first challenge, but some of the comments in that year's feedback thread convinced me not to in subsequent years (I just wait and watch them in November).

A limit sounds like a reasonable idea for those who do want to count them though.

Wait, are we saying to count with commentary and without separately? I didn't mind last year, where you could do either with or without but not both. I'd also argue that MST3K shouldn't really count as a commentary, as many of those movies can't be found in non-MST versions.

I think it was decided to count one or the other.

I'd prefer no commentaries, too, but how about my idea to allow commentaries only after one has viewed the film with the proper soundtrack and for only half credit? That way those who have rented movies can get their money's worth out of them without losing so much time for watching them. It's a concession to those that really want to watch them while encouraging watching the movies the "right way".


Oh, yeah and MST3K isn't truly commentaries since you do get the real soundtrack, too.

This is what I prefer. Either way a horror movie gets watched and that is the point of the challenge.

MST3k are commentaries. So whilst I said before I reckon Manos would be ok to play watch it that way, it's your choice to use one of the 7 times you can.
I won't be listening to any.

Yes, it was. And that wouldn't change except for the limit. Does anyone actually plan on doing more than 7 commentaries?


It's not a bad idea, but it conflicts with "the same film cannot be viewed more than once" rule. I was under the impression that the majority wanted to stick with that to discourage people from just listening like it's background noise. Can everyone here truthfully say they watch the movie for the entire duration while listening to a commentary?


I honestly didn't think about that. In that case, the limit wouldn't apply to MST3K versions.

Wait, now they are? I'm getting conflicting reports here people!


To my knowledge I haven't in any of the previous challenges and will probably stick to that.

I'm figuring if people really want to watch commentaries that bad then why not do it in a way that forces a viewing of the film the right way, then they can take the time to view it again with only a slight disincentive. Watching a commentary is only watching half a film, so half credit.

I can easily go with/without commentaries being part of the challenge. I watched (listened?) to a few last year, only because they were movies I had seen so many times before...

Alright, I'm willing to exclude commentaries from the same film rule. Let's do this the proper way by putting it to a vote:

1. Half credit option. Allow commentaries only after one has viewed the film with the proper soundtrack. If you do choose to go back and listen w/commentary it's worth half a credit/point.
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2. 7 commentary limit. Self explanatory.
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3. The "with or without" option. Same as last year.

I'm not voting, BTW. It's up to you guys.

^ I'll go with C.

Commentaries don't bother me, though I understand the sentiments of those opposed to them.

It ain't broke, so don't fix it. :)

Rob

I'm for no commentaries at all, but I guess I'll vote for B.

Also, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a subforum. Don't know if that's possible at this point, but I think it's a good idea.