Let's try this again

It's basically laziness, and it usually doesn't bother me in film threads. It gets tedious when you are participating in a thread on a dense film and someone shows up to ask a question/make a point that has been made a hundred times before. It does annoy the hell out of me in the political threads when someone comes in and derails the entire thread due to their complete inability to read anything except the title of the thread.

Atleast they are saying something on-topic. Which is better than off-topic, yet still can be annoying. I try to read as much of a thread as possible, and when the thread is less than a few pages it isn't a problem. Maybe they should change the name to "The CHUD Discussion Boards" instead of "Message" since that is what I think most people are looking for.

Reviews in a discussion thread don't bother me as long as it's something well thought out and not just variations on "This movie rawked!!!" Someone's opinion on a film can be just as valid a topic for discussion as going over the minutiae of every line in the script, especially if it's an opinion that seems to run contrary to the majority.

Besides, I enjoy seeing the enthusiasm shown in some of the discussion threads when people discuss WHY they liked a certain film. It's interesting to see what different Chewers take out of a film they enjoyed.

Agreed, if the person offers a different take on the film. As you say, the problem is that too often, they are just regurgitating what 5-10-100 people have ALREADY said, particularly on the big event films. If I post my "thoughts" on a film, I try to read through and touch on one or two things no one else noticed/mentioned. And I usually don't post my "thoughts" if the thread is past the first page and a half/two pages.

And this is my recipes for my famous carrot cake...

HellSpawn Carrot Cake with Hot Glaze

****Ingredients****
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups salad oil
2 cups carrots, grated
2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups pecan pieces
4 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
Hot Glaze:
1 cup sugar
Juice of one orange

****Directions***
Cream 2 cups sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time. Add carrots, flour and salt and stir. Stir in nuts and bake in 8" tube pan for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Hot Glaze: heat orange juice and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a full boil. Turn baked cake upside down on serving plate. Slowly spoon filling over top and sides of cake. Repeat until all glaze has soaked in cake.

This cake recipe discussion has been a blast.

Thanks all!

Cheers!

Why does everyone seem to feel the need to be so goddamn UNFUNNY? It's like watching a field interview and seeing someone walk by in the background and give the cameraman the finger. I'm not usually quick to agree with Devin, but for fuck's sake, his question has made nothing but perfect sense and there's always a handful of dumb shits laying in wait to go piss all over it, twice in this case, and with relative timeliness. Grow up.

And I think that "popping in" threads with a review is usually the product of someone either genuinely wanting to put there two cents in about a film, but being too lazy to tie it in with the current flow of discussion (Which, I'll admit, in some cases isn't terribly unncceptable), or it's someone who posts on other message boards and is so proud of his/her quasi-journalistic skills that they just want to spread it out like a virus. If I go into great detail in a movie review, but posting it in a thread would seem out of place or random, I could AT LEAST preface it with some other discussion points, and then decide whether or not it was even nessecary for me to let everyone know how I felt about the entire thing. But someone who posts a review and is never seen in the thread again, well, there's no excuse, and they can fuck off.

Or maybe I'm just a negative asshole.

To Hellspawn and other trolling thread derailers:

The next one up gets it.

As for the "not reading a thread all the way" issue, especially when it comes to "discussion," I think the first weekend or so of a movie's release, you have to expect this. There isn't as much discussion, per se, as there people simply registering with the fact that they saw it, and they got X impression.

In most cases, that begins to build and a prevailing sentiment becomes apparent, which leads opposers to then say "I don't get what all of the hate/hype is about." Then, people start really breaking the film down and all is well.

The problems start once a thread has been around awhile and people STILL want to jump in simply to say that they saw the film and thought good/bad about it. It's disruptive if any specific discussion is still going on, and if the discussion has fizzled out, it becomes cumbersome as old threads are resurrected simply for this purpose.

Everyone wants to offer an opinion and let their voice be heard, but common sense and courtesy should dictate that you do so appropriately and in relation to pre-existing discussion.

So the question then becomes: Where do you go or where do you post a simple impression of a movie when the only "discussion" thread -that is allowed- already has 67 posts and a discussion is in progress between two or three Chewers?

Is a simple interjection not allowed? Because some people don't live here and like to just come in to say they saw whatever the latest blockbuster is and liked it very much. How is this a problem? Not elitist enough?

No, people should be allowed to simply state an opinion. I completely understand that. But I think it should also be on them to at least skim the thread, get an idea of how the discussion has progressed, and then tie in their opinions with it.

Ideally, there should be a balance between registering impressions of the film and interacting with others in the thread about what they have to say about it. And ideally, it should lean more toward the latter as the thread goes on.

You brought up some good points, Paul. I like leaving my impression of a film in a thread, but more often than not, there isn't a discussion, per se, going on! Sometimes people want to break it down and at other times not. Sure, nobody wants to read "It sucked!" and that's the end of it, but not everyone wants to participate in heavy discussion or debate either..so what are we to do? I'm game for discussions, if they are worthy of 12 pages (which most aren't) and it is a film I really enjoyed. Just my take.

Oops...Micah got in there before I did. I agree, btw.

I'm not skimming a twenty-something page thread on a movie (or much anything else) just so I can get in the flow. I will read the last few pages though. I want to get in, post my opinion, and get out. If my opinion is more than just "It was a good flick." I'll hang around for the discussion that my post generates adn any current discussion. If you don't like it, that's not my problem. What bugs me is when there's a one or two page discussion and somone posts without reading what's there. They read the first post and sound off. But again I guess that's my problem and not theirs.

While it is all well and good that people read the thread before putting in their opinion, here in lays the wall. If someone does decide to take the conversation in a different direction, then they are criticized for derailing a thread. On the other hand, if said individual wants to start a different thread on the same topic, that thread is immediately closed and told to take their statements to the thread already in progress. It almost seems that if a topic is already being discussed, then that is the be-all/end-all of that topic; no conversation expansion permitted.

I don't get your drift there. Thread "derailing/evolution/whatever you want to call it" happens all of the time. Most times, it's good. Sometimes, it gets ugly. But it's usually related to the movie or thread topic in some way.

And no, I'm not saying you must read every page of a 20-page thread, but skim SOME of it, at least, and get a good idea of where the thread's been and where it's going. The whole point of this is to keep people from acting as if a thread is there simply for them to vent and to encourage them to give their opinions AND to interact with others while doing so.

Thread derailment DOES happen all the time, I haven't a problem with that fact. But the type of derailment you speak of generally has an evolution process, something that takes a few posts to finally manifest. It's when someone trys to make an abrupt dissimilar take on the topic at hand. Thats when people get angry no matter what you do.

I don't think that Devin was referring to an evolution of natural discussion that can some times lead to an unintentional derailment of the main subject. I think his key concern is in this statement..."people popping in to unleash their 'review' of the film in question, but to not talk about it."

So I think the question becomes are threads there to voice opinions, thoughts on a film or merely there for the current evolution of the discussion at hand?

We must also remember that thoughts from foreign viewers may come at differing times depending on a film's release schedule internationally. Must they be tied to the current line of thought on a thread?

Devin...if I misunderstood please correct me.

I think its fine to register an opinion, but at least make an effort to tie in that opinion to the current topic at hand. You wouldn't walk up to a group of people at a party and just blurt out your feelings on Remo Williams. Even if they were talking about Remo Williams. Or Fred Ward.

Um, how many 20 page threads are there anyways? You guys make it seem like every thread reaches a Star Wars or Lord of the Rings size.

Basically, if you're going to post in the thread, why not read all of it? I find it silly that people would post in a thread that they haven't read. Because when people go this, it's fairly obvious.

Just throwing another thought out there and I'm not trying to criticize CHUD by any means because this is the best film forum on the net but any one film has countless topics that can be discussed. I personally found this to be a bit of a problem on the EQ thread. We might be talking about trailer music on a page and three pages later have moved on to something else but still the trailer music is of interest to people who have arrived later. Because it is difficult to break up specific subjects on specific films here you end up often with several different conversations going on at a time on a single thread. This can be a bit overwhelming to some readers especially those who think linearly.

I really don't believe there is an a solution for something like this besides tolerance. Certainly staring a ton of mini threads isn't the answer. Besides more rules just make boards unpleasant.

In other words, it's OK to post your review and rating of a film, but why don't you then stick around for a little dialogue. You know, I say something, you reply to that, I reply to your reply...it makes the whole forum a much more lively place. Actually, that's why I find myself enjoying the classic/in release forums so much. People seem much more willing to have a dialogue about films there.

Oooppss...sorry Devin. I was posting at the same time you were and don't want to take away from the topic of your thread...especially since you clarified it.

I have to agree...the "cut & paste" reviews I find personally annoying as well and usually scroll through them.

Excuse me?

How many times did Devin actually derail threads?
How many times did he splurt out less than dignified comments aimed at other posters?

And I get threatened?

And threatened of what exactly might I ask?

I think that my post was just poetic justice, and a funny addition to the thread. As the whole world lost its sense of humour?

If you want to ban me for my humorous entry, well then BAN ME Micah and that will be the end of that. Don’t threaten me, with this virtual heavy handed tactics.

Wow, What a friendly place this is turning into.

And if the Fuck off comment was aimed at me TheOutlawTorn well you can kiss my ass you dipshit.

I see not every one is warned, true my comment was humorous joke and not a personal insult being flung, my mistake I guess.

Very impressive.

I think this is a really important point. And also, a person could be reading through a two-page thread on a movie and come across something they really want to talk about, something they can contribute to, but it was like 70 posts ago and the discussion has moved on.

Hence, the magic of the quote feature. By nature, message board discussion has to be non-linear. In fact, it SHOULD be non-linear. It's more interesting that way. My point is, yeah, if you see something 3 pages back that you want to reply to, use the quote feature (to put your comments in context) and have at it. I do it all the time. Often, I resurrect dead threads because a thought occurs to me that I'd like to discuss further.

The "why are you picking on me and not X?" argument is complete crap. And the fact that I get it from every opposing side proves to me I ain't playing favorites.

You got threatened because you weren't being funny, but you (and other derailers in this thread) were just here to fuck things up which would require the creation of YET ANOTHER thread on this subject to allow for serious discussion. The amateur night humor was anything but welcome.

I don't give a shit who did what to who in the past. I'm talking about this thread here and now, and the juvenile bullshit taking place in it.

You have a problem with being called on that? Too bad. I warned you once. Fuck around again and you can Choose-Your-Own-Adventure your ass straight to page 76, where another message board that thinks you're funny exists and welcomes you.

Until then, behave.

I think the main thing is that posting on a board requires some modicum of social skills, and though sometimes it's hard not to post a thought in the middle of a heated discussion that may or may not get lost in the shuffle, you need to be willing to converse and not just state.

Yes I know, but I thought the gist of the discussion in this thread was of the distaste at people "derailing" threads by not going with the current discussion topic? Er, yeah. Anyway, it takes so long to read through 150 posts, and especially so if you've got something to say but you have to read ahead to see if the discussion has already covered it, or has moved on to something else. But that's just the way the world works, so, yeah.

I think you're misunderstanding. It's about people not really discussing at all, using the board as a one-way microphone to transmit their own opinion to the masses.

I feel you, I really do. This is something that's frustrated me in the past. It's dificult, but it's something we should all strive for.

Plus a lot of people's lips get tired...

I've been a registered member for over 2 and ½ years, and only accumulated slightly under 850 posts. You don't have to post in every thread in every forum to build integrity, just strategically place them; quality over quantity.

(UGB now braces himself for some smart ass to throw their humour abortion at him for using the words 'integrity & quality'...)