Frequently Asked Questions

1) Why films in The FilmGourmand Movie Database have several titles?

For convenience of visitors of our site from the various countries we gave several titles of films: in language of that country which this film represents, in English (the international title). As the Asian fonts are rather complex for perusal, we gave also a transcription of original titles in a Latin. We will be grateful to everybody who will specify our errors in translations of titles of films.

2) Why in a column «Acting Stars» not all stars participated a film are listed?

The question on reference of the actor or the actress to a category «Star» is rather debatable owing to the subjectivity. I do not know the unequivocal and standard criterion of reference of actors to this category. For example, the authoritative IMDB deals with this question very simply: under heading Stars specifies performers of three leading roles in a film and that’s all. As a result either absolutely casual people who had acted only in one film get to a star category, or the real stars do not get. For example, in a film profile «Pulp Fiction» is specified: «Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson». And Bruce Willis, according to this, is not a star. And in a profile of the Iranian film «Children of heaven» it is written down: «Stars: Mohammad Amir Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian and Bahare Seddiqi». I.e., children which had played in this film for the first and last time, and since that time had not played any more, are ranked as stars. Therefore I have decided to use other criterion: I’ve included into the category «Star» only those actors and actresses who have played, even the smallest roles, in two and more films from my «Top 1000 Greatest Movies Ever». I think that it is possible to get casually a role in a film masterpiece once, but appearance of the actor in two masterpieces or more means certain recognition of the sound actor’s talent. As a result of application such, probably, enough rigid approach, some actors and actresses whom mass-media names stars, have not got to our «Top 1000 Greatest Movies Ever». For example, Sharon Stone or Sylvester Stallone. I do not argue that other criteria of definition of movie stars are possible also. I will be grateful to everybody who will offer alternative criteria.

3) Why ratings of Russian-language films in base differ from ratings of the same films on site IMDB?

I’ve already mentioned in the Ranking Methodology that for films of all countries, except the Soviet Union (formerly) and Russia, I used IMDB movie rating only. For Russian-language films I counted the average rating IMDB and Kinopoisk^[1] using the followed formula: (IMDBR*IMDBV + KPR*KPV): (IMDBV + KPV), where:
- IMDBR – IMDB movie rating;
- IMDBV – number of voters on IMDB
- KPR – the Kinopoisk^[1] rating;
- KPV – number of voters on Kinopoisk^[1].

The matter is that I have paid attention that the poll for the Russian-language films submitted on IMDB is absolutely insignificant in comparison with the number of the spectators who have watched this film. Well, for example, for a film «The Cold summer of fifty third» which only in a year of its release had been watched by 41 800 000 persons, on IMDB has voted 437 persons. Whether is 0,001% enough representative sample as sociologists speak, - a question rhetorical. One essential remark: for maintenance sufficient representability of votings total number of voters for a film on IMDB and on Kinopoisk^[1] should be not less than 400.

Yes, I perfectly understand that Russian-language films cannot brag of enough voting on IMDB. But this is, in my opinion, a consequence of set of three possible reasons. First, probably, film-distributors in other countries owing to acceptably-tactical reasons do not suppose the Russian-Soviet films on the film markets of overwhelming number of the countries. I would like to hear any other opinions concerning such assumption.

Secondly, probably, translators and experts of dubbing-in in these countries are simply insufficiently professional to retell adequately the matter, deep sense and nuances of the Russian-language masterpieces. I would like to hear any other opinions concerning such assumption as well.

At last, thirdly, and this reason I consider as the most probable, the overwhelming majority of the Russian spectators-Internet users owing to insufficient knowledge of English language simply are unable to vote in the adequate way for their favorite film on site IMDB.

In view of all aforesaid, I have decided to consider voting on Kinopoisk[1]. I would like to perform the same with films of other countries, but, unfortunately, I do not know other languages, except Russian and English and I can not get acquainted with materials in other languages. I will be grateful to everybody who will give access to results of similar votings in other countries, besides Russian - and English-language.

4) Why the base «Top 1000 Greatest Movies Ever» goes upside-down, beginning not from the first place, but from last, 1000?

The matter is that the structure of our Top 1000 Greatest Movies Ever or «Golden Thousand» will not remain invariable. First, ratings of films vary depending on spectator voting, and secondly, every year we add new films of «5-year-old endurance» which supersede the films occupying the bottom lines in our rating. So, for example, in the near future we will include in the base the films which have received an appreciation of film experts and cinema-goers, released in 2006. Next year we will include worthy films released in 2007. And so on. According to our estimation every year 12-15 films worthy in due course to take a place in the «Golden Thousand» are made all over the world. And if for the films - leaders of the «Golden Thousand» nothing threatens the next years, for the films which are in the end of the list it is necessary to leave it in the near future. Therefore, to draw attention of film gourmets to those films, we have decided to begin demonstration of the base from the end. Probably, someone will want this or that film to remain in Top 1000 Greatest Movies, and will undertake necessary efforts on increase its rating.

5) How the list of 200 best film directors of all countries has been generated and what points opposite to their surnames mean?

The question on inclusion of film directors into the list of Top 200 is not less debatable and subjective than a question on inclusion of the actor to the category «Star». Nevertheless, I have tried to be extremely objective at the decision of this question. For this purpose I simply summarised ratings of the films directed by film directors from the Top 1000 Greatest Movies. When films have been directed not by one but by several directors, I divided a film rating into quantity of directors. 200 film directors, who have got the highest sums of ratings according to this scheme, were included into the list of Top 200. It is quite probable that there are also other objective ways of definition of the best film directors. I will be grateful to everybody who will offer alternative ways of formation of such list.