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Hi all!
I stumbled across this thread the other day when using Google to try and see if I could find what number 51,000 was, as it's still one that evades me. I accidentally tried Googling number 50,000 instead and discovered a site where somebody inquired if anybody had tried to compile a complete list of these numbers. Somebody replied that a "very eager fan" was attempting to do it and shared a link to my, now deleted, Google Doc, and a link to this thread. I was surprised to see that there was still some interest in this crazy little challenge of mine so I thought I'd come back and update everyone on my progress.
I have to say, this challenge is so much easier now than it was when I first started. I have since discovered the MPA's (formerly the MPAA) site, which is extremely helpful for films released after 1968, and the AFI's site, for pre-1968 films. I stopped using the IMDB, for the most part, because I discovered that a lot of the numbers were actually wrong. They are still helpful though when it comes to pre-code films that have been re-released in the early days of the new code system. I've also stopped checking the end credits for numbers because, as you've seen if you've been following this thread from the start, sometimes, somehow, the numbers listed are actually incorrect as well. And sometimes the same number can be listed during the end credits of multiple films.
So, where do I currently stand? Well, my list is still nowhere near complete. As you can imagine compiling a complete list that dates all the way back to 1934 is a long and arduous process. Not to mention that there are still a lot of numbers that appear to not have been assigned yet. I'm not talking about current numbers either. I'm talking about numbers that should have been assigned years ago.
As for where I currently stand in terms of items that I have actually seen and have been checked off? My current total is 5,479. That is still not an accurate number, however. I've still got about 9 years worth of viewing logs to go through. Not to mention that there's going to be movies that I haven't seen in decades that are going to be checked off as I continue to go through the MPA's and the AFI's sites to continue to compile my list. Something that is also making this interesting/challenging, is that apparently, according to the MPA's site, once the rating classification system was put into place in 1968 they decided to start their numbers from scratch. At least when it came to films that would play in grindhouse theaters. I'm not sure how long this was in place for but the highest number I currently have for those is 1714, which was assigned to an X-rated film called "Bel Ami". The MPA's site lists it as a 1979 release while the IMDB lists it as a 1976 release.
In case anybody was wondering the highest number currently assigned is 52,778. The highest number I have seen is 52,557, which belongs to "Guns Akimbo". The lowest number I have seen is 8, which belongs to "Paris Interlude". Tomorrow, however, I will be watching the Shirley Temple movie "Baby Take A Bow". That will be my new lowest number as its number is 3. It was also assigned the number 33,640 when it was re-released back in 1995, so I'll be able to tick off two numbers with one single movie. All of Shirley's starring vehicles, from 1934 - 1940, were re-released in 1994/95 and thus assigned a second number. That is going to be very helpful in trying to complete this challenge.
I stumbled across this thread the other day when using Google to try and see if I could find what number 51,000 was, as it's still one that evades me. I accidentally tried Googling number 50,000 instead and discovered a site where somebody inquired if anybody had tried to compile a complete list of these numbers. Somebody replied that a "very eager fan" was attempting to do it and shared a link to my, now deleted, Google Doc, and a link to this thread. I was surprised to see that there was still some interest in this crazy little challenge of mine so I thought I'd come back and update everyone on my progress.
I have to say, this challenge is so much easier now than it was when I first started. I have since discovered the MPA's (formerly the MPAA) site, which is extremely helpful for films released after 1968, and the AFI's site, for pre-1968 films. I stopped using the IMDB, for the most part, because I discovered that a lot of the numbers were actually wrong. They are still helpful though when it comes to pre-code films that have been re-released in the early days of the new code system. I've also stopped checking the end credits for numbers because, as you've seen if you've been following this thread from the start, sometimes, somehow, the numbers listed are actually incorrect as well. And sometimes the same number can be listed during the end credits of multiple films.
So, where do I currently stand? Well, my list is still nowhere near complete. As you can imagine compiling a complete list that dates all the way back to 1934 is a long and arduous process. Not to mention that there are still a lot of numbers that appear to not have been assigned yet. I'm not talking about current numbers either. I'm talking about numbers that should have been assigned years ago.
As for where I currently stand in terms of items that I have actually seen and have been checked off? My current total is 5,479. That is still not an accurate number, however. I've still got about 9 years worth of viewing logs to go through. Not to mention that there's going to be movies that I haven't seen in decades that are going to be checked off as I continue to go through the MPA's and the AFI's sites to continue to compile my list. Something that is also making this interesting/challenging, is that apparently, according to the MPA's site, once the rating classification system was put into place in 1968 they decided to start their numbers from scratch. At least when it came to films that would play in grindhouse theaters. I'm not sure how long this was in place for but the highest number I currently have for those is 1714, which was assigned to an X-rated film called "Bel Ami". The MPA's site lists it as a 1979 release while the IMDB lists it as a 1976 release.
In case anybody was wondering the highest number currently assigned is 52,778. The highest number I have seen is 52,557, which belongs to "Guns Akimbo". The lowest number I have seen is 8, which belongs to "Paris Interlude". Tomorrow, however, I will be watching the Shirley Temple movie "Baby Take A Bow". That will be my new lowest number as its number is 3. It was also assigned the number 33,640 when it was re-released back in 1995, so I'll be able to tick off two numbers with one single movie. All of Shirley's starring vehicles, from 1934 - 1940, were re-released in 1994/95 and thus assigned a second number. That is going to be very helpful in trying to complete this challenge.