Halliwell's Film Guide 2004 (Halliwell's: The Movies That Matter) [Paperback]

Leslie Halliwell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Halliwell's: The Movies That Matter | Publication Date: December 2, 2003

The film guide Hollywood insiders refer to more than any other -- now newly updated with more than 23,000 film reviews

For twenty-seven years Halliwell's has provided highly intelligent, sharply opinionated,and perennially entertaining reviews of all your favorite movies. From Casablanca to Moulin Rouge, from Lawrence of Arabia to The Matrix, each entry in this thoroughly revised and updated edition is filled with the most comprehensive film information available, including:

• Plot synopses, critical evaluations, and ratings ranging from no stars to four stars
• Comprehensive lists of cast members, writers, directors, producers, and Academy Award winners and nominees
• Quotes from contemporary reviews, original publicity tags, and alternative titles
• DVD, VHS, and soundtrack availability, as well as computer-colorized versions of the old classics
• Easy-to-interpret icons indicating films appropriate for family viewing

Editor John Walker provides concise, insightful, detailed, and witty reviews in the outstanding tradition of Leslie Halliwell.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Walker is one of the UK's leading film critics. He has revised Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies, as well as Halliwell's Film and Video Guide, since Leslie Halliwell's death in 1989. He lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1008 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 19 Revised edition (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060554088
• ISBN-13: 978-0060554088
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,085,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Not THAT bad...yeesh, December 22, 2011

By 

Robert F. Mclean "sole poobah" (taos) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Halliwell's Film Guide 2004 (Halliwell's: The Movies That Matter) (Paperback)

While I agree that Halliwell can appear to be THE essential guide and is in fact snobby and negative, it does offer multiple opinions for most films. This can be valuable, especially for films that have not been generally agreed upon. I would recommend this guide to anyone who already has a good general guide such as Movie Hound and wants more points of view.

1.0 out of 5 stars Will Rogers' Evil Twin: A Movie Buff Who Never Met a Movie He Didn't Hate, December 5, 2010

By 

F. A. Sanello "author" (West Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Halliwell's Film Guide 2004 (Halliwell's: The Movies That Matter) (Paperback)

Thank god for the Internet. When I was a film reviewer and reporter for the Daily News in the pre-Internet era, I had to rely on an earlier edition of this reference book, but mercifully, only when I needed a quick date or the name of a cinematographer.

I agree with the previous reviewer. Halliwell is the Pauline Kael, Roger Simon of film critics and pundits or Will Rogers' evil clone: He never met a film he didn't hate.

One example of his capsule reviews that are so acidulous they can give you an ulcer: Halliwell gives Citizen Kane four stars, then, to use Alexander Pope's phrase, he "damns it with faint praise" such as "A brilliant piece of Hollywood cinema...despite lapses of characterizations [whatever tha means] and gaps in the narrative..."

Fortunately, the Internet has made cranks like Halliwell unnecessary for research purposes.

Frank Sanello

4 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ignorant and Snobbish Reviewing, August 29, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Halliwell's Film & Video Guide 2003 (Paperback)

Don't be fooled by the fancy cover and good advertising. This book struck me as very ignorant and stuck up. Apparently no film is good enough to please this critic, no matter how much of a classic it's considered. The really bad part is that his critiques are childish and silly. "The film was too long," "boring" or "gross" are just a few of the ridiculous things he says. Never does he mention directorial style, acting or any of that stuff, just "boring" or "too gruesome." Well, sire, could you make a better movie? I smell an angry, failed director in here. Anyway, avoid this and opt for the much more sensible Video and Movie Guide from Mick Martin and Marsha Porter, Maltin's guide, or (best of all) Ebert's excellent film books. Avoid this trash.

0/5