Customer Reviews

TLA Film, Video, and DVD Guide 2002-2003: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide

5 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(1)
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I went to the bookstore intending to buy a different movie guide (woof! lol), but it wasn't in stock at the time, so I bought the TLA 2000-2001 guide. Over the past year and more I have had the opportunity to compare the TLA with Videohound. I have been impressed enough with TLA to buy the 2002-2003 edition. Although Videohound may be more comprehensive, there's something to be said for selectivity. Yes, there have been films I haven't found in TLA, but TLA will also tend to have a more thorough and sophisticated review. I've only been let down once with a TLA review I didn't agree with (i.e. it was positive and my opinion of the film was negative), less often than with other guides. It also has good indexes at the back, and the paperstock itself is of much higher quality (which is important for me... I don't like my movie guides looking and feeling like phone books after a few months of use).

For specialty guides (like cult and war movies), Videohound puts out good stuff. Otherwise I prefer TLA!

This is a fine guide book to home video, with an accent on foreign and indy favorites. The reviews are well-informed and well-written. There is also many small and unknown film covered. Hats off to Bleiler and company. TLA Video is known in the Philly area for their repertory history and interesting video stores, and this book reflects their reputation.

This *is* the guide for discerning film lovers. It avoids the encylopeadic trend of other guides, so you don't have to wade through thousands of movies that are simply not worth your time. It's not a snobish foreign or indie only guide, nor is it enslaved to Hollywood. That is, it has it all: serious art and serious fun. The reviews are very well written, witty, and often cite broad styles or a director's influences which allows readers to further develop their own preferences and interests. Inevitably, you will disagree with a review here and there, but this guide is by far the best I've come across. Highly recommended.

This guide isn't a guide at all. So many missing links. Thank God for Mick Martin & Marsha Porter for filling in the blanks, their "DVD & VIDEO GUIDES" are much better. It's rare that I don't find the films I'm looking for with Mick & Marsha. With this guide I only find something like 5 of 10 films. Mick Martin & Marsha Porter 9 of 10. Perhaps I'm just spoiled by them, because I see by the other reviews here that this guide was informative to some. Maybe its the only one they've read. One flaw example: Look at actress Winona Ryder's filmograghy, it has Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow listed. Ryder is not in that film (not even in a cameo).