Customer Reviews

VIDEOHOUNDS GOLDEN MOVIE RETRIEVER 1998

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I work as a clerk in a video store, and plan on entering film school. I am often asked to find movies based on the slimmest of details. They range from "a two year old movie with Al Pacino" to "that movie who had the guy from that movie that was nominated for best picture last year". While sometimes I'm able to decipher my customer's meaning, I am often lost. This book has essentially eliminated that problem.

I have never seen a video guide as cross-referenced or as complete as this one. You can use title, subject, actor, director, cinametographer, composer, award winning (you can look to see what movie won the academy award for best song in 1935 or the independent spirit award for first feature in 1987), and then you can find a description and a review. After searching half a dozen of these types of books, I found the 2000 version of the VideoHound - and then ordered the 2001 version that night. I had been rating these references by completeness, when I found Frank Whaley (star of independent movie Swimming with Sharks and minor character in Pulp Fiction) in the actor directory - I knew I had my book.

The only reason that I didn't give this book a five-star review is due to personal preference. I didn't agree with many of their reviews. Somewhat unfair, I realize, but a problem for me nonetheless.

This is perhaps the necessary guide for any movie lover. I know that I'm taking it to my store.

At 1,812 pages, this is a very heavy book, and absolutely has no equal as a video guide. If you like to turn on the TV and play "guess the movie", you'll find it invaluable.

Though I don't always agree with the reviews, the 1030 pages of A-Z video descriptions are very complete, it includes many foreign films, and has a healthy sense of humor throughout the entire tome. The ratings are in "dog talk", ranging from "4 BONES" for the likes of "Casablanca", to "WOOF !" for Showgirls.

If you like trivia and lists, this is list heaven. It has an "Alternate Title" list, a "Category" list, "Kibbles & Series", "Awards" index, and the most complete cast, director, writer, cinematographer, and composer indexes you can get.

With each new issue, extras are added, so this is a good one to update at least every other year, besides...your copy will be worn out by then...

...and a meaty butcher's bone to editor Jim Craddock and this "Cunning Canine Production" for giving us a book I can't live without !

I've been plunking down... $ a year for 5 years now for the annual VideoHound guide, and I'm quite happy I've done so. No one video guide is complete, but VH comes the closest, reviewing not only the a-list movies, but many of the b-to-z grade movies too. The reviews are concise and usually informative (and often sarcastic), and I tend to agree with most of the ratings given. The VH also attempts to make available format information beyond the standard VHS and DVD- you can look up whether a movie was released on 8-mm videocassette, laserdisc, CD-i, and Beta, as well. However, the information on these alternate formats is quite scanty- probably half of the movies in my laserdisc collection are listed as being VHS or VHS/Beta only.

The VH doesn't stop where other movie guides do- almost half of the book consists of indexes- some incredibly useful, some not. The star and director indexes are alone worth the price of the book- my only complaint is that the star index only lists people with several movies under their belt. Stars who have appeared in only one or two movies don't show up- but perhaps an index listing them would be prohibitively large. The category index (want movies about waitresses or poetry?) is fun, but most of the listings are merely representative, rather than comprehensive. The VH contains quite a few more indexes, reflecting movie awards, cinematographers, and more.

I wish the book contained alternate titles alphabetically in the body of the movie index (with a reference to the title the movie is reviewed under.) This would obviate the need for the alternate title index, and would make searching for movies a lot more intuitive. I also have quibbles with some of the movie reviews and ratings, but this is a given in any video guide. These complaints are minor, however- the VideoHound fills the role of video guide incredibly well, better than any other book I've ever tried.

Absolutely the most comprehensive reference you will find for the movie business. There is cross-referencing by actor, actress, director, composer, writer... You get the picture. And it doesn't stop there - you can pretty much guarantee that ANY movie you've ever seen, ever watched a few minutes of, or had ever even heard spoken of, will be in this book! Movies are rated on a woof!-to-four-bone scale and fall in line with most people's opinions. I've worn my copy out.

I have been bought Videohound's editions in 1994, 1997, and 2000. Each time the book is republished, the page count increases. There is a magazine rack in our bathroom, built into the wall. It no longer fits in the rack like the previous editions.

We refer to the Hound more often than any book we have ever purchased. It is the equivalent of the Encyclopedia Brittanica of video guides, shrunk down to "only" 1,700 plus pages.

At a penny a page, the Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever is the biggest bargain in movie guides.

It is not only the biggest, it is the best. I have given my "old" copies to parents and friends, and it they are still using these "outdated" (1994, 1997) editions as a reference for watching Direct TV and cable.

For the third year in-a-row, this is the only movie guide I've bought, simply because it's the one where I'm most likely to find what I'm looking for. I still appreciate all the different ways of cross referencing, especially the listing of actors/actresses, since I often can't remember a movie title, but can remember who was in it. You know how that is.

The individual film listings go way beyond director and key actors. Even less-than-star players get a mention, as well as the writer, cinematographer, and composer/lyricist. Also included is a listing of all the nominations and awards a film received. Every so often, a particular review will give a heads-up about an interesting piece of movie trivia, or cameo by someone who didn't get top billing.

I'd be inclined to give this five stars, but I'm still waiting for the editor to put back the foreign film index and the "content warning" descriptions, which were very useful to me, but discontinued after the 1999 edition. Still, I'd recommend this fine reference to everyone.

Since I found Videohound movie guides 7 years ago, I will never buy any other movie guide.My favorite part is the index which lists famous characters from books, so I can see what I'm reading. It also frequently matches my own opinion, so it also serves as a "rental recommendation". Can't beat that!

The only movie resource you'll EVER need! An excellent reference for trivia buffs and movie fans. I love the detailed reviews, and unbelievably useful index sections. They have won me many bets! Well worth the money, and a great addition to anyone's entertainment reference library!

This is one of the best compilations of movies ever, if not THE best. Cross sections make it easy to find out titles, actresses, actors, directors, etc. All movie buffs should own a copy of this book!

Compared to all the movie review books out there, this is the one where I'm most likely to find what I'm looking for. Aside from the huge listing of films, there are numerous cross references that serve as an efficient guide as well as a valuable resource for cinemafiles. My favorite is the alphabetical listing of actors/actresses, because I often can't remember a movie title, but can remember who was in it. You know how that is.

As far as the reviews go, I'm not so picky. Opinions are opinions, and I'm more concerned with the plot, presentation and straight movie facts, rather than who thinks what film is good or not. The individual film listings go way beyond director and key actors. Even less-than-star players get a mention, as well as the director, writer, cinematographer, and composer/lyricist. Also included is a listing of all the nominations and awards a film received. Although I wouldn't necessary delve that deeply to learn about movies unless I was trying out for Jeopardy, the information is interesting nevertheless.

In comparison to the 1999 guide, there are two deletions in the 2000 edition that keep me from giving this a 5-star rating: 1) the foreign film index, to which I referred quite often last year; and 2) the "content warning" description, which, while not the determining factor as to what movie I rent, is still useful to me. I hope this information re-appears in subsequent editions.

All in all, this guide is a worthwhile purchase, and the space is reserved under my TV for the 2001 edition.