Product Description

With more entries than any other guide and over one hundred years of entertainment and cinema information at your fingertips, Halliwell's is widely recognised as the biggest and the best film guide available. This is the undisputed bible for film enthusiasts and trivia buffs everywhere -- a must-have for every moviegoer. Long established as the first and last word in movie-going information, this new-look guide promises to be as cutting edge as it is comprehensive. And as always, it's a promise that Halliwell's guarantees to deliver. This is the longest running guide to the film industry and is fully revised and updated to include hundreds of new films. It is packed with cast and credit information and pithy commentary on the classics of the silver screen, the latest blockbusters, and everything in between. This beautifully designed, perennially entertaining, comprehensive and indispensable guide includes plot synopses and evaluations, video cassette, laser disc and DVD availability. Plus reader-friendly icons denote films suitable for family viewing, Academy Award winners and nominees, soundtrack availability and video format compatibility, and lists four- and three-star films by title and year.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5895 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1408 pages

Review
'I just wish I could be as concise, accurate, well balanced and full of love for the movies as Halliwell's manages to be year after year.' Simon Bates, Classic FM, Christmas 2005 'At the end of the day, Halliwell's is top of the pile.' Film Review 'The King Kong of movie reference works.' Mail on Sunday 'The indispensable reference guide for the avid moviegoer's bookshelf.' Empire 'Often imitated, never bettered.' Guardian

About the Author
David Gritten, new to this 2008 edition, has been writing about and reviewing films for the Daily Telegraph for 15 years, having interviewed the likes of Scorsese, Spielberg, Streep, Almodovar, Clooney and Hanks. He is currently chairman of the London Film Critics' Circle.

Customer Reviews

A giant step down in class
Hey guys,

Just wondering why John Walker has been taken off duties for this edition of Halliwell's? I found his reviews as good as could be expected while certainly not as glib and dry as the legendary Mr. Halliwell. It was time for the editions to start recommending 4 star films again. Leslie Halliwell had gone over 20 years without giving maximum marks which was wonderfully stubborn of him but it harmfully dated the guidebook. Walker's reviews were more modern but still gloriously hard to please. My only complaint was that the editing was dreadful in the last few editions.

I've had a good flick through the new guide. It's impossible bad for a fan of the series. The new editor has forgotten to reward good performance or technical brilliance with italics as had been done before. He has also rated the mainstream films without any surprises. I think all the Oscar picture nominees get 3 stars. Meet the Robinsons, a very standard animation, gets the glorified 3 stars...?!? And the reviews are 10 times as long as previous reviews. I loved the sharp, cutting wit of the short critiques. If I want detailed reviews, I'll go onto the guardian's site.

Very disappointed. I'll have to search elsewhere for my next guidebook.

Needs to get back on track
As someone who has been buying and devouring Halliwell's since the first edition back in 1977, I find it disappointing to see Walker requesting that his name is removed from the credits - almost as disappointing as the disdain with which the publishers increasingly treat this once great movie bible. The two elements that set Halliwell's apart from the rest are the star rating system and the use of italics to denote outstanding performance. In the latest edition, the former is ill-used and the latter is dispensed with altogether.

Yes, Leslie Halliwell was a reactionary old grump who hated pretty much everything post 1969, but that was part of his charm, bless 'im. History has shown that he unfairly undervalued much of the 70s/80s output and John Walker's revisions were pretty welcome after Halliwell's untimely death. As an example, it was Walker who converted the superb 'Southern Comfort' from 0-star to 4-star rating, thus restoring some sanity. Like Halliwell, Walker's reviews were sharp and pithy and, other than the aforementioned sensible revisions, he tried to keep the spirit of Halliwell alive. The new reviewer is far more verbose and some of his decisions are questionable but I guess that's his prerogative.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem is that recent editions have tinkered with the format feverishly and taken away much of what made this guide something to be eagerly anticipated each year. The silly introduction of coloured film titles, the unhelpful addition of character names after each actor's name and the italicisation of the review section to distinguish it from the plot paragraph are all gimmicks too far. None have added any real value - quite the opposite.

But, above all, italicisation to reward outstanding performances by actors or creators is something that defines Halliwell's. With the 2008 edition, it appears even that sacred cow can be put out to pasture.

After thirty years, it could be time to find a new guide.

real signs of improvement
I think Halliwell's is gradually starting to move with the times. Having had the latest edition now for a fortnight, I like the slightly longer reviews for the more important new films. The new editor writes well enough, and he even has a sense of humour which was never evident in this guide before. His introduction is sound, and he gives the impression of having seen every film he writes about. My reservation about the volume is the opinions expressed by the great Halliwell himself, many of which seem dismissive, reactionary or just plain out of date. He under-valued so many significant films from the 70s and 80s.