"Radio Times" Guide to Films (Paperback)

SIZE - a weighty 1924 packed pages. Over 20,000 film reviews!

PRESENTATION - a sturdy binding with no pages falling out after 6 months of constant reference. White good quality paper unlike some of the other film guides available, which seem to have newspaper-quality pages! The paperback cover is pretty sturdy too, although I've covered mine with an adhesive plastic to give it more durability and keep it cleaner at the same time.

EXTRAS - (i)A very full DIRECTORS' INDEX with even the most unimportant contributors to the director's art listed with all their films.
(ii)An equally detailed ACTORS' INDEX with films from the smallest bit player to the biggest star -alphabetically from Lee Aaker (Desperate Search 1952: Hondo 1953:Jeopardy 1953) to Darrell Zwerling (Chinatown 1974: Doc Savage,the Man of Bronze 1975: The Ultimate Warrior 1975). No. I'd never heard of them either , but I'll look out for them in the future.

(iii)ALTERNATIVE TITLES - Did you know that "The Girl on a Motorcycle" was also called " Naked under Leather"? There are several hundred other alternative titles,many stranger,which make you wonder why they were changed.
(iv) INTERNATIONAL AWARDS SECTION -from 1927/28 Academy awards (Outstanding picture -"Wings" ; Actor - Emil Jannings ; Actress - Janet Gaynor) to 2000 and the Cannes International and the Berlin International Film Festivals awards. Complete details throughout.

Every film is given a star rating ; a British Board of Film Classification ; a genre classification; running time ; a good length review, which is informative about plot, actors and background information ; video and DVD availability ; cast and directors' list ; country of origin.

I didn't agree with every reviewer. Especially the one who reviewed "O Brother , Where Art Thou?" ? He/she classified it as a "crime/drama" whilst I think it's one of the best comedy films of this century. And only 4*?? I've seen it 3 times already and enjoyed it more each time. Definitely worth 5*.

TO SUM UP - buy this guide if you're serious about your film viewing and like to be fully informed on all the nitty-gritty. You won't be able to put it down.

Well over 21,000 films are reviewed, including cinema releases up to summer 2004, so everything that the armchair movie-watcher is likely to see in the next 12 months is covered. Arranged alphabetically, each film is reviewed in slightly greater length than you get in the weekly Radio Times, and there's added guidance as to adult content as well as the BBFC classification, main cast and production credits and running time. The various indicies have been augmented by one which lists all the five-star rated films - useful if you want it.

About 600 films have been added in the past year, though some have slipped through the bottom of the barrell to keep the size manageable. In fact a slight reduction in font size means that there are actually 270 fewer pages this time; no matter, it is still clear and easy to read.

This is a very objective and straightforward guide, very British, if you like; there are neither any extreme opinions nor any of the colourful quotations from press reviews which some of the competing guides carry. However I still think it is the best and most informative one.

Listing and reviewing (in slightly more depth than you get in the weekly magazine) 21,400 films it is an invaluable guide to titles available now and in the near future in the shops or on your TV, including cinema releases up to summer 2003.

It gives principal cast list, producer/director details, BBFC classification and star ratings for each film. Particularly useful are the guidance notes as to violence, swearing and other adult content which there may be.

There are also indicies listing actors and directors to their films, alternative titles and awards (Academy, BAFTA, Cannes etc) right up to date (2003).

Everything the armchair film buff could wish for, and the print quality is good too - no magnifying glass needed, just a reasonably sturdy bookshelf. The best guide by far.