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Title: Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
ISBN: 0452286204
Author:
Leonard Maltin
Publicate Date: 2005-02-22
Publish: 2005-02-22
List Price: $20.00
Average Customer Rating: 3.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $11.05
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $7.47
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.00
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Is Maltin going to reinstate films he dropped from the Movie Guide?
When I read about Maltin's decision to create a Classic Movie Guide I thought it was a wonderful idea. A great solution to his somehow justified insistence to NOT divide his traditional Guide into two separate volumes.
But I also hoped that as he moved all the "minor" classic films to the new book (the true classics would appear in both volumes) he would make room for two things:
1. For him not to have to drop 250 to 300 films from his Movie Guide EVERY YEAR to make room for the new entries.
2. And something that I have not seen many people advocating for: so that Maltin could reinstate many of the worthy films he has had to "sacrifice" for the sake of space back where they belong: in the main volume. But I don't see that he has. I don't expect him to reinstate every single made-for-TV-movie (though at one point many, many years ago he boasted that his book included every one of them)... But, being from Argentina, the first thing I checked was whether he had reinstated Man Facing Southeast (1986) to which he had given a very good review (3 stars, I think). Well, no such luck.
And, let's be honest, the Movie Guide still includes preposterous duplications, such as films from the 1930s with two stars or less. Come on! I have the feeling that the Classic Movie Guide was rushed into bookstores without devoting to it some very much needed, additional time and effort. I hope all these issues are resolved when its second, updated edition appears (supposedly) in 2010.
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2: Great Standard
Good listing of movies, many not in his other books. My only gripe is: Why have these movies in this book AND in the other yearly books? Why not have a listing in the front of his yearly books of the movies in this book that previously have been in the yearly books? He can have the stars next to them but not keep churning these. OR maybe think about making a nice compendium of movies including all movies up to this year then doing an almanac for each year. I remember when Expedia did something like this.
Well, my rant is over. this is a keeper (not the rant, the book)
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3: Handy Guide to Classic and Not-So Classic Movies
l've purchased Leonard Maltin's annual movie guide for years. As the book grew, I wondered when it would come to a breaking point. Then I found that the 2008 guide did not go back beyond 1960, except in rare cases. At first I felt gouged tbat I would have to spend money to buy a second book, but Amazon had a fair price and now I have a book that will not have to be rebought every year. Some movies are missing, of course, but you can't expect a complete listing. Besides, it gives Leonard a chance to issue a new book every few years while he fills in the gaps. I think the ratings in Maltin guides are reasonable and the synopses catch the flavor of the movie. This book is worth having if you like to watch movies pre-1960.
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4: Indespensible
This volume includes all of the previous movie guides pre-1960 Ratings and reviews. Very nice to have for a classic movie buff, since older "less" necessary films were being ommited every year for the inclusion of newer releases to keep his annual guide at s useable size (not to mention weight!) His and his staffs reviews are as always well thought out and indexed. Also the inclusion of many more early sound and silent films is very helpful.
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5: Terribly disappointing
I purchased this book after being reminded of it on the inside back cover of Maltin's latest (2008) Movie Guide. I had first heard of it after complaining that thousands of most valuable *older* movie listings (the very ones one most needs the book for) had been omitted from *every* annual update since 2000 - more among the missing with every edition - and being informed that they were being placed in a forthcoming "Classic Movie Guide."
When the "Classic" arrived, I was initially hopeful in that the front cover promised 9000 movie listings (rather than the mere 7000 promised in the latest ad and even the Amazon promo - it's worth noting that the 2008 main guide boasts 17,000 listings - an adequate "Classic Movie Guide" from Maltin sould easily have had more than the main guide - especially since it is expected to remain in print relatively unaltered for longer!). Same ISBN number, a few more movies. Unfortunately, virtually every page I turned to had a majority of garbage (or at least lesser efforts) from the 1950's. HARDLY the older "classic" films from the 20's 30's and 40's and before promised. Not ONE of the first 10 films I looked for from this week's TCM offerings was included. Fully HALF the 1950's films I checked at random in the "Classic" guide were also listed in the 2008 Guide.
While Maltin's Guides in *general* remain far more useful than any of his competitors, I cannot in good conscience recommend this half hearted and highly disappointing effort. First time Maltin buyers who love old films would be far better advised to seek out the 2000 Movie Guide no matter what second hand condition it can be found in. Ultimately, it is (remains for me in any case) more useful that both the "Classic" and 2008 Guides together.
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