Don't buy the 2008 edition!
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Potential buyers of the 2008 edition of this landmark film guide - often bought as a Christmas present - should be aware that Harper Collins are allegedly removing all of John Walker's contributions so that they do not have to pay him a royalty fee. They are also cancelling publication of Who's Who In The Movies, with the same net effect. Since Halliwell himself died in 1989, and John Walker has been single-handedly responsible for editing and keeping the Guide up to date since then, the 2008 edition should certainly be avoided, as it's either going to be a reprint of the 1989 edition or a hurried cut-and-paste job from some other publication. Caveat emptor!
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The Undisputed Bible of Movie Reviews
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I don't know what I'd do without Halliwell's Film, DVD and Video Guide. It quite simply stands head and shoulders above any other movie guide out there. John Walker's apt summations of the tens of thousands (more than any other movie guide) of films listed have saved me many hours of disappointment and frustration watching countless mundane movies. I have yet to be disappointed upon viewing any of its recommendations, something that can't be said for any other film review publication. Its star ratings are actually relevant and justified, again unlike virtually any other publication, most of which seem almost arbitrary. This edition features a particularly illuminating introduction on the changing face of movie-going in light of recent technological advancements. I really can't recommend this book highly enough and it should take pride of place on any serious film fanatic's bookshelves.
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Curiouser and curiouser
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Perhaps the most helpful sort of review here would be to simply list a few of the films and their ratings. I should be honest and admit that the following list is not exactly designed to show this Guide in a good light. Look and wonder at some of the average to good films that get the top rating (four stars) and those that surely deserve getting more than one star (the second lowest mark).
FOUR STAR FILMS: All Lord of the Rings films, Gosford Park, American Beauty, The Piano, La Belle Noiseuse, A Short film about Killing, Wings of Desire, The Dead, Blue Velvet, Witness, Return of the Jedi, Southern Comfort, The Tin Drum, Being There, The Driver, Days of Heaven, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Network, Solaris, Death in Venice, Walkabout, Easy Rider, In the heat of the Night, Persona, A Man for all Seasons, West Side Story, The Band Wagon.
ONE STAR FILMS: The Shawshank Redemption, Sexy Beast, Kill Bill Vol 1, Kill Bill Vol 2, Sin City, American History X, Snatch, The Shining, Back to the Future 2 (splendid sequel that actually gets NO stars!)
Hope this helps.
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Excellent, but the 2006 version is out
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Remains an excellent reference guide for the film fan, but the 2006 version is now out, with more up-to-date titles.
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The mildly grumbling Uncle of Film reference
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Halliwell's is an excellent film reference book and it's format is particularly useful when compared to the other books on the market. Instead of offering a single, reasonably objective analysis of each film it gives a wide range of information. It's plot synopsis and critical analysis is extremely brief, but it contains detailed cast and main crew listings. Where it really shines is it's inclusion of brief snippets from film journalism from the film's release. These are excellently chosen, and often include two differing opinions - They're also often highly amusing.
The only problem with Halliwell's is it's confusing star rating system in which most films don't have stars unless they are particularly note-worthy. In this sense it is quite old-fashioned, favouring "Golden Oldies" over most Contemporary Cinema. Having said that, it doesn't ignore excellent films from any genre, age or nationality but it does occasionally come across as a little stuffy and aloof - And it's often all the more entertaining for it!
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