Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The latest edition of Thomson's guide contains 1000 entries on leading international directors, actors, and producers, living and dead, including 200 entries added since the publication of the second edition in 1981. A critic for Film Comment and Movieline, among other venues, Thomson balances often acidic critiques with brief biographical data, giving the reader an opportunity to pause for reflection. Coverage is relatively broad, ranging from Federico Fellini to James Coburn, thus giving the casual browser a feel for the breadth of cinema. A few significant personalities (e.g., James Spader) could have replaced others (e.g., Molly Ringwald) of lesser merit, but that is a quibble. Unique in size and scope, Thomson's work is a fitting companion to Halliwell's Filmgoer's and Video Viewer's Companion (HarperPerennial, 1993. 10th ed.). An excellent, highly recommended compact sourcebook for all film collections.-Anthony J. Adam, Prairie View A&M Univ. Tex. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Opinionated entries for more than 1,000 actors and directors make for interesting reading. Examples: "If [Woody] Allen could be persuaded to quit his own films as actor . . ." and "[Streep] has shown no instinct for organizing her own career."

Kirkus Book Review

A work of opinion as well as a reference tool; filmographies of major directors and actors, together with critical essays, deliberately subjective and provocative. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.