Leslie Halliwell (1929–1989)

Lists. I like lists. Do you like lists? I love 'em. In this day and age of IMDB one could be forgiven for thinking that the need for Halliwell's is past. And it kind of is. But what about when you have a power failure? Or the net's gone down? Or you can't be fagged getting up from the couch to get the tablet or go to the computer or your tv isn't hooked up to the net? Well this book might be the answer to your alzheimer's or old timer's memory loss. "Who was that guy in you know...that show more movie...where they...you know ...went round Europe in a yellow car....you know ...the funny one with the mustache?" Your partner looks at you blearily and then says helpfully "You mean the one that was in that 50s movie with Eric Sykes?" Reach for Halliwells. If only to gaze lovingly into Daniel Craig's eyes as if you could magically transport him from the cover onto your lounge next to you. There are lists galore in this tome. And yes it is a tome...639 pages to be exact. The book could double as an aid to weight-bearing exercise for the sofa-bound. Want to find out the 20 Box-Office Films in America ? It's here. Want to find out The Guardian's Top 100 Contemporary Films 1980-1993? It's here. Want to argue over which was the stupid Oscar choice of the year? Your source is here. DGA Awards. LCCA Awards. NSFCA Awards. Awards. Awards. Awards. Remakes, Series, Themes, Genres. Wanna know what a gofer is? It's all here. And did I mention Daniel Craig and his ice blue eyes are on the cover? What's not to like? show less

My copy is falling apart from using it on almost a daily basis as I consumed 2-3 movies on cable TV almost every day during the late 70s and early 80s and looked up almost every actor and actress in them. Nowadays, the usefulness of a book like this is questionable given the greater utility of a site such as imdb.com, but Halliwell's concise bios of stars, a few classic films, and some technical terms are all on target.

Leslie Halliwell admited hating movies on the whole. Why did this bitter pedant review them? And why oh why do new additions of this starchy, fateous tome keep disgracing us with their presence?

Highly opinionated guide to movies. I rarely agree with Haliwell but he has lots of 30s and 40s films in here that Maltin and others do not, so I've kept the 1987 edition without bothering to keep up with newer films, since I can find those in Maltin.