The Guinness Book of Film (Guinness)

Customer Reviews:

Decent until the 90s, then totally flies off the handle.......2007-08-14

In a review for another book (1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) I wrote "I will not waste your time by expressing outrage over titles that should or should not have been included. Everyone has their own opinion and finding out what is and isn't written about is part of the fun." While I still feel that this sentiment is a wise one, I have to break it for this book because some of their choices are objectively ridiculous. Now, as the title of this review implies, by and large the book is pretty good. The factoids are interesting, as are the tidbits about films that never ended up being made. The reviews leave something to be desired, as the majority of them have little room for anything beyond plot summary, but they write one large review per year and the selections are largely good ones. But then the 90s happen and everything begins to tumble. Home Alone is apparently worthy of movie of year for 1990, Hook and Judge Dredd actually get articles written about them, as do The Cable Guy and the live action 101 Dalmations. Alien Resurrection gets an article, the Spice Girls are described as "naturals under the camera" in SpiceWorld, "one of the best pop films since A Hard Day's Night." As if that weren't bad enough, Godzilla is chosen as the *movie of the year* for 1998. Other dubious inclusions from the year include Armageddon, Scream 2, The Avengers, and Lost in Space. Obviously other people presumably have different opinions than I do, but do we really wish to extoll the virtues of The Avengers (currently sporting a 3.3 rating on IMDB) while omitting American History X, Shakespeare in Love, and other worthy picks? In what universe does Godzilla deserve twice as many words as Saving Private Ryan? Maybe the fact that the book was penned in 1999 left the writers with no perspective for the 90s, because something weird happened and it marrs the conclusion of the book.

Ever gone to rent a movie and wondered what to rent?.......2002-11-14

If so, this book will solve your problem pronto. It just might be the best general guide to movies I have ever seen. I doesn't cover EVERY movie ever made like some review books do, but it covers the cream of the crop for every year from 1927 to 1998. Granted, some of the more recent reviews are a little questionable, and some gems might have been missed (they can't please everyone). But overall this movie is a great way to find a movie that you might like to rent or buy that you have overlooked.

The descriptions are short, but give a good general idea what to expect. As another reviewer mentioned, movie MPAA ratings are missing, which is a minor inconvenience to the family oriented or morally selective. Finally, this movie book contains some REALLY cool pictures from classic movies, some of which you won't find in the actual movie because of the aspect ratio. So there you have it, my favorite movie book, and a bargain at any price.

Interesting, but not entirely thorough.......2000-07-22

This books reviews some of the best and/or most memorable films from the early 30's to the late 90's. As a general film guide it is very useful, giving basical info (like plot, credits, genre, etc.) on every movie featured. My only complaint is that this book is a little too judgemental in its choice of films. For example, they ignore great classics like "Candyman", "Hellraiser", "The Fox & the Hound", "Chasing Amy", etc. while including some movies that shouldn't even be considered (I still can't believe they included "Starship Troopers" or "Godzilla"!). In resume, I recommend buying it so as to have a general idea of which movies would make a great film library, but keep in mind it's not a precise guide.

good book!.......1999-12-23

I think this book is very good but i also have a reason for not giving it the full five stars and that is that the book did not have the ratings for each movie and i think they should well,because i'm 11 and a lot of the movies sound good but they could be R or NC-17.

good book!.......1999-12-23

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Unlikeliest Of Stars
A sad look at the personal life of a legendary actor

Alec Guinness
Piers Paul Read
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743416147

Customer Reviews:

Unlikeliest Of Stars.......2005-10-19

When Alec was a young boy, he figured out that his mother was something of a tart. She infuriated him by refusing to reveal the name of his real father. Out of such childhood trauma an unpleasant personality was born, but Piers Paul Read shows us that the same whirlpool of insecurity and class consciousness was the birthplace of Guinness' amazing talent. He could slip so deeply into character that oft-times those directing him worried that he would never again come out, and indeed, as Read ably shows, aspects of some of his roles seem to have grafted themselves onto his personality aftewards, so that a few of his roles marked him deeply. Sometimes this seems silly; imagine that his famous conversion to Roman Catholicism was due to him playing a priest early on and liking the way he was feeling.

The reader ponders all these imponderables, and quietly gives up hope for Alec Guinness about halfway through the book. He was so mean and nasty to poor Merula, who authorized Piers Paul Read to write this biography. I bet she did, if only to get her own back. But alas she died before it could be published. Read interviews many members of her family all of whom lived in fear of Alec Guinness, who admittedly was in a difficult position. He was making huge sums for his acting, and he began to feel, not without warrant, that some of Merula's relations were just leeching onto them for the money involved. Thus he treated them like scum and they had to learn to take it, or do without the necessary. Little Matthew, his only child, had a troubling bout with polio in the 1950s, and Alec met a bet with God; if he would cure Matthew, then Alec would convert to Catholicism. What kind of God makes bargains like that? And yet that is exactly what happened.

Was Alec Guinness gay? Read says he can't find a single believable account of anyone who slept with him (outside of Merula). However on the other hand every other thing in the book seems designed to persuade us that this was Guinness' big secret. Just printing that one photo of ultra-sexy Omar Sharif that Alec is said to have snapped while making LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is enough to convince me. No straight man took that photo, I could swear to it!

It seems he was in love with Glenn Ford, which I did not know, and that one way or another Glenn decided to cool Alec's jets by eventually withdrawing from his company. Kind of sad.

Poor Eileen Atkins deserves a medal, the way she sought to maintain a friendship with the ultra-difficult Alec. And yet he could be charming when he wanted to. People say he was the most amazing conversationalist and could make anyone feel at home, feel loved; and then he would turn on you when you did something wrong. He was the unlikeliest of stars, and the most self-effacing, disappearing into his roles like a tortoise withdrawing his head into his shell.

A sad look at the personal life of a legendary actor.......2005-08-03

Alec Guinness's career spanned generations. Great-grandparents might recall his days on the British stage. Grandparents may have seen such classics as The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. Younger cinemaphiles still picture him as Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars.

Like most actors, Guinness had more than his share of success with a few clinkers thrown in. Piers Paul Read reveals the enormity of his life's work, along with a massive account of Sir Alec's personal side, in ALEC GUINNESS: The Authorised Biography.

Read, author of more than a dozen books, has done a huge amount of research, culling letters and journals from Guinness and his extended Guinness family, as well as a large circle of friends and acquaintances, to produce an intimate portrait of one of the greatest actors --- along with fellow Englishmen Olivier and Gielgud --- of stage, screen and television.

Guinness came from humble roots. His mother was an alcoholic who never married his father and became an embarrassment to the celebrity as he grew older. It was a stigma that no doubt weighed heavily on him as a young man and beyond, and formed his persona. He was at the same time generous and tight with his money, easily offended but quick to make friends. These paradoxes form the main theme for ALEC GUINNESS.

He found a soul mate in his wife, Merula, to whom he would be married for more than forty years, but once their son, Matthew, was born, their conjugal relationship was non-existent. Nevertheless, she was the perfect partner, casting a blind eye to his moodiness and confusing behavior, especially when it came to Guinness's "infatuations" with pretty young men.

Read is very careful in his phraseology, employing language such as "While there is no evidence whatsoever of a sexual relationship between Alex and this, or indeed, any other man..." and "The exact nature of Alec's sexuality, however, is not at all clear." Such refusal on the part of the author to take a stand can be infuriating, since so much of this psycho-biography is devoted to Guinness's "leanings."

Perhaps as a method to fight his demons, the actor sought refuge in religion, converting to Catholicism and putting great stock in his friendships with priests and nuns. A significant portion of the book flips back and forth between the sacred and the profane, so to speak, with Read reporting dozens of instances of behavior that can only be viewed as questionable, despite the fact that Guinness does not seem to have ever acted on his confusing urges. "It would seem...that Alec felt disordered passions could be controlled, if not cured, by prayer, repentance and the Grace of God. Yet he was never able to detach himself altogether from his homosexual alter-ego."

As can be expected from books of this type, the author covers the major accomplishments in his subject's life, for which movie fans can be grateful. The details can get a bit much; the book no doubt could have been shorter than its 600-plus pages but no less interesting had Read omitted copious recounts of how much Guinness spent on hotel rooms or lunches.

Ultimately, ALEC GUINNESS is a sad book. One has the feeling that between the sexual situation, concerns over finances, and relationships with family and friends --- and despite all of the artistic accomplishments --- Sir Alec was rarely truly happy. Read makes us actually feel sorry for the legendary actor.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (...)

The Guinness Book of Almost Everything You Didn't Need to Know About the Movies

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The Guinness Book of Almost Everything You Didn't Need to Know About the Movies
Patrick Robertson
Manufacturer: Guinness Superlatives
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 085112481X

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THE GUINNESS BOOK OF FILM
PATRICK ROBERTSON
Manufacturer: GUINNESS SUPERLATIVES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S94WSY

The Guinness book of film facts and feats

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The Guinness book of film facts and feats
Patrick Robertson
Manufacturer: Guinness Superlatives
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0851122094

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Guinness Book of Movie Facts
Patrick Robertson
Manufacturer: Guinness Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0851129080

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Guinness Book of Movie Facts and Feats
Patrick Robertson
Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1558592369

The Guinness Book of Movie: Facts & Feats

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The Guinness Book of Movie: Facts & Feats
Patrick Robertson
Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1558596976

Guinness World Records: Brain Stretching Quiz Pad

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Guinness World Records: Brain Stretching Quiz Pad

Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Guinness World Records: Mind Boggling Quiz Pad

ASIN: 0843113855

Book Description

What's the best way to learn cool facts and have fun at the same time? Find out in two new activity books from Guinness World Records(tm)! Based on world records from the bestselling book, these fun-filled activity books are packed with tons of quizzes, questions, puzzles, and riddles to keep people of all ages amused for hours on end!
From sports, to insects, to the environment-quiz yourself across all categories of records!

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A Positively Final Appearance

Manufacturer: Penguin Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0141800291

Book Description

Profoundly original discussion of pawn play isolates its elements and elaborates on various aspects. Basic relationships of one or two pawns constitute winning strategy. Multitude of examples demonstrate paramount significance of elements of pawn manipulation. 182 diagrams. Index of games.

Customer Reviews:

A serious book........2006-03-07

This book treats chess as treating science, just as Nimzowitch's "My System". It is definitely a monograph. Some definitions are given first, then some theorems (or general idea) are proved through examples and some exceptions are also shown. I don't deny it is an instructive and helpful book, but reading over 300 pages of dry words is a tantamount job to most readers. However, after reading the excellent review by other people here, I decide to give another try. The point is: study hard and dig deep!!

Worthwhile chess content, creepy jargon.......2005-07-16

As you may be aware from the other reviews, this book suffers from a peculiar tic that is practically unique in the literature: the author indulgently and compulsively concocts new terminology page after tiresome page. There are at least eighty new terms, most coming in the first two chapters. Apart from one or two terms, they have never penetrated the mainstream of usage; in fact, the author himself doesn't even use most of them but a few times. Some are never used! Thus the mental energy you invest in memorization is utterly wasted. If you are the sort of person who gets annoyed by these abuses, then you should skip this book, or skip the jargon and work directly from the diagrams and moves. Honestly, I have to tell you that this was the single most maddening chess book I have ever worked through. By the middle of Chapter 3, I wanted to shave my scalp with a cheese grater, dunk my head in battery acid, then toss my body into a live volcano. Oh - you kids should also be aware that the book is in descriptive notation.

On the positive side, the chess content itself is worthwhile. In short, it is a complete and rigorous treatment of the pawn in chess: its peculiar features as a maneuvering unit, how it interacts with other pieces, how groups of them are utilized in the context of a game. All of the essential ideas, I am sure, are available elsewhere in bits and pieces - a game collection here, a middlegame tome there. But it helps to have it all in front of you, systematically and thoroughly presented.

OK in its time however better books are out there now.......2004-03-25

OK In life its necessary to be honest even if it's not popular. So here goes my 5 cents. In its time this was one of the few if not the only book on pawn structures. A lot of veteran masters used this book so it's well known. However it's still using an obsolete notation (You are going to go crazy! its like reading old time English). Kmoch also uses phrases and names pawns using proprietary words/names that no one else uses. Many of the openings reviewed are not popular or obsolete so much of the material is of little practical use over 60 pages are devoted to Benoni formations, have you ever played that opening? The dynamic isolated pawn structure, defensive value of the doubled pawn, rigid pawn structure versus piece mobility, white and black square control, compensation and how to meet the minority attack. All these concepts came out after this book was written. In a simplistic and historical way this is a classic book. It's just not correct to think that a 1940s book is going to give you modern practical knowledge. Its tough to read, tough to understand and takes a long time to go through. Use one of the modern books, Soltis's Pawn structure chess or one of the other modern books on pawn power will get you there faster and better. However if you have a lot of time and want to experience an historically important book that most players of the 40s, 50s and 60s would have read on their way to the master level then this book is fine. You will still have to read one of the modern pawn structure books to understand how modern masters view pawn structures. A little about me, I am close to IM level so know a thing or two about chess books.I enjoy playing on ICC and my computer. May start to take part in tourneys again. I have limited time so take a practical approach to maximising the use of my study time. Have over 200 books not 1000 lol.

Essential.......2002-12-15

This book is essential for serious understanding of chess, of the 16 pieces in your army 8 are pawns. Knowing how to use them and how they can help you achieve victory is useful for any serious chess player. Get this book and improve your game. Recommended for 1600+ rated players.

Classic is too mild a word.......2002-04-30

First, I have to get something off my chest: why do people have trouble with descriptive notation? It takes like what, 45 seconds to learn? Chess players are normally pretty smart people, and they have trouble learning descriptive notation? Perhaps chess isn't for you if you have trouble with that. Maybe take up basket weaving, which is very challenging in its own right, but does not use language. This book is one of a treasured few that makes my "desert island" list. I often felt before reading this book that chess was like a foreign language to me. I heard with envy that Reti said about Capablanca that "chess was his mother tongue." I wanted that so badly, but I still felt, no matter how much I studied, that I was missing something essential about chess. This book, Pawn Power in Chess, changed that for me. The more I study this book (which has been off and on for about 5 years), the more I learn about chess, and the more I "feel" chess on an intuitive level. Kmoch uses the device of creating his own vocabulary to bring concepts to life for you, and I always found this useful, though some readers do not like it. The examples are brilliantly annotated and selected. My only complaint about this book is that I wish it were ten times longer. I wish Kmoch had written about all of the openings, explaining them in light of the principles he sets out in this book. A major part of this book is the incredible conviction that he brings to his work. He brings enthusiasm, which is key, but many writers (Motwani, Silman, Seirawan, Alburt, Watson, Yermolinsky) bring enthusiasm. That in itself is not enough. Great conviction is also required. This is what impressed Petrosian so much about Nimzowitsch: the almost religious conviction with which Nimzo presented his ideas, his system. Kmoch is, to me, on a similar level. In fact, I think this book makes a perfect companion to My System. On top of that, work through Kmoch's earlier works, Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces and World Championship in Battle Royale (about the 1948 championship tournament), for lots of great games to flesh things out. He annotates those works more conventionally, but those works become more interesting after reading Pawn Power. I cannot say enough good about this book. It can be obtained cheaply, and it should be treasured.

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Pawn Power in Chess
Hans Kmoch
Manufacturer: David Mckay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ILKLT6

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Pawn Power in Chess

Manufacturer: Tartan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GYVVXK

MODERN AIR POWER - BOMBERS: Range & bomb yeild make todays long range bombers foremost pawns in superpower politics.

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MODERN AIR POWER - BOMBERS: Range & bomb yeild make todays long range bombers foremost pawns in superpower politics.

Manufacturer: Gallery Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ICO45M

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Pakistan a Pawn in the U.S. Power Game

Manufacturer: Firma KLM Private Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CQGR8

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Yes, pawns can be lethal! Very good book for low intermediate players.

Pawn Power (The Batsford Chess Library)
Angus Dunnington
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co (P)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805035788

Customer Reviews:

Yes, pawns can be lethal! Very good book for low intermediate players........2006-02-12

I remember reading this book in I think 1997 or 1998 when I was in the USCF 1000-1300 range. The moniker "short and sweet" applies to it well.

What Dunnington has basically done is choose many examples of positions and games where pawn play has decided the day. For advanced players, the book is more entertaining than educational, but for fairly new tournament players, it shows that pawns should not be taken lightly. I would even say that this book has left some lasting influences on my play today, as I gained an appreciation for pawns--the pawn is my favorite chess piece. I am not claiming to be a pawn-play expert, but it does strike me how poorly some Class B and A players use pawns in their play!

Imaginative pawn play can definitely make a difference in your results. This is not an indispensible work, but it is well done if you choose to get it. In general, I think Dunnington is a good (though not great) chess author.

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Pawn Power in Chess
Hans Kmoch
Manufacturer: David McKay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O5Y5JS

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Pawn Power in Chess
Hans Kmoch
Manufacturer: Tartan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TYV3KS

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Pawn Power in Chess
Hans Kmoch
Manufacturer: David McKay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0713506334

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Pawn Power in Chess (Tartan #12)
Hans Kmoch
Manufacturer: David McKay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TZDOSG

Book Description

* An essential resource for anyone who wants to get up and running with this popular video-editing application, from amateur and hobbyist filmmakers to professionals who want to explore the possibilities of editing on a PC
* Explains how to shoot good footage, get digital video onto a PC, set up a Premiere production studio, edit clips, add effects, work with audio, and output the finished product or share it online
* Released day and date with the new software version, the book covers the latest Premiere features and improvements
* Keith Underdahl, the author of Digital Video For Dummies (0-7645-4114-5) and other books on digital video, has broad experience as both an amateur videographer and professional video producer

Customer Reviews:

Taking a Simpler Step.......2006-02-25

I had worked with other editing softwares in the past so when I got Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 in the mail I was ready to start working! Then I realized this software had so much more to offer so I went to the manual and starting reading. By about the middle of it I thought I would never learn it. The manual was all over the place and didn't explain anything in human terms so I went online and found this book "for dummies" and I would seriously recommend this book to everyone. It takes the software and breaks it down in laymens terms with even sarcastic breaks for the long time reader. It was informative and witty. I use it as the Premiere bible and it sits right next to the computer the whole time I'm working. It also offers helpful hints on how to angle the camera and the proper equipment to have. It's freaking awesome and if you made it all the way to the end of this review..you have to get it. It's worth the money.

Good Basics, Poor Examples.......2005-07-13

As does the entire "Dummy" series, this book takes things from a very basic level and assumes little or nothing in the way of prior knowledge. It does an excellent job of explaining concepts and giving an overview of the Premier Pro software. After that, it falls short. The examples are very general and no disk is provided for tutorials. This lack of examples and of real tutorials makes learning the software, at least for me, more difficult. There were time when I thought I was following along correctly only to later learn that was not the case. If I had real examples to which I could compare my work, I would have gotten a lot further.

Still, for teaching the basics, this is a respectable book. This is especially true if you want to learn about the program and not necessarily how to use the program. It can be read and understood away from the computer. In that respect, it is superior to example driven texts which need the presence of the PC. Still, I learn better with the examples.

Mostly retread of earlier versions but still good..........2004-08-12

I bought Adobe Premiere for Dummies for version 6.5 and was able to quickly master the basics covered in the book, then within a few months, I upgraded to Premiere Pro. I also purchased the Premiere Pro for Dummies book to get a good primer.
A lot of the "Pro" book is word for word the same as the 6.5 book with the additional features in Premiere Pro covered for good measure. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that since they have many similarities. My only point is that if you have read the previous version of Premiere for dummies, it is not neccessary to rush out and get the Premiere Pro for Dummies.
If you can use one version effectively you will have no problems with the newer versions. Still a good book if you are a newbie though, I would reccomend it!

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