TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide

By: Bleiler, David

Book Overview

The "TLA Video and DVD Guide""2005" is the absolutely indispensable guide to worthwhile cinema. It includes over 10,000 entries on the best of film and video that a real film lover might actually "want" to see. Unlike some of the other mass market guides that tend to be clogged with unenlightening entries on even more unenlightening films, TLA focuses on independent, foreign, and the best of Hollywood to bring the cineaste an opinionated guide that is both fun and useful. The guide includes: -Reviews of more than 10,000 films-Four detailed indexes--by star, directory, country of origin, and theme-More than 300 photos throughout-A listing of all the major film awards of the past quarter-century, as well as TLA Bests and recommended films-A comprehensive selection of cinema from more than 50 countries Now published annually, the "TLA Video and DVD Guide" is one of the most respected guides from one of the finest names in video retailing, perfect for anyone with an eclectic taste in cinema.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312316909
• ISBN13: 9780312316907
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 816 Pages
• Weight: 2.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.9" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Favorite Movie Guide

I have been buying film guides for about 25 years and this is my favorite. I obviously share similar tastes to the reviewers, because if they give a movie 4 stars I usually find it entertaining. It also doesn't have the insufferable adolescent snobbery that you often get with some guides e.g., Time Out.

Great book for best Popular, Indie/Art and Foreign films !

The TLA Guide is a fantastic reference for the cream of the crop in films of all genres. As the title states, it is discerning by cutting out what they consider to be films that are low quality or just plain bad. Of course its debatable what films should or shouldn't be included according to taste (If you are looking for H.O.T.S., A Nymphoid Barbarian In Dinosaur Hell or Beaks:The Movie, you should look elsewhere). In the introduction of the book it says..."It's not our goal to include every film ever made, but to bring attention to films that we feel have achieved artistic success, amassed some popularity, or made an impact-past or present-on the art form". I think they do a pretty good job of their intentions. This book is a "best of film" type of guide in that I can browse through the books film listings and almost all the titles listed have cinematic value. They do rate popular, big budget and B-movies that are duds(rated at one or two stars),but only the more "important" ones so you don't have to sort through pages and pages of mediocrity. The book is well organized, clear & direct in the reviews(also they don't give everything away in the plot)and they have the best Index Listing of Foreign Films according to country of origin(better than Videohound and Time Out's list is confusing). More than 10,000 films are reviewed. I don't think they are in competition with the "list everything" type of guides such as Videohound but if you are a movie lover I would also buy another guide as a supplement like the Martin & Porter Guide or Videohound. The TLA Guide is a great choice. Highly recommended!