Check out these titles that we've collected that would make good reading and/or would provide useful reference to your favorite movies and movie stars. Click on the book title to find out more information and to buy from our featured merchants.
The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together by Ty Burr
Boston Globe movie critic and former Entertainment Weekly columnist Ty Burr runs through his suggestions for old movies that will appeal to kids of various ages. His approach is that classic movies can be just as enjoyable for kids and families as the more mainstream, no-brainer kids movies that are high on energy but perhaps not so high on quality.
He breaks his recommendations down by age groups:
FOR THE LITTLE ONES (Ages 3—6): Fast-paced movies that are simple without being unsophisticated, plainspoken without being dumbed down. Singin’ in the Rain and Bringing Up Baby are perfect.
FOR THE ONES IN BETWEEN (Ages 7—12): “Killer stories,” placing easily grasped characters in situations that start simply and then throw curveballs. The African Queen and Some Like It Hot do the job well.
FOR THE OLDER ONES (Ages 13+): Burr recommends relating old movies to teens’ contemporary favorites: without Hitchcock, there could be no The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, without Brando, no Johnny Depp.
80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards by Robert Osborne
Newly updated, revised, and expanded, this book is the official history of the Academy Awards written by film critic Robert Osborne (who hosts the Turner Classic Movies television network) in association with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It begins with a general history of the Academy followed by the author's lively, decade-by-decade overviews of the accomplishments, trends, and events that occurred during each ten-year period within the Academy and the film industry.
Organized by year, 80 Years of the Oscar chronicles the ceremonies themselves, as well as the accomplishments, trends, developments, and events that occurred, both within the Academy and for the film industry as a whole. Osborne comments on each year's most important films and shares the stories behind them. He also transports readers into the awards show, quoting from notable acceptance speeches and celebrity reactions, as well as regaling readers with anecdotes from each year. All award nominees and winners are included, with a special listing of Oscar record-holders. An indispensable and encyclopedic reference for the amateur and expert alike, from the struggling actor to the film critic, this book has been a popular favorite since its first edition was published twenty years ago, just after the sixtieth awards ceremony. The authoritative 80 Years of the Oscar provides a depth of coverage found nowhere else, and it is sure to please movie-goers around the world.
Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide by Leonard Maltin
The movie guide that has been a staple for decades and has made Leonard Maltin a household name is back with all the essential information you could want-completely updated, and bigger and better than ever.
More than 17,000 entries, including 300+ new entries
More than 10,000 DVD titles
Nearly 14,000 video listings
See also: Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
To keep the above book manageable, many older movies must be removed each year. For that reason, Maltin has created this book, which includes more than 7,000 capsule reviews of classic movies, including: The Birth of a Nation (1915), Gone With the Wind (1939), The Philadelphia Story (1940), High Noon (1952), and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967). Many of these classics can be found on cable/satellite channels like Turner Classic Movies, as well as available on DVD for purchase or rental.
Cinema Year By Year 1894-2006
Tracing the development of cinema from the first experiments of Edison to the global film industry of the 21st century, this bestselling annual is the definitive chronology of the movies. Packed with key events and facts from the history of film, Cinema Year by Year is an informative and fascinating reference for movie lovers. It's great for film lovers or anyone interested in movies, includes stills, portraits and posters, and covers winners from the 2006 Academy Awards.
American Film Institute Desk Reference: The Complete Guide to Everything You Need to Know about the Movies by Melinda Corey (Editor), George Ochoa, Clint Eastwood (Introduction), Dorling Kindersley Publishing
Presented by the American Film Institute, the nation's preeminent organization dedicated to advancing and preserving the art of the moving image, the American Film Institute Desk Reference is the most comprehensive reference book on filmmaking ever published. Providing detailed information on the world of film, its history and its personalities, this single volume is loaded with enough facts and trivia to satisfy any movie buff. Highlighting filmmakers and costume designers, financiers and actors, this complete guide is packed with more than 500 photographs and illustrations, a year by year chronology of film, and many special annotated lists, including the AFI's celebrated list of the 100 Best Films of the Past 100 Years.
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The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together
80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards
Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
Reel Views: The Ultimate Guide to the Best 1,000 Modern Movies on DVD and Video
Cinema Year By Year 1894-2006
American Film Institute Desk Reference: The Complete Guide to Everything You Need to Know about the Movies