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Silent Films & Early Talkies on DVD: A Classic Movie Fan's Guide by Reid, John Howard (2008) Paperback
Around 500 movies from the silent and early talkie era are now available on DVD. Of course this figure includes shorts as well as features, plus 40 or 50 films that are available in multiple versions. This handbook, sub-titled "A Classic Movie Fan's Guide", provides detailed reviews of 178 of these movies, plus less comprehensive information on over 100 additional titles, dating from 1918 through 1933, that are now available to purchase in DVD format from various suppliers. (A few highly recommended firms are listed in the book).Almost all the films reviewed are full-length features that showcase stars like Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Clara Bow, Lon Chaney, Louise Brooks, Charles Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Colleen Moore, Harold Lloyd, Gary Cooper, William Powell, Greta Garbo, Rudolph Valentino, Norma Shearer, Buster Keaton, Shirley Temple, Barbara Stanwyck, Ronald Colman, Lillian Gish, Marion Davies, and Wallace Beery, who are still top favorites with all motion pict
- GenresMedia Tie In
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 5, 2012
“Silent Movies & Early Sound Films on DVD” by John Howard Reid is a wonderful guide to classic movies that can be found on DVDs. The movies are listed in alphabetical order, but it doesn’t need to be read that way. I started off reading from the beginning, but then found myself randomly selecting pages and reading them from top to bottom.
Mr. Reid definitely knows his stuff when it comes to silent movies and early sound films. Each movie lists the actors and the roles they played, director and crew, copyright date, and usually a synopsis and notes. I particularly like it when the author puts in his own comments about a movie. Sometimes his comments are scathing such as his review of “Don’t Be Nervous” where he states that it “is an excellent example of Educational at its worst. “ He can also praise as in the film “Sunrise” where he says that it is “simply one of the best movies ever made, Sunrise is both an invigorating and heart-warming, yet sometimes comic and intensely dramatic experience.”
I don’t know much about silent movies or early talking movies, but reading this book makes me want to go out and find many of them. Mr. Reid’s enthusiasm is very contagious and his knowledge is immense. This book is a great resource and could be a fun way to revamp movie night in the home.
**This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads. That in no way influenced my review.**
Mr. Reid definitely knows his stuff when it comes to silent movies and early sound films. Each movie lists the actors and the roles they played, director and crew, copyright date, and usually a synopsis and notes. I particularly like it when the author puts in his own comments about a movie. Sometimes his comments are scathing such as his review of “Don’t Be Nervous” where he states that it “is an excellent example of Educational at its worst. “ He can also praise as in the film “Sunrise” where he says that it is “simply one of the best movies ever made, Sunrise is both an invigorating and heart-warming, yet sometimes comic and intensely dramatic experience.”
I don’t know much about silent movies or early talking movies, but reading this book makes me want to go out and find many of them. Mr. Reid’s enthusiasm is very contagious and his knowledge is immense. This book is a great resource and could be a fun way to revamp movie night in the home.
**This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads. That in no way influenced my review.**
February 5, 2012
I won this book though GoodReads First Reads Giveaways, in enchange for an honest review. So here goes...
I wanted to read this book to learn about silent films because I love photography and having been to an exhibition on Hollywood Greats I was stunned most by the photographs of silent films and their stars. This book has quite a few photographs placed in the relevant pages of the text which is really great ( I have having to keep flicking through books to look at the photos when they are all grouped together).
The other things I liked about this book the level of detail about each film, where to get the best copy of a film and why that is the best version. There is a lot of information on remakes and comparisons.
This is most definitly a reference book. I read it cover to cover just like a normal book. Not such a good plan because it felt like I was cramming for an exam or something. Still, that's not the author's fault. Now I have finished the book, I really want to get watching the films I've just read about!
I wanted to read this book to learn about silent films because I love photography and having been to an exhibition on Hollywood Greats I was stunned most by the photographs of silent films and their stars. This book has quite a few photographs placed in the relevant pages of the text which is really great ( I have having to keep flicking through books to look at the photos when they are all grouped together).
The other things I liked about this book the level of detail about each film, where to get the best copy of a film and why that is the best version. There is a lot of information on remakes and comparisons.
This is most definitly a reference book. I read it cover to cover just like a normal book. Not such a good plan because it felt like I was cramming for an exam or something. Still, that's not the author's fault. Now I have finished the book, I really want to get watching the films I've just read about!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews