I have never seen a video guide as cross-referenced or as complete as this one. You can use title, subject, actor, director, cinametographer, composer, award winning (you can look to see what movie won the academy award for best song in 1935 or the independent spirit award for first feature in 1987), and then you can find a description and a review. After searching half a dozen of these types of books, I found the 2000 version of the VideoHound - and then ordered the 2001 version that night. I had been rating these references by completeness, when I found Frank Whaley (star of independent movie Swimming with Sharks and minor character in Pulp Fiction) in the actor directory - I knew I had my book.

The only reason that I didn't give this book a five-star review is due to personal preference. I didn't agree with many of their reviews. Somewhat unfair, I realize, but a problem for me nonetheless.

This is perhaps the necessary guide for any movie lover. I know that I'm taking it to my store.

The individual film listings go way beyond director and key actors. Even less-than-star players get a mention, as well as the writer, cinematographer, and composer/lyricist. Also included is a listing of all the nominations and awards a film received. Every so often, a particular review will give a heads-up about an interesting piece of movie trivia, or cameo by someone who didn't get top billing.

I'd be inclined to give this five stars, but I'm still waiting for the editor to put back the foreign film index and the "content warning" descriptions, which were very useful to me, but discontinued after the 1999 edition. Still, I'd recommend this fine reference to everyone.

Originally I had some frustration, compared with Martin, Maltin and Halliwell's guides. Some films were not included. For example, where is "White," part of the trilogy Trois Couleurs: Rouge (Red, Blue and White). But Video Hound includes more than Martin or Maltin. It certainly is more inclusive than Halliwell but I sold my copy of that book for $5. and felt good.

The Hound's indexes at the end are superb. Yes there are some actors and directors missing. Yes, some performers do not have all their works cited. I could not find a citation for one of Victoria Abril's movies. I could not find a review of "The Hollywood Game." There were some others missing as well that were on the street. On the other hand, every guide misses some movies.

The Hound is willing to list some of the R and UR videos as well as performers. Admirers of Laura Gemser can read about some of her films. Martin, Maltin and Halliwell won't "touch" Gemser.
There were some of the Emmaneulle movies listed. Also there were some of Shannon Tweed's films included. Yes, even a number of the volumes in the Red Shoes Diary series could be found.

The Hound indicates when certain movies have both R and UR versions. Many of these movies would not even be listed in Maltin or Martin. Halliwell's guides are not for me. Too many movies are missing although some of the commentaries are cute.

Since my first review of Video Hound I have spent lots of time with Blockbuster (a great guide for family watching with inflated ratings), Martin and Maltin. The only problem I find in describing videos being sold is stating "3 Bones." So. I say VH gives a film 3***. Martin goes up to 5**** while Maltin and Hound stay at 4***.

I see movies for sale on Ebay, Yahoo and Amazon auctions. Before buying most, I will turn to VideoHound. If by chance a video isn't listed, maybe Maltin will have it. One reason could be that I have a version of Maltin that is one year newer.

I like the commentaries on Hound better than Maltin and Martin. Let me give one example. "Full Body Massage" is an interesting
movie featuring Mimi Rodgers and Byron Brown. Mimi's breasts
are shown a lot. This film is not listed in Blockbuster or Halliwell.

Maltin reviews the movie indicating it is TVM (Made for TV). But, he does not assign any stars to it. However, at the end he calls the film "Average." What does this mean? Maltin notes that a major part of the film calls for Rodgers to be nude. At the same time he observes that after a while, the eroticism seems to
wear off. While he observes that the talk between Brown and Rogers drones on. He does not cite any of the many flashbacks in the lives of Rogers and Brown. He does not indicate some of Rogers' fantasies that are shown. One can learn more about this movie by going to reviewers' comments on Amazon or Ebay.

Martin rates the movie 3***. The review mentions several appointments. False. Brown has been called in to replace Rogers's regular masseuse. During parts of the massage, Rogers has fantasy dreams of the "regular" who seems more of a gigilo than therapist Brown. So, there is only one full body massage that viewers see Brown giving to Rogers. This is a key point.

Martin finds the banter not as dull. "Talky yet engrossing drama is enhanced by near-perfect performances." Everyone sees things differently. Maltin feels the sharing drones. Martin finds the sharing "engrossing."
see things differently

Video Hound mentions some key points right up front, after giving the movie 2 bones. Rogers is a wealthy art gallery owner who spends a lot of time at home. The massage may be her "night out." So, Hound puts the importance of the massage to Rogers in its proper perspective. It occurs once a week.

Hound mentions that Brown is a substitute masseur. He starts talking about esoteric items while massaging away "the self-indulgent cares of the world-weary" Rogers. While the regular guy has Rogers on a sensual trip, Brown's words start to be heard. His discussions of personal spirituality awaken an inner essence in Rogers. Hound indicates that the film is a "chatty
cable movie" but starts the observation with the words "Good work by the leads in a." So, Hound praises the actors and
relegates the chatter to the background.

The Hound's review is coherent, complete and closest to the happenings in the movie as viewed by its performers and makers.

Why do I chose a "B" film to illustrate differences?" Why not?
Some buy or rent this movie to focus on Rogers' breasts which
are very visible. But, that is not the essence of the film to someone who is attentive. Also, while flashbacks can be annoying--and none of the three reviewers mention them--I found
their use very effective. And, I dislike some flashbacks. These are put in the context of

I will keep the Hound and try to get an international edition as well. However, I saw the TLA international movie guide and was more impressed with it.

I rate now Matlin's 2000 as #1 and Martin's as #2. Somehow, her 2000 guide omits some movies listed in previous editions. I rate VideoHound as #3 for finding listings and #2 on interesting reviews. Its support for the reader is the best of any guide. Halliwell's Guide is #4 and the Blockbuster book, helpful to carry around being small but least useful, unless a person enjoys inflated ratings.

If anyone wishes to trade or acquire my Halliwell Guide, contact me. I am going to get the NY Times Guide and am ready to buy one of the Eibert books. Comparing Movies I Hate by Ebert to VideoHound's guide makes for lots of fun and some enjoyable times. One can even play "Guess the ratings."

The Hound has to track down and include some more videos. Then it will be my number 1 choice.

END

After five months of sitting on my floor with the rest of my recent book purchases, I picked up and began to devour the The Golden Compass. It had been nearly a decade since I'd basically given up on fantasy as a genre, getting bored with myth-adventures and Xanthian repetitiveness.

Philip Pullman has brought me back. Yesterday, I read The Subtle Knife, the sequel to The Golden Compass, in one sitting, unable to draw myself away from the rush of themes and ambiguities and sacrifices that Pullman unravels. Here, Pullman releases the full power of the forces that he so carefully built up in the first novel. The knife itself is more than a tool of untold power, but an instrument to rip away the veil of comfort that the reader feels for the worlds of Lyra and Will and their still unclear destiny. By revealing more about the nature of Dust and daemons and the connections between worlds and the twisted fates of Lyra and Will, The Subtle Knife creates as many questions as it answers and is just the kind of bridge any good trilogy needs.

Pullman has a wonderful talent for catapulting the reader at a rollercoaster pace with vivid scenery and continuous action. And the protagonist children suck you in like Orson Scott Card's Ender. But, what draws me in so completely is that this is not a mere chldren's story, but a morality tale which speaks about the real world. The moral ambiguity and religious tensions, which you can only hint at in the first book, hits you as powerfully as Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant did. Pullman lets Lyra and Will guide you as to who is right and who is wrong, which exacts an undisguised attack on the power and hypocrisy of organized religion in our own world. The classic fantasy struggle between good and evil has greyed considerably, showing us the true subtlety of the knife.

The only regret that I have now is that I have to wait for the final installment to see how Eve sprinkles Dust in the Garden of Eden as the forces of many worlds gather for war. Maybe, it's time to read The Lord of the Rings for a seventh time. But then, I know how that one ends...

Faith Devlin has come back to Prosper, South Carolina after a twelve year absence. She will never forget the night that her mother left, supposedly with Guy Roulliard, who bascially owned the whole town. She was fourteen when Gray Roulliard, then in his twenties, came to their house and kicked her and her brothers and sister out on the street. So, after twelve years she has returned to find out what happened to Gray's father and clear her mother's name.

Gray Roulliard could never forget that night, especially the desire he felt for a then fourteen year old Faith. He sickened himself feeling that way for a child, but she is now a woman and he wants her. Until he finds out why she came back. He feels pulled in two different directions, one toward the one woman who can make him feel complete and the other toward his family that he is now responsible for.

This books is about the ups and downs of a love that both people are fighting, family that dissaproves, and murder. I can barely put into words the relationship between Gray and Faith because it was so intense. They're basically just trying to move on after the night that their lives changed forever.

DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!

Make no mistake: this is a Batman novel for folks who enjoy the character. The whole No Man's Land premise is pretty extreme, but no more so than the idea of a guy dressed as a flying rodent fighting a clown. But who goes looking to stories about costumed superheroes for naturalistic documents of society?

In a lot of ways, this is the ultimate Batman story: How does a man who decides to work outside the law function when the system of law breaks down? As a fictional examination of how society would behave if all the traditional infrastructures disappeared, featuring familiar characters from popular culture, this book works just fine. Call it science fiction, call it a metaphor, call it a fantasy or a comic book without pictures. It's still a lot of fun.