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Title: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies (Facts on File Film Reference Library) by C. J. Henderson ISBN: 0-8160-4567-4 Publisher: Checkmark Books Pub. Date: September, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.25 (4 reviews)
Rating: 1
Summary: What a jerk.
Comment: I had the chance to pick this up in Barnes and Noble the other day, and I'm glad I skimmed through it before buying it.
First, though, some good news--the book does have a bit of merit. Having a huge list of science-fiction movies and information on each is pretty cool. But Henderson should have stopped there.
Instead, he decided to add his opinions to the mix, which are actually wrong. It's rare to find an opinion that is factually wrong, but he manages to do it--his opinions are consistently in poor taste and inconsistent in logic (as another reviewer has noted). He will praise a movie for one thing and then criticize another for the exact same quality.
He has called some of the worst movies ever (Alien: Resurrection, Armageddon) classics and said that they excel where all other movies fail. He has a huge vendetta against James Cameron, for some reason, and calls all of Cameron's good movies (The Terminator movies, The Abyss, Aliens) overblown and pointless. To praise Alien 4 for being new, innovative, well-acted, with good action scenes, and being fun while criticizing Aliens for being dull, over-focused on special FX, and poorly written... well, that's just wrong.
Everyone can have their opinions, whether they fit with the majority or not. But you need to be consistent in your opinions.
Henderson's other major flaw is that he is completely unaware of the outside world. He never once mentions, "This movie was very popular" or "This movie was not well-received by critics." He simply gives his own opinions and writes them in such a matter-of-fact tone that it doesn't feel like you're reading a book of opinions at all.
I would've been thrilled to read a book that had fresh, bold opinions on movies if they were written well and if the author didn't seem like a complete #$!hole.
In closing this review, I'd like to point out something on the Amazon.com review above. It mentions that the book would be good for "Indie film makers" and the like--people who are supposed to be going against the grain of mainstream Hollywood movies. This strikes me as very amusing; I can't think of a more false statement. Henderson's opinions are almost exactly like a mainstream, Hollywood hack artist. If you want a breath of fresh air, just think for yourself instead--this book is poison for the mind.
Rating: 5
Summary: Brilliant!
Comment: Author C.J. Henderson doesn't back down on his reviews of what the 'majority' may think, or what a typical movie-goer may believe just because a film is produced or directed by a big-name like Speilberg, Lucas, or Cameron.
Why did 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' fail? Why did 'The Matrix' succeed? Why did the original 'Star Wars' fail or succeed? And, for these movies that failed-- how could they have been better?
This book is recommended for movie buffs, indie filmmakers, film analysts, and the like.
Rating: 2
Summary: Very disappointed
Comment: The author of this book takes a smug, superior attitude in his reviews, that I found very off-putting. I should have known I was in trouble when, early in his introduction, he says his basic premise is that 90% of everything is garbage. He then proceeds to demonstrate that view in his reviews. And, despite his know-it-all attitude, I spotted several errors of fact in various reviews, for example, his referring to the Gene Barry character in War of the Worlds as Dr. "Clayton", as though Clayton were the character's last name. This may seem like a small item, but the author himself continually nitpicks the movies he is reviewing, so turn-about is fair play. I would give the book one star, except for a few insights I found. However, I decided the book was not worth keeping as a reference, and have already disposed of it at a used bookstore.
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Title: Science Fiction Cinema by Geoff King, Tanya Krzywinska ISBN: 1903364035 Publisher: Wallflower Press Pub. Date: 15 September, 2001 List Price(USD): $18.50 |
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Title:Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition) ASIN: B00007L4MJ Publisher: Kino International Pub. Date: 18 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $25.49 |
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Title: Alien Zone II: The Spaces of Science-Fiction Cinema by Annette Kuhn ISBN: 1859842593 Publisher: Verso Books Pub. Date: March, 2000 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title:Invasion of the Body Snatchers ASIN: 0782009980 Publisher: Republic Studios Pub. Date: 26 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $12.99 |
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Title: Alien Zone: Cultural Theory and Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema by Annette Kuhn ISBN: 0860919935 Publisher: Verso Books Pub. Date: December, 1990 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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