Directors and Their Films : A Comprehensive Reference, 1895-1990

This is the most comprehensive reference work available anywhere, ever, to (1) films and their directors, and (2) directors and their films. Part one is by director. Each entry lists films, years of release, alternate titles, and, when appropriate, the director's pseudonym. Part two is a listing of over 108,000 films (from A, directed by Jan Lenica, to Zyte, from Rene Leprince), giving a director for each.

If there is ever a chance that you would need to know that the only film Tom Aitken directed was Trotter on the Trot in 1920; or that Georges Melies made almost 500 films between 1896 and 1910 and all their names; or which films were directed by the George Miller of Mad Max fame vs. the George Miller of Man from Snowy River fame; or that six films named Bright Lights were made between 1916 and 1935 by directors as varied as Disney and Busby Berkley; or that two different films called Inside Out were made in 1964--then this book is for you. With its two exhaustive indexes, this guide covers over 108,000 titles made from from 1895 to 1990. First is an alphabetical listing of directors with their films, followed by the list of films with their director. Although specialized in scope, this is a reference work of unequaled comprehensiveness. Essential for any serious film collection.
- Sherle Abramson, Williamsburg Regional Lib., Va.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this two-way index, part 1 lists directors with all their known films in chronological order, and part 2 lists each film with its attributed director.

More than 108,000 films released around the world between 1895 and 1990 are listed. Cartoon movies are included, for example, KoKo's adventures and Japanese cartoon features. All known titles for a film are given, including different languages or alternative titles. The year of film release is the only other piece of information provided, so, for example, readers looking for a film entitled Hope will find five entries differentiated only by director and date. The compiler does not list his sources of information, and the list is not comprehensive. For example, The Peanut Butter Solution, a sf movie of the 1950s, is not listed.

Because the range of information given is very narrow, this specialized title will not appeal to the typical film fan but should prove useful for film scholars.