Copyright Date:
2010
Edition Date:
2010
Release Date:
11/16/09
Pages:
1 volume, various pagings, 24 pages of plates
ISBN:
0-7864-4230-1
ISBN 13:
978-0-7864-4230-0
Dewey:
791.43
LCCN:
2009020594
Dimensions:
29 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
School Library Journal
(Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)
Gr 6 Up-This long-overdue revision of the magisterial original (volume one, 1982; volume two, 1986) offers lengthy, richly informative, and extensively revised essays on hundreds of films, packing the entries into one hefty volume and rearranging them from chronological to a more accessible alphabetical order. Film scholar Warren opens with perceptive reflections on the history, common motifs, and enduring appeal of the era's science-fiction movies, then in an unfailingly lively style goes on to examine releases from the renowned The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Manchurian Candidate to the likes of Teenagers from Outer Space and Attack of the Crab Monsters . While limiting his purview to feature films (not serials) with at least perfunctory scientific content released theatrically in the U.S. from 1950 to 1962, Warren includes within extensive back matter a long list of excluded films from the period, with explanations as to why they were left out. Other extras include a release-date index, a list of announced-but-never-made titles, and a huge multimedia resource list. Enhanced by hundreds of black-and-white stills, plus two arresting sections of posters in color, this opinionated but clear-eyed and authoritative labor of love will not only draw scuttling hordes of researchers but also turn even casual browsers into rabid fans. It is a significant addition to any pop-culture collection, even those including such broader but far shallower guides as C. J. Henderson's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies (Facts On File, 2001) or Phil Hardy's The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction (Overlook, 1995). John Peters, New York Public Library
Bibliography Index/Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 939-942) and index.
Bill Warren's Keep Watching the Skies! was originally published in two volumes, in 1982 and 1986. It was then greatly expanded in what we called the 21st Century Edition, with new entries on several films and revisions and expansions of the commentary on every film. In addition to a detailed plot synopsis, full cast and credit listings, and an overview of the critical reception of each film, Warren delivers richly informative assessments of the films and a wealth of insights and anecdotes about their making. The book contains 273 photographs (many rare, 35 in color), has seven useful appendices, and concludes with an enormous index. This book is also available in softcover format (ISBN 978-1-4766-6618-1).