K Edgington is associate professor at Towson University.
Thomas Erskine and James M. Welsh (Salisbury, MD) are cofounders of
Literature/Film Quarterly.
Edgington (English, Towson Univ.) and Erskine and Welsh
(cofounders, Literature/Film Quarterly) have produced a specialized
encyclopedia describing sports films across categories such as
silent films, prominent directors, independent productions, major
hits, and obscure movies. Each film entry identifies production
crew (from director to costume designer), cast members, running
time, and available format (DVD and/or VHS). This information is
followed by film synopses and relatively brief evaluations. The
oldest film is The Freshman (1925), produced by and starring the
successful comic Harold Lloyd and featuring action sequences
performed by members of the University of Southern California
football team. Coverage extends through 2010. There are six
appendixes: films by sport, a chronological title list, movies made
for television or direct to video, movies inspired or based upon
actual events, sports documentaries, and ESPY Awards for best
sports movies. These are followed by a bibliography, index, and
information about the authors....BOTTOM LINE By providing film
synopses and evaluations, Edgington and team have developed an
engaging encyclopedia that should appeal to individuals interested
in film studies, sports, and the history of popular culture.
Recommended for film reference collections.
*Library Journal*
Intending “to present a representative sample of the range of films
that have been classified as sports films,” this encyclopedia
covers more than 400 movies, excluding documentaries; films not
readily available; made-for-TV movies (with a few exceptions); and
films about dog shows, academic or intellectual contests such as
spelling bees or chess, and bullfighting. Beginning with early
examples like The Freshman (1925), coverage continues to the remake
of The Karate Kid in 2010. Each entry starts with a boxed listing
of credits, run time, and availability in either DVD or VHS. More
than 200 films, such as the Marx Brothers’ Day at the Races and all
the Rocky films, receive expanded treatment that provides some
commentary on plots and themes as well as a detailed plot summary.
Other entries consist of the box and a one- to two-sentence
summary. Some black-and-white photographs are included. Six
appendixes follow the A–Z entries: “Films by Sport,” “Chronological
Title List,” “Movies Made for Television or Direct to Video,”
“Movies Inspired By or Based Upon Actual Events,” “Sports
Documentaries,” and “ESPY Awards for Best Sports Movie.” A
bibliography of books and articles precedes the index. This work is
a valuable addition to public and academic libraries with an
interest in either sports or films. The appendixes identifying
movies by sport and those based on actual events will help anyone
looking for movies on specific sports or “true” stories.
*Booklist*
Teachers use sports films in the classroom as an instructional
tool, and scholars generally agree that depictions of sports in
film can serve to reinforce cultural values in powerful ways. This
encyclopedia by Edgington (Towson Univ., Baltimore) and Erskine and
Welsh (cofounders, Literature/Film Quarterly) covers all major
films with a primary focus on athletic endeavor. It describes more
than 200 fictional feature-length movies released between 1925 and
2010, including comedies, dramas, and biopics. Though it features
primarily Hollywood productions, it includes independent films and
foreign releases. The authors exclude documentaries, films not
readily available in VHS/DVD format at the time of publication, and
made-for-television movies, except for a few exceptional titles.
Despite the dominance of boxing, football, basketball, and baseball
films in the genre, this volume discusses many other sports,
including auto racing, skiing, and soccer. Arranged alphabetically
by title, each main entry presents a synopsis of the film,
principal production information, and a critical analysis. Entries
for minor films have one-sentence synopses. The authors, who
clearly are film aficionados, offer very well-written synopses that
provide insights beyond the superficial. Summing Up: Recommended.
All libraries; lower-division undergraduates and above, and general
readers.
*CHOICE*
This book cruises through 100 years of just about any sport you can
think of that’s been committed to film. Whether it involves
travelling at fast speeds in motorised or pedal-powered vehicles to
opponent match encounters, is team or mano-a-mano based or rain,
shine, snow, sky and water-based, all sports are covered.
*Filmwerk*
This work provides a much needed update to the study of sports
films, covering more than 20 years of film releases that have
appeared since the publication of Sports Films: A Complete
Reference. It is accessible, affordable, and handsomely illustrated
with black and white film stills. Encyclopedia of Sports Films
would be a fine addition to any public or academic library.
*s*
This is an informative work on sports films that have a story line
focusing on an athletic endeavor. The main emphasis is on Hollywood
productions, with significant independent and foreign releases
mixed intermittently. Documentaries have been excluded from the
full entry list, as well as most made-for-television movies, yet
dedicated appendixes for selected works in these genres are
included in the back. Other appendixes, such as films based on
actual events, a chronological list of sports films, and ESPY
awards, are also included.
*American Reference Books Annual*
Encyclopedia of Sports Films consists of detailed synopses and
production credits for some 200 narrative films that place sports,
athletes, or competition in the foreground. This is the only
reference work of its kind to span as wide a range of film history,
from 1925’s The Freshman to the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid,
while providing immediate access to significant film titles by
sport. Encyclopedia authors Edington, Erskine, and Welsh make the
wise choice to sacrifice comprehensiveness for salience and impact,
selecting representative works and considering them at length. This
work provides a much needed update to the study of sports films,
covering more than 20 years of film releases that have appeared
since the publication of Sports Films: A Complete Reference. It is
accessible, affordable, and handsomely illustrated with black and
white film stills. Encyclopedia of Sports Films would be a fine
addition to any public or academic library.
*s*
Ask a Question About this Product More... |