Encyclopedias Movie Reviews

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Family movie reviews for "Encyclopedias" sorted by average review score:
Self Defense Encyclopedia
Released in DVD by ess (20 August, 2002)
MPAA Rating:
Average review score:

Excellent reference for many aspects of self-defense
This DVD features many stategies for defending yourself from many holds, threats, groundfighting, weapons and multiple attackers. It features psychological as well as strategical elements which need to be taken into consideration. The DVD covers alot of ground and is a good reference for both student and instructor.

A Must Have in your dvd library
I've always felt that self defense is a must for anyone to know. I also feel that it is most important for a woman to know. I see the perk to the knowledge of self defense two fold. It allows you to know what to do in situations as well as conditioning yourself to react. But the second reason is the most important to me and that is it gives you assurance and confidence, it takes away fear and empowers you. I have found to many
people, women in particular, that don't know how to defend themselves and actually hold some fear and question themselves. When put in a situation you need to know at least basics of how to react and keep yourself safe, if you question yourself or what to do at those critical moments, the results could
be very unpleasant.

I recommended this DVD because its the most thorough I've seen and covers quite a bit on essentials. It covers not just moves, but mentality and awareness, so you may prevent something before it occurs. While it is [price] , a self defense class would cost you at least this much and unlike a class you can go over the material again and again.

Have a great day and be safe

lots of techniques
The Self-Defense Encyclopedia DVD is literally crammed with information. The picture quality is razor sharp, it has flawless sound, and it's so easy to navigate from feature to feature (and there are a lot of features). Just bring up the menu, choose your topic and there it is. No winding forwards and backwards trying to find what you want to view. With DVD, it only takes a second.

Kim has done a complete job presenting valuable material for people interested in street defense. There are simple techniques for the beginner and techniques for the advanced, too.

One particularly interesting feature is one called, "Scenario Training," in which there are several situations where females are attacked by males. Most of them end up in a brawl on the ground, and the viewer is able to see what the defenders do right and what they do wrong. Afterwards, Kim talks with them about the scenario and what they learned from it.

Self-Defense Encyclopedia is a good title, as the disc contains a full range of self-defense techniques, concepts and principles. There is enough here that you can pick up valuable information every time you view it.

Highly recommended.

The Encyclopedia of Boating Tips
Released in DVD by (07 November, 2002)
MPAA Rating:
Director: Allan Salvatori
Average review score:

Practical Information in an Easy to Use Format
So much information, and so much of it is practical stuff... the kinds of things you'd only learn by doing it wrong the first time! We thoroughly enjoyed picking out chapters here and there that interested us, even though we are only "arm-chair" boaters. We especially enjoyed the trip to the Exumas -- a place we will probably never get to, but still love to dream. This would be a great gift for anyone who has a boat.. or even dreams of having one.

Slapstick Encyclopedia
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (23 April, 2002)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
A veritable gold mine of rarities and little-known treats, Slapstick Encyclopedia lives up to its title as a stupendous compendium of silent-era comedy. Spanning the entire spectrum of slapstick from 1909 to 1927, this definitive collection (curated by film historians David Shepard and Joe Adamson) dutifully credits Keystone Cops creator Mack Sennett as the founder of the slapstick phenomenon. But it reaches far beyond Sennett (who alienated most of his popular stars) to acknowledge nearly every major and minor slapstick star and style. The development of slapstick, which had its roots in vaudeville, is witnessed chronologically, mixing the manic pie-fight sensibility of Sennett's Keystone hits with the lesser-known, more sophisticated parlor-room comedy of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew, while legendary black vaudevillian Bert Williams plies his popular trade in a Biograph short from 1916.

Early appearances by Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Fatty Arbuckle, Ben Turpin, Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, and others demonstrate the gradual emergence of the popular personalities (like Chaplin's Little Tramp) that would dominate silent comedy at its peak, establishing timeless screen icons and forever altering Hollywood's way of doing business. But the real strength of this set is its wide scope, unearthing neglected talents ripe for rediscovery (like Charley Bowers and Larry Semon), and allowing the viewer to witness the evolution of gags from simple improvisation to the elaborately planned chase-oriented routines that emerged in the early 1920s. With print quality ranging from good to pristine, and original musical accompaniment by six of the world's leading silent-movie musicians, this 18-hour, 50-film laugh-athon is surely one of the finest DVD sets ever produced. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

Sure to entertain for hours on end.
The Slapstick Encyclopedia is chock full of entertaining, rare movies from the earliest days of silent movies. Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, Stan Laurel without Oliver Hardy, Oliver Hardy without Stan Laurel, Bustard Keaton, Hal Roach comedies, Harold Loyd in Haunted Spooks, Harry Langdon, Will Rogers, Keystone cops...all the unforgettable greats, you may have only read about in books, and rarely seen, doing the antics that once made movies so special. Included is the rarest of rare, a 1916 film starring Great black entertainer Bert Williams doing some of the comic routines that made him famous and part of America's conscience for decades after his death. Sure to entertain for hours on end.

Back to Silents...with Raucous Laughter
There are some great and not-so-great items in this set, but all are of interest, if you like silent comedies. I recommend the 3 shorts each by Harry Langdon and Harold Lloyd (with one caveat to be discussed for "Haunted Spooks"), the rare version of Buster Keaton's "The Boat," some of the solo efforts by Stan Laurel (of later Laurel & Hardy fame), the "Hairbreadth Harry" short entitled "Danger Ahead" (based on a 1920's comic strip and one of the most ridiculously inspired things I've ever seen), the teaming of Charlie Chaplin and "Fatty" Arbuckle in "The Rounders" (where they each try to top one another on screen), and the delirious short by Charley Bowers (the only successful comedian/animator in film history--who incorporates his bizarre animation into his film shorts).

You can see so much here, as to the development of the careers of famous silent comedians. See Buster Keaton's crying and mugging hysterics while with "Fatty" Arbuckle develop into his more familiar stoic "Great Stone Face." See Stan Laurel go from frenetic nasty idiot on screen to playing the more sublime "Stanley" in the Laurel and Hardy shorts. See early Harold Lloyd shorts where his character has a bit more of an edge. Wonder why Ben Turpin had a career at all. All along marvel at the wonderful, appropriate musical accompaniment, sometimes on the odd "Fotoplayer."

The caveat? Well, nothing and I mean nothing has been censored and some very politically incorrect moments also make the cut, a few of which can make for some startling viewing for modern sensibilities. Then again, these films are 75 to 90 years old, and that should be borne in mind. In particular, I'm thinking of "The Detectress" and "Haunted Spooks" and parts of the Bert Williams short as rather blatant offenders. Also, while the prints included are some of the best surviving, a small number have some nitrate decomposition, sprocket jump, discoloration, and the like. As an example, the quality of "The Garage" with Keaton/Arbuckle's a little disappointing compared to some other prints I've watched. However, these are often very rare films, and rough prints can be better than none.

I'd recommend this set both as a tremendous resource and a great bargain for any seasoned silent movie fan as well as any novice fan who wants to learn more in a hurry.

More info about this set
I previously reviewed this set but wanted to add a few comments. Included here is the incredible film "Now you tell one" by Charlie Bowers. Bowers looks like Keaton but out Keatons Keaton! After years of working in animation, Bowers took his surreal special effects into film. The result is jaw dropping! Wait until you see him 'grow" cats - and watch out for the little mouse with the revolver!
Monty Banks gives us one of the most thrilling chases ever seen in film in "chasing choo-choos". It looks like he did all of his stunts here and it is amazing that he lived to tell about it!
Definitely a great collection. Where else can you get silent films for about a dollar each? Do I like all of them? No. But with over 50 films, there is plenty here to enjoy and thrill to.

CosPlay Encyclopedia
Released in DVD by Media Blasters (29 January, 2002)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Starring: Cosplay
Average review score:

Awful
A couple of prurient teenagers hang out at the entryway to a few cosplay conventions with a video camera and a canned list of questions that never varies. They hit on the "cutest" girls they can find (12-14 year olds...). That's it. Not at all an introduction to cosplay, no info on how to get involved, how it evolved in Japan or the U.S.. Skip this, it is awful.

Finally some stuff on cosplay...
It's not out yet but i saw a demo and trailer of it today in fact. It consites of japanese and american cosplayers and skits they preform. My first impression was basicallt extatic since there is only one cosplay tape in america and its subbed. but the whole thing was guys talking to young teen cosplayers in short skirts flirting. i think this one will have great potencial and especially popular with anime fans. I would definetally try it out. ....

Windsurfing Encyclopedia
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (10 April, 2000)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Dunayevich
Starring: Kiprov, Dunayevich, Mcgain, and Pritc
Average review score:

Great for watching some windsufers, not an Encyclopedia
The footage of people Windsurfing is great, as for production quality and actual content this is a pretty bad DVD.

For example. There's a section where they have some footage with a number of angles. Rather than actually use the angles feature of the DVD so that you can change the angle during the clip, you have to go back to the menu and select it.

I certainly wouldn't pay $30 for this, I'm very glad I rented it.

Not so great
I should have judged by the title. What settled for this because there were no others on the market. I wanted big air and amazing footage, and there isn't much.

Overpriced
This is a nice short film on windsurfing...visually interesting..nice features of being able to view either a back or forward loop from multiple angles...however, at only 50 minutes long, this should be priced in the $10-$15 range. I realize this is sold as Volume #1, but I will not be buying any future volumes at this price.

Encyclopedia of WWII - Box Set
Released in DVD by Madacy Entertainment (06 December, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Average review score:

uninteresting and almost NO color film
I would have given it zero stars if the system had let me. The set is arranged alphabetically, giving "articles" about various topics. They are all short and not particularly useful. I got this on tape a few years ago because it advertized it included color footage. However, there are only a few minutes of color in one article. The rest is the same b&w one can find anywhere. About the worst documentary I've seen. I gave mine to the local library within the week.

Encyclopedia is a Bust
The most dissappointing aspect of this set is the fact that one must wade through an entire CD to get to a specific sub title. There is no means for skipping directly to the topic of interest. Additionally, the brevity of each topic renders it, "not worth the money."

The Sports Blooper Encyclopedia
Released in DVD by Simitar Video (16 April, 1997)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Average review score:

This DVD is absolute trash
I would love to meet the idiot who thought up this concept. I want to force him to watch this show. It is nothing short of tedious torture. As a matter of fact, how can Amazon sell this with a straight face. No bloopers, no quality, no comedy of any kind....I mean nothin. Like a very bad home video where NOTHING EVER happens that is remotely funny. Does make a great frisbee.

Not Funny... Old Clips.... Not Bloopers
Terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible ! A collection of old clips that are not only NOT bloopers they are not funny, amazing or special in any way. A lot of repeating the same clips for no apparent reason. I would not even pay 98 cents for this DVD. I was forced to give it one star only because it was a required entry.

Encyclopedia of the 20th Century: Days That Shook the World, Vol. 5 - 1980-1999
Released in DVD by Madacy Entertainment (18 September, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Average review score:

Defective Audio on 2nd Half of DVD
There is no sound on part 2 (1990-1999). Part 1 (1980-1989) is ok. I exchanged for another disk. Same result.

2001
Released in DVD by Multimedia 2000 (15 March, 2001)
MPAA Rating:
Starring: Webster's Encyclopedia
Average review score:
No reviews found.
Encyclopedia of Saltwater Fish
Released in DVD by Bennett Media Corpor (11 November, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Average review score:
No reviews found.

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