Encyclopedia of Sports Films [Hardcover]

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.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 expal3æ