Hail and farewell to Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

Today I received my advance copy of Leonard Maltin’s 2015 Movie Guide, and I’ve been paging through it with profoundly mixed emotions.

Once again, I am unreasonably proud of my humble contributions to the enterprise. (Leonard asked me to come on board as a member of Team Maltin during preparations for the 2009 edition – an honor I rank alongside Peter Bart’s invitation to be a Variety contributor back in 1990.) At the same time, however, I am unspeakably sad, because this is the end of the line: The 2015 Movie Guide will be the last.

Originally known as TV Movies, Leonard’s invaluable paperback resource first appeared in 1969, and has been published annually since 1988. Long, long before I was a contributor, I was a faithful fan, dutifully purchasing each new edition – and always keeping a copy close at hand. No kidding: For decades, to paraphrase the old tagline for American Express Travelers Cheques, I didn’t leave home without it. And when it wasn’t in my suitcase during my travels for movie junkets and film festivals, you could always find it on a short shelf of absolutely essential reference books, either by my desk at The Houston Post or in my home office.

(I can see a copy of the 2014 edition right now, within easy reach. You'll have to take my word for that, however, because taking a photo would reveal what a shamelessly cluttered and chaotic workplace I have made for myself. Remember: I am a college instructor, and I don't want to set a bad example for my students.)

Unfortunately, as Leonard notes in the latest (and last) edition’s forward, “With ready access to information on the Internet, our readership has diminished at an alarming rate.

“The book’s loyal followers know that we strive to offer something one can’t easily find online: curated information that is accurate and user-friendly, along with our own reviews and ratings.

“But when a growing number of people believe that everything should be free, it’s impossible to support a reference book that requires a staff of contributors and editors.”

And so another one bites the dust…

By the way: I can't help noting that Leonard is only two years older than me. Meaning that when he and I were both college boys, he had the savvy and resourcefulness to kick off his Movie Guide franchise, while I was still scrounging for movie passes so I could write reviews for my campus paper. Well, it's nice to see that youthful hustling paid off for one of us.

Yep, it's time again for a brand new Maltin Guide

Coming soon to a bookstore near you (if it isn't there already): The 2013 edition of Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, a blockbuster production in which I play a minor supporting role.

Coming soon to a bookstore near you

It's official street date is Aug. 30. And, yes, I'm once again a contributor for this new edition.

Yes, it's that time of year again: The new Maltin Guide has arrived

Coming soon to a bookstore near you (if it isn't there already): The 2011 edition of Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, a blockbuster production in which I play a minor supporting role. You can read more about it here.

TV Alert: Leonard Maltin chats with Hal Holbrook

Better warm up your TiVo: Hal Holbrook will be talking about That Evening Sun (among other things) with Leonard Maltin on the next episode of Maltin's Secret's Out TV series, at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday (Dec. 4) on the ReelzChannel cable network. And if you don't have a video recorder, don't fret: Multiple reruns will follow.

Wallow in Zorro

I am not the least bit ashamed to admit that I am soooooooooo geeked for this. Back in the day, I was a rabid fan of Zorro -- even to the point of dressing up like the dude himself, and brandishing a chalk-tipped plastic sword, for my 6th birthday party. (My mom, God rest her soul, got me this item as a Christmas present.) Guy Williams -- a.k.a., Don Diego de la Vega, a.k.a. Zorro -- was my childhood hero (a status he solidified when he followed up this classic series with Lost in Space). And the show itself -- broadcast in living black-and-white on ABC -- invariably was the highlight of my week. Hell, I even remained in my seat for the commercial breaks, especially when the chicken named Fresh-Up Freddie popped up to hawk 7-Up.

Zorro lasted only two seasons, followed by four hour-long "specials" that aired as part of Disneyland. But your have to remember: During during the 1957-59 era, it was common for a show to air as many as 39 new episodes each season. Which means that -- oh, be still my beating heart! -- between the two boxed-sets of DVDs that hit the streets next week, complete with commentary by Leonard Maltin, I have 78 freakin' half-hour segments to sample during my sentimental journey down memory lane. Cowabunga. Come on, everybody, sing it with me: "Out of the night, when the full moon is bright, comes a horseman known as Zorro..."

Coming soon to a book store near you....

And, yes, for the second year in a row -- I'm one of the contributors for this grand movie guide.

The few. The proud. The chosen. The critics.

The 2009 edition of Leonard Maltin' s Movie Guide is now on sale at fine bookstores everywhere. And while it's always an invaluable resource, this year's edition is even better than usual because... because... well, hell, because I am one of the handpicked contributing editors who contributed mini-reviews (all of them, of course, personally approved by Mr. Maltin himself). You can order the book here. And remember: This book -- much like mine -- is the perfect present for any movie buff on your gift-giving list. And if you buy both of them? Well, it's like Peter Falk says in Wings of Desire: "If you do it together, it's fantastic."