Variety Film Reviews
Introduction '''''Variety Film Reviews''''' is the 24-volume hardcover reprint of feature film reviews by the weekly entertainment tabloid-size magazine ''Variety'' from 1907 to 1996.Film reviews continued to be published in the weekly magazine after the reprints were discontinued.
Original series From 1983 to 1985, Garland Publishing, was responsible for the first sixteen volumes of this series. Garland is now wholly owned by Routledge, which has since been purchased by Taylor & Francis. Their first 15 volumes consisted of review reprints. Their 16th volume is an alphabetical index of more than 50,000 titles. Perhaps 10% are alternate titles and original foreign titles, so 45,000 review reprints is a realistic estimate for the first 15 volumes.
Bi-annual supplements The eight additional bi-annual volumes (for 1981–1996) have at least 15,000 additional reprinted film reviews, making an estimated total of 60,000 or more film reviews in the 24-volume series. Volume 18 has the title index for 1981–1984.Each subsequent volume includes its own title index.
Edition binding The 19 volumes published by Garland are bound in green (''Variety'''s traditional color) cloth with gold stamping. Each book measures 31.2 cm. (12¼ inches) high by 24 cm. (9¼ inches) wide.
Subsequent publisher Garland's rights expired after publication of Volume 19, and publication rights were acquired by R.R. Bowker, then owned by Reed International, which also owned ''Variety''. Bowker undertook a complete reprint of Volumes 1 through 19, changing the title page of each volume to reflect their own imprint, and changing the series name to '''''Variety's Film Reviews'''''. The re-titled series was bound in brown Kivar, or a similar imitation leather binding material. Bowker published the original editions of Volumes 20 through 24 before discontinuing the series.
Alternate binding Some copies of Volumes 20 through 24 are bound in green cloth with gold stamping similar to the original Garland editions. Apparently Bowker allowed a distributor that bought the Garland inventory of ''Variety Film Reviews'' to bind post-1986 volumes to match the earlier books.
Volumes and years covered + Variety Film ReviewsVolumeDate RangeGarland ISBNBowker ISBN 1  1907–1920   2  1921–1925   3  1926–1929   4  1930–1933   5  1934–1937   6  1938–1942   7  1943–1948   8  1949–1953   9  1954–1958   10  1959–1963   11  1964–1967   12  1968–1970   13  1971–1974   14  1975–1977   15  1978–1980   16  Index 1907–1980   set  Volumes 1–16   — 17  1981–1982   18  1983–1984   19  1985–1986   20  1987–1988  —  21  1989–1990  —  22  1991–1992  —  23  1993–1994  —  24  1995–1996  —
Other reprints of film reviews ''Variety'' is one of the three English-language periodicals with 10,000 or more film reviews reprinted in book form. The other two are* ''The New York Times'' as '''''The New York Times Film Reviews''''' (1913–2000) in 22 volumes. * ''Harrison's Reports'' as '''''Harrison's Reports and Film Reviews''''' (1919–1962) in 15 volumes.
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