The ultimate Woody Allen film companion

Flavorwire film editor Bailey (Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino's Masterpiece) has crafted a well-designed look at celebrated filmmaker Woody Allen, devoting brief chapters to each of the director's films. Bailey begins with a concise examination of Allen's early years as a comedy writer and his stand-up work; however, he makes it clear that his emphasis is on Allen's cinematic output, not his life or the scandals (those looking for biographical information would do well to consult John Baxter's Woody Allen: A Biography, Eric Lax's Woody Allen: A Biography, or films Woody Allen: A Documentary and Wild Man Blues). Though brief, the analyses are on point, and color photographs, graphics, pull-out quotes, and informational boxes give the book the feel of a highbrow movie magazine. Interspersed throughout are short essays that add nuance and texture, considering, for instance, Allen's obsession with death and his decisions to shoot some films in black and white. While little of the material here will be new or surprising to most film fans, it's artfully packaged and charmingly presented, making the volume an attractive option for hard-core fans and casual readers alike. VERDICT A delightful, though less than scholarly, addition to film collections.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.