Compare Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide to The DVD & Video Guide by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Print This Article
| 
Email This Article
Sadly, I had to pick up Leonard Maltin’s 2008 Movie Guide today. I should have been purchasing the 2008 version of the DVD & Video Guide by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter. But, as you may have figured out, it’s not being published anymore! This sucks, frankly.
So, I decided to compare listings for some of my favorite movies. You can make the decision if you want to get Leonard Maltin’s book.
Mick Martin and Marsha Porter have the following rating system: Turkey, and 2 through 5 stars. Maltin uses Bomb, and 2 through 4 stars. Because the rating system is slightly different, I have included the what the rating means as far as percentage.
Terminator 2:
DVD & Video Rating: 
(100%)
Leonard Rating: 
(62.5%)
Not sure what Leonard was thinking here. Terminator 2 was amazing! It won four Oscars for f/x and makeup, plus it was an amazing movie in general. Maltin says it “lacks freshness and gives us no one to root for.”
Winner: DVD & Video
The Quiet Earth: You probably haven’t heard of this before… it’s my favorite sci-fi movie of all time, and only available on video — if you can find it.
DVD & Video Rating: (80%)
Leonard Rating: (62.5%)
Hmm. I am starting to think Leonard has something against sci-fi. Winner: DVD & Video
The Lord of Rings: The Return of the King:
DVD & Video Rating: (100%) “It is, as they say, wonderment.”
Leonard Rating: (87.5%)
Considering this movie won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, I’m not sure why Maltin doesn’t give it his highest rating. Winner: DVD & Video
Starman: Remember this one? It concerns an alien who takes the form of a woman’s dead husband. Jeff Bridges was nominated for an Oscar, I believe, for his performance.
DVD & Video Rating: (80%)
Leonard Rating: (62.5%)
I’m scratching my head here. Does he just hate sci-fi? Winner: DVD & Video
The Iron Giant:
DVD & Video Rating: (80%)
Leonard Rating: (75%)
This is a bit closer, but I think 75% is too low for such a great movie. I’m going to have to side with Martin and Porter with this one as well, although I think it really deserves at least a 4.5 starts.
Related Entries:
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008. You can follow any responses to this entry
through the Comments RSS 2.0 feed.
7 Responses to “Compare Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide to The DVD & Video Guide by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter”
Comments
Got somthing to say?
Loading ...
Mak Porter says:
March 16th, 2008 at 4:26 am
I have been getting this book for years. That’s ashamed they aren’t going to publish it anymore. Does anybody know of another dvd and video book that would be comparable to Marsha Porter and Mick Martin’s book? I mean, one other than Leonard Maltin’s. If so, what’s it called and where can you purchase it, out at a store or online?
Sleepshow says:
October 27th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Hello. I’m Japanese.
I love Mick Martin’s Guidebook.
Now, I’m VERY SAD. Good Guidebook is very rare, and bad(for me) one are many.
Came back, Mick!
Barbara says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:04 am
What I want to know is, WHY is this wonderful guide no longer being published?! It’s the best! Maltin is a curmudgeon; can’t rate much of anything over 2 1/2! COME BACK MICK AND MARSHA!!!
Laura says:
March 10th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Please add me to the list of those whose favorite movie guide is the one by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter! I often compare their comments with those of Leonard Maltin, and if there is a difference, I usually agree with Martin and Porter.
Donna says:
May 4th, 2009 at 6:12 am
I’ll do without before I’d buy another guide, I think. My gauge? Does the book list Richard Lynch’s movies? If not, it’s not worth my money. When I first checked out which book to buy years ago, the Malton book didn’t, or had such a small collection of them that it wasn’t a difficult choice. I want Mick & Marsha’s book back!
Pete says:
May 7th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Ditto here. Their guide has been a permanent fixture on my coffee table for the better part of 10 years. It was only by browsing the web today (looking to update my 2007 copy) that I find it is no longer being published. Simply tragic.
anggra says:
May 25th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Sure, Martin & Potter is the best!
I had Maltin, Videohound, Variety, etc but Martin & Potter is where i looked up when an unknown movie appears on local tv. Living in Indonesia (South East Asia) where local tvs play a lot of US movies’ straight to DVD or TV-made makes me wonder about some titles i’ve never heard before. I can only find them on M&P because Maltin doesn’t cover that kind of trash movies. Since i don’t have any favorite internet movie guide site, i really miss M&P…