The Official Razzie Movie Guide
Encyclopedia
The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst is a book about the Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies), written by John Wilson
, founder of the awards ceremony. The book was published in 2005 by Warner Books, the same year as the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards.
The book includes an introduction by Rolling Stone
film critic Peter Travers
, a brief history of the Golden Raspberry Awards, and entries on films organized thematically which include plot summaries and reviews by Wilson. Wilson comments on and discusses his picks for the worst films of all time. The Official Razzie Movie Guide received a positive review in Library Journal
, where it was compared to Golden Turkey Awards and The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
. The book also received positive reception in Wilmington Star-News the Associated Press
and the Long Beach Press-Telegram
, but a more critical review in The Evening Standard.
film critic Peter Travers
, a voting member of the Golden Raspberry Awards Foundation. The book begins with selected quotes from the reviewers of such films as The Blue Lagoon
, From Justin to Kelly
, and Color of Night
. The book also includes a brief history of the Golden Raspberry Awards. Wilson lists and discusses his picks of the 100 worst films of Hollywood.
The chapters all deal with bad movies, and are organized thematically with titles such as "Disasters ... In Every Sense." and "Can't Stop the Musicals". Each movie entry includes credits of the cast and crew, excerpts of dialogue from the movie, and a plot summary and review by Wilson. Wilson's picks of the ten worst films include The Adventurers (1970), Battlefield Earth
(2000), Body of Evidence (1992), Exorcist II: The Heretic
(1977), Glen or Glenda (1953), The Lonely Lady
(1983), Mommie Dearest
(1981), The Oscar
(1966), Showgirls
(1995), and Xanadu
(1980).
(UPI) wrote that marketing of the book "may have been somewhat complicated by the cover art", which shows an actor in a gorilla costume with his middle finger raised
. Wilson had originally wanted the gorilla picture to appear on the back cover of the book, however Warner Books stated it must appear on the book's front cover. "It might stand as an apt emblem of the Razzies themselves," commented Nason. "We are not PC. We do not pull punches. We do not pay attention to the basic rules of decorum. Hopefully the humor with which it is packaged takes a little of the sting out of it", said Wilson to UPI. Christopher Borrelli of The Toledo Blade described the book as "a merchandising tie-in" to the Golden Raspberry Awards. Wilson announced the nominees for the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards at a book signing for The Official Razzie Movie Guide at Brentano's
in Century City, Los Angeles, California
.
Barry X. Miller reviewed the book for Library Journal
, and wrote "Wilson's text is a surfeit of saccharine Goobers and gooey Ju Ju Bees, empty calories but fun to eat." Miller compared to the book to Golden Turkey Awards and The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
. Miller commented that Wilson provides "a wonderfully droll review" for each film entry in the book. Ben Steelman of the Wilmington Star-News called the book a "handy volume", and commented "in loving detail, Mr. Wilson describes his 100 favorites among the Worst Movies Ever Made", David Germain of the Associated Press
wrote that Wilson discusses "his take on the 100 most awful—yet perversely fun—movies to watch". Jenny Marder of the Long Beach Press-Telegram
noted "Wilson, creator of the Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, has become the authority for all movies so dreadful, they're laughable, so excruciating, they're, well, award-winning."
"Catherine Shoard of The Evening Standard took a less enthusiastic approach to the book, however, describing it as "a companion book to the annual Golden Raspberry awards", and saying that "it's a shame elderly duds get more space than recent winners, and Wilson's style, though amusing, is never really more than descriptive. Still, that's all some films require ..."
John J.B. Wilson
John J. B. Wilson is an American copywriter and publicist. He was born in Chicago, and moved with his parents to Santa Monica, California at an early age...
, founder of the awards ceremony. The book was published in 2005 by Warner Books, the same year as the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards.
The book includes an introduction by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
film critic Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Peter Travers is an American film critic, who has written for, in turn, People and Rolling Stone. Travers also hosts a celebrity interview show called Popcorn on ABC News Now and ABCNews.com.-Career:...
, a brief history of the Golden Raspberry Awards, and entries on films organized thematically which include plot summaries and reviews by Wilson. Wilson comments on and discusses his picks for the worst films of all time. The Official Razzie Movie Guide received a positive review in Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
, where it was compared to Golden Turkey Awards and The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
The Fifty Worst Films of All Time is a 1978 book by Harry Medved, with Randy Dreyfuss and Michael Medved. This book represents choices for the 50 worst sound films ever made, in alphabetical order...
. The book also received positive reception in Wilmington Star-News the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and the Long Beach Press-Telegram
Long Beach Press-Telegram
The Press-Telegram is a daily newspaper published in Long Beach, California. Tracing its history to 1897, it is currently published by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a division of newspaper conglomerate MediaNews Group, which purchased the newspaper from Knight Ridder in 1997; Ridder and Knight...
, but a more critical review in The Evening Standard.
Contents
The introduction is by Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
film critic Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Peter Travers is an American film critic, who has written for, in turn, People and Rolling Stone. Travers also hosts a celebrity interview show called Popcorn on ABC News Now and ABCNews.com.-Career:...
, a voting member of the Golden Raspberry Awards Foundation. The book begins with selected quotes from the reviewers of such films as The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon (1980 film)
The Blue Lagoon is a 1980 American romance and adventure film directed by Randal Kleiser. The screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart was based on the novel The Blue Lagoon by Henry De Vere Stacpoole. The film stars Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins...
, From Justin to Kelly
From Justin to Kelly
From Justin to Kelly is a 2003 American romantic comedy musical film starring Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the winner and runner-up, respectively, of the first season of American Idol...
, and Color of Night
Color of Night
Color of Night is a 1994 American erotic mystery thriller film produced by Cinergi Pictures and released in the United States by Hollywood Pictures. Directed by Richard Rush, the film stars Bruce Willis, Jane March, Ruben Blades, Lesley Ann Warren, and Scott Bakula...
. The book also includes a brief history of the Golden Raspberry Awards. Wilson lists and discusses his picks of the 100 worst films of Hollywood.
The chapters all deal with bad movies, and are organized thematically with titles such as "Disasters ... In Every Sense." and "Can't Stop the Musicals". Each movie entry includes credits of the cast and crew, excerpts of dialogue from the movie, and a plot summary and review by Wilson. Wilson's picks of the ten worst films include The Adventurers (1970), Battlefield Earth
Battlefield Earth (film)
Battlefield Earth is a 2000 American science fiction film adapted from L. Ron Hubbard's novel of the same name. It was directed by Roger Christian, and stars John Travolta, Forest Whitaker, and Barry Pepper...
(2000), Body of Evidence (1992), Exorcist II: The Heretic
Exorcist II: The Heretic
Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American horror film and the sequel to The Exorcist , directed by John Boorman from a screenplay by William Goodhart and starring Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, James Earl Jones, Ned Beatty and Kitty Winn...
(1977), Glen or Glenda (1953), The Lonely Lady
The Lonely Lady
The Lonely Lady is a 1983 American film directed by Peter Sasdy and adapted to screen by Ellen Shepard from the novel written by Harold Robbins. The original music score was composed by Charlie Calello. The cast includes Pia Zadora, Lloyd Bochner, Bibi Besch, Jared Martin, and in an early film...
(1983), Mommie Dearest
Mommie Dearest
Mommie Dearest is a memoir and exposé written by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford. The book, which depicts Christina's childhood and her relationship with her mother, was published in 1978.-Christina Crawford's claims:...
(1981), The Oscar
The Oscar (film)
The Oscar is a 1966 American drama film, written by Harlan Ellison, Clarence Greene, Russell Rouse and Richard Sale, directed by Rouse and starring Stephen Boyd, singer Tony Bennett , comedian Milton Berle , Elke Sommer, Ernest Borgnine, Jill St. John, and Eleanor Parker...
(1966), Showgirls
Showgirls
Showgirls is a 1995 American drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon...
(1995), and Xanadu
Xanadu (film)
Xanadu is a 1980 romantic musical fantasy film written by Marc Reid Rubel and directed by Robert Greenwald. The title is a reference to the poem "Kubla Khan, or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is quoted in the film. Xanadu is the name of the Chinese province...
(1980).
Marketing
Pat Nason of United Press InternationalUnited Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
(UPI) wrote that marketing of the book "may have been somewhat complicated by the cover art", which shows an actor in a gorilla costume with his middle finger raised
Finger (gesture)
In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
. Wilson had originally wanted the gorilla picture to appear on the back cover of the book, however Warner Books stated it must appear on the book's front cover. "It might stand as an apt emblem of the Razzies themselves," commented Nason. "We are not PC. We do not pull punches. We do not pay attention to the basic rules of decorum. Hopefully the humor with which it is packaged takes a little of the sting out of it", said Wilson to UPI. Christopher Borrelli of The Toledo Blade described the book as "a merchandising tie-in" to the Golden Raspberry Awards. Wilson announced the nominees for the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards at a book signing for The Official Razzie Movie Guide at Brentano's
Brentano's
Brentano's was an American bookstore. In addition to the numerous locations in the United States, there was a Brentano's on Avenue de l'Opéra in Paris, at the same location for 114 years....
in Century City, Los Angeles, California
Century City, Los Angeles, California
Century City is a 176-acre commercial and residential district on the Westside of the city of Los Angeles. It is bounded by Westwood on the west, Rancho Park on the southwest, Cheviot Hills and Beverlywood on the southeast, and the city of Beverly Hills on the northeast...
.
Reception
The Official Razzie Movie Guide received generally admirable reviews from critics.Barry X. Miller reviewed the book for Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
, and wrote "Wilson's text is a surfeit of saccharine Goobers and gooey Ju Ju Bees, empty calories but fun to eat." Miller compared to the book to Golden Turkey Awards and The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
The Fifty Worst Films of All Time
The Fifty Worst Films of All Time is a 1978 book by Harry Medved, with Randy Dreyfuss and Michael Medved. This book represents choices for the 50 worst sound films ever made, in alphabetical order...
. Miller commented that Wilson provides "a wonderfully droll review" for each film entry in the book. Ben Steelman of the Wilmington Star-News called the book a "handy volume", and commented "in loving detail, Mr. Wilson describes his 100 favorites among the Worst Movies Ever Made", David Germain of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
wrote that Wilson discusses "his take on the 100 most awful—yet perversely fun—movies to watch". Jenny Marder of the Long Beach Press-Telegram
Long Beach Press-Telegram
The Press-Telegram is a daily newspaper published in Long Beach, California. Tracing its history to 1897, it is currently published by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a division of newspaper conglomerate MediaNews Group, which purchased the newspaper from Knight Ridder in 1997; Ridder and Knight...
noted "Wilson, creator of the Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, has become the authority for all movies so dreadful, they're laughable, so excruciating, they're, well, award-winning."
"Catherine Shoard of The Evening Standard took a less enthusiastic approach to the book, however, describing it as "a companion book to the annual Golden Raspberry awards", and saying that "it's a shame elderly duds get more space than recent winners, and Wilson's style, though amusing, is never really more than descriptive. Still, that's all some films require ..."