The Aurum Film Encyclopedia

The Aurum Film Encyclopedia is a multi-volume reference work on cinema, published in the UK by Aurum Press and edited by Phil Hardy. The first volume, devoted to western films, appeared in 1983, with eight subsequent volumes announced at that time as "forthcoming". However, only three additional entries were issued. All four volumes have been published in the U.S. by The Overlook Press, with the same contents as the UK editions but with the title changed to The Overlook Film Encyclopedia.

The Foreword to all four volumes is the same, describing the proposed nine-volume encyclopedia as "covering the principal film categories or genres which have developed since the birth of the industry." The intent was to produce a "complete and authoritative" body of information that, upon completion, would be seen as "a truly comprehensive and enduring reference guide to the fabulous world of film."

Each book provides a decade by decade overview of that volume's respective genre. Capsule reviews of individual films are provided per year of release. Each year's films are listed alphabetically, and feature brief cast and credit details.

Tim Lucas described the first three volumes as "essential reference tools" and "eminently collectable as a set."

Published in 1983, The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: The Western is a chronological history of the genre from 1930 - 1983. The book is credited solely to Phil Hardy, and all reviews are ostensibly his work alone. All subsequent volumes credit Hardy as editor, and provide a list of the contributing reviewers on the main title page. Hardy made the decision not to include any silent films in this first volume because, as he explained in his Preface, "space is at a premium" and "only a few silent Westerns are available for viewing." In addition, hundreds of “minor” sound westerns were not included in the main text, again because of noted space issues; the titles of all excluded sound films are provided in a massive, 20-page appendix entitled "All Other Sound Westerns". Many serials and Italian westerns are relegated to this appendix. No such listing is provided for the missing silent films. Other appendices include a list of the top box office western hits, top ten lists from critics, and all Academy Award-winning westerns. Sixteen pages of color stills are provided in a center insert.

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