| In 2003, DVD releases of classic films were not | | | | actors are, the data bank will prove highly |
| only few in number, but rarely contained titles | | | | informative. But if you're just browsing, you can |
| that were unfamiliar. | | | | waste a lot of time and get nowhere. |
| This scene has dramatically changed for the | | | | Many of us have forgotten that you can pick up |
| better. Now thousands of classic titles can be | | | | a book in your hands and by simply flicking |
| purchased on DVD, and at least a hundred "new" | | | | through the pages, you can accomplish in ten |
| old movies are released every month. So many | | | | seconds what will take at least ten minutes on |
| have hit the market, in fact, that online review | | | | the net. And when you find a title that sounds |
| sites now cover less than half of them. But you | | | | promising, like "The Belle of New York", for |
| know they're out there, because you see them in | | | | example, you can find out simply everything |
| the stores or find them listed in catalogs. | | | | about it at a glance. |
| We have two problems. Much as we would all like | | | | I said earlier, our keen classic movie collector has |
| to purchase every new DVD release that appears | | | | two problems. His second problem concerns the |
| on the market, our funds are limited and we need | | | | movies he remembers and would love to see |
| to be selective. First up, of course, are the | | | | again. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember the |
| movies we fondly remember. Next are the titles | | | | title or the stars, but can vividly recall certain |
| that seem familiar, the movies that received a lot | | | | scenes. A film about a couple of songwriters who |
| of publicity and won all sorts of awards , but that | | | | always quarreling, for instance. There are |
| we missed seeing. And there are, of course, | | | | hundreds of such films. A data bank is pretty |
| famous movies that were released before our | | | | useless for this sort of query. The only way to |
| time. But once we have these titles in our | | | | find the title is to ask an expert or thumb through |
| collection, there are thousands more to choose | | | | a reference book. Particularly one with photos. |
| from, and these we know little or nothing about. | | | | Answer: Well, it could most likely be "Three Little |
| This is where reference books really come into | | | | Words", if the movie was in color. Or "Tin Pan |
| their own. True, there are online data banks. If | | | | Alley", in black-and-white. |
| you know exactly what the title is, or who the | | | | |