NONFICTION - July 16, 1995

CHRONICLE OF THE CINEMA edited by Robyn Karney, foreward by Gene Siskel (Dorling Kindersley: $59.95; 920 pp.). Published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the movies, this latest volume in the popular Chronicle series (succeeding the equally massive “Chronicle of the 20th Century” and others) follows the familiar formula of having history related through headlines and brief stories in mock newspaper form. While the book does include celebrity deaths, contract disputes and nominally newsworthy events, such as “Ronald Reagan marries Nancy Davis,” it mostly deals with the notable films released in a given year. Chronicle get points for giving considerable space to world cinema and not restricting itself to Hollywood, but its judgments about what films to include are questionable and its juxtapositions, such as finding “Assured Debut From Swiss Alain Tanner” next to “Sharon Tate Killed in Horrifying Blood Bath,” are often odd and unnerving. Its strength, however, is its over 3,000 vivid illustrations, including a great many vintage posters in full color. Even if the book’s taste frustrates you at times, it is very difficult to stop turning its pages.