HARDY, Phil(ippe)

(1945-)

   UK expert on rock music and film, on both of which subjects he has published widely, having been founding editor of Studio Vista's Rockbooks series and of the magazine Music Business. Among his notablebooks on film those most relevant to sf are The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction (1984; vt Science Fiction: The Complete Film Sourcebook1985 US; vt The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies 1986 ; rev 1991) and The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror (1985; vt The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies 1987 US; rev projected 1993), both of which he edited andpartly wrote. Well edited, containing detailed credits and critical annotations on well over 1000 films each, these books are-despite inevitable small errors and on rare occasion weird judgments - about the most readable and useful reference works in book form on their subjects (CINEMA). There are more comprehensive filmographies available, but PH'sare much the most comprehensive to contain critical comment. The Science Fiction volume - whose 1991 updating was largely the work of Kim NEWMAN -is the only current (1992) book to be more comprehensive in the field than this encyclopedia.

   PN