Some movies are iconic. Others are merely entertaining. In Rewind: A Half-Century of Classics, Cult Hits, and Other Must-See Movies, veteran journalist and longtime film buff Rick Anderson reflects on fifty classic films created within a fifty-year period, from 1945-1995. This book provides a historical perspective on these films and the people who made them. Why do these movies work? Or, in some cases, why didn't they work better? The author looks back at well-known films such as Rear Window, The Third Man, Apollo 13, and Sounder. And many other popular but less-renowned works also are covered, as are a handful of relatively obscure productions. The common denominator is that all the films here deserve at least a look from movie fans. Or, for those who have previously watched them, a rewind.

Rick Anderson is an award-winning journalist who has spent more than fifty years in the field, mostly as an editor and film critic at The Daily World newspaper in Aberdeen, Washington. His favorite genres include mysteries, thrillers, film noirs, historical dramas, sports films, and comedies. His all-time Academy Award choices would include Alec Guinness for The Bridge on the River Kwai, Holly Hunter for Broadcast News, Angela Lansbury for the 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate and Fred MacMurray for The Caine Mutiny.