The old version of iMovie (iMovie HD) was pretty damned intuitive to use. If you are looking at iMovie 08 09 or 11 prepare to be fairly comprehensively baffled, in my opinion.
Not that 09 and 11 are "bad", its just they defy most of the usual conventions of editing software.
I didn't get it at all, until I bought http://www.amazon.com/iMovie-09-iDVD-Missing-Manual/dp/0596801416/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300492514&sr=8-2