Another subjective 1001 blah, blah, blah to do before you die books. Somehow i had seen and heard of many more of these, working my way through the rest. ( )

I think the most common question I get when I mention this book is, "so what makes one guy the authority on which movies you HAVE to watch?" Mr. Schneider did not, in fact, pick out the 1001 films on his own. Rather, this is an expansive tome with 60 contributors with a backgrounds in film theory, criticism, film and literature and film history. The book takes care to span several countries but is heavily favored towards American cinema.

That being said, this is not all high-fallootin' intellectual fare. There are surprise entires in the form of classic horror (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes), 80's Teen Classics (Breakfast Club), classic comedy (Nutty Professor, Airplane!) sitting alongside much heavier fare. Each film is given an essay as to why the film was on the list.

My edition is the second edition, but I've compared it to the 1st. While the 1st edition and 2nd edition only added 2 years, it's obvious that 1980 - Present went through many changes on the "must see" list. Off the top of my head, the 1st edition lists "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" as a must-see while it seems by the 2nd edition Guy Ritchie has been officially stricken from the records. I think this says much about the difficulty of maintaining a "modern classic" in this day and age.

I've begun an attempt at watching these films with husband and have started a blog devoted to the process (linked in my profile). I must say I geeked out a bit and in homage to the 1001 Books spreadsheet, created one for the films as well. It certainly helps out with keeping track!

http://stephmosmovies.blogspot.com/ ( )

This book is a perfect gift for any movie buff. A movie "bible," it includes reviews of 1001 must-see movies, from 1900 to the present. While there are a few blockbusters and Academy Award Winners included in the anthology, there are many indie, cult, and foreign films as well. It's now DH's goal to get through the entire list, and we determined that approximately 75% of the titles are available from the library, and almost all of the remaining titles are available from Amazon (a couple hard to find exceptions). Each movie is highlighted by a page of text, describing the plot and the qualities that make the film notable. Cast, major awards, available languages, associated books, and color photos are also included. There were some surprising omissions, but overall, this is a great reference. ( )

This is a terrific companion for the committed film buff, or someone looking forward to expanding their knowledge of world cinema.
I am sure many discussions have and will be provoked by what has been included, what left out. I have already started writing a list of omissions which I find scandalous! I am sure it won't accord with anyone else's!

I really like the genre indices - for dipping into when you are in the mood for finding something at the video shop in a certain style.

My personal 'shock-horror' omissions?

So far:
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Le Cercle Rouge
Funny Girl
Harvey
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
Mrs Miniver
Carnival of Souls
The Party
The Court Jester
Zulu
Ryan's Daughter (if only because it played forever in Australia!) ( )

This is a sumptuous collection of movie reviews by a multitude of critics, compiled and organized by Schneider, the general editor. The listings are chronological, although there are several appendices, including one listing movies by genre. Each review also lists the producers, directors, cast, technical details, and awards and nominations. The selection lives up to the title of the book; these are not neccessarily all movies that the American Film Institute would include... although, probably all the "classic" movie selections are included here. I was able to make good use of this reference to add to (and complete, I hope) my own "must see/possess" list of coveted movies. ( )

Awesome list of great and not-so-great movies that should be seen.