1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die - Hardcover

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9780764157011: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0764157019 ISBN 13: 9780764157011

Publisher: B E S Pub Co, 2004

"You played it for her, Sam. Now, play it for me." Everybody loves a good movie, andCasablanca is just one of the classics described in this, the ultimate book about movies! This volume's expert team of authors spans a full century of production, concisely describing 1001 of the best films from around the world. The listings are dramatically augmented with memorable photos, both in color and black and white. The book is a chrono-logical survey covering the best cinematic dramas, comedies, westerns, musicals, suspense and horror films, gangster classics, films noir, sci-fi epics, documentaries, and adaptations of novels and stage plays. Starting in 1902 with the French production,Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) and the famous 1903 American short,The Great Train Robbery, this immensely enjoyable read moves forward chronologically. Film fans review the 1920s silent classics of D. W. Griffith and the comedies of Chaplin and Keaton, then go on to the era of sound films, beginning in 1927 with Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer. Soon to follow were von Sternberg's 1931 classic with Marlene Dietrich,Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel), the Bela Lugosi portrayal of Dracula, and the inimitableKing Kong. Other highlights from the 1930s include screwball comedies likeIt Happened One Night and Bringing Up Baby, the elegant song-and-dance fests that paired Astaire and Rogers, the crazy antics of the Marx Brothers, and the classic Warner Brothers gangster films where James Cagney, George Raft, and Edward G. Robinson were brought to justice in the final reel. In the 1940s, The Maltese FalconandCasablanca made Humphrey Bogart a household name--and spanning nearly a half-century, from the 1930s to the '80s, Alfred Hitchcock's suspense classics thrilled millions. Also well represented are the post-World War II European New Wave directors, including Pasolini, Fellini, and Antonioni from Italy, Resnais and Truffaut from France, and many others. Here too in words and photos are the classic westerns, from epics starring John Wayne and Gary Cooper to those in which Clint Eastwood shot it out with the bad and the ugly. --And certainly not to be overlooked are the great musicals, from Singin' in the Rain to Chicago.Readers who open this book to any page will find a major film described with a complete list of credits, an essay summarizing its story line and screen-history, and still shots of some of the film's memorable scenes. At the back of the book, both an alpha-betical index and a genre index will help readers find any film they're looking for in a hurry. Collectors of DVDs and video tapes will find this volume a must for their bookshelf, but even casual moviegoers will enjoy browsing through this big, entertaining reference book. For students of cinema, for discerning film buffs, for general moviegoers, and for readers who enjoy reminiscing over unforgettable lines of dialogue, here's the best place to start.

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Review:

"I have, by the way, seen 943 of the 1001 movies, and am

carefully rationing the remaining titles to prolong my life."

Roger Ebert

"Both a fun stroll through some all-time favourites, and a guilty

reminder of just how many great movies I haven't seen yet..."

Aubrey Day, Total Film

"As edited by Steven Jay Schneider, it makes for addictive

browsing, and likewise features top quality stills."

Film Review

Book Description:

Previous editions of 1001 Movies have been hugely successful, reaching sales of well over 90,000. Revised and up-to-date reviews of the top movies of all time selected by a leading international critics. Over 500 black & white and colour images of film posters and stills. The definitive guide for all movie lovers.

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