The Essentials Vol. 2: 52 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter

by Jeremy Arnold, Ben Mankiewicz (Foreword by), Turner Classic Movies

Overview

A guide to fifty-two examples of must-see cinema, The Essentials Vol. 2 — based on the Turner Classic Movies series — is packed with behind-the-scenes stories, illuminating commentary, moments to watch for, and hundreds of photos spotlighting films that define what it means to be a classic.

Since 2001, Turner Classic Movies' The Essentials has been the ultimate destination for cinephiles both established and new, showcasing films that have had a lasting impact on audiences and filmmakers everywhere. In this second volume based on the series, fifty-two films are profiled with insightful notes on why they're Essential, a guide to must-see moments, and running commentary from Essentials hosts past and present: TCM's Ben Mankiewicz and the late Robert Osborne, as well as Rob Reiner, Sydney Pollack, Molly Haskell, Carrie Fisher, Rose McGowan, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Sally Field, William Friedkin, Ava DuVernay, and Brad Bird.

Enjoy one film per week for a year of stellar viewing or indulge in your own classic movie festival. Spanning the silent era through the late 1980s with such diverse films as Top Hat, Brief Encounter, Rashomon, Vertigo, and Field of Dreams, it's an indispensable book for movie lovers to expand their knowledge of cinema and discover — or revisit — landmark films that impacted Hollywood forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762469390
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/20/2020
Series:	Turner Classic Movies
Pages:	312
Sales rank:	216,954
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Jeremy Arnold is a film historian, commentator, and author of Turner Classic Movies: The Essentials and Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season. His writing has appeared in Variety, the Hollywood Reporter, Moviemaker, and the Directors Guild of America magazine, and he has recorded audio commentaries for the Blu-ray or DVD releases of numerous vintage films. He lives in Los Angeles.

Turner Classic Movies is the definitive resource for the greatest movies of all time. We entertain and enlighten to show how the entire spectrum of classic movies, movie history, and movie-making touches us all and influences how we think and live today.

Table of Contents

Foreword Ben Mankiewicz

Introduction

Sunrise (1927) 10

Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) 15

Freaks (1932) 20

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) 25

Twentieth Century (1934) 31

Top Hat (1935) 37

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) 43

Dodsworth (1936) 48

The Awful Truth (1937) 53

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) 58

Stagecoach (1939) 64

The Women (1939) 70

The Great Dictator (1940) 75

The Philadelphia Story (1940) 80

The Maltese Falcon (1941) 85

Ball of Fire (1941) 91

Sullivan's Travels (1942) 96

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 102

Cat People (1942) 107

Laura (1944) 113

Mildred Pierce (1945) 119

Brief Encounter (1945) 124

Notorious (1946) 129

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) 134

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) 139

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) 144

Rashomon (1950) 150

A Place in the Sun (1951) 155

An American in Paris (1951) 160

The Quiet Man (1952) 166

High Noon (1952) 171

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) 176

The Night of the Hunter (1955) 181

Pather Panchali (1955) 186

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) 191

A Face in the Crowd (1957) 197

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) 202

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 208

Vertigo (1958) 213

Pillow Talk (1959) 219

The Apartment (1960) 224

Psycho (1960) 229

Ride the High Country (1962) 234

The Battle of Algiers (1966) 239

The Producers (1967) 244

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 249

The Sting (1973) 255

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 260

Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) 265

Network (1977) 270

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) 275

Field of Dreams (1989) 280

Editorial Reviews

Film historian and author Arnold (Christmas in the Movies) returns for a second bite at the classics apple with this delightful sequel to 2016’s The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter… Arnold’s knowledge is vast, and the joyful tone of his sprightly writing is infectious. With a foreword by current TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, an index and an extensive bibliography, and a list of all the films screened on The Essentials, this book will please film buffs of all ages and levels of cinema knowledge.”—Library Journal starred review

"As in the first collection of essays, Jeremy Arnold provides background information and perspective on each title, while the publisher frames all of this in a handsome package with carefully-chosen stills....You can't go wrong revisiting any of [these] movies and you'll enjoy rekindling thoughts and memories of them in this appealing and well-written survey."—Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian

“Lavishly illustrated and intelligently written… The new Volume 2 handsomely complements Volume 1 design-wise and sits neatly on the shelf beside its older brother.”—Raymond Benson, Cinema Retro

“A clear and concise breakdown of why these movies are worth your time… This is the perfect gift for someone that wants to get into classic movies but has no idea where to start.”—Journeys in Classic Film

“A sequel that is better than the original.”—DVD Corner

From the Publisher

12/04/2020

Film historian and author Arnold (Christmas in the Movies) returns for a second bite at the classics apple with this delightful sequel to 2016's The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter. Both volumes follow Turner Classic Movies' cinephile staple, The Essentials, a weekly program that has been hosted by a bevy of directors, critics, movie and TV personalities, and TCM presenters since its 2001 debut. Starting with the 1927 silent film Sunrise and proceeding chronologically to 1989's Field of Dreams, the art-heavy chapters feature a credits box, "Why It's Essential," commentary from the hosts and guest hosts of the program, and a fun feature, "What To Look For," which newcomers to the classics and repeat viewers of the films will enjoy. Those who mourn the passing of TCM host Robert Osbourne and actress/writer Carrie Fisher will delight in reading their comments; more recent guest hosts, such as directors Ava DuVernay and Brad Bird, add fresh voices to the mix. VERDICT Arnold's knowledge is vast, and the joyful tone of his sprightly writing is infectious. With a foreword by current TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, an index and an extensive bibliography, and a list of all the films screened on The Essentials, this book will please film buffs of all ages and levels of cinema knowledge.—Liz French, Library Journal

Library Journal