501 Must See Movies [Hardcover]

Various (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2004

"501 Must See Movies" is essential reading for both the film buff and those who simply enjoy going to the movies. Many of the unrivalled classics are here, but perhaps seen from a new perspective by dynamic young critics, together with some unexpected and new discoveries.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 501 pages
• Publisher: Bounty Books (November 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753710676
• ISBN-13: 978-0753710678
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Only hits the Usual Suspects, September 10, 2006

By 

Ruby Tuesday "Ruby Tuesday" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 501 Must See Movies (Hardcover)

I was given this book as a Christmas present from my well-meaning sister who knew I was a filmbuff and thought it would make a good gift. But when I actually came to browsing through it, I think she chose this book based solely on the iconic photo of Audrey Hepburn on the cover. This book, though nicely organized with colorful photos and awards/cast/crew information, goes solely with films that were either huge hits or are already huge classics. Every film that made over $100 million or won Best Picture is here, but I opened this book wanting to be reccomended films I hadn't already seen. This book actually reccomends "Independence Day", "Men in Black", "Romeo +Juliet" (Baz Lhurman version), and "While You Were Sleeping" yet it denies gems "Almost Famous", "Requiem for a Dream", and "The Royal Tenenbaums" among others. The only smaller film noted was "Lost in Translation", though I'd doubt it would be on the book had it not been nominated for Best Picture among other things. Sometimes the authors have a hard time justifying their choices, saying about Independence Day that a scene is "sure to offend anyone brighter than a glass of water", yet they still reccomend it. The real mistake about this book is the fact that it has an editor who didn't check its Oscar facts (Morgan Freeman, NOT Tim Robbins, was nominated for Best Actor for The Shawshank Redemption), remember the controversy (Mia Farrow was married to Frank Sinatra--NOT Roman Polanski--during the filming of Rosemary's Baby when Sinatra ordered her to not chop off her hair for the film and divorced her shortly after), or even categorize the films right (saying that Doctor Strangelove is a sci-fi/fantasy is like saying Schindler's List is the funniest film since "Some Like it Hot").

This book is riddled with mistakes and consists of 501 movies I feel I've already seen. Film buffs should stay away from this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and entertaining, December 29, 2007

By 

S J Buck (Kent, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 501 Must See Movies (Hardcover)

At over 500 pages long this is a fine book which you could quite easily read from cover to cover or dip in and out of when you want to decide whether a watch a particular film or not.

The book divides the films into 10 categories:
Action/Adventure
Comedy
Drama
Horror
Musical
Romance
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Mystery & Thriller
War
Western

There is a page (a few have 2) for each film, normally with a photograph as well, and they are in chronological order within category. You certainly won't agree with all the selections but most of the films are either potential or acknowledged classics. The writers generally present easy to read assessments of each film, and only on the odd occasion do there reviews drift towards the highbrow.

This is a much nicer volume to own than say a Halliwells film guide as the reviews are longer and better to read and the quality of the printing/paper is of an equally high standard.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So-so guide to good movies, June 25, 2008

By 

Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: 501 Must See Movies (Hardcover)

This is not a book for film buffs. And it is also a book you should look for in the remainder bin at cut-rate prices.

That said, this is a so-so guide to many good movies, few of which you may not have seen. But if you're over 30, you've probably seen nearly all of them in the theatre, on DVD (or maybe videotape) or on television.

This is apparently a promotional book, put together in the hope that the title would sell it.

Six reviewers provide very generalized reviews of films broken into ten categories: Action/Adventure & Epic; Comedy; Drama; Horror; Musical; Romance; Science Fiction & Fantasy; Mystery & Thriller; War and Western.

None of the reviews have any significant depth, though there are lots and lots of spoilers. Misspellings and factual errors are common. Most of the reviews are one-page, though a few are two-pages. All have at least one nice photograph.

The films run from the birth of moviemaking through the early 2000s. As noted, nearly all the films were box office hits or are considered classics. Not much new here.

If you get it cheap, it's a nice book toleaf through and it may prod you to rent a few movies that you once enjoyed and are ready to watch again.

Jerry