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

Any fan of Turner Classic Movies should know the name Jeremy Arnold. Such a fan might have even seen him on the channel. His name is entwined with a long-term series entitled The Essentials, which presents films (uncut and commercial-free, of course) judged by the TCM staff to be must-see movies for the cinematic aficionado. The book under review here is the second volume of 52 essential films, published in 2020. The foreword was written by Ben Mankiewicz, one of the two people most closely associated with Turner Classic Movies. The other person is, of course, Robert Osborne, who wrote the foreword for the first volume. I am still mourning Robert Osborne, who walked off the set in 2017. For me, he epitomized TCM, but Ben Mankiewicz is a very capable and personable replacement for a man who, in reality, is irreplaceable. The second Arnold volume, however, is just as mesmerizing as was the first. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking, “Why was this film not in the first volume. It seems like such an obvious first choice.” Yes, Casablanca was included in the first volume, but The Maltese Falcon is in the second one. Many other pairings like this one could be mentioned and it would be fun to mention them here, but my main hope is that I can enthuse cinephiles to pick up the first volume, read it, and then play a guessing game about which films were chosen for the second volume and see what the resulting score is. Both books cover much of the same time span, expectedly beginning in the Silent Era, with Metropolis (1927) and Sunrise in the same year and ending with This is Spinal Tap (1984) in the first volume and Field of Dreams (1989) in the second. The same chapter layout is used in both volumes, which is consistently intriguing. Each treatment begins with a list of credits, including the director, producer(s), and screenplay author(s). The film company, year of release, running length, and whether black & white or color are indicated, as well as a capsule of the film storyline. Then, Arnold explores why he thinks the film is essential and for what the viewer should watch. In addition, commentary is offered by the TCM host and the invited co-host. Finally, each chapter is decorated with a selection of images from the film, including often the initial poster. Nicely enough, even with films released in color, the photographic images are often in black and white. I found that no matters how many times I might have seen a given film or how much I had read about it previously, there was something interesting to learn, pointed out by Arnold. So, am I recommending you buy this book? Oh, yeah. And don’t forget to buy the first volume at the same time.

I feel there are a few of titles in this volume that would have improved it without their inclusion in a book sold as containing "essential", must see films. While I understand the concept and that the movies were aired on TCM's Essentials programming, that list is much longer and has more titles of greater interest to the movie going public. I felt several of the movies not included in vol 2 weakened the value of this edition. In the foreword, it was revealed that the three, more esoteric, titles were suggested by one individual which hardly qualifies the "essential" title. I know films, like all other art forms, are subject to opinion, however, there is a long standing agreement on the 100 or so best titles on a national and international level. I am a film collector with over 2500 titles including 39 films from the first volume. I am currently reading this book and I find the selections are going off on a tangent while many other quality films, dozens of those on the programming list were left out of this book. I don't think Volume two is nearly as successful as Volume one

This book is just as good as the first one. It's clearly written and follows a formula that is easily recognizable and enjoyable. I could imagine another 52 Essentials Vol. 3. I would definitely purchase it.

52 More Must-See Movies and Why Thy Matter is the sequel to Jeremy Arnold's 2o17 on Must See Movies. These films have all been showcased in TCM's Essentials series. Of the over 300 movies shown in the series Arnold has selected 52 more films to discuss. The first movie under scrutiny is Murnau's Sunrise from 19278 and the latest in chronological order is Field of Dreams from 1989. Each film is celebrated in beautiful photos, a cast listing, a short article on why it is an essential , quotes from Esseintial hosts and a what to look for suggestion. This is a beautiful and fun to read book which is an excellent gift for anyone who loves TCM and classic films. A winner deserving of a fan appreciation Oscar!

52 more intriguing choices from TCM. I have the first volume, and this is a great addition. TCM's selection criteria for "essential" movies and for the subset they include in the books is interesting, and I find myself agreeing with their choices almost all the time. Like the first volume, this one is loaded with great pictures and pithy text describing each movie. I find myself referring to both volumes when I want to refresh my memory...

If you read the previous essentials book from TCM then you know what your getting into. It’s a marvelous book full of great information and even better movies ranging from the 20s to the 80s. It’s got informative and entertaining insight on brilliant classics such as High Noon, Rashomon, Psycho, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Harlan County USA, Field of Dreams, The Maltese Falcon, The Sting and many more. If you loved the last book or need a new viewing guide, this book is perfect for you. This is a great sequel to the last book and I can’t wait for a third!!

Tcm is really the final word in classic movies and this book is an excellent selection of 52 more essentials Perfect for anyone who is already read the initial essentials book . It is a great follow up . I think female wise and eclectic selection great diversity here this time I think female wise and eclectic selection great diversity here this time . I would highly recommend this book Like all TCM products is the last word in classic films

Just like volume1's focus on 52 great movies, I liked using this to (select then) watch some old gems, collect copies of a few movies I loved but forgot about, and get insight into movies beyond what you can from just watching them. This volume includes references to those listed in volume 1 to get a complete index.