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In 1975, David Thomson published his Biographical Dictionary of Film, and few film books have enjoyed better press or such steady sales.

Now, thirty-three years later, we have the companion volume, a second book of more than 1,000 pages in one voice—that of our most provocative contemporary film critic and historian.

Juxtaposing the fanciful and the fabulous, the old favorites and the forgotten, this sweeping collection presents the films that Thomson offers in response to the question he gets asked most often—“What should I see?” This new book is a generous history of film and an enticing critical appraisal written with as much humor and passion as historical knowledge. Not content to choose his own top films (though they are here), Thomson has created a list that will surprise and delight you—and send you to your best movie rental service.

But he also probes the question: after one hundred years of film, which ones are the best, and why?

“Have You Seen . . . ?” suggests a true canon of cinema and one that’s almost completely accessible now, thanks to DVDs. This book is a must for anyone who loves the silver screen: the perfect confection to dip into at any point for a taste of controversy, little-known facts, and ideas about what to see. This is a volume you’ll want to return to again and again, like a dear but argumentative friend in the dark at the movies.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf; 1st edition (October 14, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 1024 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0307264610
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0307264619
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.4 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.1 x 2 x 10.25 inches
Reviewer: Avid Collector
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: For ALL lovers of film
Review: I just received this book and so have only spent a couple of hours with it. The book is very engaging, and stirs interest in seeing films that you might have never ever watched, much less heard of. He is good about telling why he likes or dislikes the films, and in some cases suggests that you don't even watch the whole film, but certain scenes, or portions that are not to be missed.Overall a great reference.He has most of the reviews from films from the 30's to the 50's. This is intentional on his part, but does a very nice job of covering many decades of movies and he even has a couple of films from 2008.There is a chronological index in the back of the book, but strangely enough, the book has no Table of Contents, or alphabetical listing of the reviews. I think that the inclusion of an alphabetical listing, and maybe an additional listing by director would have made things more interesting, and the book easier to use as a reference.

Reviewer: enubrius
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: For REAL film lovers only
Review: First the obvious: David Thomson is the best writer of film criticism around. By that I mean his actual writing abilty, words, phrases, style, etc. Second the admiration at his success in merely finishing the job of selecting, writing about, and analysing the 1,000 (NOT a typo!) films in this volume. Third the awe at how penetrating so much of it is on so many levels in so brief (for each film) a space. Which brings me to fourth, the caveats: Caveat: If you're not a true film buff who has seen a truly large sample of film from throughout its history, this may not be the book for you. Thomson describes moods, feelings, philosophies, engendered by the films he covers, but if you haven't seen the movie, you may not know what he's talking about since he does NOT go into great plot detail in many cases. Which brings me to the next caveat: You might want to read this with a copy of Leonard Maltin's movie guide or Videohound next to you since, except for the date of releases of each film, there is anywhere from some to no information given regarding cast, director, plot (see above), etc. except as it relates to Thomson's emotional and/or intellectual reaction to the film; some films are covered in great detail, others remain as ephemeral as Sarah Palin's intelligence. And, final caveat, don't start reading if you've got a lot of other things to do. There's those 1,000 films and once you start reading Thomson, it's SO hard to stop!

Reviewer: Z Hayes
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Interesting and recommended reading for movie fans
Review: I found this book to be a treasure trove of ideas on which films should be on one's must-see list, and yes, one may not agree 100% with Thomson's recommendations (and wonder why some movies were left off the list) but this book still does entertain and inform. The format of the book seems pretty straight-forward with an alphabetical listing of the movies (with the year provided), but I felt the author was remiss in not providing a comprehensive index. There is a chronological index at the back of the book, but none for the main actors, directors, the genre of a movie, etc, which makes this less user-friendly as a film reference book/guide.Each movie that does make Thomson's list is given a page and the author basically provides his own opinions, insights and commentaries on what make a particular movie appealing and/or worth watching. The writing is concise, candid, and entertaining. I wish there had been more organization in terms of presenting a movie. For example, merely listing the title of the movie and the year of release followed by the commentary is insufficient. I would have appreciated a listing of specifics such as the actors, whether the movie was in color or B&W,total running time, the awards won (if any), etc. There are also no illustrations of photographs in the book. On the whole though, this is an interesting read, especially for those who love the movies, like I do. Some other books I'd recommend:Roger Ebert's Book of Film: From Tolstoy to Tarantino, the finest writing from a century of film1001 Movies You Must See Before You DieThe A List: The National Society of Film Critics' 100 Essential Films

Reviewer: John T. Chance
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The best compilation
Review: Thomson is an astute generalist and has something of value and intelligence to say about every one of the 1,000 films. He is useful, whether commenting on films you already know and love, or those you may have never heard of before. Written with vigor, wit, and deep scholarship, it is as good a guide as one could want through the 10 to 12 decades that he covers..

Reviewer: King Sparrow
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Reflections on movies, not reviews
Review: Thomson's book includes 1000 essays--each confined to a page--reflecting from the vantage point of a lifetime of movie knowledge and wisdom on a thousand different films from around the world and from the silent era to the early 2000s. What makes the book special--even extraordinary--is the richness of Thomson's insights. Beware: the writing and thoughts are not linear: that is, he doesn't lay out the plot and analyze it. Rather, in no particular order at all, he casts his pearls--on acting, filmwriting, direction, production, whatever--on each movie for our further consideration. In doing so, he has given me many new ideas and avenues of approach for my own thinking. What more can a reader ask?

Reviewer: GHD
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very Worthwhile
Review: David Thomson writes intelligently and informatively about most of the great (and not-so-great) films. I don't always agree with him but I always want to know what he thinks. It's a great book to have in a film-lovers's library. One that I will reference over and over again.

Reviewer: innocent bystander
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: a thousand one-page treasures
Review: Thomson's knowledge, wit, and ability to be originally interesting about fine movies, one after the other, is nothing short of astounding -- not to mention his stamina, to do it 1,000 times! Not a dull page; I always check this volume before seeing any movie old and good enough to have been included on his list.

Reviewer: Sweet Spring Farmer
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Interesting but no cigar
Review: As always, Thomson delivers - just barely. More interesting and better explicated reviews can be found in the works of Roger Ebert, Leonard Maltin, and just about anywhere...

Reviewer: HubertPaysBas
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: David Thomson’s writing is highly addictive. For those who love movies with a passion, his books provide context and insight. Well written, profoundly interesting essential reading. ‘Have you seen?’ is a book I keep coming back to. My old copy was wearing out, so I bought a new one.

Reviewer: Chris West
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Thomson schreibt wie ein Liebender über seine Geliebte über diese Filme. Dazu mit englischem Witz und Understatement, mit Ironie und einem Blick für's Ganze, das heißt in diesem Fall die Filmgeschichte. Er ordnet und weist in die Richtung, die diese Filme schufen. Über 1000 Filme, jeder ob Supermegahit oder Kleinstfilm bekommt eine Seite. Dabei steht allerdings nicht die Inhaltsangabe und eine dämliche Sternchen oder Daumen Rauf Vergabe im Vordergrund, sondern der Film als künstlerisch gelungen oder gescheitertes Werk. Er reibt sich und sucht die Kristallisationsmomente der Filme, er leidet und lacht und ist beeindruckt und gibt dem Leser wie einer Oma an der dichtbefahrenen Straße den Arm, uns hindurchzuführen.Absolutes Muss für jeden Filmkunst Kenner.

Reviewer: Gerard Hanlon
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Excellent

Reviewer: Frank MaGloobin
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This is a great book for those moments when you think "I wonder what Thomson thought of such and such film." The book offers one page reviews on many of the great and not so great movies with plot and production details plus occasional personal observations from the author. For movie fans it's recommended. An ideal book to dip into with a favourite beverage and/or snack by your side.

Reviewer: Andrew Membery
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Informative and to the point. Passionate too in places. He does know his stuff. And yes, there are many great films not in there.. But a great coffee table book.