A podcast that looks at The National Film Registry.
Episode Notes Full descrptions from the Library of Congress “The Tramp and the Dog” (1896) "The Tramp and the Dog," a silent film from Chicago's Selig Polyscope Company, is considered director William Selig's most popular early work. Filmed in Rogers Park, it is recognized as the first commercial film made in Chicago. Previously a lost film, it was rediscovered in 2021 at the National Library of Norway. The film depicts a tramp who attempts to steal a pie from a backyard windowsill, only to be met by a broom-wielding housewife and her dog, who foils the crime. The film is one of the first known as “pants humor,” where a character loses (or almost loses) his pants during an altercation. This scene inspired future comedy gags showing drifters and tramps losing their pants to dogs chasing them. “The Oath of the Sword” (1914) A three-reel silent drama, "The Oath of the Sword" depicts the tragic story of two young lovers separated by an ocean. Masao follows his ambitions, studying abroad at the University of California, Berkeley, while Hisa remains in Japan, caring for her ill father. This earliest known Asian American film production featured Japanese actors playing Japanese characters and was produced by the Los Angeles-based Japanese American Film Company. Made at a time when Hollywood studios were not yet the dominant storytellers of the American film industry, "The Oath of the Sword" highlights the significance of early independent film productions created by and for Asian American communities. James Card, the founding curator at the George Eastman Museum, acquired “The Oath of the Sword” in 1963. The museum made a black and white photochemical preservation in 1980. In 2023, a new preservation reproducing the original tinting was done in collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum, and the film has since become widely admired. “The Maid of McMillan” (1916)Known to be the first student film on record, this whimsical, silent romance film was shot on campus in 1916 by students in the Thyrsus Dramatic Club at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Club members Donald Stewart (Class of 1917) and George D. Bartlett (Class of 1920) wrote the screenplay. The original nitrate print of “The Maid of McMillan” was rediscovered in 1982, and two 16mm prints were made; the original nitrate was likely destroyed at this time. In 2021, with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation, one of those 16mm prints was scanned at 4k and reprinted onto 35mm helping to secure the film's survival and legacy. “The Lady” (1925)When “The Lady” debuted in theaters in 1925, the silent film era had hit its stride, and this movie represents a powerhouse of artists at their peak. Director Frank Borzage was a well-established expert in drawing out intense expressions of deep emotion and longing in his actors. He did just that with the film's lead actress, Norma Talmadge, also at the height of her career, both in front of and behind the camera. Talmadge produced “The Lady” through her production company and commissioned one of the most prolific screenwriters, Frances Marion, to deliver a heartfelt story of a woman seeking to find the son she had to give up, to protect him from his evil grandfather. “The Lady” was restored by the Library of Congress in 2022. “Sparrows” (1926)As a silent actress, producer and key founder in the creation of the American film industry, Mary Pickford's performance in “Sparrows” represents her ability to master the genre she helped nourish: sentimental melodramas full of adventure and thrills, with dashes of comedy and heartfelt endings. Pickford plays Molly, the eldest orphan held within the swampy squalor of the Deep South, who moves heaven and earth to save the other orphan children from a Dickensian world of forced labor. The film takes some departures from the visual styles found in Pickford's other films, invoking an unusual tone of despair while deploying camera angles and lighting akin to German Expressionist cinema. “Sparrows” was preserved by the Library of Congress in collaboration with the Mary Pickford Company in 2020. “Ten Nights in a Barroom” (1926) Featuring an all-Black cast, “Ten Nights in a Barroom” was produced in 1926 by the Colored Players Film Corporation of Philadelphia and is the earliest of only two surviving films made by the company. This silent film is based on the stage melodrama adapted from the 1854 novel “Ten Nights in a Bar-Room and What I Saw There” by Timothy Shay Arthur. Released in 2015 by Kino Lorber as part of the five-disc set “Pioneers of African-American Cinema,” the compilation was produced by the Library of Congress, in association with the British Film Institute, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National Archives, Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, Southern Methodist University and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Preserved by George Eastman Museum. “White Christmas” (1954) While the chart-topping song "White Christmas" was first performed by Bing Crosby for the 1942 film "Holiday Inn," its composer, Irving Berlin, was later inspired to center the song in the 1954 musical "White Christmas." Crosby, along with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen Rohe and director Michael Curtiz, embedded "White Christmas" in American popular culture as a best-selling single and the top-grossing film of 1954, as well as regular holiday viewing throughout the decades. The story of two World War II veterans-turned-entertainers and a singing sister act preparing a show for a retired general, the film and its grand musical numbers were captured in VistaVision, a widescreen process developed by Paramount Pictures and first used for "White Christmas." “High Society” (1956) Often referred to as the last great musical of the Golden Age of Hollywood, “High Society” features an all-star cast including Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong (and his band), along with a memorable score of Cole Porter classics. Set in Newport, Rhode Island, the film showcases the Newport Jazz Festival (established in 1954) and features a remarkable version of Cole Porter's “Now You Has Jazz.” It includes the first big-screen duet by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, singing “Well, Did You Evah?” This was Grace Kelly's last movie before she retired from acting and married the Prince of Monaco; she wore her Cartier engagement ring while filming. “Brooklyn Bridge” (1981) With “Brooklyn Bridge,” Ken Burns introduced himself to the American public, telling the story of the New York landmark's construction. As with later subjects like the Civil War, jazz and baseball, Burns connects the building of the Brooklyn Bridge to American identity, values and aspirations. Released theatrically and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, “Brooklyn Bridge” marked the beginning of Burns' influential career in public media*.* More than just a filmmaker, Burns has become a trusted public historian. His storytelling presents facts, but maybe more importantly, invites reflection on what America is, where it's been, and where it's going. His influence is felt not only in classrooms and through public broadcasting, but across generations who see history as something alive and relevant. “Say Amen, Somebody” (1982)George Nierenberg's documentary is a celebration of the historical significance and spiritual power of gospel music. With inspirational music, joyful songs and brilliant singers, the movie focuses on the men and women who pioneered gospel music and strengthened its connections to African American community and religious life. Prior to production, Nierenberg, who is white, spent over a year in African American churches and communities, gaining the trust of the performers. Restored by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2020, the film features archival footage, photographs, stirring performances and reflections from the father of gospel Thomas A. Dorsey and its matron Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith. Nierenberg shows the struggles and sacrifices it takes to make a living in gospel, including criticism endured by women who sought to pursue careers as professional gospel singers while raising their families. “The Thing” (1982)Moody, stark, often funny and always chilling, this science fiction horror classic follows Antarctic scientists who uncover a long-dormant, malevolent extraterrestrial presence. “The Thing” revolutionized horror special effects and offers a brutally honest portrait of the results of paranoia and exhaustion when the unknown becomes inescapable. “The Thing” deftly adapts John W. Campbell's 1938 novella “Who Goes There?” and influenced “Stranger Things” and “Reservoir Dogs.” It remains a tense, thrilling and profoundly unsettling work of cinema. “The Big Chill” (1983)Lawrence Kasdan's best picture-nominated “The Big Chill” offers an intimate portrait of friends reunited after the suicide of one of their own and features actors who defined cinema in the 1980s – Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jo Beth Williams, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum and Meg Tilly. This powerful ensemble portrays American stereotypes of the time – the yuppie, the drug dealer, the TV star – and deftly humanizes them. Through humor, tenderness, honesty and an amazing soundtrack, it shows formerly idealistic Americans making and dealing with the constant compromises of adulthood, while buoying one another with uncompromising love and friendship. “The Karate Kid” (1984)An intimate story about family and friendship, “The Karate Kid” also succeeds as a hero's journey, a sports movie and a teen movie – a feel-good movie, but not without grit. The film offers clearly defined villains, romance and seemingly unachievable goals, but also an elegant character-driven drama that is relatable and touching. A father who has lost his son meets the displaced son of a single mother and teaches him about finding balance and avoiding the pitfalls of violence and revenge. Race and class issues are presented honestly and are dealt with reasonably. Our hero practices a lot, gets frustrated, gets hurt, but still succeeds. It's as American as they come, and it's a classic. “Glory” (1989)“Glory,” described by Leonard Maltin as “one of the finest historical dramas ever made,” portrays a historical account of the 54th Regiment, a unit of African American soldiers who fought for the North in the Civil War. Authorized by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, the regiment consisted of an all-Black troop commanded by white officers. Matthew Broderick plays the young colonel who trains the troop, and Denzel Washington (in an Academy Award-winning performance) is among an impressive cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher. American Civil War historian James M. McPherson said the film "accomplishes a remarkable feat in sensitizing a lot of today's Black students to the role that their ancestors played in the Civil War in winning their own freedom.” “Philadelphia” (1993) “Philadelphia” stars Tom Hanks in one of the first mainstream studio movies to confront the HIV/AIDS crisis. In the film, law partner Andrew Beckett (Hanks) is fired from his firm when they discover that he is gay and has AIDS. He hires personal attorney Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to help him with litigation against his former employer. Director Jonathan Demme is quoted as saying, “The film is not necessarily just about AIDS, but rather everyone in this country is entitled to justice.” The film won two Oscars: one for Hanks and the other for Bruce Springsteen's original song, “The Streets of Philadelphia.” Through the song's mainstream radio and MTV airplay, it brought the film and its conversation around the HIV/AIDS pandemic to a wider audience. “Before Sunrise” (1995) Richard Linklater has explored a wide range of narrative storytelling styles while consistently capturing ordinary, everyday American life. However, his innovative use of time as a defining and recurring cinematic tool has become one of his most significant accomplishments. As the first film in his “Before” trilogy – three films, each shot nine years apart – “Before Sunrise” unfolds as one of cinema's most sustained explorations of love and the passage of time, highlighting the human experience through chance encounters and conversation. With his critically acclaimed 12-year production of the film “Boyhood” (2014) and a new 20-year planned production underway, his unique use of the medium of film to demonstrate time passing demonstrates an unprecedented investment in actors and narrative storytelling. “Clueless” (1995) A satire, comedy and loose Jane Austen literary adaptation dressed in teen movie designer clothing, “Clueless,” directed by Amy Heckerling, rewards both the casual and hyper-analytical viewer. It's impossible to miss its peak-1990s colorful, high-energy, soundtrack-focused on-screen dynamism, and repeated viewings reveal its unpretentiously presented and extraordinarily layered and biting social commentary about class, privilege and power structures. Heckerling and the incredible cast never talk down to the audience, creating main characters that viewers root for, despite the obvious digs at the ultrarich. The film centers on Cher (Alicia Silverstone) as a well-intentioned, fashion-obsessed high school student who is convinced she has life figured out. In the age of MTV, the film's popularity launched Paul Rudd's career and Silverstone's iconic-1990s status. The soundtrack, curated by Karyn Rachtman, helped solidify the film as a time capsule of clothing, music, dialogue and teenage life. “The Truman Show” (1998)Before social media and reality television, there was “The Truman Show.” Jim Carrey breaks from his usual comedic roles to star in this dramatic film about a man who, unbeknownst to him, is living his life on a soundstage filmed for a popular reality show. Adopted at birth by the television studio, Truman Burbank (Carrey) grew up in the (fictitious) town of Seahaven Island with his family and friends playing roles (paid actors). Cameras are all over the soundstage and follow his activities 24/7. Almost 30 years since its release, the film continues to be a study in sociology, philosophy and psychology, and has inspired university classes on media influence, the human condition and reality television. “Frida” (2002)Salma Hayek produced and starred in this biopic of Frida Kahlo, adapted from the book “Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo” by Hayden Herrera. The film explores Kahlo's rise as an artist in Mexico City and the impact disability and chronic pain from an accident as a young adult had on her life and work. The film centers around her tumultuous and passionate relationships, most significantly with her husband, painter Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Directed by Julie Taymor, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actress. It won awards for Best Makeup and Best Original Score for Elliot Goldenthal, who also won a Golden Globe in the same category. “The Hours” (2002)Director Stephen Daldry's “The Hours” weaves the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” into three women's stories of loneliness, depression and suicide. Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman (who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her performance), is working on the novel while struggling with what is now known as bipolar disorder. Laura, played by Julianne Moore (nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), is unfulfilled in her life as a 1950s housewife and mother. Clarissa (played by Meryl Streep) is – like Mrs. Dalloway – planning a party, but for her close friend who is dying of AIDS. The film is based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It earned nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won a Golden Globe for Best Picture. “The Incredibles” (2004) With an all-star cast and memorable soundtrack, this Academy Award-winning Pixar hit uses thrilling action sequences to tell the story of a family trying to live normal lives while hiding their superpowers. For the first time, Pixar hired an outside director, Brad Bird, who drew inspiration from spy films and comic books from the 1960s. The animation team developed a new design element to capture realistic human anatomy, hair, skin and clothing, which Pixar struggled with in early films like “Toy Story.” The film spawned merchandise, video games, Lego sets and more. The sequel, “Incredibles 2,” was also a huge hit, and together, both films generated almost $2 billion at the box office. “The Wrecking Crew” (2008) “The Wrecking Crew” is a documentary that showcases a group of Los Angeles studio musicians who played on many hit songs and albums of the 1960s and early 1970s, including “California Dreamin',” “The Beat Goes On,” “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling” and “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'.” Through interviews, music, footage and his own narration, director Denny Tedesco reveals how the Wrecking Crew members – including his father, guitarist Tommy Tedesco – were the unsung heroes of some of America's most famous songs. Production for the film began in 1996, and the film was completed in 2008. Due to the high cost of song licenses, the official release was delayed until 2015, when a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $300,000 to pay for the music rights. “Inception” (2010) Writer and director Christopher Nolan once again challenges audiences with multiple interconnected narrative layers while delivering thrilling action sequences and stunning visual effects. “Inception” asks the question, “Can you alter a person's thoughts by manipulating their dreams?” Taking almost 10 years to write, the film was praised for its aesthetic significance and Nolan's ability to create scenes using cameras rather than computer-generated imagery. A metaphysical heist film with an emotional core driven by grief and guilt, “Inception” offers a meditation on how dreams influence identity, and it resonates deeply in an age of digital simulation, blurred realities and uncertainty. The film earned $830 million at the box office and won four Academy Awards. “The Loving Story” (2011)Nancy Buirski's acclaimed documentary gives an in-depth and deeply personal look at the true story of Richard Loving (a white man) and Mildred Loving (a Black and Native American woman), who were forbidden by law to marry in the state of Virginia in the 1960s. Their Supreme Court case, Loving vs. Virginia, was one of the most significant in history, and paved the way for future multiracial couples to marry. The movie captures the immense challenges the Lovings faced to keep their family and marriage together, through a combination of 16mm footage, personal photographs, accounts from their lawyers and family members, and audio from the Supreme Court oral arguments. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014)“The Grand Budapest Hotel” stands as one of Wes Anderson's most successful films and demonstrates his own brand of unique craftsmanship, resulting in a visually striking and emotionally resonant story. As one of the most stylistically distinctive American filmmakers of the last half-century, Anderson uses historically accurate color and architecture to paint scenes to elicit nostalgia and longing from audiences, while at the same time weaving in political and social upheaval into the film. The film is an example of Anderson as a unique artist who uses whimsy, melancholy, innovative storytelling and a great deal of historical research, which is on display in this visually rich gem of a movie. 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Episode Notes https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2025/ Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes I Sources & Further Reading: Jordan, Lawrence. The Lady of the Spheres (1972). P. Adams Sitney, Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde, 1943-2000. Wheeler Winston Dixon, The Exploding Eye: A Re-Visionary History of 1960s American Experimental Cinema. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
The 2024 National Recording Registry “Clarinet Marmalade” – Lt. James Reese Europe's 369th U.S. Infantry Band (1919) “Kauhavan Polkka” – Viola Turpeinen and John Rosendahl (1928) Wisconsin Folksong Collection (1937-1946) “Rose Room” – Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian (1939) “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – Gene Autry (1949) “Tennessee Waltz” – Patti Page (1950) “Rocket ‘88'” – Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (1951) “Catch a Falling Star” / ”Magic Moments” – Perry Como (1957) “Chances Are” – Johnny Mathis (1957) “The Sidewinder” – Lee Morgan (1964) “Surrealistic Pillow” – Jefferson Airplane (1967) “Ain't No Sunshine” – Bill Withers (1971) “This is a Recording” – Lily Tomlin (1971) “J.D. Crowe & the New South” – J.D. Crowe & the New South (1975) “Arrival” – ABBA (1976) “El Cantante” – Héctor Lavoe (1978) “The Cars” – The Cars (1978) “Parallel Lines” – Blondie (1978) “La-Di-Da-Di” – Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick (MC Ricky D) (1985) “Don't Worry, Be Happy” – Bobby McFerrin (1988) “Amor Eterno” – Juan Gabriel (1990) “Pieces of Africa” – Kronos Quartet (1992) “Dookie” – Green Day (1994) “Ready to Die” – The Notorious B.I.G. (1994) “Wide Open Spaces” – The Chicks (1998) Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
The 2023 National Film Registry list A Movie Trip Through Filmland (1921) Dinner at Eight (1933) Bohulano Family Film Collection (1950s-1970s) Helen Keller: In Her Story (1954) Lady and the Tramp (1955) Edge of the City (1957) We're Alive (1974) Cruisin' J-Town (1975) ¡Alambrista! (1977) Passing Through (1977) Fame (1980) Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) The Lighted Field (1987) Matewan (1987) Home Alone (1990) Queen of Diamonds (1991) Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) The Wedding Banquet (1993) Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994) Apollo 13 (1995) Bamboozled (2000) Love & Basketball (2000) 12 Years a Slave (2013) 20 Feet from Stardom (2013) Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Our Patreon! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes More on Saroyan Our Patreon Auto-Generated Transcript Registry-The Human Comedy Fri, 8/12 11:53AM • 6:32 SUMMARY KEYWORDS film, presents, story, family, script, ithaca, andy hardy, focused, work, star, great, comedy, james cagney, telegraph office, incredibly, deserved, dialoguing, fascinating, mayor, role This is Registry, a Podcast, from Office Supply Publishing and Klaus at Gunpoint The Human Comedy is exactly the type of film the National Film Registry should be honoring. It is a uniquely American film about a fascinating time in American history. It has a backstory that's wonderful. But ultimately, it is a hopeful story, a hopeful story being told in a time when hope was somewhat limited. The concept of the Human Comedy is based on the work of William Saroyan and William wrote in the style that been referred to as Troyan esque, it is optimistic, perhaps sentimental, at the same time as being somewhat cynical of the role of society and rules. Basically, it's this idea that everyone in a society is a value in as much as they present, a goodness of sorts, and that becomes more hazy. sering wrote the original screenplay and gave it to Louis B. Mayer of MGM, and Mayer picked up this 240 Page screenplay and said that Saroyan wasn't going to direct it as he had kind of hoped. And he had actually made a short film called The Good Job as sort of an audition for that. Mayer gave the script to another screenwriter and to a different director. And Serena adapted that screenplay into the novel The Human Comedy, which became his biggest seller. The film was excellent. And it featured, among others, Frank Morgan, as the telegraph operator who was fantastic. He, I think, deserved incredibly high billing. And I think he even got it. We also had, of course, Mickey Rooney, who was the biggest star in the world at that point. Well, okay, one of the biggest stars in the world, he was huge. Donna Reed, Van Johnson, this wonderful set of character actors, which is actually the perfect set of actors to have for this story. Because it's not a straight narrative. There's narrative elements, of course, there's a through line. The idea being that the McCauley family is in Ithaca, California in the Central Valley during World War Two, and the oldest son is off at war, the other son has taken a job at the telegraph office, delivering messages, which are often messages of members of their families being killed in action. And we see the interactions between people. What's fascinating is that serine often focused on sort of the focus on immigrant populations, he focused on the downtrodden, the gamblers, the sex workers, to a lesser degree. Here, he focuses on the McCauley family that is decidedly WASPey, for lack of a better word. And what he's done is he has presented them as poor or at least lower on the economic ladder, but an incredibly tight family, an incredibly loving family, and most importantly, I think, an incredibly earnest family, and that earnestness makes the dynamics of the story work. The shooting is wonderful, the script is great. There's probably not a lot of saurians original script, it's he won the Oscar for Best Story. And the story is all there really, but I think the way the dialogue is handled is less certain than it is traditional Hollywood dialoguing. What makes a story so powerful, though, is the fact that there is a positivity towards every scene, even when it's scenes of conflict. There are scenes of conflict towards an end, which is positive and beautiful. In other words, it's a Williams Orion story. Mickey Rooney is great in it. I love Mickey Rooney in general. I think here is his best non Andy Hardy work until we would see him in Sugar Babies and other things in the 70s and 80s. I think that Johnson is great. We there's not a lot of him, but there's just enough that I was very pleased. None of reads. Okay, she's got her moments. But the real star is Frank Morgan. And his presentation is precisely what we get from Saroyan's take on the character and we see this 100% In the scenes where he is dealing with the sons and how he presents what he does. I mean, it's a kind of a showy role, honestly. The youngest I love the family is adorable as always, I think it just Jack Jenkins was his name. I don't know if he did much after. But overall, every performance in it is good. The script is solid. The cinematography is good. I wouldn't say it was one of the best, the best shot films of the time, but it's beautiful. It really is. And that just may be my black and white bias. But ultimately, it is the best example of William Saurian on fill the time of your life also presents that serinus quality but is really more of a James Cagney film. But here you are getting to run through a work that isn't entirely so Ryan. And that actually helps that I think there was a remake of this done called Ithaca I believe in 2016 Directed by Meg Ryan, featuring Tom Hanks, Hamish Linklater, who is actually great in it, and it's okay. It's nothing special. But the original is so strong and such an excellent document of its time that it deserves to be included on the National Film Registry. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes A classic neo-Noir film starring William Hurt and Kathleen Turner, it's a masterful example of how blocking sets mood in a genre that is known for lighting. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes The listing A sampler Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes The Full List 2021nationalfilmregistry libraryofcongress nationalfilmregistry film filmhistory StopMakingSense Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes The Breakfast Club is arguably John Hughes most important, and best, film. Released in 1985, the poster was created from an Annie Leibowitz photograph and is an iconic image of teen films, referenced through to today. Comments or questions - johnnyeponymous@gmail.com film filmhistory nationalfilmregistry teenmovie johnhughes bratpack 1980s Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes 13 Lakes Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Roger Ebert's masterful review Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes The original website Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
The 2020 National Film Registry list Suspense (1913) Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914) Bread (1918) The Battle of the Century (1927) With Car and Camera Around the World (1929) Cabin in the Sky (1943) Outrage (1950) The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) Lilies of the Field (1963) A Clockwork Orange (1971) Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971) Wattstax (1973) Grease (1978) The Blues Brothers (1980) Losing Ground (1982) Illusions (1982) The Joy Luck Club (1993) The Devil Never Sleeps (1994) Buena Vista Social Club (1999) The Ground (1993-2001) Shrek (2001) Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege (2006) The Hurt Locker (2008) The Dark Knight (2008) Freedom Riders (2010) Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes There are two Ben Hurs on the Registry! This one, starring Ramon Navaro, is a masterful piece of spectular viewing! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes One of the most wonderful and aesthetically-awesome pictures to come out during World War II, and one that isn't on the Registry, which annoys me! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes An amazing thought piece that looks at concepts of memory, description, image, destruction, and much much more. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Kurt Kuenne set out to make a film to introduce a son to the father he would never know. Tragedy brought what had been meant as a personal work into wide-release and ended up changing Canadian law. For more info - http://dearzachary.com/Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Tex Avery had a massive impact on the history of American Animation, and this film, added to the Registry in 1993, is one of his most fun and wonderful... but also plays with racist stereotypes that are always jarring. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes An excellent document of the Mexican American Experience! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Kinda problematic, but really thoughtful work from 1980 Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes More than 3,000 Americans signed up to ship out to Spain to fight Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War, the training ground for the fascists itching to get to World War II! This film is an excellent document of the group whose number of survivors are now 0... Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes There are a lot of folks I love in this one, from David Strathairn and Lori Petty to Geena Davis and Madonna, but there's that old Gary Marshall making me annoyed at many turns! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes William S. Hart's masterpiece, one of the finest silent westerns ever made and an excellent example of what you could do when you were a big time producer with a solid vision. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes A Robot! Wonderful technological marvels! A fair! Kids! It's a wonderful industrial film that was supporting the US powerhouse Westinghouse in 1939! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes An amazing piece of avant garde cinema that takes itself exactly as seriously as every film should! Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes Johnathan Demme's minimalist masterpiece is the essence of the Talking Heads boiled down to a two hour film. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes A look at Stanley Kramer's exceptional screwball comedy. Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
Episode Notes The 2019 National Film Registry was announced in Decemeber, but I'm only now able to talk about it! Women Directors are around! There's some classics that I thought were already on! And more Complete List Amadeus 1984 Becky Sharp 1935 Before Stonewall 1984 Body and Soul 1925 Boys Don't Cry 1999 Clerks 1994 Coal Miner's Daughter 1980 Emigrants Landing at Ellis Island 1903 Employees Entrance 1933 Fog of War 2003 Gaslight 1944 George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute 1937 Girlfriends 1978 I am Somebody 1970 Last Waltz, The 1978 My Name Is Oona 1969 A New Leaf 1971 Old Yeller 1957 Phenix City Story, The 1955 Platoon 1986 Purple Rain 1984 Real Women Have Curves 2002 She's Gotta Have it 1986 Sleeping Beauty 1959 Zoot Suit 1981 Find out more at https://registry-a-podcast.pinecast.co
The death of Jonas Mekas reminds me that this is a film that must be on the Registry!
The death of Jonas Mekas reminds me that this is a film that must be on the Registry!
A look at what is pretty much the only even vaguely avant garde piece included on the 2018 Registry and a fine work looking at African-American ideas of beauty.
A look at what is pretty much the only even vaguely avant garde piece included on the 2018 Registry and a fine work looking at African-American ideas of beauty.
A look at one of the finest films of the last twenty years. From acting to script to direction to impact, Brokeback is a film that 100% belongs on the Registry.
A look at one of the finest films of the last twenty years. From acting to script to direction to impact, Brokeback is a film that 100% belongs on the Registry.
The first of our looks at the 2018 entries to the National Film Registry, we look at Something Good - Negro Kiss, a 1898 film that is one of the most joyous 26 seconds you'll ever see!
The first of our looks at the 2018 entries to the National Film Registry, we look at Something Good - Negro Kiss, a 1898 film that is one of the most joyous 26 seconds you'll ever see!
A look at one of the best and most important of all Teen FIlms
A look at the starting point for all 21st Century Musicals
2008 Films are now eligible for the Registry, but will any make it on the first ballot?
2008 Films are now eligible for the Registry, but will any make it on the first ballot?
King Vidor! Andrew Wyeth! A Short Documentary!!!!!
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