Library of Congress Names 2008 Film Registry

The Library of Congress has announced their annual list of films added to their National Film Registry. The Registry preserves, for all time, American films that the Library of Congress deems "culturally, historically, or aesthetically" significant and a reflection of American culture of the time.

Twenty five films were named to the registry this year, from a number of genres and spanning the years 1910 to 1989. Among the films added this year were such classics as "The Invisible Man," "Deliverance," and "The Terminator," as well as a student film and a family's home movie of the opening of Disneyland. A new list of films chosen for the registry is announced at the end of each year.

"With this year's list, the registry now includes 500 films and stands as a matchless record of the amazing creativity America has brought to the movies since the early 1890s," said Librarian of Congress James Billington. "Both as a public-awareness tool and as an educational learning aid for students, the registry helps this nation understand the diversity of America's film heritage and, just as importantly, the need for its preservation. The nation has lost about half of the films produced before 1950 and as much as 90 percent of those made before 1920. In addition, more and more nitrate-based and acetate-based films are deteriorating with the passage of time."

Each film selected for the registry is conserved and archived for future generations, and is restored if necessary. The films selected for the registry for 2008 are as follows:

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

John Huston's classic jewel heist picture stars Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, and (in a small but memorable role) Marilyn Monroe.

Deliverance (1972)

This suspenseful tale features four city dwellers who get more than they bargained for on a canoe trip in the Appalachians. Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Ronnie Cox and Jon Voight all turn in strong performances.

Disneyland Dream (1956)

This family home movie captures the opening of Disneyland, as well as other southern California attractions. It is an interesting slice of American life in the mid-1950's.

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

This look at the dark side of celebrity stars TV icon Andy Griffith in a very different role than we are used to in this Elia Kazan film.

Flower Drum Song (1961)

This Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was the first Hollywood studio film to feature a mostly Asian cast, including Nancy Kwan and James Shigeta.

Foolish Wives (1922)

Erich von Stroheim directed this tale of a Russian criminal who pretends to be royalty.

Free Radicals (1979)

Animator Len Lye spent over twenty years on this short, featuring figures dancing. He had to add the lines to the film stock by hand.

Hallelujah (1929)

King Vidor directed an all-black-cast in one of MGM's first ever talking films, and one of the best of the period.

In Cold Blood (1967)

Based on Truman Capote's novel, "In Cold Blood" tells the true story of the murders of a family of four in Kansas in the 1950's, and what drove the two assailants to kill. Robert Blake gives an incredible performance as one of the killers, and the ending will leave you speechless.

The Invisible Man (1933)

So much more than a classic Universal monster movie, "The Invisible Man" features Claude Rains in a performance no one else could deliver. Directed by James Whale, the film explores how destructive the lust for power can truly be.

Johnny Guitar (1954)

Few people remember this western with Joan Crawford in the lead, but the film has garnered a following and critical praise over time.

The Killers (1946)

This film, based on an Ernest Hemingway short story, is a murder mystery film noir and featured the debut of Burt Lancaster.

The March (1964)

This rarely-seen documentary follows the events around the Civil RIghts March on Washington.

No Lies (1973)

This short NYU student film was one of the first to address the way rape victims are treated by authorities after the attack.

On the Bowery (1957)

This documentary follows those who live among the alcohol-infested skid row in New York.

One Week (1920)

This short comedy is one of Buster Keaton's best.

The Pawnbroker (1965)

This film, starring Rod Steiger, was one of the first dramas to address the psychological trauma experienced by Holocaust survivors.

The Perils of Pauline (1914)

Among the very first American movie serials, this 20 part film helped establish telling a story over multiple episodes and featured a female lead.

Sergeant York (1941)

This World War I classic stars Gary Cooper as real life war hero Alvin York.

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

Special-effects guru Ray Harryhausen is the real star of this fantasy action epic, with his amazing stop-action characters.

So's Your Old Man (1926)

Among the best of W.C. Fields' early films.

George Stevens World War II Footage (1943-46)

Director George Stevens filmed significant footage of combat as well as the labor and concentration camps liberated by the Allies.

The Terminator (1984)

This 1984 sci-fi classic made stars out of director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger. The late Stan Winston provided the ground-breaking special effects.

Water and Power (1989)

This experimental film features a symphonic score playing to scenes of downtown Los Angeles and the Owens Valley.

White Fawn's Devotion (1910)

This documentary is one of the earliest films to chronicle American Indian tribes of the day.

Source: Library of Congress Press Release