November 15th, 1994: The Library of Congress announces the next 25 films on the NFR, which bumps up their total to 150 films. Coinciding with this induction’s 30th anniversary, I have watched all 25 films (well, 24 and a fraction. I haven’t seen every episode of “Exploits of Elaine”, but I’m still counting it). Here is the Class of 1994, plus links and blurbs from each of my write-ups:
- A Corner in Wheat (1909): “vague enough that you can still apply its message today.” “You win this round, Griffith.”
- The Exploits of Elaine (1914): “a placeholder pass”, “I do not have enough available footage to make the call.”
- Hell’s Hinges (1916): “representation of William Hart, a forgotten legend of early cinema”, “There are worse ways to spend an hour.”
- Safety Last! (1923): “the definitive Harold Lloyd film.”
- Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931): “impressive cinematography…[but the] exoticizing of other cultures…makes for a difficult modern viewing.”
- Freaks (1932): “The film’s bizarre subject matter and unforgettable imagery more than ensure the film’s longevity.”
- Scarface (1932): “Not the quintessential ’30s gangster picture…[but] worthy of NFR recognition”
- Snow-White (1933): “a Betty Boop cartoon should be included on the Registry, and I guess this one will do.” “Hey kids, wanna see the weirdest cartoon ever?”
- Pinocchio (1940): “a landmark for both Disney animation and top-tier family entertainment.”
- The Lady Eve (1941): “one of Hollywood’s definitive screwball comedies.”
- Meet Me in St. Louis (1944): “still enjoyable, but one wonders if future generations will love it as much.”
- Force of Evil (1948): “sits in the same ‘above-average’ column as…the other post-war noir of the era”
- Louisiana Story (1948): “an important document about a certain era of bayou country that was dying out.”
- The African Queen (1951): “a trip down the rivers of Africa with two of Hollywood’s greatest is a fun way to spend two hours.”
- Marty (1955): “isn’t a bona-fide film great, but it’s the little movie that could, and still can.”
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): “an iconic piece of ’50s science fiction for sure, but I found it…just okay.”
- A MOVIE (1958): “the kind of experimental film you are encouraged to add your own layers to.” “There’s something for everyone!”
- The Apartment (1960): “the last truly great Billy Wilder film” “one of my favorite films. Like, top five.”
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962): “a film with staying power”, “may be more relevant now than ever before.”
- The Cool World (1963): “helped me further appreciate independent filmmakers…but ultimately, it’s not my thing.”
- Zapruder Film (1963): “a sad but important necessity in our film heritage.”
- Midnight Cowboy (1969): “has a compassionate quality that ultimately supersedes its gloomy subject matter to be a captivating experience.”
- Hospital (1970): “a frank yet neutral observation of an important American institution.”
- Taxi Driver (1976): “an unforgettable film experience” “man alive does this movie live up to the hype.”
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982): “works on every level and leaves you with hope every single time.” “about as perfect as filmmaking gets.”
Other notes
- While I couldn’t find any detailed contemporary articles about this year’s Registry inductees, it should be noted that 1994 was the year the Library of Congress started looking into this new thing called the internet to aid its preservation mission. The National Digital Library Program, which showcases millions of the Library’s digitized artifacts, launched on October 13th, 1994.
- This has got to be the most downer bunch of movies in the NFR. Practically every movie has something unsettling or depressing about it. Murders, suicide attempts, child endangerment, exploitation of sex workers, gangs, invasions, political assassinations, to say nothing of how many of these are set in the seedier sides of New York City. Even family fare like “E.T.” and “Pinocchio” have their sadder/scarier moments. Is it any wonder I asked if this year’s voting committee needed a hug? Still, almost all these movies are iconic or important enough that I have to acknowledge their NFR worthiness.
- When this year’s inductees were announced, “Interview with the Vampire” was #1 at the US box office, with future NFR films “Pulp Fiction“, “Forrest Gump“, “The Shawshank Redemption“, and “Clerks” playing in theaters. Man, 1994 was a great year for movies.
- As far as I can tell, “Hospital” is the first entry in the NFR that was produced especially for television. While the NFR’s primary function is to preserve American film, a statement on their website permits them to occasionally consider television material (most notably this and “Thriller“). It helps that Frederick Wiseman, the director of “Hospital”, already had a film on the list.
- In addition to “Hospital” director/ “Cool World” producer Frederick Wiseman, this year’s double-dippers include cinematographer Joseph LaShelle, actor John McGiver, and legendary makeup artist Dick Smith.
- Thematic double-dippers (in addition to all the depressing subject matter listed above): cowboys, aliens, con artists, lonely single men in New York City, non-actors acting, Marilyn Monroe lookalikes, trick-or-treating on Halloween, and characters dying and being miraculously resurrected (this happens in no less than five of these movies). Also of note, “Manchurian Candidate” makes a brief reference to Disney’s “Pinocchio”.
- Totally unrelated, but after re-reading my old posts for these movies, I counted two of them that link to my favorite clip of people from the early 1900s testing out their flying machines. I do love those clips. I think it’s because of their use in “Airplane!“
- Favorites of my own subtitles: Are You There God? It’s Me, a Cowboy, How Are Things in Bora Bora?, Sideshow Hell, Con Heir, How’s Bayou?, Crocs & Krauts, What If Pod Was One of Us, and Everybody Loathes Raymond.
Next up, the class of 1995, which cannot possibly be as depressing as this line-up of movies.
Happy Viewing,
Tony
The Horse's Head 