Library of Congress Adds More Classics to National Film Registry

By Jason Dick

Posted December 12, 2018 at 1:34pm

The Library of Congress has added a wide range of movies to the National Film Registry, announcing on Wednesday the selections of contemporary films that helped smash stereotypes, such as “Brokeback Mountain,” and thrillers like “The Shining.” Also new are classics such as “Hud” and documentaries like “Hearts and Minds,” as well as rarities like “Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency.”

“The National Film Registry turns 30 this year and for those three decades, we have been recognizing, celebrating and preserving this distinctive medium,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement announcing the selections. “These cinematic treasures must be protected because they document our history, culture, hopes and dreams.”

The library noted that the 25 films it selected span a range of 107 years, from 1898’s “Something Good — Negro Kiss” to 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain.” The total number of movies in the registry now numbers 750. The Librarian selects 25 movies each year for the registry, under the authority of the National Film Preservation Act, which states that they must be at least 10 years old and are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.

The library hosts screenings of registry movies, as well as others, on Capitol Hill at facilities like the Mary Pickford Theater in the Library’s Madison Building and at its Packard Campus Theater in Culpeper, Virginia. Some of the registry’s selections are available online for free at the National Screening Room.

A quick glance at the list, as in most years, usually leads to a few thoughts along the lines of, “that wasn’t already on the list?” That could certainly be the case for such familiar and revered titles as “My Fair Lady” and “Monterey Pop.”

Hey, better late than never.

Here is the full list, in alphabetical order: