Embedding Classics

Library of Congress picks 25 movies every year deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically”

LOS ANGELES: From gospel horrors to humour and hysteria, some movies just leave an indelible mark with their presence. Each year the National Film Registry runs a new list of films which includes vintage, contemporary and classic tales that are a must see for the audiences of all times.

This year’s list includes a range of movies from the comedy Airplane to George Lucas’ The Empire Strikes Back and 1906 short film A Trip Down Market Street. The films were named by the National Film Registry on Tuesday to ensure their preservation for future generations.

Among others are horror film The Exorcist, political drama All the President’s Men, 1959 African-American cultural exploration Cry of Jazz and director John Huston’s war documentary Let There Be Light, which was banned in the US for 35 years.

The Library of Congress picks 25 movies every year that are deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant to be preserved for all times due to their significance to American culture.

Movie preservation has grown increasingly important over the last decade because about half of the films produced before the 1950s and as many as 90 per cent produced before the 1920s were made from a film stock that is decaying or has already decayed.

“The National Film Registry is a reminder to the nation that the preservation of our cinematic creativity must be a priority,” Librarian of Congress James Billington said in a statement.

Last year some 2,112 movies were nominated by the public. The films later underwent a strenuous process of short listing to culminate into the final list. Billington further cuts down the list after consulting with the National Film Preservation Board and the library’s movie staff which eventually formulates the final list of films to be preserved.

The full list of 25 films follows:

1.             Newark Athlete (1891)

2.             A Trip Down Market Street (1906)

3.             Preservation of the Sign Language (1913)

4.             The Bargain (1914)

5.             Lonesome (1928)

6.             The Front Page (1931)

7.             It’s a Gift (1934)

8.             Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)

9.             Tarantella (1940)

10.           A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)

11.           Let There Be Light (1946)

12.           Cry of Jazz (1959)

13.           The Pink Panther (1964)

14.           Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB (1967)

15.           I Am Joaquin (1969)

16.           Our Lady of the Sphere (1969)

17.           McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

18.           The Exorcist (1973)

19.           Grey Gardens (1976)

20.           All the President’s Men (1976)

21.           Saturday Night Fever (1977)

22.           Airplane (1980)

23.           The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

24.           Malcolm X (1992)

25.     Study of a River (1996)

Pakistan has a glorified past in the film industry that is truly inspirational with movies like:

1.             Jasoos (1955)

2.             Armaan (1966)

3.             Chakori ( 1967)

4.             Zarqa (1969)

5.             Aina (1977)

6.             Aurat Raaj (1979)

7.             Maula Jutt (1979)

8.             Madam Bawri (1989)

9.             International Gorillay (1990)

10.     Khuda Kay Liye (2007)

Bollywood films have taken the world by storm with unforgettable movies like:

1.             Pak Daman (1940)

2.             Anmol Ghari (1946)

3.             Mother India (1957)

4.             Afsana (1966)

5.             Bobby (1973)

6.             Sholay (1975)

7.             Don (1978)

8.             Muqqaddar Ka Siknader (1978)

9.             Suraksha (1979)

10.           Silsila (1981)

11.           Purana Mandir (1984)

12.           Chandni (1989)

13.           Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

14.           3 Idiots (2009)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2010.