These Amazing Shadows

Half the films made before 1950 no longer exist in any form. Eighty percent of all silent films are lost. These shocking statistics led concerned film scholars to create the National Film Registry in 1989. The Registry is a list of films of enduring cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance, recommended by a distinguished board to the Librarian of Congress as being worthy of preservation. The 25 films selected per year must be at least ten years old. As preservation experts, cultural historians, movie stars, directors, and board members discuss what leads particular works to be nominated, THESE AMAZING SHADOWS unspools both “sprocket-worn classics” and rarely-seen gems. The Registry represents a stunning range of American filmmaking: Hollywood features; documentaries; experimental and home movies; regional, instructional, animated and short films; and music videos. Since 1997 even we the people can nominate films for consideration. Do your part to help preserve audiovisual history. –B.B.