These Amazing Shadows

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

1.8K

YOUR RATING

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Documentary

Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

1.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination total

User reviews10

Featured review

5/10

Celebrating the movie-going experience: "The stuff dreams are made of!"

Documentary on films deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and listed on the National Film Registry (the current list includes 525 titles from every movie genre). The Registry came into being after Ted Turner began colorizing black-and-white films ("My movies," he brags) which he purchased from the MGM/UA library in 1986, sending film directors and actors to Washington, D. C. to fight for the preservation of cinema classics in their original state. The process of selecting films for the Registry is fine (it's also amusing how the Academy Awards do not act as a factor in the decision-making, since "Sometimes the Academy got it right and, at other times, they got it wrong"); however, I feel, judging movies on their so-called "importance" can also lead to bad decisions. One doesn't go to the movies solely on the basis of what is culturally significant. This process leaves out a lot of the opulent junk movie-fans eat up late at night on TCM Underground. So what about the B-movies and co-features and also-rans? Are they to be sacrificed so future generations can only see our significant works? Historic representations, one might add, which have been manufactured for commercial consumption. What is the underlying similarity between "The Maltese Falcon" and "Valley of the Dolls"? Both were produced to appeal to the public of their respective eras--for box-office revenue. It's show business, for goodness sake. ** from ****

Trivia
At the Library of Congress, the vaults that hold the highly flammable nitrocellulose footage are maintained at 39 degrees F, and 30% relative humidity.

Quotes
[first lines]
John Ptak: There is nothing like going to a theater, a communal atmosphere, watching something that is bigger than life.
Robin Blaetz: It's dark, you don't look at anybody...
John Ptak: And then the movie started, and it was really, really magical.