Review of These Amazing Shadows (2011) by Gregory K — 23 Jun 2012

A compelling and thoughtful documentary on an American system that is given little recognition or thought in our country today, the National Film Registry is a baron of treasured classics and iconoclastic materials.

Starting with a brief history lesson on the origins of this national committee and its historical prowess, the film chiefly deals with the different kinds of film that are in the registry. The most obvious film choices are given enough breathing room, including showing clips from such titans as Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, and Casablanca.

It talks about the historical importance of such cult classics as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles. It also inspires a bit of a historian in us all with such things as home videos, documentaries, and silent films.

It stresses the importance of advertisements, including the "Let's All Go to the Lobby," song we all know but can't reference with absolute certainty. It even speaks about Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and other significant pieces from American cinema history.

The film also shows a decent amount of interviews with directors, actors, and movie making professionals. There are also some great interviews with board members, their reasons behind their choices, how these films, movies, shorts, anything, make them feel.

One of the more interesting aspects is that they also follow preservation specialists with how they do their tedious jobs and the rewarding experience it gives them. The vaults of film reels are shown, the degraded texture and quality of films so private and beautiful; that it seems nearly implausible that they are left in such flagrant disrepair.

Most of all it's a love letter to film, to our culture, and the importance of preserving it above all else. Truly a beautiful film for any film lover or American with a heartbeat.