My 2023 National Film Registry nominations
Each December, the National Film Preservation Board selects 25 films to be inducted into the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The board have said nominations from the public play a vital role in what films they choose to select. In 2017 one film I nominated, Superman (1978) was selected. In 2018 two films I nominated, The Shining (1980) and Brokeback Mountain (2005) had been selected. And in 2021 three films I nominated, The Long Goodbye (1973), Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) had been selected. So they clearly take public nominations seriously.
If you want to nominate any films to be in the registry, go to https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/nominate/
You can nominate up to 50 films and the deadline is August the 15th.
Here are my picks for the 2023 National Film Registry.
The board have said nominations from the public play a vital role in what films they choose to select. In 2017 one film I nominated, Superman (1978) was selected. In 2018 two films I nominated, The Shining (1980) and Brokeback Mountain (2005) had been selected. And in 2021 three films I nominated, The Long Goodbye (1973), Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) had been selected. So they clearly take public nominations seriously.
If you want to nominate any films to be in the registry, go to https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/nominate/
You can nominate up to 50 films and the deadline is August the 15th.
Here are my picks for the 2023 National Film Registry.
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- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsAl PacinoMichelle PfeifferSteven BauerIn 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.Arguably Brian De Palma's best known film, it has become a staple of pop culture from Al Pacino's performance, the many quotable lines and even the poster. It is considered by many to be one of the best crime films of all time.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsMark WahlbergJulianne MooreBurt ReynoldsBack when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.Fantastic film with an Altmanesque style of storytelling. It put director Paul Thomas Anderson into the spotlight and helped establish Mark Wahlberg as a serious actor. It also gave Burt Reynolds his only Oscar nomination.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsMarilyn BurnsEdwin NealAllen DanzigerFive friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.One of the most influential horror films of all time, it is credited with introducing several elements now common in the slasher genre including using power tools as murder weapons and the killer wearing a mask. Ridley Scott cited the film as an influence when making Alien (1979).
- DirectorTex AveryStarsElvia AllmanSara BernerDaws ButlerThe characters of the traditional fairy tale demand a new approach to the story as a sexy urban comedy with Red as a nightclub singer.
- DirectorRalph BakshiStarsSkip HinnantRosetta LeNoireJohn McCurryFritz drops out of college, starts a riot in Harlem and hits the road with an ex-girlfriend before getting mixed up with domestic terrorists.Most infamous for being the first X rated animated film, it not only helped break American animation out of its family friendly perception but also depicted the counter culture of its time though the use of anthropomorphic animals.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsWil WheatonRiver PhoenixCorey FeldmanA writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.Although set in the 1950s, it has become a quintessential 80s film with themes of friendship and loss. It also brought a rekindled interest in the Ben E. King song in which the film is named after.
- DirectorChris NoonanStarsJames CromwellMagda SzubanskiChristine CavanaughGentle farmer Arthur Hoggett wins a piglet Babe at a county fair. Narrowly escaping his fate as Christmas dinner, Babe bonds with motherly border collie Fly and discovers that he too can herd sheep. But will the other animals accept him?The film features creative special effects for making real life animals talk and is often credited with starting the CGI talking animal revolution. It also has a great story of how being nice can help you succeed.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSteve McQueenJames GarnerRichard AttenboroughAllied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.The film that made Steve McQueen a star, a much-loved story that continues to enchanted audiences. The action scenes had proven to be very influential with the barb-wire jump scene being one of the most iconic in film history.
- DirectorErnst LubitschStarsMaurice ChevalierJeanette MacDonaldLupino LaneThe queen of mythical Sylvania marries a courtier, who finds his new life unsatisfying.The first sound film made by the legendary Ernst Lubitsch, it was also the first movie musical to integrate songs with the story and is noted for Lubitsch's mastery and innovation of sound film technology despite it being his first "talking picture".
- DirectorHenry SelickStarsDanny ElfmanChris SarandonCatherine O'HaraJack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.The film features innovative stop-motion animation and was even nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar, a first for an animated film. Through the minds of Tim Burton and Henry Selick, they were able to create characters and images which are still recognised by audiences today. The fact that people debate whether or not it is a Christmas film or a Halloween film is a testament to its popularity.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanStarsPhil HarrisSebastian CabotLouis PrimaBagheera the Panther and Baloo the Bear have a difficult time trying to convince a boy to leave the jungle for human civilization.The last animated feature film that was personally supervised by Walt Disney, it has endured as one of the studios’ biggest successes with top-notch animation, unforgettable characters and memorable musical numbers.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsSterling HaydenColeen GrayVince EdwardsCrook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.Considered by the director himself to be his first mature work, it caught the attention of critics for its raw look and innovative camerawork and the non-linear structure has been highly influential on later films, such as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994). Despite being a box office flop, it planted the seed for his later groundbreaking films.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppMartin LandauSarah Jessica ParkerAmbitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.
- DirectorDave FleischerSteve MuffatiStarsBud CollyerJoan AlexanderJackson BeckThe Man of Steel fights a mad scientist who is destroying Metropolis with an energy cannon.The first cinematic appearance of Superman, it brought the popular comic book superhero to the big screen without losing the impact he had on readers. It would eventually influence the comics and subsequently the live-action films and television shows.
- DirectorStanley KramerStarsTony CurtisSidney PoitierCara WilliamsTwo chained-together escaped convicts, White and Black, must learn to get along in order to elude capture.A story about two men of different races who must work together to survive, offering a powerful message about racism and humanity's survival. It made Sidney Poitier a household name and he became the first black actor to receive a competitive Oscar nomination for Best Actor in addition to being the first to receive top billing.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.I can’t talk about it.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Although a critical and commercial failure when it was released, it has since been cited as an influence by directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright, been regarded as one of the best remakes of all time and been considered an iconic 80s horror film.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsGary CooperJean ArthurGeorge BancroftA unassuming greeting card poet from a small town in Vermont heads to New York City upon inheriting a massive fortune and is immediately hounded by those who wish to take advantage of him.One of Frank Capra’s many classics and the first of his social-minded comedies, it turned Jean Arthur into an overnight star and gave Gary Cooper his pure all-American screen persona.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.Often considered one of the greatest sequels of all time, it (along with Jurassic Park (1993)) revolutionised visual effects and made breakthroughs in CGI such as the first partially computer animated main character.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsRobert De NiroJames WoodsElizabeth McGovernA former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsJonathan HazeJackie JosephMel WellesA clumsy young man working at an impoverished flower shop discovers that the strange plant he has been nurturing has an insatiable appetite for blood, forcing him to kill to feed it.Filmed in only two days and using sets and actors he already had, Roger Corman still managed to create a memorable film that became a staple of late night television with its strange plot and off-beat sense of humour. It inspired a successful broadway musical and subsequent a film adaptation directed by Frank Oz.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsSandra PeabodyLucy GranthamDavid HessTwo teenage girls heading to a rock concert for one's birthday try to score marijuana in the city, where they are kidnapped and brutalized by a gang of psychopathic convicts.Although highly controversial and even banned in some countries when it was released, it remains an influential exploitation film and the tagline "It’s only a movie" has become somewhat iconic in recent years.
- DirectorLois WeberStarsCourtenay FooteMyrtle StedmanHerbert StandingThe parallel stories of a modern preacher and a medieval monk, Gabriel the Ascetic, who is killed by an ignorant mob for making a nude statue representing Truth, which is also represented by a ghostly naked girl who flits throughout the film.Groundbreaking for its nudity, multiple exposures and intricate editing, it propelled Lois Weber to the front ranks of silent directors.
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsChevy ChaseRodney DangerfieldBill MurrayAn exclusive golf course has to deal with a flatulent new member and a destructive dancing gopher.Popular 1980s comedy with tons of quotable lines and hilarious performances by Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield. It was also the directorial debut of Harold Ramis, who would have later success with Vacation (1983) and Groundhog Day (1993).
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsJames CagneyPat O'BrienHumphrey BogartA priest tries to stop a gangster from corrupting a group of street kids.One of many Warner Bros. gangster films of the 1930s, it is considered a landmark in the genre and James Cagney's performance is one of his most iconic and imitated. It is also famed for its tracking shots and ambiguous ending.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsCarl ReinerEva Marie SaintAlan ArkinWithout hostile intent, a Soviet submarine runs aground off New England. Men are sent for a boat, but many villagers go into a tizzy, risking bloodshed.
- DirectorJean RenoirStarsZachary ScottBetty FieldJ. Carrol NaishThe life of the poor Tucker family who worked as cotton pluggers and decided to get their own ground, but nature was against them.Wildly regarded as Jean Renoir’s best American film and also gave him his only Oscar nomination, it is notable for its generally bleak tone and garnered controversy in the southern parts of the United States due to the film’s depiction of life there. Nonetheless it has been seen as a rich, unusual and sensitive delineation of the American scene.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsJim CarreyEd HarrisLaura LinneyAn insurance salesman discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show.Hilarious and though-provoking at the same time, it gave Jim Carrey, previous know for his lowbrow comedies, the opportunity to show his dramatic chops and has been analysed for its themes of celebrity culture and Christianity.
- DirectorWilliam A. WellmanStarsCarole LombardFredric MarchCharles WinningerAn eccentric woman learns she is not dying of radium poisoning as earlier assumed, but when she meets a reporter looking for a story, she feigns sickness again for her own profit.One of the defining screwball comedies of the era but often overlooked at the same time. Notable for sharp dialogue, William A. Wellman's direction and Carole Lombard's performance, it was the first screwball comedy filmed in colour.
- DirectorJames CruzeStarsJ. Warren KerriganLois WilsonAlan HaleTwo wagon caravans converge at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the westward push to Oregon. On their quest the pilgrims will experience desert heat, mountain snow, hunger, and Indian attacks. To complicate matters further, a love triangle develops, as pretty Molly must chose between Sam, a brute, and Will, the dashing captain of the other caravan. Can Will overcome the skeleton in his closet and win Molly's heart?
- DirectorRobert MulliganStarsAnthony PerkinsKarl MaldenNorma MooreTrue story of the life of Jimmy Piersall, who battled mental illness to achieve stardom in major league baseball.A bold depiction of mental illness, well ahead of its time in showing that it can happen to anyone whether you're an average joe or a famous celebrity. It is also the feature directing debut of Robert Mulligan and feature producing debut of Alan J. Pakula, who together made six films - including To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).
- DirectorOscar ApfelCecil B. DeMilleStarsDustin FarnumMonroe SalisburyWinifred KingstonA chivalrous British officer takes the blame for his cousin's embezzlement and journeys to the American West to start a new life on a cattle ranch.The directing debut of Cecil B. DeMille, the first feature film made in Hollywood and been successfully remade by the same director three times. Need I say more?
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDennis WeaverJacqueline ScottEddie FirestoneA business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.Perhaps one of the most notable and best known television movies, it is a very well made thriller with some solid action scenes and a good performance from Dennis Weaver. It was the feature-length directorial debut of a certain Steven Spielberg, establishing himself as a capable director and enabling him to move from television to theatrical films.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsHumphrey BogartLauren BacallWalter BrennanDuring World War II, American expatriate Harry Morgan helps transport a French Resistance leader and his beautiful wife to Martinique while romancing a sensuous lounge singer.
- DirectorDon ChaffeyStarsTodd ArmstrongNancy KovackGary RaymondThe legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.Hugely influential fantasy film, perhaps the most famous and acclaimed film to feature Ray Harryhausen’s legendary stop motion special effects. Tom Hanks even called it the greatest film ever made.
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsRiver PhoenixKeanu ReevesJames RussoTwo best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way.Landmark LGBT film, notable for its then-taboo subject matter and avant-garde style. It also has one of River Phoenix’s most enduring performances of his brief career and an early mature role for Keanu Reeves. A true pioneer of queer cinema.
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsCharles LaughtonClark GableFranchot ToneFirst mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.
- DirectorSamuel FullerStarsGene EvansRobert HuttonSteve BrodieA ragtag group of American stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War.Notably the first film about the Korean War, it is often considered among the greatest war films of all time. it attempts to show war as soldiers experience it using characters and incidents drawn from Samuel Fuller's war diaries and depicts the confusion and brutality of war realistically despite its low budget.
- DirectorAndrew StantonLee UnkrichStarsAlbert BrooksEllen DeGeneresAlexander GouldAfter his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.One of Pixar’s most beloved films, filled with memorable characters and beautiful animation. A tale of the importance of family and the difficulties of being a single parent. The voice acting alone speaks for itself (no pun intended) in particular Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres.