'Saving Private Ryan,' 'The Big Lebowski' Among the Films Named to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry

This Library of Congress has held its own, film nerd version of the Hunger Games and chosen the 25 films to add to the National Film Registry--"culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant films that the Library will preserve for future generations. As usual, there's a good mix of well-known films among a sprinkling of experimentals, shorts, student films and silents. A moment of... well, of silence... for all the films in the latter group that are now lost due to lack of preservation. That's an estimated 70% of all silent features.

The Librarian of Congress (someone integrate that position into a third National Treasure movie, please) confers with the Library's film curators and the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) to select each year's inductees, which have to be at least 10 years old. That has to be the only reason 2008's Step Up 2: The Streets wasn't included. You can nominate films on the NFPB's website, and come 2018, I expect every one of you to step up and do that.

Here are a selection of the more popular films that are now officially a part of American history, with the entire list underneath. For more information on the National Film Registry, we at FJI humbly recommend America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, by FJI reviewer Daniel Eagan.





Saving Private Ryan (1998)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

House of Wax (1953)

Little Big Man (1970)

Rio Bravo (1959)

13 Lakes (2004)
Bert Williams Lime Kiln Club Field Day (1913)                
The Big Lebowski (1998)                                                   
Down Argentine Way (1940)                                             
The Dragon Painter (1919)                                                 
Felicia (1965)                                                                      
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)                                                                    
The Gang’s All Here (1943)                                               
House of Wax (1953)                                                          
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000)
Little Big Man (1970)
Luxo Jr. (1986)
Moon Breath Beat (1980)
Please Don’t Bury Me Alive! (1976)
The Power and the Glory (1933)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Shoes (1916)
State Fair (1933)
Unmasked (1917)
V-E + 1 (1945)
The Way of Peace (1947)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)