A Christmas Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and The Matrix among 22 others are added to the National Film Registry

A Christmas Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and The Matrix among 22 others are added to the National Film Registry

December 19th 2012, 8:52pm

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Last year, I brought you the 2011 list of films preserved for future generations in the National Film Registry for the Library of Congress. It’s only fitting that I do the same for this year’s crop.

This list might bring some surprises, and some that are well deserved. Regardless of your opinions, there’s something here for everyone. Each year 25 films are inducted into the registry, and must meet two criteria: 1. They must be “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant 2. They have to be at least 10-years old. Below I have listed the choices, if you’d like to read more of why they were preserved for future generations, head here. To vote on which films make it in 2013, the instructions on how are over here.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

The excitement of national football; the first black star of an American feature-length film; the visionary battle between man and machine; and an award-winning actress born yesterday are part of a kaleidoscope of cinematic moments captured on film and tapped for preservation. The Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today named 25 motion pictures that have been selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. These cinematic treasures represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.

“Established by Congress in 1989, the National Film Registry spotlights the importance of preserving America’s unparalleled film heritage,” said Billington. “These films are not selected as the ‘best’ American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture. They reflect who we are as a people and as a nation.”

Spanning the period 1897-1999, the films named to the registry include Hollywood classics, documentaries, early films, and independent and experimental motion pictures. This year’s selections bring the number of films in the registry to 600.

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

The Augustas (1930s-1950s)

Born Yesterday (1950)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

A Christmas Story (1983)

The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Title Fight (1897)

Dirty Harry (1971)

Hours for Jerome: Parts 1 and 2 (1980-82)

The Kidnappers Foil (1930s-1950s)

Kodachrome Color Motion Picture Tests (1922)

A League of Their Own (1992)