Each year the Library of Congress adds 25 motion pictures to the National Film Registry, which was established in 1988, in an effort to preserve films which are significant in some way, be it culturally, aesthetically, or historically. Here is a list of some of the films that entered the Registry in 2008:

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) - Rated G - Starring Kerwin Matthews, Kathryn Grant

Fantastical story of Sinbad, who needs the egg of a giant two-headed bird of prey to restore a shrunken princess.

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) - Not Rated - Starring James Whitmore, Marilyn Monroe

A classic heist film about an aging criminal who is released from prison and assembles his old gang in order to do one last job.

D-Day to Berlin (1994) - Not Rated - Directed by George Stevens

Stevens’ comprehensive and personal documentary of World War II, from the invasion of Normandy to the fall of Berlin.

Deliverance (1972) - Rated R - Starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight

A classic film which follows four male friends into the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains. What was originally intended to be a fun weekend camping trip turns into a fight for survival.

A Face in the Crowd (1957) - Not Rated - Starring Patricia Neal, Andy Griffith

A tale of power and the corruption that can result from too much placed in one set of hands, as a hobo becomes an overnight celebrity.

Flower Drum Song (1961) - Not Rated - Starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta

The Broadway hit which follows a Hong Kong girl’s journey to San Francisco for an arranged marriage.

Foolish Wives (1922) - Not Rated - Starring Erich von Stroheim, Maude George

Silent film about a fake Russian count, who, with the aid of two female accomplices, attempts to seduce and swindle unsuspecting women and citizens of Monte Carlo.

Hallelujah (1929) - Not Rated - Directed by King Vidor, Music by Irving Berlin

The first all-black feature from a major studio, this musical contains spirituals, folksongs, blues, jazz, love, loss, and redemption.

In Cold Blood (1967) - Rated R - Starring Robert Blake, John Forsythe

A docu-drama based on Truman Capote’s novel about the 1959 murder of a Kansas family by two ex-cons.

The Invisible Man (1933) - Not Rated - Starring Claude Rains, Vincent Price

The classic film about a scientist who develops a formula that renders him invisible. Unfortunately the formula soon drives him mad, turning him into an invisible killer.

The Pawnbroker (1964) - Not Rated - Starring Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald

A concentration camp survivor keeps himself distant from all those around him, but as the anniversary of his wife’s murder approaches, he begins to fall apart.

The Perils of Pauline (1914) - Not Rated - Starring Pearl White, Crane Wilbur

Another silent feature about an heiress who goes through a series of harrowing adventures as a result of plots by her greedy guardian to have her killed.

Sergeant York (1941) - Not Rated - Starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan

A boy drafted into the military begins his career as a pacifist, then soon sees the justification for fighting.

The Terminator (1984) - Rated R - Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton

A cyborg is sent to the past to kill the woman who will conceive the child destined to become the great liberator and arch-enemy of the Earth’s future rulers.

If I had to select one film off this list to recommend it would be The Invisible Man. The first time I saw this film I was amazed at the quality of the special effects, considering its age. Keep in mind when you watch it that it was made in 1933! Also, the pace of the film, and the exceptional acting performances, especially by Claude Rains, make it a film worthy of being put at the top of your must watch list. I also have to add, as a Schwarzenegger fan, that if you haven’t seen The Terminator, please do so as soon as possible!

Below are links to the complete list of National Film Registry Selections, as well as to the site where you can get information on how to make your own recommendations on films that should be selected.  I encourage everyone to go there and make their opinion known! A few I am going to recommend are:

Older - Tarzan, the Ape Man, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Dirty Dozen, The Magnificent Seven, Spartacus, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Bambi, Pride of the Yankees

Newer - The Matrix, The Usual Suspects, Glory, Dirty Harry, The Shawshank Redemption, Grease, Airplane, Ghostbusters

Let me know which films you would recommend!

National Film Registry Selections

Nominate Films for the National Film Registry

Photo Credits