The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States

National Film Preservation Board The United States National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) is the board selecting films for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. It was established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988. The National Film Regis ...

's (NFPB) collection of films selected for

preservation Preservation may refer to: Heritage and conservation * Preservation (library and archival science), activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record while making as few changes as possible * ''Preservation'' (magazine), published by the Nat ...

, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception in 1988.

History

Through the 1980s, several prominent filmmakers and industry personalities in the United States, such as Frank Capra and

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...

, advocated for Congress to enact a film preservation bill in order to avoid commercial modifications (such as

pan and scan Pan and scan is a method of adjusting widescreen film images so that they can be shown in fullscreen proportions of a standard-definition 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, often cropping off the sides of the original widescreen image to focus ...

and editing for TV) of classic films, which they saw as negative. In response to the controversy over the colorization of originally black and white films in the decade specifically, Representatives

Robert J. Mrazek Robert Jan Mrazek (born November 6, 1945) is an American author, filmmaker, and former politician. He served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New York's 3rd congressional district on Long Island ...

and Sidney R. Yates introduced the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which established the National Film Registry, its purpose, and the criteria for selecting films for preservation. The Act was passed and the NFR's mission was subsequently reauthorized by further

acts of Congress An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called private laws), or to the general public ( public laws). For a bill to become an act, the text must pass through both house ...

in 1992, 1996, 2005, 2008, and 2016. The National Film Preservation Board's mission, to which the NFR contributes, is to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America's film heritage. The 1996 law also created the non-profit

National Film Preservation Foundation The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) is an independent, nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America's film heritage. Growing from a national planning effort led by the Library of Congress, the NFPF began op ...

which, although affiliated with the NFPB, raises money from the

private sector The private sector is the part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government. Employment The ...

Selection criteria

The NFPB adds to the NFR up to 25 "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films" each year, showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. A film becomes eligible for inclusion ten years after its original release. For the first selection in 1989, the public nominated almost 1,000 films for consideration. Members of the NFPB then developed individual ballots of possible films for inclusion. The ballots were tabulated into a list of 25 films which was then modified by Librarian of Congress

James H. Billington James Hadley Billington (June 1, 1929 – November 20, 2018) was an American academic and author who taught history at Harvard and Princeton before serving for 42 years as CEO of four federal cultural institutions. He served as the 13th Librarian ...

and his staff at the Library for the final selection. Since 1997, members of the public have been able to nominate up to 50 films a year for the NFPB and Librarian to consider. The NFR includes films ranging from Hollywood classics to

orphan film An orphan film is a motion picture work that has been abandoned by its owner or copyright holder; also, any film that has suffered neglect. History The exact origin of the term orphan film is unclear. By the 1990s, however, film archivists were ...

s. A film is not required to be

feature-length A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

, nor is it required to have been theatrically released in the traditional sense. The Registry contains

newsreel A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a cinema, newsreels were a source of current affairs, inform ...

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

s, student films,

experimental film Experimental film or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that rigorously re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms or alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, parti ...

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

s, films out of

copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educatio ...

protection or in the public domain,

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

s, home movies, documentaries, animation, and independent films. As of the 2022 listing, there are 850 films in the Registry.

Films

Notes

*± Indicates that a significant piece of music featured in the film's soundtrack is also a

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...

inductee. *≠ Indicates that an excerpt of said inductee also appeared on a

compilation film A compilation film, or compilation movie is a film composed of scenes and shots taken from two or more prior films and edited together so as to make a new film, whether on the same or a different subject. The most common example would be a docum ...

that was inducted into the Registry as well (in the cases of ''

The Atomic Cafe ''The Atomic Cafe'' is a 1982 American documentary film directed by Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader and Pierce Rafferty. It is a compilation of clips from newsreels, military training films, and other footage produced in the United States early i ...

'', '' A Movie'' and ''

Precious Images ''Precious Images'' is a 1986 short film directed by Chuck Workman. It features approximately 470 half-second-long splices of movie moments through the history of American film. Some of the clips are organized by genre and set to appropriate music ...

'')

Number of films by release year

This table is through the 2022 induction list (850 films total). For purposes of this list, multi-year serials are counted only once (as they are in the Registry) by year of completion.

Age of Registry selections

The oldest film currently in the registry, '' Newark Athlete'', was released in 1891, while the most recent, '' Pariah'', was released in 2011.

Span from release to selection

Released in 1898, and selected in December 2022, ''Mardi Gras Carnival'' has the longest span, at 124 years, while ''

Raging Bull ''Raging Bull'' is a 1980 American biographical sports drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, produced by Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler and adapted by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin from Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir '' Raging Bull: My ...

'', released theatrically in the United States on December 19, 1980, and inducted in October 1990, holds the record for the shortest span, having been inducted slightly shy of the 10-year minimum. Currently, only six other films have been inducted at the 10-year mark: ''

Do the Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, ...

'', ''

Goodfellas ''Goodfellas'' (stylized ''GoodFellas'') is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book '' W ...

'', ''

Toy Story ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The first installment in the '' Toy Story ...

'', '' Fargo'', '' 13 Lakes'', and '' Freedom Riders''.

Filmmakers with multiple entries (2 or more)

*11 **

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

: '' The Iron Horse'', '' The Informer'', '' Stagecoach'', ''

Young Mr. Lincoln ''Young Mr. Lincoln'' is a 1939 American biographical drama western film about the early life of President Abraham Lincoln, directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. Ford and producer Darryl F. Zanuck fought for control of the film, to ...

'', ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Priz ...

'', ''

How Green Was My Valley ''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, narrated by Huw Morgan, the main character, about his Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. The author had claimed that he based the book on his own persona ...

'', '' My Darling Clementine'', ''

The Quiet Man ''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 ''Saturday Ev ...

'', ''

The Searchers ''The Searchers'' is a 1956 American Technicolor VistaVision epic Western film directed by John Ford and written by Frank S. Nugent, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May. It is set during the Texas-Native American wars, and stars John W ...

'', ''

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' () is a 1962 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and James Stewart. The screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck was adapted from a 1953 short story written by ...

'', '' How the West Was Won'' (segment) *10 ** Howard Hawks: '' Scarface'', ''

Twentieth Century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 (1901, MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 (2000, MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu, Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and ...

'', ''

Bringing Up Baby ''Bringing Up Baby'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a number of predic ...

'', ''

Only Angels Have Wings ''Only Angels Have Wings'' is a 1939 American adventure drama film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, and is based on a story written by Hawks. Its plot follows the manager of an air freight company in a remote South ...

'', ''

His Girl Friday ''His Girl Friday'' is a 1940 American screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell and featuring Ralph Bellamy and Gene Lockhart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The plot centers on a newspaper edito ...

'', '' Sergeant York'', ''

Ball of Fire ''Ball of Fire'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. This Samuel Goldwyn Productions film (originally distributed by RKO) concerns a group of professors laboring to ...

'', ''

The Big Sleep ''The Big Sleep'' (1939) is a hardboiled crime novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler, the first to feature the detective Philip Marlowe. It has been adapted for film twice, in 1946 and again in 1978. The story is set in Los Angel ...

'', '' Red River'', '' Rio Bravo'' **

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), ''The Best Years of ...

: '' Dodsworth'', ''

Jezebel Jezebel (;"Jezebel"
(US) and ) was the daughte ...

'', ''

Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their turbulent re ...

'', ''

Mrs. Miniver ''Mrs. Miniver'' is a 1942 American romantic war drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. Inspired by the 1940 novel '' Mrs. Miniver'' by Jan Struther, it shows how the life of an unassuming British h ...

'', '' Memphis Belle'', ''

The Best Years of Our Lives ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Rus ...

'', ''

The Heiress ''The Heiress'' is a 1949 American romantic drama film directed and produced by William Wyler, from a screenplay written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from their 1947 stage play of the same title, which was itself adapted from Henry Jame ...

'', ''

Roman Holiday ''Roman Holiday'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter. Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress f ...

'', '' Ben-Hur'', '' Funny Girl'' *9 **

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

: ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' (uncredited), ''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in orde ...

'' (uncredited), '' The Women'', '' The Philadelphia Story'', ''

Gaslight Gas lighting is the production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, such as hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, coal gas (town gas) or natural gas. The light is produced either direct ...

'', ''

Adam's Rib ''Adam's Rib'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor from a screenplay written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who come to oppose each other in ...

'', '' Born Yesterday'', '' A Star Is Born'', ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' **

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

: '' Rebecca'', ''

Shadow of a Doubt ''Shadow of a Doubt'' is a 1943 American psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten. Written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville, the film was nominated for an Academy ...

'', '' Notorious'', '' Strangers on a Train'', ''

Rear Window ''Rear Window'' is a 1954 American mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by John Michael Hayes based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder". Originally released by Paramount Pictures, the film st ...

'', ''

Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...

'', ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture ...

'', '' Psycho'', '' The Birds'' **

Leo McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, the most well known today being '' Duck Soup'', ''Make Way for Tomorrow'', '' The Awful T ...

: '' Mighty Like a Moose'', '' Pass the Gravy'' (supervising director), ''

The Battle of the Century ''The Battle of the Century'' is a 1927 silent short film starring comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, who appeared in 107 films between 1921 and 1951. The film is famous for its use of more than 3,000 cream pies (although the Guinness Book of ...

'', ''

Big Business Big business involves large-scale corporate-controlled financial or business activities. As a term, it describes activities that run from "huge transactions" to the more general "doing big things". In corporate jargon, the concept is commonly ...

'' (supervising director), '' Duck Soup'', ''

Ruggles of Red Gap ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' is a 1935 American comedy western film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, and ZaSu Pitts and featuring Roland Young and Leila Hyams. It was based on the best-selling 1915 ...

'', '' Make Way for Tomorrow'', ''

The Awful Truth ''The Awful Truth'' is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Based on the 1923 play ''The Awful Truth'' by Arthur Richman, the film recounts how a distrustful rich couple begins ...

'', ''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest tak ...

'' *8 ** Elia Kazan: '' A Tree Grows in Brooklyn'', ''

Gentleman's Agreement A gentlemen's agreement, or gentleman's agreement, is an informal and legally non-binding agreement between two or more parties. It is typically oral, but it may be written or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or th ...

'', ''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of pers ...

'', '' On the Waterfront'', '' East of Eden'', '' A Face in the Crowd'', ''

Wild River A wild river (United States, Australia, & New Zealand) or heritage river (Canada) is a :river or a river system designated by a government to be protected and kept "relatively untouched by development and are therefore in near natural conditi ...

'', ''

America America ''America America'' (British title ''The Anatolian Smile''—a reference to an ongoing acknowledgment of the character Stavros' captivating smile) is a 1963 American drama film directed, produced and written by Elia Kazan, adapted from his own b ...

'' *7 ** Frank Capra: ''

The Strong Man ''The Strong Man'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film starring Harry Langdon. Along with ''Tramp, Tramp, Tramp'', ''The Strong Man'' is Langdon's best known film. Capra would also direct Langdon's next feature, '' Long Pants'' (1927), which ...

'', ''

The Power of the Press ''The Power of the Press'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as an aspiring newspaper reporter and Jobyna Ralston as a young woman suspected of murder. In 2005, the film was select ...

'', ''

It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...

'', ''

Lost Horizon ''Lost Horizon'' is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. The book was turned into a film, also called '' Lost Horizon'', in 1937 by director Frank Capra. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamas ...

'', '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'', ''

Why We Fight ''Why We Fight'' is a series of seven propaganda films produced by the US Department of War from 1942 to 1945, during World War II. It was originally written for American soldiers to help them understand why the United States was involved in the ...

'', ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loos ...

'' ** Buster Keaton: ''

One Week One Week may refer to: * One Week (1920 film), ''One Week'' (1920 film), a short film starring and co-directed by Buster Keaton * One Week (2008 film), ''One Week'' (2008 film), a Canadian feature film directed by Michael McGowan * One Week (song), ...

'', '' Cops'', '' Sherlock, Jr.'', '' The Navigator'', '' The General'', '' Steamboat Bill, Jr.'', ''

The Cameraman ''The Cameraman'' is a 1928 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and an uncredited Buster Keaton. The picture stars Keaton and Marceline Day. ''The Cameraman'' was Keaton's first film with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It ...

'' ** Steven Spielberg: ''

Jaws Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...

'', ''

Close Encounters of the Third Kind ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' is a 1977 American science fiction film written and directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut. It tells the story ...

'', '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'', '' E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial'', '' Jurassic Park'', ''

Schindler's List ''Schindler's List'' is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the 1982 novel ''Schindler's Ark'' by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film f ...

'', ''

Saving Private Ryan ''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depicti ...

'' **

George Stevens George Cooper Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer.Obituary '' Variety'', March 12, 1975, page 79. Films he produced were nominated for the Academy Award for ...

: ''Swing Time (film), Swing Time'', ''Gunga Din (film), Gunga Din'', ''Woman of the Year'', George Stevens' World War II footage, ''A Place in the Sun (1951 film), A Place in the Sun'', ''Shane (film), Shane'', ''Giant (1956 film), Giant'' **Billy Wilder: ''The Lost Weekend (film), The Lost Weekend'', ''Double Indemnity'', ''Sunset Boulevard (film), Sunset Boulevard'', ''Ace in the Hole (1951 film), Ace in the Hole'', ''Sabrina (1954 film), Sabrina'', ''Some Like It Hot'', ''The Apartment'' *6 **Charlie Chaplin: ''The Immigrant (1917 film), The Immigrant'', ''The Kid (1921 film), The Kid'', ''The Gold Rush'', ''City Lights'', ''Modern Times (film), Modern Times'', ''The Great Dictator'' **D. W. Griffith: ''Lady Helen's Escapade'', ''A Corner in Wheat'', ''The Musketeers of Pig Alley'', ''The Birth of a Nation'', ''Intolerance (film), Intolerance'', ''Broken Blossoms'' **John Huston: ''The Maltese Falcon (1941 film), The Maltese Falcon'', ''The Battle of San Pietro'', ''Let There Be Light (1946 film), Let There Be Light'', ''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'', ''The Asphalt Jungle'', ''The African Queen (film), The African Queen'' **Wilfred Jackson: ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' (sequence director), ''The Old Mill'', ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (sequence director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Dumbo'' (sequence director), ''Cinderella (1950 film), Cinderella'' **Stanley Kubrick: ''Paths of Glory'', ''Spartacus (1960 film), Spartacus'', ''Dr. Strangelove'', ''2001: A Space Odyssey'', ''A Clockwork Orange (film), A Clockwork Orange'', ''The Shining (film), The Shining'' **Vincente Minnelli: ''Cabin in the Sky (film), Cabin in the Sky'', ''Meet Me in St. Louis'', ''An American in Paris (film), An American in Paris'', ''The Bad and the Beautiful'', ''The Band Wagon'', ''Gigi (1958 film), Gigi'' **King Vidor: ''The Big Parade'', ''The Crowd (1928 film), The Crowd'', ''Show People'', ''Hallelujah (film), Hallelujah'', ''Our Daily Bread (1934 film), Our Daily Bread'', ''The Wizard of Oz (1939 film), The Wizard of Oz'' (uncredited) *5 **William Kennedy Dickson: '' Newark Athlete'', ''Blacksmith Scene'', ''Fred Ott's Sneeze, Edison Kinetographic Record of a Sneeze'', ''The Dickson Experimental Sound Film'', ''Rip Van Winkle (1903 film), Rip Van Winkle'' **Ernst Lubitsch: ''Lady Windermere's Fan (1925 film), Lady Windermere's Fan'', ''Trouble in Paradise (1932 film), Trouble in Paradise'', ''Ninotchka'', ''The Shop Around the Corner'', ''To Be or Not to Be (1942 film), To Be or Not to Be'' **Sidney Lumet: ''12 Angry Men (1957 film), 12 Angry Men'', ''The Pawnbroker (film), The Pawnbroker'', ''King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis'', ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''Network (1976 film), Network'' **Otto Preminger: ''Laura (1944 film), Laura'', ''Carmen Jones (film), Carmen Jones'', ''The Man with the Golden Arm'', ''Porgy and Bess (film), Porgy and Bess'', ''Anatomy of a Murder'' **

: ''Mean Streets'', ''Taxi Driver'', ''The Last Waltz'', ''

'', ''

'' **Ben Sharpsteen: ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' (sequence director), ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (supervising director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Dumbo'' (supervising director), ''Cinderella (1950 film), Cinderella'' (supervising director) **William Wellman: ''Wings (1927 film), Wings'', ''The Public Enemy'', ''Wild Boys of the Road'', ''The Ox-Bow Incident'', ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' *4 **Robert Altman: ''M*A*S*H'', ''McCabe and Mrs. Miller'', ''The Long Goodbye (film), The Long Goodbye'', ''Nashville (film), Nashville'' **Francis Ford Coppola: ''The Godfather'', ''The Godfather Part II'', ''The Conversation'', ''Apocalypse Now'' **Michael Curtiz: ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'', ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'', ''Casablanca (film), Casablanca'', ''Mildred Pierce (film), Mildred Pierce'' **Stanley Donen: ''On the Town (film), On the Town'', ''Singin' in the Rain'', ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'', ''Charade (1963 film), Charade'' **Spike Lee: ''She's Gotta Have It'', ''

'', ''Malcolm X (1992 film), Malcolm X'', ''4 Little Girls'' **Mervyn LeRoy: ''Little Caesar (film), Little Caesar'', ''I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'', ''Gold Diggers of 1933'', ''The House I Live In (1945 film), The House I Live In'' (uncredited) **Rouben Mamoulian: ''Applause (1929 film), Applause'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''Becky Sharp (film), Becky Sharp'', ''The Mark of Zorro (1940 film), The Mark of Zorro'' **Edwin S. Porter: ''Life of an American Fireman'', ''The Great Train Robbery (1903 film), The Great Train Robbery'', ''Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (film), Dream of a Rarebit Fiend'', ''Tess of the Storm Country (1914 film), Tess of the Storm Country'' **Preston Sturges: ''The Lady Eve'', ''Sullivan's Travels'', ''The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'', ''Hail the Conquering Hero'' **Maurice Tourneur: ''The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England'', ''The Poor Little Rich Girl'', ''The Blue Bird (1918 film), The Blue Bird'', ''The Last of the Mohicans (1920 American film), The Last of the Mohicans'' **Josef von Sternberg: ''It (1927 film), It'' (uncredited), ''The Last Command (1928 film), The Last Command'', ''The Docks of New York'', ''Morocco (film), Morocco'' **Raoul Walsh: ''Regeneration (1915 film), Regeneration'', ''The Thief of Bagdad (1924 film), The Thief of Bagdad'', ''The Big Trail'', ''White Heat'' **Orson Welles: ''Citizen Kane'', ''The Magnificent Ambersons (film), The Magnificent Ambersons'', ''The Lady from Shanghai'', ''Touch of Evil'' **James Whale: ''Frankenstein (1931 film), Frankenstein'', ''The Invisible Man (1933 film), The Invisible Man'', ''The Bride of Frankenstein'', ''Show Boat (1936 film), Show Boat'' *3 **James Algar: ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Bambi'' (sequence director), ''The Living Desert'' **Samuel Armstrong: ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Dumbo'' (sequence director), ''Bambi'' (sequence director) **Lloyd Bacon: ''42nd Street (film), 42nd Street'', ''Footlight Parade'', ''Knute Rockne, All American'' **Clarence G. Badger: ''Jubilo'', ''Hands Up! (1926 film), Hands Up!'', ''It (1927 film), It'' **Reginald Barker: ''The Bargain (1914 film), The Bargain'', ''The Italian (1915 film), The Italian'', ''Civilization (film), Civilization'' **Mel Brooks: ''The Producers (1967 film), The Producers'', ''Blazing Saddles'', ''Young Frankenstein'' **Clarence Brown: ''The Last of the Mohicans (1920 American film), The Last of the Mohicans'', ''Flesh and the Devil'', ''National Velvet (film), National Velvet'' **John Cassavetes: ''Shadows (1959 film), Shadows'', ''Faces (1968 film), Faces'', ''A Woman Under the Influence'' **Edward F. Cline: ''

'', '' Cops'', ''The Bank Dick'' **Merian C. Cooper: ''Grass (1925 film), Grass'', ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong'', ''This Is Cinerama'' **Blake Edwards: ''Days of Wine and Roses (film), Days of Wine and Roses'', ''The Pink Panther (1963 film), The Pink Panther'', ''Breakfast at Tiffany's (film), Breakfast at Tiffany's'' **Norm Ferguson (animator), Norm Ferguson: ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (sequence director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Dumbo'' (sequence director) **Dave Fleischer: ''Snow-White (1933 film), Snow White'', ''Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor'', ''Let's All Go to the Lobby'' (uncredited) **Victor Fleming: ''Red Dust (1932 film), Red Dust'', ''

'', ''The Wizard of Oz (1939 film), The Wizard of Oz'' **Samuel Fuller: ''Samuel Fuller, V-E+1'', ''Pickup on South Street'', ''Shock Corridor'' **Clyde Geronimi: ''Bambi'' (sequence director; uncredited), ''Cinderella (1950 film), Cinderella'', ''Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), Sleeping Beauty'' (supervising director) **David Hand (animator), David Hand: ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' (supervising director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Bambi'' (supervising director) **Chuck Jones: ''Duck Amuck'', ''One Froggy Evening'', ''What's Opera, Doc?'' **Henry King (director), Henry King: ''Tol'able David'', ''State Fair (1933 film), State Fair'', ''Twelve O'Clock High'' **Jack Kinney: ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (sequence director), ''Dumbo'' (sequence director), ''The Story of Menstruation'' (uncredited) **John Landis: ''Animal House, National Lampoon's Animal House'', ''The Blues Brothers (film), The Blues Brothers'', ''Michael Jackson's Thriller (music video), Michael Jackson's Thriller'' **John Lasseter: ''Luxo Jr.'', ''Tin Toy'', ''

'' **George Lucas: ''Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB'', ''American Graffiti'', ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'' **Hamilton Luske: ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (supervising director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Cinderella (1950 film), Cinderella'' **Winsor McCay: ''Little Nemo (1911 film), Little Nemo'', ''Gertie the Dinosaur'', ''The Sinking of the Lusitania'' **Lewis Milestone: ''All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film), All Quiet on the Western Front'', ''The Front Page (1931 film), The Front Page'', ''A Walk in the Sun (1945 film), A Walk in the Sun'' **Dudley Murphy: ''St. Louis Blues (1929 film), St. Louis Blues'', ''Black and Tan (film), Black and Tan'', ''The Emperor Jones (1933 film), The Emperor Jones'' **Nicholas Ray: ''In a Lonely Place'', ''Johnny Guitar'', ''Rebel Without a Cause'' **Rob Reiner: ''This Is Spinal Tap'', ''The Princess Bride (film), The Princess Bride'', ''When Harry Met Sally...'' **Martin Ritt: ''Hud (1963 film), Hud'', ''Sounder (film), Sounder'', ''Norma Rae'' **Bill Roberts: ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Dumbo'' (sequence director), ''Bambi'' (sequence director) **Ridley Scott: ''Alien (film), Alien'', ''Blade Runner'', ''Thelma & Louise'' **Luis Valdez: ''I Am Joaquin (film), I Am Joaquín'', ''Zoot Suit (film), Zoot Suit'', ''La Bamba (film), La Bamba'' **W. S. Van Dyke: ''The Thin Man (film), The Thin Man'', ''Naughty Marietta (film), Naughty Marietta'', ''

'' (uncredited) **Erich von Stroheim: ''Foolish Wives'', ''Greed (1924 film), Greed'', ''The Wedding March (1928 film), The Wedding March'' **Lois Weber: ''Suspense (1913 film), Suspense'', ''Where Are My Children?'' (uncredited), ''Shoes (1916 film), Shoes'' **Robert Wise: ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'', ''West Side Story (1961 film), West Side Story'', ''The Sound of Music (film), The Sound of Music'' **Frederick Wiseman: ''Titicut Follies'', ''High School (1968 film), High School'', ''Hospital (1970 film), Hospital'' **Robert Zemeckis: ''Back to the Future'', ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'', ''Forrest Gump'' **Fred Zinnemann: ''High Noon'', ''From Here to Eternity'', ''Oklahoma! (1955 film), Oklahoma!'' *2 **Robert Aldrich: ''Kiss Me Deadly'', ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' **Woody Allen: ''Annie Hall'', ''Manhattan (1979 film), Manhattan'' **Kenneth Anger: ''Eaux d'Artifice'', ''Scorpio Rising (film), Scorpio Rising'' **Hal Ashby: ''Harold and Maude'', ''Being There'' **Billy Bitzer: ''Westinghouse Works, 1904'', '':File:New York Subway (1905) - G.W. Bitzer - Interior NYC From 14th to 42nd Street.webm, Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street'' **Les Blank: ''Chulas Fronteras'', ''Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers'' **John Boorman: ''Point Blank (1967 film), Point Blank'', ''Deliverance'' **Frank Borzage: ''Humoresque (1920 film), Humoresque'', ''7th Heaven (1927 film), Seventh Heaven'' **Richard Brooks: ''Blackboard Jungle'', ''In Cold Blood (film), In Cold Blood'' **Tod Browning: ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracula'', ''Freaks (1932 film), Freaks'' **Clyde Bruckman: '' The General'', ''

'' **Charles Burnett (director), Charles Burnett: ''Killer of Sheep'', ''To Sleep with Anger'' **James Cameron: ''The Terminator'', ''Titanic (1997 film), Titanic'' **Shirley Clarke: ''The Cool World (film), The Cool World'', ''Portrait of Jason'' **Joel and Ethan Coen: '' Fargo'', ''The Big Lebowski'' **Julie Dash: ''Illusions (1982 film), Illusions'', ''Daughters of the Dust'' **Cecil B. DeMille: ''The Cheat (1915 film), The Cheat'', ''The Ten Commandments (1956 film), The Ten Commandments'' **Jonathan Demme: ''Stop Making Sense'', ''The Silence of the Lambs (film), The Silence of the Lambs'' **Richard Donner: ''Superman (1978 film), Superman'', ''The Goonies'' **Clint Eastwood: ''The Outlaw Josey Wales'', ''Unforgiven'' **Rob Epstein: ''Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives'', ''The Times of Harvey Milk'' **Robert J. Flaherty: ''Nanook of the North'', ''Louisiana Story'' **Robert Florey: ''The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra'', ''Daughter of Shanghai'' **Miloš Forman: ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'', ''Amadeus (film), Amadeus'' **Bob Fosse: ''Cabaret (1972 film), Cabaret'', ''All That Jazz (film), All That Jazz'' **John Frankenheimer: ''The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film), The Manchurian Candidate'', ''Seconds (1966 film), Seconds'' **William Friedkin: ''The French Connection (film), The French Connection'', ''The Exorcist'' **Robert Gardner (anthropologist), Robert Gardner: ''The Hunters (1957 film), The Hunters'', ''Dead Birds (1963 film), Dead Birds'' **Louis J. Gasnier: ''The Perils of Pauline (1914 serial), The Perils of Pauline'', ''The Exploits of Elaine'' **Burt Gillett: ''Flowers and Trees'', ''Three Little Pigs (film), Three Little Pigs'' **Michael Gordon (film director), Michael Gordon: ''Cyrano de Bergerac (1950 film), Cyrano de Bergerac'', ''Pillow Talk (film), Pillow Talk'' **Alfred E. Green: ''Ella Cinders (film), Ella Cinders'', ''Baby Face (film), Baby Face'' **T. Hee: ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (sequence director), ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'' **George Roy Hill: ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'', ''The Sting'' **William K. Howard: ''The Power and the Glory (1933 film), The Power and the Glory'', ''Knute Rockne, All American'' (uncredited) **John Hubley: ''Gerald McBoing-Boing'' (supervising director), ''The Hole (1962 film), The Hole'' **John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughes: ''The Breakfast Club'', ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' **Gene Kelly: ''On the Town (film), On the Town'', ''Singin' in the Rain'' **Jim Klein: ''Growing Up Female (film), Growing Up Female'', ''Union Maids'' **Randal Kleiser: ''Peege'', ''Grease (film), Grease'' **Stanley Kramer: ''Judgment at Nuremberg'', ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' **Gregory La Cava: ''So's Your Old Man'', ''My Man Godfrey'' **Fritz Lang: ''Fury (1936 film), Fury'', ''The Big Heat'' **David Lean: ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'', ''Lawrence of Arabia (film), Lawrence of Arabia'' **Pare Lorentz: ''The Plow That Broke the Plains'', ''The River (1938 film), The River'' **Ida Lupino: ''Outrage (1950 film), Outrage'', ''The Hitch-Hiker'' **Terrence Malick: ''Badlands (film), Badlands'', ''Days of Heaven'' **Joseph L. Mankiewicz: ''All About Eve'', ''King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis'' **Anthony Mann: ''Winchester '73'', ''The Naked Spur'' **George Marshall (director), George Marshall: ''Destry Rides Again'', '' How the West Was Won'' **Albert and David Maysles: ''Salesman (1969 film), Salesman'', ''Grey Gardens'' **Oscar Micheaux: ''Within Our Gates'', ''Body and Soul (1925 film), Body and Soul'' **Errol Morris: ''The Thin Blue Line (1988 film), The Thin Blue Line'', ''The Fog of War'' **F. W. Murnau: ''Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Sunrise'', ''Tabu: A Story of the South Seas'' **Gregory Nava: ''El Norte (film), El Norte'', ''Selena (film), Selena'' **Fred C. Newmeyer: ''Safety Last!'', ''The Freshman (1925 film), The Freshman'' **Fred Niblo: ''The Mark of Zorro (1920 film), The Mark of Zorro'', ''Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 film), Ben-Hur'' **Mike Nichols: ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'', ''The Graduate'' **Christopher Nolan: ''Memento (film), Memento'', ''The Dark Knight'' **George Pal: ''Tulips Shall Grow'', ''John Henry and the Inky-Poo'' **Gordon Parks: ''The Learning Tree'', ''Shaft (1971 film), Shaft'' **Sam Peckinpah: ''Ride the High Country'', ''The Wild Bunch'' **Arthur Penn: ''Bonnie and Clyde (film), Bonnie and Clyde'', ''Little Big Man (film), Little Big Man'' **D. A. Pennebaker: ''Dont Look Back'', ''Monterey Pop'' **Roman Polanski: ''Rosemary's Baby (film), Rosemary's Baby'', ''Chinatown (1974 film), Chinatown'' **Julia Reichert: ''Growing Up Female (film), Growing Up Female'', ''Union Maids'' **Robert Rossen: ''All the King's Men (1949 film), All the King's Men'', ''The Hustler'' **Denis Sanders: ''A Time Out of War'', ''Czechoslovakia 1968'' **Paul Satterfield: ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', ''Bambi'' (sequence director) **Franklin J. Schaffner: ''Planet of the Apes (1968 film), Planet of the Apes'', ''Patton (film), Patton'' **Ernest B. Schoedsack: ''Grass (1925 film), Grass'', ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong'' **Edward Sedgwick: ''The Phantom of the Opera (1925 film), The Phantom of the Opera'' (uncredited), ''

'' **George B. Seitz: ''The Exploits of Elaine'', ''Love Finds Andy Hardy'' **Don Siegel: ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'', ''Dirty Harry'' **Douglas Sirk: ''All That Heaven Allows'', ''Imitation of Life (1959 film), Imitation of Life'' **Victor Sjöström: ''He Who Gets Slapped (film), He Who Gets Slapped'', ''The Wind (1928 film), The Wind'' **Phillips Smalley: ''Suspense (1913 film), Suspense'', ''Where Are My Children?'' (uncredited) **John M. Stahl: ''Imitation of Life (1934 film), Imitation of Life'', ''Leave Her to Heaven'' **Ralph Steiner: ''H2O (1929 film), H2O'', ''The City (1939 film), The City'' **Robert Stevenson (filmmaker), Robert Stevenson: ''Old Yeller (film), Old Yeller'', ''Mary Poppins (film), Mary Poppins'' **Mel Stuart: ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', ''Wattstax'' **John Sturges: ''Bad Day at Black Rock'', ''The Magnificent Seven'' **Frank Tashlin: ''The Way of Peace (film), The Way of Peace'', ''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'' **Sam Taylor (director), Sam Taylor: ''Safety Last!'', ''The Freshman (1925 film), The Freshman'' **Jacques Tourneur: ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat People'', ''Out of the Past'' **Wayne Wang: ''Chan Is Missing'', ''The Joy Luck Club (film), The Joy Luck Club'' **John Waters: ''Pink Flamingos'', ''Hairspray (1988 film), Hairspray'' **Fred M. Wilcox (director), Fred M. Wilcox: ''Lassie Come Home'', ''Forbidden Planet''

References

External links

Complete National Film Registry Listing

National Film Registry homepage

Classic Movie Hub: National Film Registry List
{{featured list 1988 establishments in the United States 1988 in American cinema Cultural infrastructure completed in 1988 Film archives in the United States History of film Library of Congress Reference material lists Film preservation United States National Film Registry films,

History

Selection criteria

Films

Notes

Number of films by release year

Age of Registry selections

Span from release to selection

Filmmakers with multiple entries (2 or more)

See also

References

External links