A beloved animated story about a prodigal lion cub. An ’80s comedy-drama about five teens coping with detention. A Hitchcock thriller about a town under attack by menacing birds. And a fairy tale about a young farmhand rescuing a princess.
They’re among the 25 classic films being added to the National Film Registry, which recognizes moves that have had a lasting impact on American culture.
“The Lion King,” “The Breakfast Club, “The Birds” and “The Princess Bride” were among the inductees announced Wednesday by the Library of Congress.
This year’s group also includes the drag queen documentary “Paris is Burning,” the animated/live action hybrid “Who Shot Roger Rabbit,” the feminist classic “Thelma & Louise,” the Barbra Streisand musical “Funny Girl,” James Dean’s debut film “East of Eden” and the quirky teen comedy “Rushmore.”
“Motion pictures document our history and culture and serve as a mirror of our collective experiences,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement. “The National Film Registry embraces the richness and diversity of film as an art form and celebrates the people who create the magic of cinema.”
The full list of this year’s inductees are:
The Atomic Cafe (1982)
Ball of Fire (1941)
The Beau Brummels (1928)
The Birds (1963)
Blackboard Jungle (1955)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
East of Eden (1955)
Funny Girl (1968)
Life of an American Fireman (1903)
The Lion King (1994)
Lost Horizon (1937)
Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912)
Paris Is Burning (1990)
Point Blank (1967)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Putney Swope (1969)
Rushmore (1998)
Solomon Sir Jones films (1924-28)
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
Suzanne, Suzanne (1982)
Thelma & Louise (1991)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
A Walk in the Sun (1945)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
To be eligible for the registry, a film must be at least 10 years old and be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” according to the Library of Congress. Twenty-five movies are added each year, and the registry now contains 700 films.
The National Film Preservation Board, which helps select the films, was established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988. The board works to ensure the “survival, conservation and increased public availability of America’s film heritage.”
The public are encouraged to submit nominations for films they wish to be considered in future years.
