“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” at the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress?
That classic film is one of 25 added to the library’s registry of films this year.
Chosen for “cultural, historic and/or aesthetic importance,” this year’s selections range from the 1905 film “Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street,” which documented the early days of the New York subway system, to James Cameron’s “Titanic” and the 1987 biopic “La Bamba.”
“The selection of a film to the National Film Registry recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement. “Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals and a nation as a whole. Being tasked with selecting only 25 each year is daunting because there are so many great films deserving of this honor.”
Director Richard Donner had two of his films selected, “Superman” and “The Goonies.”
“I thank the National Film Registry for choosing ‘Superman: The Movie’ and ‘The Goonies’ as films to be treasured,” Donner said in a statement. “They are both special films in my life, as was the cast and crew for both. It’s wonderful to see them listed among so many great films.”
The National Film Preservation Board, which advises on the selections, was established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988 and works to ensure the conservation of America’s film heritage.
More information about the films chosen for 2017 can be found at the National Film Registry’s site.