Speaking of Fred Astaire, the cinetrix is delighted that her favorite Fred and Ginger RKO Radio Picture, Swing Time, was one of the 25 films added this year to the National Film Registry. Yeah, Top Hat is the Fred and Ginger movie that everyone knows, but Swing Time is the one everyone should know. The "Never Gonna Dance" number is devastatingly romantic [even when you know they shot so many takes that Ginger's feet bled].
Film is still such a young and fragile medium. Many of the earliest movies were shot on highly flammable cellulose nitrate stock. And then there's vinegar syndrome.... All the cinetrix is saying is that every little bit of preservation helps.
Here's the complete list of 2004 inductees:
1) Ben-Hur (1959)
2) The Blue Bird (1918)
3) A Bronx Morning (1931)
4) Clash of the Wolves (1925)
5) The Court Jester (1956)
6) D.O.A. (1950)
7) Daughters of the Dust (1991)
8) Duck and Cover (1951)
9) Empire (1964)
10) Enter the Dragon (1973)
11) Eraserhead (1978)
12) Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers (1980)
13) Going My Way (1944)
14) Jailhouse Rock (1957)
15) Kannapolis, NC (1941)
16) Lady Helen's Escapade (1909)
17) The Nutty Professor (1963)
18) OffOn (1968)
19) Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor (1936)
20) Pups is Pups (Our Gang) (1930)
21) Schindler's List (1993)
22) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
23) Swing Time (1936)
24) There It Is (1928)
25) Unforgiven (1992)
UPDATE: Jette over at Celluloid Eyes asks the tough questions. What does this mean to the average Joe or Jane? Who gets to see these restored prints? Is there any correlation between a film's inclusion in the registry and its eventual availability on DVD?
