These Amazing Shadows: The Movies That Make America

Directed by Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton, this PBS-aired documentary looks at the National Film Registry, created by the Library of Congress to recognize and protect American motion pictures of lasting importance. Movies are the most perishable of the popular arts—indeed, half of all films released before 1950, particularly from the silent era, are now lost forever. However, it was the controversial issue of colorization of black-and-white productions—which took off during the home-video explosion in the 1980s—that brought the issue of preservation and integrity to the fore. Each year a committee of experts (along with input from the public) nominates 25 works to add to the Registry, and while initial selections focused on expected classics like Citizen Kane, recently the list has expanded in diversity, encompassing documentaries, experimental films, and home movies—even Michael Jackson's “Thriller” music video and the Zapruder JFK assassination footage. Viewers go behind-the-scenes for glimpses of the discussions leading to selections and to see the painstaking work that library employees perform in order to preserve and store these fragile artifacts. Critics and historians such as Leonard Maltin add perspective to the many clips included here, while an outstanding musical score by Peter Golub further enhances the production. DVD extras include featurettes (on preservation and restoration techniques, recording the score, and the Sundance Festival premiere), deleted scenes, and outtakes. A fine celebration of “our family album,” this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)