'Titanic,' 'Goonies,' 'Die Hard' among 2017 National Film Registry selections
James Cameron's disaster epic "Titanic" and the beloved adventure-fantasy "The Goonies" are among the 25 films selected this year for inclusion in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry .
The 2017 selections range from Disney's 1941 animated classic "Dumbo" to a Mexican-American family's home movies made in Texas in the 1920s and 1930s.
Also included are "Die Hard," the 1988 Bruce Willis action-thriller; "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," the 1967 Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn comedy-of-racial-manners; Kevin Costner's 1989 "Field of Dreams"; and "Spartacus," the 1960 Kirk Douglas-Stanley Kubrick gladiator epic.
‘Titanic,’ ‘The Goonies,’ ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘Memento’ Added to National Film Registry https://t.co/mz7OX7XzbA
" Variety (@Variety) December 13, 2017
The titles will be added to the Library's collection of films designated as having cultural, social or aesthetic significance.
The registry lists films deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" that are earmarked for preservation by the Library of Congress. These films are not necessarily considered the best American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture.
#DieHard was finally added to the #NationalFilmRegistry. Which classic sci-fi or action #film from the 1980s should be added next to the #NFR? #poll
" The Film Poll (@thefilmpoll) December 13, 2017
"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," said Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, in a press release. "Being tasked with selecting only 25 each year is daunting because there are so many great films deserving of this honor."
The registry selects 25 films each year showcasing the range and diversity of America's film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. The 2017 selections brings to 725 the number of titles included on the registry.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5750, smcmarlin@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shirley_trib.
