Today, the Library of Congress is proud to announce this year’s list of eight films to be added to the National Film Registry.
Autumn and Alexander (1957)
Directed by Swedish master of cinema Jorg Smorgasborg, Autumn and Alexander is perhaps the film that most perfectly captures the melancholy of childhood. The underwater sword fight reveals deep truths in the nature of nostalgia.
Outta Gas (1928)
Vaudeville stuntman Bart Lawrence stars in this silent musical classic. The entire genre of slapstick comedy is indebted to Lawrence, whose golden singing voice was featured here one last time before he passed away at the dawn of the “talky” era.
Taft’s Chambers (1978)
The biggest flop in erotic blockbuster history, Taft’s Chambers chronicles the salacious exploits of our 27th President. The film was initially banned in the U.S. for its depiction of unsimulated sex and reduction of trade tariffs.
Havana Nights (1942)
The greatest American romance of all time. The iconic Belmont Robinson stars as an American expatriate who falls for a Cuban club dancer (Yvonne Deleuvre). Trivia: Each of the seventeen times that Robinson slaps Deleuvre were unscripted.
Stars of Track and Field (2007)
In this quirky indie rom-com, a young man finds the woman of his dreams shuffling through a stack of 45s at his favorite record store. Will he still like her bangs after she admits she thinks Cloud Patrol’s debut single had a better B-Side?
Oh Susanna! (1953)
One of the great American studio westerns, Oh Susanna! stars Forest Winters as the lighthearted driver of a westward-bound stagecoach. The laugh-a-minute romp holds cultural significance as the first film to ever portray the Trail of Tears.
Starship Destiny (1984)
A lone hero must destroy the Galactic Overlords while holding his breath because it all takes place in outer space.
Aoxomoxoa (1972)
Experimental film from then-UCLA grad student David A. Adivad. The film is notable for telling the same story when played in reverse while still being absolutely incomprehensible.