Movies

Return Of The Jedi, Fellowship Of The Ring, WALL-E Enter The National Film Registry

The Fellowship of the Ring New Line Cinema
By Jeremy Mathai/

So a Jedi, a Hobbit, and a robot walk into a bar...

In this case, that "bar" just so happens to be the National Film Registry and the "punchline" is that a trio of a overwhelmingly adored movies — along with 22 others — have officially been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically" worthy enough works of art to be preserved in perpetuity. Last year's batch of newcomers, if you remember, brought the additions of classics such as "A Clockwork Orange," "The Dark Knight," and most importantly, uh, "Shrek." This year, "Return of the Jedi," "The Fellowship of the Ring," and "WALL-E" headline another 25 films that also include "Strangers on a Train," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Selena," "Pink Flamingos," "The Long Goodbye," and many more deserving movies. Check out each and every title below.

National Film Registry Additions

The Long Goodbye United Artists

The greatness of "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Return of the Jedi" are now officially a matter of record and no longer need to have their iconic status in dispute (the Ewoks are good, losers!), but in my opinion it's high time that "WALL-E" also became recognized by its peers as one of the absolute best stories that Pixar has ever had to offer. THR has the details about the latest group of entries to the National Film Registry, chosen by the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in conjunction with the National Film Preservation Board, carefully considering well over 6,000 total contenders. In a statement, Hayden described the significance of this recognition:

"Films help reflect our cultural history and creativity — and show us new ways of looking at ourselves — though movies haven't always been deemed worthy of preservation. The National Film Registry will preserve our cinematic heritage, and we are proud to add 25 more films this year."

You can check out the full list of 2021 entries below:

  • Chicana (1979)
  • Cooley High (1975)
  • Evergreen (1965)
  • Flowers and Trees (1932)
  • The Flying Ace (1926)
  • Hellbound Train (1930)
  • Jubilo (1919)
  • The Long Goodbye (1973)
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  • The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
  • Pink Flamingos (1972)
  • Requiem-29 (1970)
  • Return of the Jedi (1983)
  • Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
  • Ringling Brothers Parade Film (1902)
  • Selena (1997)
  • Sounder (1972)
  • Stop Making Sense (1984)
  • Strangers on a Train (1951)
  • WALL-E (2008)
  • The Watermelon Woman (1996)
  • What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
  • Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987)
  • The Wobblies (1979)

Recommended