4 Disney Films Added to National Film Registry
Disney might be most well known for the classic movies they’ve created over the past century. From Disney Princesses to talking animals to toys coming to life, these movies have had an incredible cultural impact over the years.
Apparently the Library of Congress agrees, because a bunch of Disney films have been added to the National Film Registry. And now, four more films are joining that list!
Disney Movies Added to National Film Registry
Four Disney films have been named to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. They are:
- Disney’s Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 20th Century’s Home Alone (1990)
- Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- Searchlight Pictures’ 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Every year, the Library of Congress names 25 films that will be added to its National Film Registry (6,875 titles were submitted for consideration this year!). These films are considered “culturally, historically, or esthetically important.”
Part of what goes into the selection process of the movies is online nominations from the general public. The Library of Congress said that Home Alone was one of the titles that had a lot of support from the online nominations.
“Films are an integral piece of America’s cultural heritage, reflecting stories of our nation for more than 125 years. We are proud to add 25 diverse films to the National Film Registry as we preserve our history through film,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
Disney shared a little bit more about each of their films that were named to the Registry this year. Lady and the Tramp was Disney Studios’ most mature love story to date when it was released in 1955, and it also marked an important technological innovation.
Disney released the movie in the wide screen CinemaScope process (in addition to standard theatrical formats) in an effort to get people to keep going to the movies after television started becoming popular.
As I’m sure you know, Home Alone is about little 8-year-old Kevin McCallister being left behind by his family as they leave to go on Christmas vacation. He then outsmarts two burglars that are trying to steal from his family home.
The movie was directed by Chris Columbus, written by John Hughes, and was scored by John Williams.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is the stop-motion story of Jack Skellington (the king of Halloween Town) as he discovers Christmas. Released in 1993, this iconic movie has become a staple around both Halloween and Christmas.
Finally, let’s talk about 12 Years a Slave. This film is about slavery on a Louisiana plantation, based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir. He was an African American free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 years before regaining his freedom.
The movie won the Oscar for Best Picture, as well as for Best Adapted Screenplay (John Ridley) and Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o).
“Slavery for me was a subject matter that hadn’t been sort of given enough recognition within the narrative of cinema history. I wanted to address it for that reason, but also because it was a subject which had so much to do with how we live now. It wasn’t just something which was dated. It was something which is living and breathing, because you see the evidence of slavery today,” Director Steve McQueen said upon the film’s induction into the Library.
In addition to the four films being added to the National Film Registry are 24 other Disney films:
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- Fantasia (1940)
- Pinocchio (1940)
- Steamboat Willie (1928)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Toy Story (1995)
- Three Little Pigs (1933)
- Disneyland Dream (1956)
- Bambi (1942)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- The Old Mill (1937)
- The Story of Menstruation (1946)
- The Lion King (1994)
- Rushmore (1998)
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- Dumbo (1941)
- Cinderella (1950)
- Old Yeller (1957)
- Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- Flowers and Trees (1932)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
- WALL-E (2008) in 2021
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Iron Man (2008)
You can also watch two of this year’s films during Live! at the Library in Washington, DC. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas will be screened on Thursday, December 21, at 6:30PM ET and Home Alone will be screened Thursday, December 28, at 6:30PM ET.
Stay tuned for more Disney news and updates!