The United States Library of Congress holds one of the largest collections of knowledge and culture in the world. Established over 200 years ago and located on Capitol Hill, the institution seeks to preserve valuable pieces of American and worldwide culture, including, of course, movies.
Back in 1989, the Library of Congress started adding movies to its catalogue when it choseall-time greats likeCasablanca,Citizen Kane,Some Like It Hot,Star Wars: A New HopeandThe Wizard of Oz. Since then the Library’s cultural arms welcome 25 films each year -both new and old-, each chosen for a variety of reasons to enrich its varied records.
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Leading the pack of 2020 inductees are Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knightand Stanley Kubrick’sA Clockwork Orange, both featuring iconic psychopathic criminals and the latter being described as “disturbing, controversial and startlingly unsettling” in the Library’s new entered description. Other notable films in pop culture getting such honors this year areShrek,The Hurt Locker,The Blues Brothers, andGrease.
The U.S. Congress library has relatively few requirements for films to be considered as eligible, admitting thousands of nominations each year of movies with at least 10 years old and ultimately giving the honor to those that are of great cultural historical or aesthetical significance. This year the Library highlighted some films made by women and African American directors with the inclusion of Bigelow’sHurt Locker, Kathleen Collins’Losing Groundor Ida Lupino’sOutrage, just to name a few.
Nolan’sDark Knight Trilogyis credited alongsideIron Man-each in its own way- as being largely responsible for igniting the flames that allowed the superhero movie genre to become much of what it is today. Hence,The Dark Knight’sinduction is a fitting tribute to what was then considered as one of the best films of the decade and the same goes forClockwork Orange, even if it took critics and audiences more years to appreciate it.
With Batman’s presence on Capitol Hill, it does beg the question of which will be the next superhero movie to receive the same honor? Though there’s a chance it’s a film that hasn’t even come out yet,Black Panther’scultural significance andcarefully crafted villainputs it on top of the list, but don’t count outGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1or evenIron Manhimself.
