December 28th, 2010 the Library of Congress announced their 25 selections to the National Film Registry [
here]. Cry of Jazz, Electronics Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB, I Am Joaquin, Newark Athlete, Our Lady of the Sphere, Preservation of the Sign Language, Tarantella, and A Trip Down Main Street are all reviewed here. Several of 2009's selections have now shown up on youtube and dailymotion so I have managed to round up another dozen films. Again they are sorted by my highest to lowest rating. Maybe after a 7th post I'll look to put together a "Best of," but for now here is another small set. You can find any of these with a google video search, and the Library of Congress even has a channel on youtube now with most of the films from the previous LoC NFR posts.
I Am Joaquin (1969) [9/10]
... and I will endure. This is a powerful partially animated, partially live action film with narroration based upon a poem by Rudolfo Corky Gonzales. It is really good film with nice imagery and good message. Released during the Vietnam Conflict and including a message about the high number of Mexican Americans sent to fight. Very mcuh worth checking out.
Siege (1939) [8/10]
A powerful short film that was actually nominated for a documentary short subject Oscar. At the time the category was called the "one-reel" category and this film is narrorated by Julien Bryan. Bryan is a filmmmaker that spent three weeks in Warsaw, Poland during the German invasion in September 1939. This is an incredibly powerful little film that is worth checking out.
Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB (1967) [7/10]
George Lucas's student version of his 1971 feature length release
THX 1138. Released when he was a student at The University of Southern California, this film has an Orwellian look to it. Set in a futuristic building with clean white walls, everything numbered and aligned, we watch a man basically just running through a maze. Escaping from the facility with speakers blaring, telling 1138 that he is entering different restricted areas. I thought this might be pretty cool, but it got really dull after 5-6 minutes. 15 minutes is a long time with no real dialogue or story.
A Trip Down Main Street (1906) [7/10]
I'm not sure if the submission to the Library of Congress matches the version I actually watched. The version I saw has some serious video issues with frames scrolling down vertically like something out of a Bugs Bunny Cartoon. The camera is fixed on the front of a Trolley car in San Francisco just before the 7.9 earthquake and subsiquent fires.
Cry of Jazz (1959) [6/10]
A discussion between white and black twenty somethings about Jazz and how this relates to Negro's in America. A very powerful and intense conversation that actually has the two sides yelling at each other at points. Uncomfortable in a good way.
Scratch and Crow [6/10]
Another 4 minute animated film. A lot better than Tarantella because it actually had some sort of storyline. The text made little sense with respect to what was going on though, and I just didn't get it. Maybe because I'm not a film student or artist. All I know is that it was difficult to focus on because the watercolors hurt your head with the constant changing frames.
Mabel's Blunder (1914) [5/10]
A 13 minute silent comedy, were Mabel and her fiance's schofer swap cloths so that she can spy on him. This is all fine until he starts making moves on him/her. A decent short slapstick comedy featuring Mabel Normand.
Tarantella (1940) [5/10]
A decent little animation by Mary Ellen Bute and Ted Nemeth. Only four minutes, artistic and with no real point. There is piano in the background but I didn't feel like the animation really was in tune with it. Just ok for me.
Newark Athlete (1891) [5/10]
Incredibily old and almost too short to comment on. At less than 30 seconds this is more proof that Dickson was able to make the film; not really worth watching at all.
Matrimony's Speed Limit (1913) [4/10]
The permise of this film has inspired a number of films I hate so much. The idea that a man will only get a fortune from his dead Aunt if he marries by noon the same day. Realistically this not only wouldn't happen but I find it really annoying. The pace is painfully slow and the plot consists only of what I just stated. Skip it.
Preservation of the Sign Language (1913) [4/10]
From imdb.com "George Veditz, one-time president of the National Association of the Deaf of the United States, outlines the right of deaf people to sign instead of speak." This isn't really much to watch, I have to say I honestly scanned it a few times because it was pretty dull as something to "watch."
Our Lady of the Sphere (1969) [2/10]
Directed by
Larry Jordan, this is one of those 60's/70's animated shorts that probably requires drug usage to get anything out it. Short at just 10 minutes, but not short enough.
All said, a weak group 2/10 worth watching. I wouldn't recommend watching anything outside of the top 4 here.
