If you are reading anything on this site, chances are you like movies to a certain extent. Everyone loves talking about movies they love or hate, it’s just natural, and they always come in a conversation so it’s an easy talking point. Not a day goes by when I don’t give an opinion about a movie, granted I’m a cinephile through and through but everyone has those conversation a few times a week no matter the level of their film love. Collider put it best, Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton’s documentary, These Amazing Shadows, is the “equivalent of talking movies with your fellow film-lovers.” If you love film, want to learn some fun facts about the history of American cinema, or want something different to watch, then These Amazing Shadows should be right up your alley.
The documentary, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, surrounds the birth, growth, and importance of the National Film Registry, the place where films with certain cultural significance and have stood the test of time are archived for eternal US preservation. The film takes us inside the birth of the registry, which occurred after Ted Turner decided to colorize the classics of the MGM catalogue instead of leaving them in their original form, disrespecting the artistic integrity of the people behind the film. After that, it delves into the history of certain films as well as the process of saving/restoring films so that future generations may have a video reference to understand what the culture was like, say 100 years ago. Lastly, it explains the process as to how a film is actually selected to the registry-anything from home movies to music videos can be accepted into the registry, that’s what makes it a remarkable entity.
The truly fascinating portions of the film come from the interviews and archived footage. Prominent filmmakers like Rob Reiner and Christopher Nolan give their two sense on what films made an impact on their life (Blade Runner for example) and on society as a whole while professors and other industry professionals discuss the importance of even the most controversial films like the pro-segregation film, Birth of a Nation and why it belongs in the registry. They dive into the issues of censorship and we even get to take a look at the classic Baby Face and find out what was so sexually taboo about it back in the early 1930s.
While the only real negative about this documentary is that it jumps around a bit much, it luckily doesn’t take away from its message. The lack of structure and the pro-National Film Registry propaganda that is thrown in your face isn’t strong enough to make you want to vomit, which is rare for any pro-“anything” films. One issue with the film is that it is interesting enough to be a two hour film if it wanted to be. There are some topics that are just skimmed over which is a shame because it would have been very fascinating to hear what the professionals had to say on the topic. Oh the dilemma of a filmmaker. Maybe we’ll have more information on the bonus features of the DVD.
If you want to literally see how America has evolved as a national all you need to do is watch movies. You can watch the transformation of style, customs, and politics simply by watching a movie, it’s actually amazing. This documentary gives you a taste of the evolution but that taste, along with its detailed explanations, is enough to satisfy your immediate cravings.
If you love movies and want to learn a bit more about their importance to American culture and history then you should definitely check out These Amazing Shadows. While it may not be the best documentary you’ll ever see, it’s a film about some of the best and most historical films of our time, and I believe that’s something everyone can appreciate.
Rating: A good documentary made for the everyday movie lover. 6/10
Sundance Selects released this film on VOD during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival
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