Carrie (1976), The Little Mermaid (1989), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and Iron Man (2008) are now part of The National Film Registry. Other inclusions include Cyrano de Bergerec (1950), Charade (1963), Super Fly (1972), Hairspray (1988), and House Party (1990).
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Huh.
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Huh what? The choices or something else?
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I mean, it’s not the list I would compile, but since the days of celluloid are mostly over, I can make my own registry with 0s and 1s.
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I’ve never seen When Harry Met Sally but I didn’t realize it was considered iconic enough to be registered. All the others I agree with. Even Iron Man (2008), because it was back when Marvel Studios was doing something genuinely exciting and interesting and it did spawn a whole new pop culture interest in comics and superheroes
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When Harry Met Sally for that iconic line…
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Across the spectrum, When Harry Met Sally (1989) persisted. Meg Ryan’s stardom, Billy Crystal’s maturity, Nora Ephron’s writing, and Rob Reiner’s poise raise it to a degree of recognition and esteem that’s never abated. I’m of the opinion Sleepless in Seattle (1993) is better but would the latter exist without When Harry Met Sally? Probably not. Ephron’s brew of comedic romance took off about this time and When Harry Met Sally was the catalyst. Include Billy and Meg’s continued relevance and the fame of that memorable scene and you have why this movie made it where few films go. It grabs people and still does.
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Iron Man (2008) is a slam dunk for the reasons you said. The first Iron Man blew open new terrain cinematically and in the culture. It rehabilitated Robert Downey Jr as an acting force, established a blueprint Kevin Feige would run on ever since, and is the pinnacle of this sort of entertainment. Breezy, tongue-in-cheek, stylish, and not without some substance which is more than can be said for the genre. This is “Simply the best!!!” and “Better than all the rest!!!” The Tina Turner of Modern Comic Book Movies.
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What the huh?
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Charade is god-tier.
The best Alfred Hitchcock movie that Alfred Hitchcock never made.
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Ahem,
Yes, that House Party. This movie was one of the first to actually recognize and highlight the Hip-Hop culture of the late 80’s/ Early 90’s. It sought to redefine Hip-Hoppers from the violent and racist stereotypes that were/ are generally a part of the cultural view of minority art. It introduced us to a new side of Hip-Hop, one that got to the roots of what the culture was about: having fun through self made music and dancing.
It also captures that brief moment in time, when, as young adults, we stretch our social boundaries and start looking about the world as less than the center of it. The characters it portrays seek to make a connection with the audience by way of relatable situations.
As a member of the class of 1990, I recognized many of the characters from the movie in my own life. The school bullies, the “circle of friends”, the single parent home, these were all things that I dealt with, too.
For example, Robin Harris’ (he passed shortly after making this movie) relationship with his son is strikingly realistic, and many of us (me included) were partially raised and talked to by a single dad in the same manner. Robin Harris’ claim to fame is from Bebe’s Kids, another great movie.
But most of all? It’s a fun movie throughout, with great music, energy, and, if you’re into that sort of thing…dancing ! If you haven’t seen it, I would recommend it.
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So the work of John Waters has finally been deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. It’s about darn time!
Hairspray is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. It has everything you need – a good story (with a positive message), great cast, memorable performances, terrific set and costume designs, off-beat humor and outstanding directing and editing.
I’m so happy, I feel a dance coming on.
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I remember the phenomenon of House Party (1990) and especially the sequels and the way they were advertised simply wasn’t for me. It was surprising in one sense to see it listed since I haven’t thought of it in 20 years and it came out of the blue after all this time. For me at least.
There are moments in culture whether it’s The Macarena or Tubthumping where the sensation burns hard and fast and then simply goes away never to be seen again. Especially when you’re on the outside looking in, that’s the feeling as something comes and goes in the popular consciousness. House Party was one of those hot things on the popular radar then and what I implied by “THAT House Party.” In other words… The House Party from way back when that was the bee’s knees in the early 90s. That was the meaning. It was a reference to how huge it was and going full circle. More a nod to memory and how everything comes back or still resonates even today.
Once more. I wanted to explain what I meant and clarify my reaction. I’m happy for the movie. It’s quite an honor and not one every film gets.
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Hey, now; no worries…please !
I was just trying to remind everyone of why that was an important movie for many people.
I didn’t mean to come off as highly offended, I was really only trying to solidify my arguments about why it might have made the list, just like the other films.
We talked about When Harry Met Sally, and why that movie made it; someone had a question about it.
It’s totally OK to question the picks, then, it;s totally OK for us all to discuss the why fors, and what nots…
And…when you throw a house party, and your DJ is George Clinton, it’s going to be
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Honestly, as a pasty white midwesterner, I just didn’t understand the importance of that movie. I do now and I appreciate it.
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