Carol Goldwasser, 'Hannah Montana' and 'Austin & Ally' Casting Director, Dies at 67
Marijuana is legal in 38 states, and now Cheech & Chong are in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. The country is going to pot!
Up in Smoke (1978), the first feature from Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, is one of the 25 "culturally, historically or aesthetically" motion pictures selected for preservation this year, it was announced Tuesday.
Up in Smoke, with a plot that The Hollywood Reporter described in its original review as "a day in the life of two spaced-out freaks as they set out to score some weed," was released during Paramount's Barry Diller-Michael Eisner regime. Made for $994,000 ($4.8 million today), it raked in $44 million ($212 million currently) at the domestic box office.
"The level of improv that we brought to [the Cheech & Chong movies] is what gave it a spontaneity," Marin told the Library of Congress. "And that's why people thought they were happening for the first time. Because in many instances, it was happening for the first time."
The latest selections, which bring the number of titles in the registry to 900, span the years 1895 to 2010. A film must be at least 10 years old to be eligible.
Starting at 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday, TCM will screen films named this year, with Jacqueline Stewart, the channel host who also chairs the National Film Preservation Board, discussing the entrants with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
"Films reflect our nation's history and culture and must be preserved in our national library for generations to come. We're honored by the responsibility to add 25 diverse new films to the National Film Registry each year as we work to preserve our cultural heritage," Hayden said in a statement. "This is a collective effort in the film community to preserve our cinematic heritage, and we are grateful to our partners, including the National Film Preservation Board."
A total of 6,744 titles submitted by the public were considered, and nominations for next year will be accepted until Aug. 15 here.
Here are the 2024 inductees in alphabetical order, with descriptions supplied by the Library of Congress:
American Me (1992)
In his film directorial debut, Edward James Olmos does not hold back in portraying the dark, brutal realities of Chicano gang life in Los Angeles. The film, based on a true story, follows the fictional rise of a Mexican Mafia leader (played by Olmos) and the harsh life in and out of prison. The depiction of violence and abuse can sometimes be hard to watch, but it brings to reality who controls the drug traffic in prison and on the streets. "I went for stories that weren't going to be told by anybody else," he told the Library of Congress. "Originally, no one wanted to do American Me, but I knew it had to be told."
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
The combination of James Cagney (Rocky Sullivan), Humphrey Bogart (James Frazier) and director Michael Curtiz makes this Depression-era crime drama one that reinforces the idea that America was made in the streets of immigrant, segregated, hardscrabble neighborhoods. Released in the early years of the Production Code, Angels found a way to redeem its gangster characters and play by the rules that required a redemptive theme. Swaggering ex-con Sullivan's conscience manifests in the form of Father Jerry Connolly (Pat O'Brien), the childhood friend turned cleric who does his best to keep the wise guys in line and set another example for the lovable, mischievous Dead End Kids.
Annabelle Serpentine Dance aka Serpentine Dance -- Annabelle (1895)
The 1890s marked the dawn of cinema, with films from this decade serving as initial experiments to define the "language of movies." Early works often were actualities depicting people, places and things: Narrative cinema did not become prevalent for another decade. Serpentine Dance constitutes an excellent example of what the industry created to entice and enchant audiences. This Edison Manufacturing Co. silent short is one of a series of recordings of the popular dances performed by Annabelle Moore. In another attempt to lure cinemagoers, many prints featured hand- tinted color.
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
The taglines "The Heat is on!" and "In Detroit a cop learns to take the heat. In L.A. he learns to keep his cool" sizzle through the screen with comedian turned box-office superstar Eddie Murphy as Detroit cop Axel Foley, who navigates unfamiliar terrain when he heads West to find his childhood friend's killer on the posh streets of the 90210. The first in a four-film franchise, it featured Harold Faltermeyer's legendary electronic instrumental theme song "Axel F.," which sets the tone and pace for a movie that keeps viewers laughing -- and rooting for Axel to get his man.
The Chelsea Girls (1966)
Directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey and described as "a double-projection experimental soap opera," Chelsea Girls encapsulates everything that makes a Warhol a "Warhol" -- playing with form and content, assembling complete reels of unedited film in various ways. The reels are projected side by side, accompanied by alternating soundtracks, thus lending itself to almost infinite audience interpretations. The three-hour-plus film chronicles characters both real and imagined that could have been hanging out at New York's Chelsea Hotel. It includes such Warhol friends as Nico, Ondine, Ingrid Superstar, Brigid Polk, Ed Hood, Patrick Flemming, Mary Woronov, International Velvet, Mario Montez, Marie Menken, Gerard Malanga and Eric Emerson. It is a time capsule of a downtown NYC art scene that is long gone but not forgotten.
Common Threads: Stories From the Quilt (1989)
Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, this stands both as a heart-breaking record of the nation's greatest catastrophe of the 1980s and an extraordinary monument to the power of grief and activism to effect change. Winner of the Oscar for documentary feature, the film chronicles the creation and exhibition of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. To Illustrate the tragic magnitude of losses, Common Threads includes profiles and personal stories of those memorialized and examines the broad swaths of society impacted by HIV/AIDS as well as efforts to combat those who deepened the crisis through fear, misinformation and prejudice.
Compensation (1999)
Director Zeinabu irene Davis' first feature depicts two Chicago love stories, one set at the dawn of the 20th century and the other in contemporary times, featuring a Deaf woman and a hearing man. Played by the same actors (Michelle A. Banks and John Earl Jelks), both couples face the specter of death when the man is diagnosed with tuberculosis in the early story and the woman with AIDS in the later one. "Inspired by a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar (who died of tuberculosis in 1906, at the age of 33), Compensation takes an unusual narrative approach. Upon casting Deaf actress Banks, Davis and screenwriter Mark Arthur Chéry modified the film to incorporate American Sign Language and title cards, making it accessible to both Deaf and hearing audiences," Stewart notes.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
"Nobody puts Baby in a corner," and if you were a child of the 1980s, this is one PG-13 musical you begged your parents to watch, despite the tough topics the film tackles: pregnancy out of wedlock, abortion, classism and anti-Semitism. Patrick Swayze (as Johnny Castle) and Jennifer Grey (Frances House) sizzle onscreen as the unlikely leading lovers. Though set in the Catskills resorts of the 1960s, more than a bit of a '80s ethos finds its way into the film, updating West Side Story's themes of young love breaking down societal barriers through music and dance. Teen musical genre films of the era like this and Footloose remain influential and imitated to this day, but there is no parallel to Baby and Johnny on the dance floor.
Ganja and Hess (1973)
Bill Gunn ranks high on any list of filmmakers deserving far more recognition. In The New Yorker, film critic Richard Brody described Gunn as "a visionary filmmaker left on the sidelines of the most ostensibly liberated period of American filmmaking." Playwright, novelist, actor and director Gunn's cult-horror fever dream classic proved a sensation at Cannes in 1973. Fifty years on, this film, starring Marlene Clark, addresses complexities of addiction, sexuality and Black identity that remain prescient.
Invaders From Mars (1953)
The 1950s arguably produced the most classic science fiction films, fed by post-World War II paranoia over the hydrogen bomb, rapid technological change, fear of Soviet expansion and communist infiltration of American society. Directed by William Cameron Menzies with cinematography by John Seitz, this film features stunning sets and photography in Supercinecolor. This indie classic helped create the visual language of sci-fi cinema and was a significant entry in the canon of "post-war paranoia" movies. Projects ranging from Star Trek and The Iron Giant to Invasion of the Body Snatchers bear the thematic fingerprint of this film.
KoKo's Earth Control (1928)
Imaginative, sassy, surreal and nonlinear characterize films from the Fleischer Studios, which battled the Walt Disney Co. for animation supremacy during the 1920s and '30s, with their competing styles delighting audiences and leading to many technical advancements. Among the contributions from Max and Dave Fleischer were rotoscoping and legendary characters such as Betty Boop, Popeye and KoKo the Clown. Here, KoKo and Fitz the Dog gain power over the levers controlling Earth -- to disastrous results.
Mi Familia (1995)
During the nation's nearly 250-year history, immigration has fueled the continuing vibrancy of our culture, commerce and creativity. The key demographic change during the past 75 years has been Latino immigration. With Mi Familia, director Gregory Nava creates an emotional and evocative story of multi-generational Mexican American family life, narrated by a second-generation immigrant. "Their story is told in images of startling beauty and great overflowing energy; it is rare to hear so much laughter from an audience that is also sometimes moved to tears," wrote Roger Ebert. "This is the great American story, told again and again, of how our families came to this land and tried to make it better for their children." With his previous selections El Norte (1983) and Selena (1997), Nava now has three films on the registry.
The Miracle Worker (1962)
This celebrated early work from director Arthur Penn tells the incredible true story of Helen Keller and determined teacher Anne Sullivan, chronicled in remarkable Oscar-winning performances by Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft. The Miracle Worker is anchored by the extraordinary scene in which Sullivan tries to teach Keller table manners. Told in stark black and white and almost completely devoid of sentiment, the spare production allows the power of its story and performances to stand out as an inspiring account of human potential and ability realized.
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Gus Van Sant's magnificently original cult classic is a wildly re-envisioned retelling of Shakespeare's Henry IV. River Phoenix, in an iconic performance of poignant vulnerability, and Keanu Reeves play Northwest street hustlers -- one (Phoenix) doing it to survive, the other (Reeves) to humiliate his politician father -- who embark on a multistate and then international search for Phoenix's wayward mother but also for meaning and identity. The journey, as created by Van Sant, is a haunted and emotionally fraught one, depicted with equal measures of dream-like vision and hardcore reality.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
From the fecund mind of the Coen brothers, this modern-day Western was hailed as a classic nearly from the moment of its independent release. Based on Cormac McCarthy's vivid novel, the film won the Oscar for best picture. Along with a fine script (also by the Coens) and some taut direction, No Country for Old Men is benefited to an incalculable degree with its trio of lead actors. Josh Brolin is down on his luck and just scrapping by when a fortune in drug money falls in his lap; Javier Bardem is the sociopath who wants to take him down and get the money back; and Tommy Lee Jones is the Texas sheriff who finds himself pulled into the violent scenario.
Powwow Highway (1989)
Along with women and other people of color, Native Americans were treated with indifference or worse by Hollywood for many decades: They were given few opportunities to direct, and even films with Native American plotlines tended to perpetuate stereotypes. This indie classic became one of the first to treat Native Americans as ordinary people navigating the complexities of everyday life. In part a witty buddy road movie, critics noted that Powwow Highway also contains reflections on the relationship of Native Americans to land and their search for a spiritual core to maintain their Native American heritage in American society. Based on the novel of the same name by David Seals, the film features Gary Farmer and A Martinez.
The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
A seminal sports film that has inspired audiences for decades. The film, which stars Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and Walter Brennan, shines as a memorable Hollywood tribute to New York Yankees iron man first baseman Lou Gehrig, who had recently died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease). Babe Ruth and other Yankee teammates appear in the film, thus adding to its authenticity and poignance. This beloved classic culminates with Cooper's re-enactment of Gehrig's famous 1939 farewell speech at Yankee Stadium and its iconic, heart-wrenching coda: "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth."
The Social Network (2010)
A movie based on Ben Mezrich's 2009 book, The Accidental Billionaires, exploring the creation of the social media giant Facebook would at first glance seem more the subject of a documentary, far too dry, geeky, highbrow and slow-paced for a commercial, Hollywood production. Instead, thanks to a dazzling cast of young actors, Aaron Sorkin's trademark rapid-fire dialogue and director David Fincher's skill in pacing and scene creation, The Social Network becomes a riveting examination of modern-day American business and capitalism. The film offers both a critical look at the personal and ethical challenges faced by the key players and a compelling reflection on broader issues related to technology, entrepreneurship, the limitations of genius and the dangers of society becoming isolated, addicted and the slave to technology and the wonders it offers.
In an interview with the Library of Congress, Sorkin recalled that during an early planning session, Fincher asked him to read the entire screenplay aloud at the pace that Sorkin heard it in his head when he was writing it.
"Typically a screenplay is about 110, 120 pages. Mine are a lot longer because there's a lot of dialogue without a lot of action," he said. "David was trying to convince the studio that this 172-page screenplay is going to be a two-hour movie. So he had me. He sat there with a stopwatch, and he wrote down the time of each scene.
"He was rehearsing with Jesse [Eisenberg] and Rooney [Mara] at a table ... and he'd say, 'And by the way, this scene needs to be seven minutes and 20 seconds, and you're playing it at seven minutes and 50 seconds, so speed it up.' The movie ended up being an hour, 59 minutes."
Spy Kids (2001)
In the first film in a highly successful media franchise, Robert Rodriguez weaves Hispanic culture in the film by incorporating cultural elements and values that make the characters feel both distinct and universally relatable. The emphasis on family as their top priority and driving motivation underscores the importance of familial bonds and cultural heritage, adding depth and authenticity to the story. This delightful spy fantasy film in which children discover their parents' day jobs are not dull and boring is a wonderful blend of films such as The Incredibles, True Lies and James Bond movies.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Often considered the best of the six original-cast Star Trek theatricals, this one features Nicholas Meyer's expert direction and James Horner's stirring score to enhance the always intriguing Star Trek scripts, which echo the vision of Gene Roddenberry. Wrath reprises an old nemesis from the 1967 NBC episode "Space Seed," with Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) battling the volatile and ruthless Khan (Ricardo Montalban). In part an interstellar game of starship cat-and-mouse and a testosterone-filled alpha mano a mano battle between Kirk and Khan, the film achieves true resonance when exploring larger social and personal themes, in this case Spock's personal sacrifice to save the Enterprise: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one."
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Graphic, lurid and completely unapologetic in its brutality, this film has since its debut in drive-ins and grindhouse theaters become a cultural, generational and filmmaking touchstone. Filmed for a pittance and supposedly as difficult of a production as a film can be (beset with record heat and filthy locations), Chainsaw would establish many of the tenets of what would become the gore/slasher/splatter genre, including the long-lasting "final girl" trope. Condemned by many at the time of its release for what was seen as its gratuitousness, the film was nevertheless embraced by young movie audiences for both its jump-out-of-your seat scares (great use of isolation and darkness) and it elements of (very) dark humor.
Up in Smoke (1978)
The 1970s produced a golden run of films now considered essential works of art (The Godfather, Jaws, Chinatown, Taxi Driver and more). Then there were films like the wildly popular Up in Smoke, an unexpected smash hit that arguably established the "stoner" genre of film. Marin and Chong reworked many of their comic routines to infuse this audience pleaser with goofy, stupid, "check your brain at the door" fun. Some commentators expressed outrage at the counterculture antics of Cheech & Chong filling theaters, but their complaints had zero impact. Its success paved the way for subsequent memorable movie characters like Jeff Spicoli and The Dude.
Uptown Saturday Night (1974)
The era of enormously popular Black-cast films, often referred to as "blaxploitation," began in the early 1970s with hits such as Shaft. Though these films opened long-closed doors for Black directors, writers and actors, some in the African American community felt they also fostered negative images. To dispel stereotypes and put his own stamp on the era, Sidney Poitier directed Uptown Saturday Night, a fun, entertaining, go-for-broke crime comedy about two blue-collar workers trying to recover a stolen wallet containing a winning lottery ticket. The film stars Poitier, Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte and has a remarkable supporting cast including Calvin Lockhart, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Paula Kelly, Roscoe Lee Browne, Don Marshall, Rosalind Cash, Paul Harris and Harold Nicholas.
Will (1981)
In this remarkable but virtually unknown micro-budget indie feature, a former basketball player struggles to overcome addiction, hoping for recovery and a second chance so he can mentor youth. Will is widely considered the first independent feature-length film directed by a Black woman, Jessie Maple, who had a trailblazing career as a cinematographer and director. It stars Obaka Adedunyo and Loretta Devine and contains some graphic depictions of addiction but also a message of hope and resilience. Scenes filmed in early 1980s Harlem showing its spaces and vibrant street life add to its importance as an invaluable cultural record.
Zora Lathan Student Films (1975-76)
Six short 16mm films created by Adaora "Zora" Lathan during her time as a film student at the University of Illinois, Chicago, make up this selection. While her films focus on her family members and domestic spaces, she does not categorize them as home movies. Instead, she describes them as art works designed to "showcase filmmaking techniques available in the mid-1970s" and reflect the "problem-solving" approach emphasized by UIC's design program. Lathan sought to create visually compelling short films featuring intimate vignettes about the whimsy, experiments and delights of everyday life such as making a pie.