There are lots of websites about the National Film Registry. Why did I do this one?
It’s true that there are several other Film Registry websites, but none of them, including the official NFR website, give much information about how to see the films on the Registry. It isn’t difficult to track down most of the titles, but there are several which, while they are out there, are quite hard to find. I want to make it easier for people interested in seeing the films that have been added to the Registry to see them.
Also, while many of the other online resources, including the official site and the Wikipedia page, include the complete list of titles on the Registry, mine is the only one I know of that lists the directors of the films—a helpful feature, especially when you sort by Director. I hope that the Label and Format columns are similarly helpful.
Why focus on home video? Isn’t it a dying industry?
While it’s true that the home video market is much smaller than previously, I don’t agree that it’s dying. The fact that new titles are being released on new formats, suggests that the home video industry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Several of the titles on the Film Registry are only available on home video formats and not online or streaming. And I’m sure that many people interested in the National Film Registry want to collect movies or check them out of the library so as not to be at the mercy of the streaming channels.
Why are there so many links to Amazon? Do I make a profit from the links?
Whether or not someone wants to make a purchase there, Amazon provides important information about each film and its availability. No, I don’t get anything. For people who prefer not to use Amazon, I provide direct links to many of the titles’ labels.
Why don’t I list where titles are streaming?
I have no idea how I would keep track of that, so I provide links for each title to IMDb and Letterboxd, both of which provide that information.
Have I seen every National Film Registry title?
Alas, no. I still haven’t seen any of those listed as “unavailable” on my list. Otherwise, yes, I’ve seen all the rest. Watching so many Film Registry titles has provided an invaluable film education.