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These Amazing Shadows

Play trailer Poster for These Amazing Shadows 2011 1h 26m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
The history and importance of the organization that saves the very best in American cinema.

Critics Reviews

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Jen Chaney Washington Post 05/27/2011
2.5/4
"Shadows" is an 88-minute valentine to cinema, a reminder of why we continue returning to the multiplex, and an abiding faith in the power of film to transport us to faraway places. Go to Full Review
Ty Burr Boston Globe 05/19/2011
2.5/4
"Shadows'' is a deeply heartfelt, if scattered, effort that plays like an Oscar-night clip show with a mission. Go to Full Review
Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle 05/05/2011
3/4
For lovers of American filmmaking, "These Amazing Shadows" may be the ultimate sampler buffet. Go to Full Review
John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) 11/17/2011
2.5/4
Entertaining, but only revealing when the directors visit the Library of Congress film storage vaults in Culpeper, Va., where close to 130,000 rolls of fragile and damaged nitrate motion-picture film are kept in 124 climate-controlled vaults. Go to Full Review
Betsy Sherman Boston Phoenix 05/19/2011
3/4
If movies are our kiss-kiss-bang-bang arenas of desire, then this addictive movie-centric documentary from Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton makes the Library of Congress sound like the Playboy Mansion. Go to Full Review
Les Wright culturevulture.net 05/18/2011
a long commercial promotion for The National Film Registry Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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07/07/2018 One of my favorite documentaries of all time, and the only documentary I own on blu-ray! I've watched it countless times, and every time, I'm completely captivated. My dream job is to work, help, volunteer, hell, even be A SLAVE to the National Film Registry. I WANT TO SAVE FILM. My life would be complete if I could even assist in doing this on the weekends. I would move to Virginia just to VOLUNTEER to save film without a second thought. This documentary really opened up that whole world for me, and maybe that dream isn't completely out of reach. Regardless, this documentary is truly special, and definitely worth our time to watch it. See more 01/03/2016 Fascinating delve into the work of America's National Film Registry and how it comes to select those films deemed worthy of preservation. Studded with clips, and interviews with cinematographers, archivists and movie directors. It should have been longer and perhaps more detailed. See more 12/29/2015 A must watch for any cinema enthusiast and a must watch for anyone who thinks movies are not art. See more 04/08/2014 An ever so informative piece, which focuses its lens on the National Film Registry, 'These Amazing Shadows' is a fascinating documentary that emphasizes the importance of film as not only an artform, but as an important part of history. With interviews from big-name directors, actors, and writers, 'These Amazing Shadows' might be aimed more towards film enthusiasts, but its depiction of film's importance in society, as well as the maintenance and preservation of these vital pieces of history is entertaining beyond just informational. Final Grade: A- See more 02/12/2014 A beautiful ode to The National Film Registry. More than a fluff government project, this is important work that preserves our culture, the good and the bad. See more 10/15/2013 These Amazing Documentary! [B+] See more Read all reviews
These Amazing Shadows

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis The history and importance of the organization that saves the very best in American cinema.
Director
Paul Mariano, Kurt Norton
Producer
Paul Mariano, Kurt Norton, Christine O'Malley
Screenwriter
Paul Mariano, Kurt Norton
Distributor
Gravitas Docufilms
Production Co
Gravitas Docufilms
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 1, 2011, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 15, 2017
Runtime
1h 26m