These Amazing Shadows

Released Feb 1, 2011

1h 26m

Documentary

List

75%

12 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

The history and importance of the organization that saves the very best in American cinema.

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

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.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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Audience Member

A must watch for any cinema enthusiast and a must watch for anyone who thinks movies are not art.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

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-

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

These Amazing Documentary! [B+]

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

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Jen Chaney

Washington Post

"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.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 27, 2011

Full Review

Ty Burr

Boston Globe

"Shadows'' is a deeply heartfelt, if scattered, effort that plays like an Oscar-night clip show with a mission.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 19, 2011

Full Review

Peter Hartlaub

San Francisco Chronicle

For lovers of American filmmaking, "These Amazing Shadows" may be the ultimate sampler buffet.

Rated: 3/4

May 5, 2011

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John Beifuss

Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

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.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 17, 2011

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Betsy Sherman

Boston Phoenix

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.

Rated: 3/4

May 19, 2011

Full Review

Les Wright

culturevulture.net

a long commercial promotion for The National Film Registry

May 18, 2011

Full Review

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Synopsis

The history and importance of the organization that saves the very best in American cinema.

Director: Paul Mariano, Kurt Norton
Producer: Suzanne Chapot, Audree Norton
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

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