zkonedog
For many people, motion pictures are not "just" an entertainment medium. Instead, they are not unlike any other form of artistic expression, filled with the realities (good or bad, perceived or real) of the time period in which they were made. In essence, films can be considered to be kind of a "time capsule" for the human condition, told in the form of scripted tales. As such, many such works of art deserved to be saved, which is exactly what this documentary focuses on.For a basic plot summary, "These Shadows" describes how certain films (voted on by a panel of motion picture luminaries) are currently being preserved in the Library of Congress (or our "national library") for future posterity. However, problems often exist in restoring the original negatives of even such classic pictures as "Gone With The Wind" or "The Wizard of Oz"."These Shadows" takes very much of a "big picture" look at film preservation. While it could have spent hours on the fascinating topic of the physical restoration process itself, the filmmakers instead give an overview of the entire Library of Congress process, from its beginning (aka finding the funding) to which movies are selected and finally to how the overall scheme of things will proceed into the future. Any one of these areas could have been focused on in their own documentaries, but here they are condensed into the overall narrative of the project.Overall, then, this is a fun little documentary that introduces us to the very concept of preserving motion pictures as we would other works of art or historic culture. Anyone who enjoys the film arts will likely agree that its place in our own national culture is very deserving.
derekdiercksmeier
"These Amazing Shadows" Is A Film For Cinephiles And Those Concerned With The History Of Culture. The Film Explores Cinema History And Why Exactly Movies Are As Culturally Significant As They Are. The Movie Features Interviews With Christopher Nolan, Rob Reiner, Tim Roth, John Waters, Leonard Maltin, Julie Dash, John Singleton, And Many More. "These Amazing Shadows" Discusses Films As Diverse As "Blade Runner" And "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" And "Star Wars" And "Citizen Kane". The Film Features An Inside Look At Film Preservation And Delivers A Convincing Case For The Preservation Of Our Greatest Films. "These Amazing Shadows" Tends To Skip From Film To Film Without Ever Gaining Much Depth. The Movie Tries To Cover The Entire History Of Cinema In Just 88 Minutes, But It Feels Rushed And Unsatisfying. Overall, The Film Is A Moving And Passionate Study Of Cinema History And How It Relates To Our Future As A Culture.
Kevin Miller
Despite not having enough of Christopher Nolan and Tim Roth interview to show and the movie feeling longer than it was this is a pure gem for movie lovers like myself. This docu tells the interesting story of the national film registry and how films are picked as well as showing a variety of clips from those movies that have been picked and have made an impact on other people in the business. We get plenty of great interviews from people in the business such as famous director John Singleton and John Lasseter, as well as studio executives, and people who are part of the committee that votes on the films to be put into the registry. We get insight into the job of someone who works hours on end to help preserve films that are extremely old and were not designed to stand the test of time. Knowing that certain films dating back before the 1950s were neglected due to the studios having no use for them once they did their job in making money is quite disturbing and makes me appreciate those films from a long time ago that are available for our viewing pleasures. If you are someone who is addicted to watching movies and remembers when watching movies didn't mean picking out the good from the bad and just being awed by whatever lay on screen or are interesting in going into the business, this is worth watching and is a sure contender for best documentary if the Academy allows it.
suzannechapot
I saw this film twice at Sundance in sold out theaters, and the audiences loved it. It has something for everyone who loves movies. It is funny and sad and fascinating with great film clips and interviews. These Amazing Shadows uses the National Film Registry as a platform to show how important films are as a reflection of the our culture and heritage. Twenty-five films are selected each year to the registry for preservation, and we see clips of everything from the music video "Thriller" to "The Rocky Horror Show" to the Zapruder film. I was especially moved by the section on Topaz, the "home movie" about the Japanese internment camps. A movie everyone should see.
AD
