The National Film Registry expanded its list in 2024, honoring 25 iconic films that have left a lasting mark on American cinema. The films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in 2024 had their release year ranging from the late 1890s to 2010. Of these 25, seven stand out as movies known to film audiences today. Each year, since 1988, the Library of Congress selects works that are deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” and the 2024 picks were no exception.
A film is eligible for selection ten years after its official release date. Yet, many iconic films have either not yet been selected or were only recently included. For a better understanding, as of December 2024, when new inductees are announced, the National Film Registry has only 900 films preserved. Here are seven of the twenty-five selected films, which, surprisingly, were only included in 2024.
1. Beverly Hills Cop
The 1984 buddy cop action-comedy Beverly Hills Cop was the first installment of what became a successful franchise. The film introduced movie audiences to Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy), the fast-talking Detroit detective. Beverly Hills Cop was a huge Box Office hit, grossing about $320 million against its $13 million budget. The film redefined the buddy-cop genre in a way that cemented Eddie Murphy as a major Hollywood star.
As such, its inclusion in the National Film Registry in 2024 is both well-deserved and a bit surprising. This is because it has somehow taken four decades to receive the recognition it truly deserved. While audiences may have expected it to be honored years earlier, its 2024 induction ensures that the film’s cultural impact and genre-shaping legacy are officially preserved.
2. Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing (1987) is a romantic drama set in the summer of 1963. Its plot centered around Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey), who spends a family vacation at a Catskills resort and unexpectedly falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Dirty Dancing became a cultural sensation upon its release, thanks to its memorable soundtrack, unforgettable dance sequences, and the on-screen chemistry between Grey and Swayze.
A critical and commercial success, Dirty Dancing raked in $214 million at the Box Office from its $4.5 million budget. Like Beverly Hills Cop, it has decades to recognize its cultural significance beyond being a romantic favorite. Its preservation acknowledges not only its impact on popular culture but also its enduring influence on music, dance, and coming-of-age storytelling in American cinema.
3. My Own Private Idaho
Gus Van Sant’s independent adventure drama My Own Private Idaho might not have been hugely successful at the Box Office like the previous films, but it was a critical success. The film starred River Phoenix alongside Keanu Reeves, as their characters navigate the world of street hustling, love, and identity in the Pacific Northwest.
To date, it remains one of Reeves’ underrated films. Its inclusion in the National Film Registry is deserving and long overdue. My Own Private Idaho broke ground in its portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes at a time when mainstream cinema largely avoided the subject. What makes its entry surprising is that, despite its critical acclaim and cult status, it took more than three decades for the Library of Congress to formally recognize its cultural significance.
4. No Country for Old Men
The Coen Brothers’ 2007 neo-Western crime thriller No Country for Old Men was finally inducted into the National Film Registry in 2024. With Javier Bardem’s unforgettable portrayal of Anton Chigurh, alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Woody Harrelson‘s performances, the movie became an instant modern classic. With four Academy Awards to its name, it took nearly two decades for the film to receive this preservation honor. Judging by the length of time it takes other films to get recognized, No Country for Old Men’s induction is still a big win for its fans.
5. The Social Network
A more recognizable entry on the list, especially for today’s generation of audiences, is the David Fincher-directed biographical drama The Social Network (2010). The film captured the drama behind one of the most influential companies of the 21st century. Four years after it became eligible, the Library of Congress deemed it culturally significant to be preserved amongst great films that have shaped American cinema.
6. Spy Kids
When Robert Rodriguez’s spy action comedy Spy Kids was released in 2001, it redefined children’s cinema. The film blends action, comedy, and heart, making it a standout family adventure of the early 2000s. A critical and commercial hit, Spy Kids grossed an impressive $147.9 million against its $35 million budget. It may have taken over two decades, but it remains a worthy addition to everything the National Film Registry represents.
7. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre shocked audiences upon its release in 1974, telling the story of a group of friends who stumble upon a cannibalistic family in rural Texas. With its raw, documentary-style visuals and relentless tension, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre redefined the horror genre. To date, it continues to influence horror filmmakers in the genre. Although well-deserved, it is surprising that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has not been preserved in the National Film Registry for four decades since it became eligible.
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