American iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg has had several of his films preserved in the National Film Registry (NFR). As of 2024, there are 900 films preserved in the Registry. Every year since the Registry’s inception in 1988, up to 25 films are selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Eligibility for selection is that the film must be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Also, a film is only eligible for nomination and inclusion ten years after its original release. Martin Scorsese’s 1980 Raging Bull still holds the record as having the quickest induction into the NFR. It was selected almost immediately after it turned 10 years old. Although John Ford holds the record for having the most number of films (11) in the NFR, Steven Spielberg is the only living filmmaker with the highest number of films preserved in the Registry. Here’s a look at every Steven Spielberg film preserved in the National Film Registry.
Jaws
Having made his feature directorial debut in 1964 with Firelight, it was not until a decade later that Steven Spielberg became a household name. Besides being critically acclaimed, Spielberg’s 1975 thriller Jaws quickly became his highest-grossing film. Produced on a $9 million budget, Jaws grossed $133.4 million after its theatrical release and $476.5 million across all its releases over the years. Jaws was the highest-grossing film of 1975 and of all time until it was surpassed by George Lucas’s 1977 Star Wars film. Jaws was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2001, 26 years after its release. The film became the first Steven Spielberg film to be preserved in the Registry.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) was Steven Spielberg’s fifth feature-length film. It was released two years after Jaws and was another of Spielberg’s critical and commercially successful films. The science fiction drama revolves around humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial beings. Close Encounters of the Third Kind starred Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Melinda Dillon, and Bob Balaban.
The film grossed $306.9 million at the Box Office against its production budget of $19.4 million. While the original film has a runtime of 135 minutes, Spielberg released a Special Edition in 1980 with a 132-minute runtime. 18 years later, in 1998, Spielberg released another 137-minute runtime Director’s Cut. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2007.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
On June 12, 1981, Steven Spielberg released Raiders of the Lost Ark theatrically to a critical and commercial success. The film became the first installment in what eventually became known as the Indiana Jones franchise. It was the first time Harrison Ford portrayed the iconic character. Raiders of the Lost Ark’s screenplay, as written by Lawrence Kasdan, was based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. The 115-minute action-adventure film was produced on a $20 million budget and grossed over $350 million after its theatrical run. Raiders of the Lost Ark was preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1999.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Steven Spielberg followed up Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s success with yet another masterpiece. The 1982 science fiction film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is one of Spielberg’s most popular films. It starred a then 7-year-old Drew Barrymore as Gertie Taylor. E.T., as it’s famously known, was another critically acclaimed production. Produced on a $10.5 million, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial grossed an impressive $619 million worldwide after its theatrical run. After a series of re-releases, it grossed over $700 million. At the time, E.T. became the highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing George Lucas’s Star Wars. The Library of Congress preserved E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in the National Film Registry in 1994.
Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial remained the highest-grossing film of all time for about a decade. However, in 1993, Jurassic Park broke its record to become the highest-grossing film. It was surpassed four years later by James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic. After its original theatrical run, Jurassic Park grossed over $914 million worldwide against its $63 million budget. After it was re-released on its 20th anniversary in 2013, its earnings crossed the billion-dollar mark at the Box Office. However, it was not until 2018 that Jurassic Park was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry.
Schindler’s List
1993 was an exceptional year for Steven Spielberg as his only two films released in that year were commercial successes. Spielberg’s Schindler’s List was adapted from Thomas Keneally’s 1982 historical novel Schindler’s Ark. With a cast led by Liam Neeson, Schindler’s List grossed a whopping $322.2 million against a production budget of $22 million. The movie is generally listed as one of the greatest movies ever made. Schindler’s List was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2004, a year after it became eligible.
Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg’s 1998 Saving Private Ryan is also preserved in the National Film Registry. The Tom Hanks-led epic war film featured a star-studded ensemble cast that included Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper, Jeremy Davies, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, and Matt Damon. Saving Private Ryan is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It was the second highest-grossing film of 1998, second only to Michael Bay’s Armageddon.
Produced on an estimated $65–70 million budget, Saving Private Ryan grossed $482.3 million at the Box Office. As of 2024, it is the last Steven Spielberg film added to the Registry. The Library of Congress selected Saving Private Ryan for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2014. Besides these seven Steven Spielberg films, check out these animated movies preserved in the National Film Registry.
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