Sylvester Stallone's 30 years ago movie, Rocky, was among 25 films named to the 2006 National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
- Dec 28, 2006
AceShowbiz - In order to preserve films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant from disappearing forever, the National Film Registry has chosen 25 more films to be preserved for all time. They are bringing the film preservation list to have total number of 450 films since it began in 1989.
Rocky, the Oscar winner for best picture of 1976, joined Mel Brooks' outrageous comedy Blazing Saddles (1974), John Carpenter's slasher classic Halloween (1978), the Coen brothers' black comedy Fargo (1996) and Steven Soderbergh's groundbreaking "sex, lies, and videotape" (1989) on this year's selection of treasures that are guaranteed to be preserved forever.
"Rocky is an important film," said Steve Leggett, staff coordinator for the National Film Preservation Board. "And it's a great story (in real life): An out-of-work actor watches a fight on TV and whips out a screenplay, and there you go."
Rocky, premiered in 1976, won Oscars for best director (John Avildsen) and film editing and received 10 nominations. This flick also brought nomination for Sylvester Stallone as best actor and for his original screenplay. The sixth film in the franchise, Rocky Balboa, opened last week (Dec 20).
The 2006 selections span the years 1913 to 1996 and encompass films ranging from Hollywood classics to lesser-known but still vital works. Librarian of Congress James Billington chose this year's selections after evaluating nearly 1,000 titles nominated by the public and conducting intensive discussions with the Library's Motion Picture division staff and the distinguished members and alternates of his advisory group, the National Film Preservation Board.
