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Category: National Screening Room

Oppenheimer’s Mind and the American Mindset

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” (2023) may be the longest and most comprehensive film ever made about the "father of the atomic bomb,” but today we look at several films on the National Film Registry that set a narrative on how the American people should behave and respond in Oppenheimer's atomic age.

A view looking past a digital display screen towards the doors of an indoor theater, with

Announcing the 2022 National Film Registry

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

    Today, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the annual selection of 25 films into the Library of Congress National Film Registry. Films are selected based on their cultural, historic and/or aesthetic importance, and must be at least 10 years old. This year’s selections bring the number of films in the registry to 850, …

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“The Court of Human Relations”: A Pioneer of Reality TV

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

Though titled “Court of Human Relations,” this obscure, 1959 NBC-TV daytime program was far less “Judge Judy” than a more emotional “Meet the Press.” “Court” had begun on radio, the brainchild of its producer/host A.L. Alexander, and had the lofty goal of bringing the process of mediation to the media while also paying tribute to …

Mary McLeod Bethune, latter portrait, seated at desk. Papers in background. Bethune holds pen and is seen writing on notepad, looks outward.

From Our Collection: Celebrating Mary McLeod Bethune

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

As the great Mary McLeod Bethune gets her own statue at the US Capitol, the Library's own Stacie Seifrit-Griffin examines her life and legacy via the Library's audio-video collections.

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National Film Registry: Celebrating Liza and “Cabaret”

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

So much to celebrate as this sweet little girl turns 76, and the musical film that made her a star celebrates 50 years since its 1972 theatrical debut. Liza Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946 into true Hollywood royalty and all that it encompasses. Her father, the great film director Vincente Minnelli, and her …

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National Film Registry: “All My Babies” (1953)

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

  Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) sets a theme for February’s Black History Month, and this year, they’ve chosen the impact and importance of Black Health and Wellness. According to their website, “this theme acknowledges the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in …

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Opening the Treasure Chest: National Silent Movie Day

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

Today we celebrate National Silent Movie Day by opening the treasure chest and sharing some of the resources that the Library of Congress offers to research and expand your interest in these classic and iconic motion pictures. The American silent feature film era lasted from 1912 to 1929 with nearly 11,000 feature films produced, but …

A view looking past a digital display screen towards the doors of an indoor theater, with

Happy Birthday, Bob Hope!

Posted by: Karen Fishman

This is a guest post by Frances Allshouse and Susie Booth, librarian/catalogers in the Moving Image Section. Wednesday, May 29, 2019, would have been Bob Hope’s 116th birthday and we couldn’t let the day go by without a bit of a celebration.  This year, our gift is the recently-formed Bob Hope moving image processing project. …