The Dark Knightis now officially a part of the Library of Congress' National Film registry. On Monday, the Batman movie was among a list of 25 new titles unveiled as additions for the year 2020, joining other classic movies likeA Clockwork Orange,Grease,The Blues Brothers, andShrek. Directed by Christopher Nolan,The Dark Knightin particular certainly meets the mandatory criteria of being a movie that is “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.
“This is not only a great honor for all of us who worked onThe Dark Knight, this is also a tribute to all of the amazing artists and writers who have worked on the great mythology ofBatmanover the decades,” Nolan said of the honor in a statement.
The Dark Knight, released in 2008, is widely considered to be one of thegreatest comic book movies ever made. It starred Christian Bale reprising his role as Batman fromBatman Begins, also introducing Heath Ledger in his Oscar-winning performance as the Joker. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, and Morgan Freeman also starred. The movie grossed over a billion dollars at the box office and received universal acclaim from filmgoers and critics alike.
In a statement,Librarian of CongressCarla Hayden also noted this year’s push to “include a record number of films directed by women and filmmakers of color, including nine directed by women and seven by people of color.” This includesLilies of the Field, which featured Sidney Poitier in the role that made him the first Black actor to win a Best Actor Oscar;Suspense, which was co-directed by a woman in 1913;The Joy Luck Clubby Asian-American filmmaker Wayne Wang; andThe Hurt Locker, which saw director Kathryn Bigelow become the first woman to win a Best Director Oscar.
“With the inclusion of diverse filmmakers, we are not trying to set records but rather to set the record straight by spotlighting the astonishing contributions women and people of color have made to American cinema, despite facing often-overwhelming hurdles,” Hayden said.
you may check out the complete list of every title in the registry at the official website for the Library of Congress’National Film Registry.
