In the late 1980s a huge injustice was done to historical films when billionaire tycoon Ted Turner began colorizing classic films to which he claimed ownership, including such wonders as "Casablanca" and "It's a Wonderful Life". In response, Congress passed the National Film Preservation Act of 1988 which created the National Film Registry and a board which would designate 25 films a year for preservation. What makes this endeavor so interesting is the loose definition of acceptable films which reads any that is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" which allows films to be preserved as radically different as "Citizen Kane" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". "These Amazing Shadows" takes us through the history of the NFR and the preservation process, while providing clips from the many different preserved movies from over the years. Like its qualification requirements, the film is all over the place but is a real treat for anyone who loves the movies.
