'Disneyland Dream' joins National Film Registry

[ALIASd]

Posted: Tue., Dec. 30, 2008, 9:02am PT

'Terminator' joins Film Registry

'In Cold Blood,' 'Deliverance' also included


By Cynthia Littleton
Variety

“The Asphalt Jungle,” “Sergeant York,” “In Cold Blood,” “Deliverance” and “The Terminator” are among the 25 film titles selected this year by the Library of Congress for inclusion in its National Film Registry.

The Registry is Library of Congress’ film preservation initiative, designed to ensure that pics that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant will be preserved for all time. As always, this year’s selections range from classics to obscure gems such as “Disneyland Dream,” a Connecticut family’s 1956 home movie of their trip to Disneyland after winning a contest sponsored by Scotch Brand Cellophane Tape.

“Disneyland Dream” (1956) The Barstow family films a memorable home movie of their trip to Disneyland. Robbins and Meg Barstow, along with their children Mary, David and Daniel were among 25 families who won a free trip to the newly opened Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., as part of a “Scotch Brand Cellophane Tape” contest sponsored by 3M. Through vivid color and droll narration (“The landscape was very different from back home in Connecticut”), we see a fantastic historical snapshot of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Catalina Island, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios and Disneyland in mid-1956. Home movies have assumed a rapidly increasing importance in American cultural studies as they provide a priceless and authentic record of time and place.

The National Film Registry was established in 1989. This year’s 25 selections bring the number of titles in the collection to 500.

“Both as a public-awareness tool and as an educational learning aid for students, the registry helps this nation understand the diversity of America’s film heritage and, just as importantly, the need for its preservation,” James Billington, Librarian of Congress, said in announcing the titles.

“The nation has lost about half of the films produced before 1950 and as much as 90% of those made before 1920. In addition, more and more nitrate-based and acetate-based films are deteriorating with the passage of time.”

Here is a complete list of the selections:

'Terminator' joins Film Registry - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

[Circarama]

I want to see Disneyland Dreams. Do you think that now that it's in the NFR we'll be able to get acopy?

[narkspud]

Internet Archive: Details: Disneyland Dream

It can be watched streamed or downloaded, including a DVD-quality 2 GB MPEG2 file. Enjoy!

[Anders]

I don't remember where or when I got to see this film, but it was a great home movie and a great view into the early days of the park that will now be preserved for all-time.

[ALIASd]

Steve Martin apparently makes his first film appearance in it!

“At age eleven I worked at Disneyland. I sold guidebooks at the park from 1956 to about 1958. I am as positive as one can be that I appear about 20:20 into your film, low in the frame, dressed in a top hat, vest, and striped pink shirt, moving from left to right, holding a guidebook out for sale.”

photo at:
Steve Martin in Disneyland Dream | Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation