Friday, August 5, 2011

Do "Clerks," "Rocky IV," "Mary Poppins," "The Warriors," "Showgirls" and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" Belong on the National Film Registry?


Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka.
A strength and weakness of the Internet/social media is that anyone and everyone can hurl their opinions/desires out in to the world. It actually works to great effect when it comes to true grass root campaigns to get films on the National Film Registry. Facebook has become a launching point for many efforts - some one might describe as unusual choices. Here are some examples:

SHOWGIRLS: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Showgirls-should-be-reserved-by-the-National-Film-Registry/207900289221108?sk=wall
ROCKY IV: http://www.facebook.com/RockyIV.for.NationalFilmRegistry
CLERKS: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nominate-Clerks-to-the-National-Film-Registry/172505989485953
MARY POPPINS: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-Get-Mary-Poppins-into-the-National-Film-Registry/127627363927102?sk=wall
THE WARRIORS: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-To-Get-The-Warriors-Into-The-National-Film-Registry/194682430566505?sk=wall
WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Willy-Wonka-and-the-Chocolate-Factory-National-Film-Registry-Support/110746175687933?sk=wall

Of these campaigns we rank their viability in this order:
1) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (need I explain why?)
2) Rocky IV (because of Mr. T.) (I was corrected that Mr. T was featured in Rocky III, not Rocky IV - so I have no justification for having Rocky IV ranked number 2 other than Sly Stallone directed)
3) Mary Poppins (because of great music and unspoken sexual tension between Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke)
4) The Warriors (because of the clothes)
5) Clerks (because I worked at a convenience store during college)
6) Showgirls (because Peter Verhoeven is a very passionate filmmaker. I'd rather nominate Starship Troopers)