WASHINGTON — While not usually regarded as a golden age of American cinema, the 1980s produced plenty of popular classics — and a few more of them have now been added to the prestigious National Film Registry.
The Library of Congress announced Wednesday that "The Breakfast Club," ''The Princess Bride" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" are among the 25 movies tapped for preservation this year. They join three other more obscure 1980s titles on this year's list.
The national library also picked a few more recent favorites, including "Thelma & Louise," Disney's "The Lion King" and "Rushmore."
The library selects movies for preservation in its audio-visual vault in Culpeper, Virginia, because of their cultural, historic or artistic importance. This year's picks bring the total number of films in the registry to 700. The choices have become increasingly diverse and eclectic since the registry began in 1989.
Still, the library always makes room for some crowd-pleasers.
Considered a feminist landmark for its portrait of women who stand up to abusive partners and find liberation on a crime spree, "Thelma & Louise" achieved a rare distinction when its co-stars, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, were both nominated for the best-actress Oscar.
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It's the third movie directed by the prolific Ridley Scott to join the registry, following "Alien" and "Blade Runner."
"I am very honored and proud to be acknowledged by the Library of Congress," Scott said in a statement. "'Blade Runner' will now have two great ladies to keep him company."
Lauded for its sensitivity, "The Breakfast Club" (1985), from writer-director John Hughes, is the most enduring collaboration of the so-called "Brat Pack," a short-lived troupe of young stars that included Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy.
Two years later, "The Princess Bride" charmed audiences with its mix of fantasy, action and humor and its innovative screenplay that allowed a young boy (Fred Savage) to provide running commentary on the story.
With its mix of live action and animation, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was a genuine breakthrough that looks quaint in retrospect. Director Robert Zemeckis' wacky 1988 film noir, set during Hollywood's golden age, imagined cartoon characters living alongside their human collaborators and grappling with off-screen complications including blackmail and murder.
