Precious Images
Encyclopedia
Precious Images is a 1986
short film directed by Chuck Workman
. It features approximately 470 half-second-long splices of movie moments through the history of American film. The clips are organized by genre, while matching it with appropriate music; for example, the "musicals" section is accompanied by the title song
of Singin' in the Rain
(1952). Films featured range chronologically from The Great Train Robbery
(1903) to Rocky IV
(1985), and range in subject from comedies such as The Gold Rush (1925) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), to dramas such as High Noon
(1952) and The Godfather
(1972).
Precious Images features half-second-long splices from approximately 470 American films. Chuck Workman described the film's editing structure as "a sprint. You take a breath and you go."
during the 1987 ceremony
, where it was featured in its entirety. In 1996, the film was reissued with new scenes from more contemporary films up to that point. "Precious Images" was shown every 15 minutes within London's Museum of the Moving Image (opened 1988) but this very popular attraction was closed in 1999.
The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival
.
Because of the numerous copyright
s involved with each of the four hundred-plus films, Precious Images cannot be sold commercially.
by the Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
short film directed by Chuck Workman
Chuck Workman
Chuck Workman is a documentary filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. His 1986 film Precious Images won an Academy Award for Live Action Short Film; his work has also been nominated for Emmy Awards, Sundance Film Festival awards, and the Taos Talking Film Festival awards.Workman frequently...
. It features approximately 470 half-second-long splices of movie moments through the history of American film. The clips are organized by genre, while matching it with appropriate music; for example, the "musicals" section is accompanied by the title song
Singin' in the Rain (song)
"Singin' In the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown, published in 1929. However, it is unclear exactly when the song was written with some claiming that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. The song was listed as Number 3 on AFI's 100 Years.....
of Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
(1952). Films featured range chronologically from The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery (1903 film)
The Great Train Robbery is a 1903 American action Western film by Edwin S. Porter. Twelve minutes long, it is considered a milestone in film making, expanding on Porter's previous work Life of an American Fireman. The film used a number of innovative techniques including cross cutting, double...
(1903) to Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...
(1985), and range in subject from comedies such as The Gold Rush (1925) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), to dramas such as High Noon
High Noon
High Noon is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The film tells in real time the story of a town marshal forced to face a gang of killers by himself...
(1952) and The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
(1972).
Production
Precious Images was commissioned by the Directors Guild for their 75th anniversary. Workman had previously produced two documentaries, The Director and the Image (1984) and The Director and the Actor (1984), for the Guild. Editing took two or three months to complete.Precious Images features half-second-long splices from approximately 470 American films. Chuck Workman described the film's editing structure as "a sprint. You take a breath and you go."
“Of course, I had so many movies I wanted to include that the time constraint forced me to compress the film more and more. The cutting got faster and faster, but I realized that the film was still working. And I was moving things around, and it was still working. I started finding these wonderful little combinations of shots, the kind of edits that I’d been doing for years in other things, but suddenly in this film I wasn’t selling anything. It was a wonderful moment for me.”
Release
Precious Images won the Academy Award for Live Action Short FilmAcademy Award for Live Action Short Film
This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. For the three preceding years it was known as "Short Subjects, Live Action Films." The term "Short Subjects, Live Action Subjects" was used from 1957 until 1970. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate...
during the 1987 ceremony
59th Academy Awards
The 59th Academy Awards were presented March 30, 1987 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, and Paul Hogan....
, where it was featured in its entirety. In 1996, the film was reissued with new scenes from more contemporary films up to that point. "Precious Images" was shown every 15 minutes within London's Museum of the Moving Image (opened 1988) but this very popular attraction was closed in 1999.
The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival
1986 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Sydney Pollack*Alexandre Mnouchkine*Alexandre Trauner*Charles Aznavour*Danièle Thompson*István Szabó*Lino Brocka*Philip French*Sonia Braga*Tonino Delli Colli-Feature film competition:* After Hours by Martin Scorsese...
.
Because of the numerous copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
s involved with each of the four hundred-plus films, Precious Images cannot be sold commercially.
Reception
In 2009, Precious Images was selected for preservation in the United States National Film RegistryNational Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".