Susan Seidelman, a 1969 Abington Senior High School graduate and a film director, producer, and writer, directed “Desperately Seeking Susan”, a 1985 comedy starring Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, John Turturo, and Laurie Metcalf, among other Hollywood names.
The movie was recently added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry. From the Library’s description of the selection:
As a follow-up to her acclaimed low-budget indie “Smithereens,” Susan Seidelman directed this hip screwball romp involving personal ads, mistaken identity and only-in-New-York characters. The film features Rosanna Arquette as an unhappy New Jersey housewife and Madonna as a Lower East Side bohemian free spirit named Susan; Arquette’s deep immersion into Susan’s strange world helps Arquette recharge her life and cure its ills. As critics noted, the wacky plot serves as adventure thriller therapy for Arquette as she careens from one unlikely bizarre event to another. The film also shines as a historical snapshot, offering vignettes into parts of New York City that no longer exist, as well as glimpses into 80s fashion and music, especially Madonna’s personal style and her renowned dance single “Into the Groove.”
Films are selected each year for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, the Library said in a statement.
“Films are an integral piece of America’s cultural heritage, reflecting stories of our nation for more than 125 years. We are proud to add 25 diverse films to the National Film Registry as we preserve our history through film,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said. “We’re grateful to the film community for collaborating with the Library of Congress in our goal to preserve the heritage of cinema for generations to come.”
“Lady and the Tramp,” “Home Alone,” “Bamboozled” and “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” were among the 25 films added to the registry this year.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library and is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.
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Photos: Wikipedia