In a report from Variety, the films are two of 25 others that were selected. Being added to the National Film Registry means the films will be preserved under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act. The criteria for selection is that the movies are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.
"I am deeply honored that Purple Rain has been selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry in 2019," Albert Magnolio, the film's director, said. "All of us strived to create a film that would capture the attention of what we believed at the time was a small audience. None of us expected this longevity. We simply worked hard every day to get it right, and this honor is a testament to the music, story and characters that were created by all of us so many years ago."
Also included in the list is 1937 footage of botanist and inventor George Washington Carver, and the 1925 silent film Body and Soul, which was directed, produced, written and distributed by black film pioneer Oscar Micheaux.
