National Film RegistryLibrary of Congress · Inducted 2020
“Even by DreamWorks standards, the charm and magic of "Shrek" seemed extraordinary upon its initial release almost 20 years ago — and its power has yet to diminish in the intervening years.”
Selected for preservation as culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.
Directed by
Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Studio
DreamWorks · DreamWorks Animation · Pacific Data Images · 90 min
Box office
$488.4M worldwide on a $60M budget
Honors
Academy Awards — 1 win, 2 nominationsAnnie Awards — 1 winBritish Academy Film Awards — 1 winCritics' Choice Movie Award — 1 winAll 4 wins · 3 nominations on record
Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature
Annie Awards: Best Animated Feature
British Academy Film Awards: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film
Critics' Choice Movie Award: Best Animated Feature
Scholarship
Named in the title of 17 peer-reviewed works
Examples
Sources: Wikidata · Library of Congress · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Shrek arrived in 2001 from DreamWorks Animation as a defiant answer to the fairy tale formula, blending irreverent humor with genuine heart. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, it became a cultural touchstone, winning the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and launching a franchise that reshaped what animated comedy could be. Its willingness to subvert Disney conventions, paired with a soundtrack and voice cast that crossed generations, cemented its place in early 2000s cinema history.
This cell centers on Shrek himself, the ogre protagonist whose gruff exterior and unexpected depth carried the franchise. As the title character, he is the collector's primary draw, representing the film's core identity and its box office success. A cell bearing his name alone suggests a moment tied directly to his presence on screen, without supporting characters sharing the frame. For collectors, isolating the lead character in this way offers a direct connection to the film's central figure, a piece of the original animation that speaks to Shrek's singular role in the story.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Shrek (2001).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the lower edge beside the picture area, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data-block strip in the inter-perforation zone on the lower edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
Base carries a slight blue-cyan tint consistent with a dye-coupler colour print stock; the dye image appears warm and saturated with no obvious fading.
Projection history
Faint horizontal lines are visible across the frame area consistent with projection wear; no splices or cue marks are seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, consistent with an animated feature matching the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a Dolby Digital inter-perforation data track, variable-area optical track, and colour dye-coupler stock is consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s, matching the 2001 release date on record.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063161
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
