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 from DreamWorks Animation in 2001 as a defining shift in mainstream animated features, a fairy tale told with irreverence toward the genre it borrowed from. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, it became a critical and commercial success, earning the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and helping establish DreamWorks as a rival to Disney's fairy tale dominance. Its blend of pop culture references, subversive humor, and genuine heart gave it lasting cultural footing well beyond its initial release.
This cell isolates Lord Farquaad, the diminutive, status-obsessed ruler of Duloc whose petty tyranny drives much of the film's plot. Farquaad remains a favorite among collectors for his sharp visual design and his role as the story's comic antagonist, a nobleman whose ambitions are constantly undercut by his own vanity. A single-character cell like this functions as a compact reference point to that role, preserving the character apart from the surrounding cast and letting the collector focus purely on his presence within the film's visual world.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Shrek (2001).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A dual variable-area optical track is visible below the picture area, accompanied by what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block strip running between the perforations on the lower edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a light cyan-blue tint consistent with modern safety stock; the dye image appears neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot and the content is consistent with an animated feature matching the film on record.
Era check
The cyan-tinted polyester safety base, dual variable-area optical track, and apparent Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations are all 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 000063168
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
