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 defiant answer to the fairy-tale formula, pairing irreverent humor with genuine heart and a soundtrack that became inseparable from its identity. It won the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and reshaped what family animation could look like, proving that a green ogre and a cynical sense of humor could carry mainstream box office success. The film's willingness to subvert Disney conventions while still delivering romance and warmth made it a cultural touchstone, spawning a franchise that remains one of animation's most recognizable properties two decades later.
This cell centers on Shrek and Princess Fiona together, the pairing at the emotional core of the entire story. Their relationship drives the narrative from mismatched adversaries to devoted partners, making any frame that unites them a natural focal point for collectors tracing the film's central arc. A 35mm cell showing these two figures side by side speaks directly to the romance and mutual acceptance the film builds toward, offering a physical piece of the reel that carried one of modern animation's most beloved unions to audiences worldwide.
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, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible on the lower edge alongside what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block pattern in the inter-perforation gaps, consistent with a dual-format optical release print.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a slight cyan-blue tint typical of modern safety stock; the dye image appears warm and well-saturated with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No visible splices, cue marks, or heavy scratching are apparent; the surface appears consistent with a projected release print.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the warm-lit character imagery is consistent with the animated feature on record.
Era check
The Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks combined with the cyan-tinted polyester safety base and dual optical track layout are 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 000063174
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
