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 rebellious fairy tale, upending Disney conventions with irreverent humor and pop culture nods that appealed as much to adults as children. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, it became a cultural juggernaut, winning the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and launching a franchise that redefined what family animation could be. Its blend of crude charm and genuine heart, paired with a soundtrack of era-defining songs, cemented its place as a touchstone of early 2000s cinema.
This cell centers on Shrek himself, the ogre whose gruff exterior and reluctant heroism became one of animation's most beloved character studies. Collectors seek him out as the very embodiment of the film's identity, the figure whose presence alone signals the story being told. A single-character cell like this distills the movie to its core, offering a piece of film history built around the character who carried the entire franchise on his back.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Shrek (2001).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no torn or deformed holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical soundtrack track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a two-track variable-area format with a blue-tinted Dolby stripe visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read manufacturer codes or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base shows a light cyan-blue tint consistent with a colour print stock; dye image appears neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
Fine longitudinal lines consistent with projection wear are visible running along the length of the strip.
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 cyan-tinted base, variable-area optical soundtrack with apparent Dolby encoding, and colour positive print stock are all consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s.
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 000063234
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
