National Film RegistryLibrary of Congress · Inducted 2012
“A visionary and complex film, the science-fiction epic "The Matrix" employed state-of-the-art special effects, production design and computer-generated animation to tell a story—steeped in mythological, literary, and philosophical references—about a revolt against a conspiratorial regime.”
Selected for preservation as culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.
Directed by
Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Studio
Warner Bros. Entertainment · Village Roadshow Pictures · Silver Pictures · 136 min
Box office
$467.2M worldwide on a $63M budget
Honors
Academy Awards — 4 wins, 4 nominationsBritish Academy Film Awards — 2 winsSaturn Award — 2 winsAll 8 wins · 4 nominations on record
Academy Awards: Best Sound Editing
Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects
Academy Awards: Best Film Editing
Academy Awards: Best Sound
British Academy Film Awards: Best Sound
British Academy Film Awards: Best Special Visual Effects
Saturn Award: Best Director
Saturn Award: Best Science Fiction Film
Scholarship
Named in the title of 1 peer-reviewed work
Examples
Biofilms: the matrix revisited — Trends in Microbiology, 2004
Sources: Wikidata · Library of Congress · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
The Matrix arrived from Warner Bros. in 1999 as a landmark of late-nineties studio filmmaking, blending cyberpunk philosophy with groundbreaking visual effects. Directed by the Wachowskis, it redefined action cinema through its bullet-time sequences and its vision of a simulated reality, becoming an instant cultural touchstone. The film's blend of martial arts, science fiction, and existential inquiry earned it critical acclaim and a devoted global following, cementing its place among the most influential releases of its decade and launching a franchise that shaped mainstream action design for years afterward.
This cell centers on Morpheus, the enigmatic mentor whose presence anchors the film's philosophical core and its promise of awakening beyond illusion. Collectors seek him out for his role as the gateway figure, the one who offers choice and consequence in equal measure. A frame like this, drawn from 35mm stock, preserves a fragment of the character's screen presence, whether from trailer materials or the film itself, a physical relic tied directly to a role that helped define an era of thoughtful, effects-driven storytelling.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of The Matrix (1999).
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 torn or deformed sprocket holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area; a second narrow band consistent with a Dolby Digital data-block strip appears in the inter-perforation zone on the opposite edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read manufacturer codes or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight cool-neutral tint; dye image shows no obvious red shift or fading, colours appear stable.
Projection history
Light vertical scratching is visible across the frame area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of The Matrix (1999).
Era check
The combination of a variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations, and the cool-neutral polyester-base stock is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s.
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 000063822
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
