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National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell NFV-000001975 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEThe Matrix
SCENENeo - Armed
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR1999
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001975
Film Record Public record
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 wins
All 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
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, a Wachowski-directed original that reshaped action cinema with its fusion of philosophy, martial arts, and groundbreaking visual effects. Coming at the close of the decade, it captured a cultural moment of anxiety about technology and reality, becoming an instant touchstone and spawning sequels, imitators, and endless academic discussion. Its influence on choreography, style, and science fiction storytelling remains foundational, making it one of the defining studio releases of its era and a perennial favorite among collectors of film artifacts.

This cell centers on Neo, the reluctant hero played by Keanu Reeves, whose journey from office drone to liberated fighter drives the entire narrative. The designation of Armed points to a moment of readiness, when Neo has stepped fully into his role as a combatant within the simulated world, a turning point collectors prize for marking his transformation. As a 35mm frame drawn from the physical print, it represents a tangible artifact of the film's original theatrical run, the kind of collectible that connects directly to the movie's release and its lasting cultural footprint.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of The Matrix (1999)

Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block strip in the inter-perforation area beside it, consistent with a dual-format optical release print
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read alphanumeric codes
Base & colour
Base appears with a warm-neutral tint; dye image shows moderate density with no obvious colour shift or fading
Projection history
Light vertical lines consistent with projection are visible across the frames; no splices or cue marks seen
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, consistent with a release print of The Matrix (1999)
Era check
The combination of variable-area optical track with apparent Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations is consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s theatrical release print format used for The Matrix (1999)
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 000063835
Original Film Capture As received
The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size