Founded in 1935 as the Film Library, MoMA’s Department of Film was established in recognition of the moving image as a crucial art form fundamental to modern times. From its inception, the Film Library provided the resources and critical framework for the study of film as a living art—one in which style, aesthetics, innovation, and history could be explored. What began with the acquisition of Hollywood studio films quickly expanded to encompass experimental cinema, the avant-garde, documentaries, films from around the world, and more.
This installment of our A View from the Vaults series focuses on works in MoMA’s collection from the 1980s, a dynamic decade that preceded the rapid development—and later dominance—of digital filmmaking. This period was marked by a flourishing of blockbuster films, a buzzing theater-going culture, and new modes of discovery and engagement, not least the widespread presence of the VCR and video rentals.
While this selection isn’t intended as a comprehensive survey of the decade, it offers a provocative snapshot of its diverse output. This collection showcase provides a rare and compelling context in which films as varied as Béla Tarr’s Almanac of Fall, John McTiernan’s Die Hard, Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark, Akira Kurosawa’s Ran, Euzhan Palcy’s Sugar Cane Alley, and Abbas Kiarostami’s Where Is the Friend’s House?, among others, can be brought into dialogue. Collectively, these works represent a vibrant decade of filmmaking and spectatorship—and underscore MoMA’s ever-evolving contribution to film preservation, exhibition, and scholarship. All films are presented in archival 16mm and 35mm prints.
Organized by La Frances Hui, Curator, Department of Film. Special thanks to Steve Macfarlane, Alma Macbride, Joseph Shepherd, Sean Egan, Jytte Jensen, Dave Kehr, Ron Magliozzi, Anne Morra, and Brittany Shaw.
Film at MoMA is made possible by CHANEL.
Additional support is provided by the Annual Film Fund. Leadership support for the Annual Film Fund is provided by The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Agnes Gund through The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), and The Young Patrons Council of The Museum of Modern Art.
