In 1978, Randal Kleiser made "Grease," the world's top-grossing movie musical. He could someday be better-known for a film he directed in 1972 while in graduate school. Distributor Phoenix Learning Group announced that "Peege," a movie about Kleiser's nursing-home- bound grandmother, drew its greatest honor ever: It was named to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in late December -- a status it shares with some of the greatest movies of all time, such as "Citizen Kane" and "The Godfather."

"Peege" is only the second student production chosen for the Registry, a compendium of classics from every era recognized as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Twenty-five films were added on Dec. 27 including "Peege," "Back to the Future," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "12 Angry Men." "It's even a bigger honor than if they selected a film like 'Grease,'" Kleiser said. "It's such a personal film."


The librarian of Congress praised "Peege" for its "extremely moving" portrayal of its title character, played by Jeanette Nolan, and its challenging subject: aging. The 28-minute film dramatizes an event from Kleiser's life: a Christmas visit to see Peege at a time when her health and memory were failing. Played by a young Bruce Davison, Kleiser's character connects with Peege, drawing her out by evoking shared memories, and turning a difficult visit to a joyous one.