Preserving Hollywood treasures forever

Tinseltown may be known for big stars and that famous sign on a hill, but when all is said and done, its real treasure is its movies - as in, actual film.

For years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - the folks behind the Oscars - has made it its business to preserve tens of thousands of movies, and these days, it does so at the Pickford Center in Hollywood, an old TV studio.

Now, the Academy Film Archive keeps more than 76,000 titles locked away in cold storage in giant concrete vaults, safe from earthquakes and fire, all so that future generations can be sure to enjoy watching the great (and even the not-so-great) flicks this town has produced.

Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET