A SHORT LISTING OF LIBRARY RESOURCES
Scope: This guide suggests resources to assist in the analysis of films that focus on a specific historical event, time period, person, or persons and is intended for use by students studying how history fares in Hollywood.
General Guides
Emmons, Mark. Film and Television: A Guide to the Reference Literature.
(Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2006) Ref Z5784.M9E47 2006
This guide lists indexes, bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, filmographies, and other reference works about film and television.
Film Studies Resources UC Berkeley Library http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/
This comprehensive guide includes sections on primary sources, film journals, criticism, reviews, and web resources.
Gunning, Tom. Making Sense of Films (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/film)
This online reference guide in the History Matters series concentrates on early 20th century films as historical evidence. Also see Peter Burke, Eyewitnessing: the Uses of Images as Historical Evidence (Stacks H61.H83 2001) and Robert Toplin, Reel History: In Defense of Hollywood (Stacks PN1995.9.H5T67 2002). Use the subject heading Historical Films in Uclid and OhioLINK to find related materials.
Hollywood Vaults http://www.hollywoodvaults.com
This is a film preservation site that includes links to journals, directories, and other publications as well as media archives, museums, film libraries, collections and associations. Invoke Resources on the opening page and then invoke the appropriate section under Links.
Internet Resources for Film Studies http://user.gru.net/keelewh/
This site was created by Karen Brown for the University of South Florida Library and Information Science Class LIS 6463 in July 2001 to explore educational and scholarly resources in film studies.
Selected Resources for: Film Studies University of Minnesota Libraries
http://www.lib.umn.edu/site/rqs.phtml?subject_id=88
Created by the library’s film subject specialist this guide lists many print and electronic resources for identifying films and for finding articles about films.
Subject Guide for Film Resources San Diego State University Library and Information Access http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/film.html
This guide covers film resources comprehensively and includes both print and online materials.
Use the subject heading Motion Pictures—Bibliography in the Uclid and OhioLINK for additional printed resources listing reference materials for film studies. Also use the subject heading Historical Films and its subdivisions.
Beaver, Frank Eugene. Dictionary of Film Terms: The Aesthetic Companion to Film Art. (New York: Peter Lang, c2006) PN1993.45.B33 2006
Blandford, Steven. The Film Studies Dictionary. (London: Arnold; New York: Co-published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press, 2001) Ref PN1993.45.B49 2001
Bognar, Desi. International Dictionary of Broadcasting and Film. 2nd ed. (Boston: Focal Press, 2000) Stacks PN1990.4.B64 2000
Konigsberg, Ira. The Complete Film Dictionary. 2nd edition (New York: Penguin Reference, 1997) Ref PN1993.45.K66 1997
Penney, Edmund F. Facts on File Dictionary of Film and Broadcast Terms. (New York, N.Y.: Facts on File, c1991) Stacks P87.5.P43 1991
Singleton, Ralph S. Filmmaker’s Dictionary. 2nd edition. (Hollywood, CA: Lone Eagle Pub. Co., c2000) Ref PN1993.45.S56 2000
Use the subject headings Motion Pictures—Dictionaries and Cinematography—Dictionaries to find additional film dictionaries.
The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States. (New York: R.R. Bowker, 1971- ) Ref PN1998.A57 [F1,F2, F3, F4 etc./also 1995]
The web site for the American Film Institute is http://www.afi.com. Terms and conditions for use apply.
Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to World Film since 1895. (London: Bowker-Saur, c1998) Ref CD ROM Station 2 PN1998.C77 1998 CD ROM and Guide Ref PN1998.C77 1998 Guide
This is a comprehensive, searchable database covering over 300,000 films produced from 1895 to mid-1998. The purpose of the database is to catalog every film ever made. Inclusion in the database does not, however, guarantee that a copy of the film still exists.
See also this earlier print edition: International Film Index, 1895-1990. 2 vols. (New York: Bowker-Saur, 1991) Ref PN1998.I68 1991 vol.1&2
Lopez, Daniel. Films by Genre: 775 Categories, Styles, Trends, and Movements Defined, with a Filmography for Each. (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1993) Ref PN1998.L63 1993
Use the subject heading Motion Pictures—Catalog to find additional sources.
Blandford, Steven. The Film Studies Dictionary. (London: Arnold; New York: Oxford University Press, 2001) Ref PN1993.45.B49 2001
Hayward, Susan. Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. 3rd ed. (London: Routledge, 2006) Stacks PN1993.45.H36 2006
History of the American Cinema
The volumes in this series are each cataloged separately. Use this series title in Uclid to find the author, title, and call number of each individual volume in the series.
Katz, Ephraim. The Film Encyclopedia. 5th ed. (New York: Collins, 2005) Ref PN1993.45.K34 2005
Osborne, Robert A. 75 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards (New York: Abbeville Press, 2003) PN1993.92.O82 2003
Pearson, Roberta E. Critical Dictionary of Film and Television Theory. (New York: Routledge, 2001) Ref PN1993.45.C75 2001
Pendergast, Tom. International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers 4th ed. 4 vols. (Detroit: St. James Press, 2000) Ref PN1997.8.I58 2000
The dictionary includes plots, themes, biographical information, and filmographies.
Rollins, Peter C. Columbia Companion to American History on Film: How the Movies Have Portrayed the American Past (New York: Columbia University Press, 2003) Stacks PN1995.9.C65 2003
Slide, Anthony. The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry. (Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1998) Ref PN1993.5.U6S539
Use the subject headings Motion Pictures—Dictionaries; Motion Pictures—Encyclopedias; Motion Pictures—History; Motion Pictures—United States—History; Motion Pictures--American to find additional sources. Also check the titles in the series Garland Classics of Film Literature.
For the portrayal of specific ethnic groups and minorities in Hollywood films use subject headings such as Asian Americans in Motion Pictures, Afro-Americans in Motion Pictures, Blacks in Motion Pictures, Homosexuality in Motion Pictures, Indians in Motion Pictures, Jews in Motion Pictures, Lesbians in Motion Pictures, Mexican Americans in Motion Pictures, Minorities in Motion Pictures, Women in Motion Pictures, etc.
Use subject headings such as Historical Films—United States, Motion Pictures and History, and War Films—United States as well as subject headings for specific aspects of United States history linked to motion pictures such as United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Motion Pictures; World War, 1914-1918—Motion Pictures and the War; World War, 1939-1945—Motion Pictures and the War etc. to find books about specific time periods or specific historical subjects. Also use similar terms in a word search.
Armstrong, Richard B. Encyclopedia of Film Themes, Settings and Series. (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2001) Ref PN1997.8.A76 2001
Magill’s Survey of Cinema—English Language Films, First Series 4 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1980) Ref PN1993.45.M3 1980
Magill’s Survey of Cinema—English Language Films, Second Series 6 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1981) Ref PN1993.45.M32 1981
Magill’s Survey of Cinema—Foreign Language Films 8 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1985) Ref PN1993.45.M34 1986)
Magill’s Survey of Cinema—Silent Films 3 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1982) Ref PN1995.75.M33 1982
Use the subject headings Foreign Films—Plots, Themes, etc.—Encyclopedias; Motion Pictures—United States—Plots, Themes, etc.; Motion Pictures—Plots, Themes, etc.—Dictionaries and Film Genres to find additional material in Uclid or OhioLINK.
See also: Humanities and Social Sciences Index Retrospective 1907-1984 Connect
Indexes to Periodical Literature
See also: Review and Criticism Indexes
See also: General Guides
[A note about OneSearch Connect. Employ OneSearch to conduct a simultaneous search in multiple databases and in Uclid. For history topics, OneSearch may produce either too few or too many hits to be useful. Searching individual databases is tedious but recommended.]
ABI/Inform 1971- Connect
Use this database to locate articles about the motion picture industry. Use in conjunction with Business Source Complete Connect
Academic Search Complete 1865- Connect
Use motion pictures, cinema, or the title of a film. Most of the articles will be full text.
America: History and Life 1964- Connect
This database includes only the history of the United States and Canada. For other parts of the world, use Historical Abstracts Connect Enter the search term Motion Pictures and leave the default as set. Note the subjects suggested in the sidebar on the screen left side of the returned search. These may be used to define your search more precisely.
British Humanities Index 1962- Connect
Use the subject heading Cinema. Will cover American films released in the UK from a British perspective. Prior to 1962 see Subject Index to Periodicals 1915-1961 Ref AI3.A72.
Business Source Complete 1886- Connect
Use in conjunction with ABI/Inform Connect for articles about the motion picture industry and box office revenue.
Communication & Mass Media Complete 1915- Connect
Use Motion Pictures—History or Historical Films.
Ethnic NewsWatch 1985- Connect
This resource includes full text articles from America’s ethnic and minority presses.
Expanded Academic ASAP Connect
Use the “Basic Search” to find full text articles about motion pictures.
Film and Television Literature Index with Full Text Connect
This is a comprehensive bibliographic index that covers all aspects of film and television.
Humanities and Social Sciences Index Retrospective 1907-1984 Connect
Use Motion Pictures, Moving Pictures and History, Motion Pictures and [Name of Country/Name of State, etc.], or Moving Pictures/Plots, Themes, etc. Related subject headings will display on the screen sidebar.
Humanities International Complete Connect
Use the heading Motion Pictures Reviews as a subject search for general information. Additional suggestions of related headings will appear in the screen sidebar.
JSTOR Connect
Full text of the back issues of the most important history journals. No current issues are included in this database. Search cinema or film or films or motion picture or motion pictures in full text, marking the boxes for Film Studies and History journals in the category “Search in”.
MLA International Bibliography 1921- Connect
This resource includes articles about film since 1950. Use cinema, film. or motion picture as a search term. Note the sidebar on the left side of the screen that will offer additional related search terms. Employ the advanced search option to use limit options such as language or date of publication.
OmniFile Full Text Mega 1982- Connect
This multidisciplinary resource combines several indexing services into one searchable database. Full text of the articles is available since 1994. Cinema, motion pictures, and film or films are keywords that may be used in the All-Smart Search. Suggested subject headings will appear in the sidebar on the screen left.
Periodicals Archive Online Connect
Periodicals Index Online Connect
Indexes and provides the full text of articles from arts, humanities, and social science periodicals over a 300 year publishing span. Structure an article search for keywords such as cinema or film or motion picture.
Philosopher’s Index 1940- Connect
This database includes citations to motion pictures. Use cinema or film or motion picture as terms in the advanced search. Link these with additional terms such as history. Note the “Find Similar” button attached to each retrieved citation.
Project Muse 1995- Connect
Construct a simple search using cinema, or film or films, or motion pictures. You may also define your topic more precisely. Articles are provided as full text documents in this database.
Reader’s Guide Retrospective 1890-1982 Connect
Long a standard index, the Reader’s Guide indexes the most popular general periodicals published in the United States. Use the words cinema or film or motion pictures as keywords in the Advanced All-Smart search. Motion Pictures is the term used in the Advanced Subject search. Note related headings in the sidebar on the screen left.
Research Library 1971- Connect
Use this interdisciplinary database to find full text articles. Go to the Topic Guide section and use Motion Pictures to obtain a display of all available subjects under which to find material in this database, including Motion Pictures and History.
SIRS Researcher on the Web Connect
This database provides full text articles and web links. Dates of coverage vary. Type Motion Picture as a subject heading in the SIRS Knowledge Source box and scroll through to find articles and web sites about motion pictures, including Motion Pictures and History.
Times Digital Archive 1785-1985 Connect
Use cinema and history or film and history in this full text database that includes American motion pictures released in Britain.
Use the subject heading Motion Pictures—Periodicals—Indexes to find additional resources.
Film reviews appear within a few weeks after a film’s initial release. Reviews generally provide the movie going public with a plot summary and evaluations of the script, actors’ performances, and cinematography. A rating system is often used to
indicate where the reviewer places the film on the excellent to awful scale. The film reviewer’s purpose is to offer an immediate judgment about a film and to make a recommendation to its potential audience about seeing the film under review.
Unlike film reviews, film criticism is not time sensitive. Although film criticism may cover much of the same ground as a review, it differs in depth of coverage and strength of interpretation. There is overlap between these two categories however so sources in both areas are recommended to those researching a film’s public acceptance and lasting importance.
Review and Criticism Indexes
See also: Indexes to General Periodical Literature
See also: General Guides
[A note about OneSearch Connect . Employ OneSearch to conduct a simultaneous search in multiple databases and in Uclid. For history topics, OneSearch may produce either too few or too many hits to be useful. Searching individual databases is tedious but recommended.]
ABI/Inform 1971- Connect
Use Motion Pictures and Motion Picture Criticism as well as the title of individual films.
Academic Search Complete 1865- Connect
Search terms include the titles of specific movies in addition to film criticism, film critics, and motion pictures—reviews.
Alvarez, Max Joseph. Index to Motion Pictures Reviewed by Variety, 1907-1980.
(Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1982) Ref PN1995.A39 1982
The CCM Library maintains a subscription to Variety. Current paper issues (CCM PN2000.V3) are replaced with microfilm for retention purposes (CCM Microfilm 1086) beginning with the issue for Feb. 1, 1986. Excerpts from daily articles may be read online Variety.com http://www.dailyvariety.com/ A subscription is required to read the full text of online articles. At present, the library does not subscribe to Variety.com.
In addition to film reviews Variety also includes show business news and box office receipts.
America: History and Life Connect
Use the title of the film as a subject heading to find criticism.
America’s News Magazines Connect
Includes full text movie reviews from Entertainment Weekly since January 1999. Use the title of the movie placed within parentheses.
Art Full Text 1929- Connect
Use Movie Review as article type.
Bowles, Stephen. Index to Critical Film Reviews in British and American Film Periodicals, together with: Index to Critical Reviews of Books about Film, 1930-1972. 3 vols. (New York: B. Franklin, 1974) Ref Z5784.M9B64
Business Source Complete 1886- Connect
Use Motion Pictures—Reviews.
Communication & Mass Media Complete 1915- Connect
Use Motion Pictures—Reviews, or Film Criticism.
CPI.Q 1988- Connect
This is an index to Canadian publications, many of which will be full text items. Use Movie Criticism or the title of the movie and movie review.
Film and Television Literature Index with Full Text Connect
This is a comprehensive bibliographic index that covers all aspects of film, including theory and reviews.
Film Review Index vol. 1, 1882-1949 Ref Z5784.M9F513 1986
Humanities and Social Sciences Index Retrospective 1907-1984 Connect
Use Motion Pictures, Motion Pictures Critics and Criticism, Motion Pictures/Reviews, or Motion Picture Reviews/Single Works and the title of the film (e.g. Motion Picture Reviews Single Works and Reds) as subject headings. Additional related subject headings will display on the sidebar.
Humanities International Complete Connect
Use the heading Motion Pictures Reviews as a subject search for general information. Additional suggestions of related headings will appear in the screen sidebar. For a review of a specific film, use the name of the film and motion picture (e.g. Last of the Mohicans and Motion Picture) or the name of the film as a descriptor (e.g. DE Last of the Mohicans, The (Film)) leaving the default to “Select a Field (optional).
JSTOR Connect
Full text of the back issues of the most important history journals. No current issues are included in this database. Enter the name of the film in full text (e.g. Drums along the Mohawk) and enter Cinema or Motion Picture or Film in full text on the next line. Mark the boxes for Film Studies and History journals in the category “Search in”, and change the default from “articles” to “reviews” in the category “Include only.” Current issues of several of the history journals included in JSTOR are available online through the AHA/OAH History Cooperative http://www.historycooperative.org.
MLA International Bibliography 1921- Connect
Use cinema, or film, or motion picture and title of the film (e.g. cinema or film or motion picture and Dr. Strangelove).
Magill’s Cinema Annual 1982-
(Ref PN1993.3.M34)
Each issue covers films released during the previous year as well as some films from previous years. There is a cumulative index covering 1982-1986.
The Motion Picture Guide 1985-1999 Ref PN1993.M4334 1985 vol. 10 (Other volumes in storage)
This annual ceased publication in 1999. Vol. 10 covers silent film, 1910-1936.
New York Times Film Reviews 1913/1931-1999/2000. (New York: New York Times, 1913-2000). Stacks PN1995.N4
This set reproduces the movie reviews that appeared in the New York Times during the years of coverage. Use it in conjunction with the digital New York Times (1851-2003) Connect as well as the full text of the New York Times available online in Factiva Connect since 1980. Also see the NYT Movies on the web at http://www.nytimes.com/pages/movies/
OmniFile Full Text Mega 1982- Connect
This multidisciplinary resource combines several indexing services into one searchable database. Full text of the articles is available since 1994. Film reviews may be obtained by using the title of the film and review in the All-Smart search (e.g. motion picture and [title of the film] and Review).
Periodicals Archive Online Connect
Periodicals Index Online Connect
Indexes and provides the full text of articles from arts, humanities, and social science periodicals over a 300 year publishing span. Structure an article search for keywords following this example: ((cinema or film or motion picture) and (title of film)).
Project Muse 1995- Connect
Project Muse contains critical reviews of films. Use the title of the film to locate these reviews.
Reader’s Guide Retrospective 1890-1982 Connect
Use motion picture reviews single works in the Advanced subject search and link it to the title of the film in the Advanced All-Smart search (e.g. motion picture reviews single works and title of the film). Another way to structure the search is to leave all the defaults in the Advanced search as All-Smart searches and use motion picture and review and title of the film (e.g. motion picture and review and Juarez).
Research Library 1971- Connect
Use this interdisciplinary database to find full text articles. Go to the Topic Guide section and use Motion Pictures to obtain a display of all available subjects under which to find material in this database, including Motion Pictures and Motion Picture Criticism.
SIRS Research on the Web Connect
Type film criticism as a subject in the SIRS Knowledge Source box. This database provides articles and web links.
Slide, Anthony. Selected Film Criticism. 7 vols. (Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press, 1982-1985) Ref PN1995.S426 1982
[1] 1896-1911 -- [2] 1912-1920 -- [3] 1921-1930 -- [4] 1931-1940 -- [5] 1941-1950 -- [6] Foreign films, 1930-1950 -- [7] 1951-1960
Use these subject headings in Uclid and OhioLINK to find additional sources of film reviews: Film Criticism; Motion Pictures—Reviews; Motion Pictures—Reviews—Indexes; Motion Pictures—Evaluation; Historical Films—History and Criticism; Motion Pictures and History to find material in Uclid or OhioLINK.
Chicago Tribune Newspaper Index 1973-1978 (Langsam Reference AI21.C43), Bell & Howell Index to the Chicago Tribune 1980-1981 (Langsam Reference AI21.C43) and Chicago Tribune Index 1982-1984 (Langsam Reference AI21.C434)
Use in conjunction with the microfilm edition of the Chicago Tribune (Microfilm N26). Full text coverage of the Chicago Tribune is available since 1985 in Factiva Connect
Christian Science Monitor Indexes Annual 1945-1955 (Ref AI21.C446), Christian Science Monitor Index 1960-1961 (Ref AI21.C45) and Index to the Christian Science Monitor 1980-1984 (Ref AI21.C452)
Use in conjunction with the Christian Science Monitor (Microfilm N41). Full text coverage of the Christian Science Monitor is available since 1988 in Factiva Connect
Factiva Connect
This resource provides the full text of many newspapers both domestic and foreign. Several Indian publications are included in Factiva. To obtain a listing of these titles in Factiva go to “+Source” on the opening page. Then go to “+Major News and Business Publications.” Then go to “+Major News and Business Publications: Asia Pacific.” Scroll through the alphabetical listing.
Los Angeles Times Index (Ref AI21.L6) and Index to the Los Angeles Times 1980-1984 Ref AI21.L6)
Use in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times (Microfilm N52) and the online full text available since 1985 in Factiva Connect
New York Times (1851-2004) Connect
The full text of the New York Times is also available online in Factiva Connect since 1980. Also see the NYT Movies on the web at http://www.nytimes.com/pages/movies/
Times Digital Archive 1785-1985 Connect
Use the title of the motion picture within quotation marks.
Wall Street Journal Index 1958- (Ref HG1.W23)
Use in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal (Microfilm N3). The Wall Street Journal is online full text since 1984 in Factiva Connect
Washington Post Index1973-1979 (Ref AI21.W33), Index to the Washington Post 1980-1981 Ref AI21.W33) and The Official Washington Post Index 1982-1984 (Ref AI21.W34)
Use in conjunction with the Washington Post online since 1984 in Factiva Connect
Conduct a title search in Uclid using the title of the film and change the limit field to Videos, Films and Slides, or conduct a subject search in uclid (e.g. Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg, Pa 1863) and change the limit field to Videos, Films and Slides. To browse the film collection online structure a keyword search using Video or DVD and change the optional limits for Videos/DVDs to all.
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County also has an extensive film collection. The Digital Media Center at OhioLINK has a collection of educational films and videos, mostly from Films for the Humanities and Sciences.
Back to:
History Resources Opening Page
Indexes/Databases (Comprehensive List)
Subject Area Websites
This page is maintained by:
Sally Moffitt,
History Bibliographer
401 Langsam-hours by appointment: Sally.Moffitt@uc.edu
February 2008