Research Help: Theater and Film Research Guide: Film

Subject Terms

When searching any database (the library catalog, article databases, web searches) the following terms will be useful:

Motion Pictures
Film
Cinema
Motion Picture Industry
Film Genres
Film Criticism
Cinematography

For additional subject terms, check the Subject Terms thesaurus in Academic Search Complete

Suggested Books

The following is a list of essential books in the field of film studies which discuss film history, criticism and analysis.

The Big Screen by David Thomson
Call Number: PN1993.5.U6T463 2012
ISBN: 9780374191894
Publication Date: 2012-10-16
A comprehensive history of film, which covers historical context and technical advancements.
Action and Image by Roy Armes; Armes
Call Number: PN1995.A748 1994
ISBN: 9780719035548
Publication Date: 1994-05-01
With equal focus on text and visuals, this book describes how to analyze both when creating personal film criticisms.
The Films in My Life by François Truffaut; Leonard Mayhew (Translator)
Call Number: PN1995.T713
ISBN: 9780306805998
Publication Date: 1994-08-22
A renowned director himself, this book collects his essays on film including "Toward a Theory of Film History" and "The Auteur Theory Revisited," which have become influential readings in film studies.
The American Cinema by Andrew X. Sarris
Call Number: PN1993.5.U6S3 1968
ISBN: 9780306807282
Publication Date: 1996-08-22
A quintessential text on The Auteur Theory, which is discussed and applied to other films and directors.
I Lost It at the Movies by Pauline Kael
Call Number: PN1994.K25
ISBN: 9780714529752
Publication Date: 1994-01-01
A collection of film reviews and articles from an important & polarizing film critic.
Awake in the Dark by Roger Ebert; David Bordwell (Foreword by)
Call Number: PN1995.E313 2006
ISBN: 9780226182001
Publication Date: 2006-09-15
A collection of interviews, essays and film reviews.
The Celluloid Closet by Vito Russo
Call Number: PN1995.9.H55R8 1987
ISBN: 9780060961329
Publication Date: 1987-09-20
A groundbreaking book, which discusses Queer Theory in film and how to apply it.

Recommended Databases

Communication Source This link opens in a new window
Access to full text, abstracting and indexing to core journals covering research in mass media, communications theory, linguistics, organizational communication, phonetics and speech pathology.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
An easy-to-use database providing dictionary and encyclopedia entries on subjects in all academic disciplines; a scholarly alternative to Wikipedia. Provides access to over 1,000 reference books.
Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Film & television theory, preservation & restoration, screenwriting, production, cinematography, technical aspects, and reviews.
Fine Arts (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Resources for drama, music, art history, and filmmaking.
JSTOR Arts & Sciences, JSTOR Life Sciences, and JSTOR eBooks This link opens in a new window
An advanced, multidisciplinary database featuring secondary resources in history, scholarly articles, over 57,000 eBooks and other resources spanning the humanities and sciences.
Lantern This link opens in a new window
An Open Access collection of digitized books and magazines from the histories of film, broadcasting, and recorded sound.

Reference Resources

In the Library:

The Film Encyclopedia REF PN1993.45 K34 2001

Magill's Cinema Annual REF PN1995.M34 1982-present

The Motion Picture Guide REF PN1993.M4334

Full-text eBooks:

Chambers Film Factfinder
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781849721721
Publication Date: 2007
Dictionary of Media Studies
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781849721615
Publication Date: 2006

Suggested Journals & Magazines

Sometimes, searching in Journals and Magazines directly will provide better results. The following is a list of major Journals and Magazines that can be viewed online. You can view the full list of journals by viewing our Film Journal Directory.

Camera Obscura
A journal focusing on the feminist perspective of media studies.
Film & History
Founded in 1970, this journal discusses the study of moving images arts.
Film Criticism
The third oldest academic film journal in the US, which specializes in new theoretical perspectives.
Film Quarterly
First published in 1945, this periodical contains scholarly analyses on a wide range of films.
Framework: The Journal of Cinema & Media
Framework publishes works from original thinkers in the forefront of new cultural and political perspectives, and follows all aspects of film and media, in any genre or type.
more...less...
You can find this journal on-line and utilize the archive within the site. Fitchburg State also has access to articles from 3/1/2006 through 9/30/2013.
Journal of Film and Video
An academic journal discussing film theory, history, aesthetic and production.
Millennium Film Journal
Publishes articles on film theories and perspectives.
Scope
Peer-reviewed online journal edited and published by faculty and students at The University of Nottingham (Nottingham, UK).
Sight & Sound
Published by the British Film Institute, this magazine contains reviews and criticisms of all films as well as highly regarded top ten film lists.

Recommended Websites

Academic Info : Film Studies Gateway
Provides additional links relating to film.
Bright Lights Film Journal
In 2014, a new version of the site was created and the site combines magazine and blog content. The commitment of this site is to wide-ranging, literate, fun, progressive articles on any subject related to film.
Film Bibliographies: Media Resources Center UCB
Bibliography lists provided by U.C. Berkley.
Film Underground
Film Underground provides practical and relevant articles on moviemaking, with an emphasis on the creative aspects of story-telling.
Internet Movie Database
Movie Review Query Engine
Framework: The Journal of Cinema & Media
Time-Lapse Stock Footage - The Time Machine

Subject Guide

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LISTSERVs

The following links will take you to registration pages for various listserve groups focusing on theater and film.

H-FILM
Member of H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences OnLine, encourages scholarly discussion of cinema history and uses of the media. Diverse bibliographical, research, and teaching aids are available.
SCREEN-L
Moderated list for all who study, teach, theorize about or research film and television--mostly in an academic setting, but not necessarily so.