Subject Librarian
Lucinda M. Hall
Contact:
Evans Map Room, Baker-Berry Library
Dartmouth College
25 N Main ST
Hanover, NH 03755
Dartmouth College
25 N Main ST
Hanover, NH 03755
(603) 646-0962
Website Skype Contact: d1128r8@kiewit.dartmouth.edu
Introduction
Except for Screen Studies Collection and International Index for the Performing Arts (IIPA), the other, online databases for film did not begin indexing film magazines and journals until the early 1970's.
Film indexes online
Using the Screen Studies Collections, you can search the American Film Institute (AFI) Catalog and the Film Index International from the British Film Institute at the same time. Both catalogs include citations to industry and scholarly articles about the films. Most of the industry articles tend to be short blurbs, but were written at the time of filming. These bibliographies, whether short or long, are good starting places for finding information about the films.
Screen studies collection by Call Number: Electronic resourceA comprehensive survey of current publications related to film scholarship alongside detailed filmographies. This collection includes the FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals Database and the detailed and complementary filmographies created by the American Film Institute (AFI) and the British Film Institute.
Newspapers
- Major metropolitan newspapers are a good source for movie reviews and information.
- You can also limit your searching to "reviews" in most of this group of databases.
- These newspaper archives go back before the early days of film making them an excellent source of information for early filmmaking.
Proquest historical newspapers by Call Number: Electronic resourcesA collection of major regional and ethnic newspapers from their beginning date to a date in the near past. The New York Times goes until 3 years ago, while the Boston Globe only goes to 1989. The Chicago Defender goes from 1905 to 1975.
Other library resource(s)
- ATLA Catholic periodical and literature indexCall Number: Electronic resourceLooking at film from another viewpoint.
Readers' guide retrospective, 1890-1982 by Call Number: Electronic resourceThe regular Readers' Guide Abstracts covers popular literature from 1983 to the present. This retrospective version covers that same literature from 1890 to 1982. Because this is historical material, remember to search using the terms that were used during a particular time period. For example, early Black films would use the subject "Negro" or "Colored" rather than Black or Afro-American (African-American). You can also limit your searching to film reviews when looking for a particular title.
Reviews & articles for early films
These are books found mostly in Baker/Berry Reference. Depending on films researched, these books can provide you with many reviews for analysis.
- The critical index: a bibliography of articles on film in English, 1948-1973, arranged by names and topics byCall Number: Baker/-Berry Z 5784 .M9 G4This bibliography is a guide to articles about directors, producers, actors, critics, screenwriters, cinematographers, specific films, and 175 topics dealing with the history, aesthetics, and economics of film, the relation of film to society, and the various genres of film. [Introduction, p.viii]. Another, good source for earlier films.
- Entertainment industry magazine archiveCall Number: Electronic resourceAn archival resource containing the essential primary sources for studying the history of the film and entertainment industries, from the era of vaudeville and silent movies through to 2000. The core US and UK trade magazines covering film, music, broadcasting and theater are included, together with film fan magazines and music press titles.
- Film byCall Number: Library Depository PN 1994 .F437 v. 1-2 (1959-62)Essays on various films. An interesting read with a questionnaire that various directors answered in volume 1. Volume 1 - Audience and the filmmaker 1959 and volume 2 - Films of peace and war 1962.
- Film byCall Number: Library Depository PN 1993.3 .F38 1968/69-1971/72This "anthology" of films only covers 1968 through 1972, but the essays are grouped together by subject or genre of the films discussed.
The film book bibliography, 1940-1975 by Call Number: Baker-Berry Z 5784 .M9 E44ISBN: 9780810811270This book attempts to cite, classify, and selectively annotate over five thousand books, monographs, and dissertations about English language film between 1940 and 1975.- Filmmakers in the Moving Picture World: an index of articles, 1907-1927 byCall Number: Baker-Berry PN 1993 .M89 Suppl.ISBN: 9780786402908First published on March 9, 1907, The Moving Picture World was the first trade paper of the film industry. It continued until December 31, 1927. This index directs researchers to the appropriate pages of the magazine for biographical and career data on the early filmmakers--i.e., anyone involved in making a film: actors and actresses, producers, directors, camera grinders, writers, editors, company presidents, technical directors, stunt extras, and many others.
- Film review index byCall Number: Baker-Berry Z 5784 .M9 F513 1986Volume 1 covers 1882-1949 and volume 2 covers 1950-1985.
- Index to critical film reviews in British and American film periodicals, together with: Index to critical reviews of books about film, 1930-1972 byCall Number: Baker-Berry Ref. Z 5784 .M9 B64English language reviews for early films.
- The literature of the film: a bibliographical guide to the film as art and entertainment, 1936-1970 byCall Number: Baker-Berry Z 5784 .M9 D9
Media history digital library by Call Number: Electronic resourceThe Media History Digital Library digitizes collections of classic media periodicals that belong in the public domain for full public access. The project is supported by owners of materials who loan them for scanning, and donors who contribute funds to cover the cost of scanning.
The Collection feature extensive runs of several important trade papers and fan magazines.- The new film index: a bibliography of magazine articles in English, 1930-1970 byCall Number: Baker-Berry Z 5784 .M9 M29 1975This bibliography groups articles by subject. It includes short lists of articles on women and minority directors, producers and technicians.
- Retrospective index to film periodicals, 1930-1971 byCall Number: Baker-Berry Ref. Z 5784 .M9 B39English language reviews for early films.
- Screening the past byCall Number: Electronic journalScreening the Past is a peer-reviewed journal of screen history, theory and criticism.
- Silent film performers: an annotated bibliography of published, unpublished and archival sources for over 350 actors and actresses byCall Number: Baker-Berry Z 5784 .M9 L54 1996
