Background and Overview

This guide will focus on film-oriented sources you may not have encountered in your previous historical research.

ENCYCLOPEDIAS
General Film Synopis, Reviews and Criticism
IMDB: Internet Movie Database
Amazon.com
Film Review Annual. Ref PN1995 .F485
Magill's Cinema Annual. Ref 1993.3 M34 (1982-date)
Magill's Survey of Cinema Ref PN1993.45 .M32
Motion Picture Guide. Ref PN1995 .M4334

African-Americans in Film
Black Directors in Hollywood. Ref PN1995.9 .N4 D66 2003
Blacks in American Films and Television. Ref PN1995.9 .N4 .B58 1988

BIBLIOGRAPHIES & FILMOGRAPHIES
The Afro-American Cinematic Experience: An Annotated Bibliography & Filmography.
Ref PN1995.9 .N4 .H9 1983

Blacks in Film and Television: A Pan-African Bibliography of Films, Filmmakers, and Performers.
Ref PN1993.5 .A35 G72 1990

Frame by Frame: A Black Filmography. Ref PN1995.9 .N4 .K57
Frame by Frame II: A Filmography of the African American Image, 1978-1994.
Ref PN1995.9 .N4 K58 1997

Journal Databases & Indexes

In addition to the usual history databases you use (e.g., America: History and Life, JSTOR, and Academic Search Premier, be sure to try these film studies databases:

• Art Abstracts (EbscoHost, 1984-date) Indexes cinema journals in addition to other art fields. (Pre-1984 available in the Index Collection N1 .A437
• Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text (EbscoHost, 1988-date)
• Film Literature Index Online 1972-2001
• IIPA Full Text (1864-date)
• MLA International Bibliography (on campus) (off campus/wireless) (EbscoHost, 1926-date)

FOR NEWSPAPERS & PERIODICALS PUBLISHED DURING THE PERIOD

• Index to Periodical Articles by and about Blacks. Index AI3 .O4
• Index to Motion Pictures Reviewed by Variety, 1907-1980. Ref PN1995 .A39 1982
• Readers' Guide Retrospective (EbscoHost, 1890-1982)
• New York Times Archive. Full image online access to the NYT from 1851-2001.
• Alternative Press Index (1991-date) and Alternative Press Index Archive (1969-1990)

NOTE: The EbscoHost databases can be searched simultaneously.

USEFUL FREE WEB SITES

Black Film Research Online

Movie Review Query Engine

Last Update: January 17, 2008

Page maintained by Sue Cody codys@uncw.edu