Film Research: Useful Databases and Websites

Academic Search Complete is a comprehensive scholarly full-text database, with more than 9,000 full-text periodicals, including 7,850 peer-reviewed journals.

(EBSCO) - Contains a large selection of full text books available to download on films and film genres.

(EBSCO) - Covers the spectrum of television and film. Subject coverage includes film & television theory, preservation & restoration, writing, production, cinematography, technical aspects, and reviews.

(Gale) - Includes more than 4,200 full-text titles, and nearly 8,000 titles in all, with more than 20 years of back-file coverage from 1980 to present. Contains approximately 25 million articles, including film reviews and research.

Covers 1851-2007. Includes film reviews, full-text and full-image articles for The New York Times®.

Covers 1985 - Current. Includes film reviews, local, and state news, science, sports, arts and entertainment, and business and finance news.

This database contains U.S. news from a wide variety of local, regional, and national sources. Also includes many film reviews.

A digital library of information on American and world popular culture, past and present.

Contains information on some films but also has articles that discuss film genres.

(JSTOR) - Provides analyses of films as well as access to back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Over 700 titles available.

(Gale) - Gale Virtual Reference Library offers more than 85 reference sources including encyclopedias, series and more, allowing libraries to provide respected authoritative essays on varied topics from numerous subject areas, including the film industry.

The American Film Institute (AFI) promotes and preserves the legacy of film, and educates the public.
AFI provides a searchable film database, and several Top 10 and Top 100 movie lists.

Along with a working definition of "genre," this American Movie Classics (AMC) website provides over 30 major genres and over 300 sub-genres.

The British Film Institute (BFI) promotes film, film education and film history of the United Kingdom. Their website posts feature articles of interest and supports a searchable British film database.

A series of brief articles about major film directors from around the world. Provided by Senses of Cinema, an online journal about cinema.

The Internet Movie Database contains information about movies classic and current, about their creators, links to reviews, business information, trivia and miscellaneous movie information.

A free index to online movie reviews.