Film: Reference
Includes sources for: film reviews, film analysis, film archives, film scripts and international cinema.
About Reference Sources
Reference sources are useful for finding background information on a subject when you are starting your research. As you continue your research, they can be used to define new terms or concepts. The titles listed in the columns below are just a few examples of this type of resource.
Immediately below are databases with reference material for specific films. Make sure you are logged in and authenticated with your NetID in order to access these resources.
- Screenplays and Criticism Collection This link opens in a new windowThis collection offers searchable access to film scripts presented in industry-standard studio format as well as overview articles and books on cinema, including film criticism and practical techniques for filmmaking and screenwriting (Bloomsbury).
- BFI Film Classics This link opens in a new windowShort ebooks on the historical and artistic backgrounds and cultural impact of classic films.
- BFI Film Studies This link opens in a new windowEbooks on film history, film theory, filmmaking, actors, directors, and business practices.
Reference Sources
Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts [electronic resource] by
Featuring some 150 entries, "Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts" explores a wide range of genres, movements, theories and production terms with depth and clarity.
Call Number: PN1993.45 .H36 2000 (Online) 2nd ed.
The New Biographical Dictionary of Film by
David Thomson’s New Biographical Dictionary of Film topped Sight & Sound magazine’s 2010 poll of international critics and writers as the best film book of all time.
Call Number: PN1998.2 .T49 2010 (Fine Arts Library Reference)
The Film Encyclopedia: the complete guide to film and the film indistry. by Call Number: PN1993.45 .K34 2008 (Fine Arts Library Reference) 6th ed.
Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film
This reference provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to film and film studies, covering such aspects as production, national traditions, studios, genres, critical theory and film history. Approximately 200 entries cover specific topics, including acting, censorship, editing, lighting and others. Also included are more than 230 career profiles, placing individual achievements in the context of specific topics (for example, Robert Altman is featured in the article on "Sound"). Additional features include a comprehensive index; a list of further reading sources; 350 black-and-white and 150 full color photographs; and more.
Call Number: PN1993.45 .S35 2007 (Fine Arts Library Reference)
Reference Sources
Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film by
Entries for individual films, filmmakers; nations or regions; style. Signed articles with basic bibliographies. Indexed.
Call Number: PN1995.9 .D6 E53 (Fine Arts Library Reference)
The Emergence of the Cinema (v. 1 of History of the American Cinema) by Call Number: PN1993.5 .U6 H55 1990 Fine Arts LibraryISBN: 0684184133Publication Date: 1990-02-01
Encyclopedia of Early Cinema by Call Number: PN1993.45 .E53 Fine Arts LibraryISBN: 0415234409Publication Date: 2005-01-12
Latino American Cinema: an encyclopedia of movies, stars, concepts, and trends. by
This book examines key mainstream commercial films while also spotlighting often-underappreciated documentaries, avant-garde and experimental projects, independent productions, features and shorts, and more.
Call Number: PN1995.9 .L37 B38 2012 (Fine Arts Library Reference)
Web Address: library.rice.edu | Physical Address: 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005 | Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892 | Phone: 713-348-5698 | © 2014 Rice University