AFI Catalog. Chadwyck-Healey, 2003–13. 23 Jan. 2013. <http://afi.chadwyck.com>. Updated biannually. (The American Film Institute maintains a separate site [http://www.afi.com] that includes the same data but has different search capabilities.)

The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States. Berkeley: U of California P, 1971– . PN1998.A57 016.79143′75′0973.

A catalog of films produced for public showing in the United States. Although the criteria governing inclusion vary from volume to volume, each utilizes a combination of length, audience, and country of origin. Assignment to a volume is based on release date (or, lacking that information, date of copyright, initial showing, or licensing by a state commission). Within a volume, films are listed alphabetically by original title (with cross-references to alternative and variant titles). A typical entry consists of four parts, with the components of each depending on the period and kind of film: identification and physical description (citing title, country of origin, producer or production company, original distributor, date of release, copyright date, audio information, color, gauge and length, and MPAA rating); production credits (including persons, groups, companies, and organizations); cast (both performers and their roles); and description of contents (including genre, source, lengthy synopsis, and subject indexing terms). Notes explain any conflicts in sources. Because many films are not extant or available for screening and sources vary considerably in completeness and accuracy, several entries are necessarily incomplete or inaccurate in some details (many of these unavailable films are described in the reviews and articles reprinted in The New York Times Encyclopedia of Film, [1896–1979], ed. Gene Brown, 13 vols. [New York: Times, 1984]). Volumes F2 and F6 have two indexes: credits (including all personal and corporate names, with a separate alphabetic list for literary source credits); subjects (including headings for genres, character types, themes, dates and seasons, historical events and persons, places, institutions, physical objects, cinematic devices, animals, and literary works enacted). Volumes A, F1, F3, and F4 have seven to eleven indexes: chronological list of titles; personal names; corporate names; subjects; genres; places; foreign countries; series; foreign languages; songwriters and composers; and literary and dramatic sources. Inevitably there are errors, but the thoroughness of coverage, assimilation of widely scattered factual information, detailed synopses, and excellent indexes make the published volumes indispensable sources that supersede other catalogs for the respective periods. Unfortunately, work on the remaining years proceeds slowly, with priority going to the cataloging of feature films. Review: (vol. F2) Herman G. Weinberg, Film Quarterly 25.2 (1971–72): 59–65.

AFI Catalog, which corrects and updates the printed catalogs, currently covers films from 1893–1975 and selected major ones from 1976–2011. It can be searched by keyword (in simple search mode) or (in advanced search) by combinations of keyword, title, director, character name, cast, crew, source of screenplay, year of release, country of origin, subject, songs, genre, or miscellaneous information; each field in advanced search includes a browsable list of terms. The list of abbreviations used in records is hidden at the bottom of the AFI Catalog FAQ page (accessible through the Information Resources page). Records, which include the same kinds of information as in the printed volumes, can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically and can be e-mailed or downloaded. AFI Catalog—which not only supersedes its printed ancestors but also offers a more efficient, thorough way of searching and manipulating a massive amount of data on American films—is the most authoritative filmography in its field, but IMDb (U5767) offers far broader coverage.

AFI Catalog, FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals (U5785), and Film Index International (U5767a) can be cross-searched through Film Indexes Online (http://film.chadwyck.com).

Gifford, Denis. The British Film Catalogue. 3rd ed. 2 vols. London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2000. PN1993.5.G7 016.791430941.

A catalog of films produced for public entertainment and made in the British Isles or by British subjects elsewhere in the world between 1888 and 1994. Gifford includes both feature length and short films but excludes amateur productions, films made for and shown exclusively on television, and animations. The 28,158 films are listed chronologically by month of initial exhibition. Depending on the information available, entries include original title (and title changes), length, censor’s rating, sound, color system, screen ratio, production company, distributor, reissues (with date and any title changes), producer, director, author and source of story, author and source of screenplay, narrator, important members of the cast (with roles), type of film (see 1: xiii–xiv for an explanation of categories), a synopsis, and awards. Entries after 1970 identify additional technical and artistic personnel. Indexed by titles in each volume. According to Bottomore, “A Critical View of Some Major Libraries” (U5741a), the Cataloguing Department of the British Film Institute Library holds a card index to persons. Although not exhaustive (especially in the case of shorts, pre-1927 releases, and films covered in vol. 2), Gifford is a monumental accumulation of information, but one whose value is considerably diminished by the lack of subject and person indexes. Much fuller information on many films listed herein can be found in IMDb (U5767).

Researchers should avoid the second edition of Gifford—The British Film Catalogue, 1895–1985: A Reference Guide (New York: Facts on File, 1986; n. pag.)—which grafts entries covering 1971–85 to a corrected reprint of Gifford, The British Film Catalogue, 1895–1970: A Reference Guide (New York: McGraw, 1973; n. pag.), hides a second introduction (which identifies additional abbreviations and notes some important modifications of scope and parts of an entry) after the 1970 listings, and prints two title indexes (that for 1895–1970 has a separate alphabetic sequence at the end for additions).

British films since 1998 can be searched through British Films Directory (http://film.britishcouncil.org/british-films-directory).

Internet Movie Database (IMDb). IMDb.com, 1990–2013. 31 Dec. 2014. <http://www.imdb.com>. Updated daily.

A database of more than 3,135,393 titles (as of January 2015; see http://www.imdb.com/stats for current statistics) from throughout the world dating from 1880 to the newest releases. There are apparently no restrictions on what is included: silent films, classics, trash, X-rated, and made-for-television films are all here (as are television series and videogames). A variety of search screens give users sophisticated options for searching by title, person, character, keyword, and plot summary. Records vary in content, with full ones including complete production details, cast and crew, awards, reviews, plot summaries, technical specifications, merchandising details, and formats; much of the information is helpfully hyperlinked. Of particular importance to literature researchers is the ability to retrieve full details of films based on a literary work. Although much information is supplied by users, IMDb offers the fullest, most accessible guide to films worldwide. Sporting fully documented help screens, well-designed search pages (from simple to advanced), and easily navigable displays, IMDb fully deserves its many accolades and serves as an example of the kind of free database the Web too seldom delivers. (IMDbpro—the subscription version—offers additional data primarily of interest to entertainment industry professionals.)

IMDb is occasionally supplemented by the following databases:

Dimmitt, Richard Bertrand. A Title Guide to the Talkies: A Comprehensive Listing of 16,000 Feature-Length Films from October, 1927, until December, 1963. 2 vols. New York: Scarecrow, 1965. Andrew A. Aros. A Title Guide to the Talkies, 1964 through 1974. 1977. 336 pp. 1975 through 1984. 1986. 347 pp. PN1998.D55 791.438.

A guide to plays, short stories, novels, poems, screen stories, story ideas, and other sources of feature films since 1927. Although the original compilation is limited to American films, the continuations include foreign ones exhibited in the United States and extend coverage to novelizations. Organized by film title, each entry consists of a brief note on the source of the script, screenplay, or idea. Indexed by authors. Although many entries fail to record exact publication details or are frustratingly vague in identifying a source merely as “a story by” someone, no other work covers so many kinds of sources or as many movies.

While not as thorough in coverage, the following list additional films or sometimes identify sources more precisely:

Film and Television Literature Index with Full Text. EBSCOhost. EBSCO, 2013. 8 Mar. 2013. <http://www.ebscohost.com>. Updated regularly.

Film Literature Index, [1973–2004]: A Quarterly Author-Subject Index to the International Periodical Literature of Film and Television/Video. Ipswich: EBSCO, 1973–2004. Quarterly, with annual cumulation. (Subtitle varies.) Z5784.M9 F45 791.43′01′6.

Film Literature Index Online. Vers. 1.1. Indiana University Digital Library Program. Indiana U, 2005–11. 3 Jan. 2013. <http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/fli/index.jsp>.

An author and subject index to material on film, television, and video published in some 300 periodicals worldwide. Excludes fan magazines and technical journals. Expanded coverage of television begins in vol. 5 (1977), of video in vol. 14 (1986). Since vol. 14, entries are organized in two parts: film; television and video. Each part consists of a single author and subject index, with liberal cross-references and with subject headings including titles of films or television programs, persons, geographic areas, and corporate bodies. With its inclusion of television and broader coverage of periodicals that print only occasional material on film or television, this is an important complement to International Index to Film Periodicals (U5785). Since each work indexes journals omitted by the other, the two together offer the best coverage of periodicals since 1972 and are essential sources for identifying articles on film and television adaptations of literary works as well as reviews of films, programs, and related books.

Film and Television Literature Index, which incorporates data since 1987 from Film Literature Index with entries generated by EBSCO from c. 400 periodicals (some of which have only a tangential relationship to film and television) and some miscellaneous monographs, uses the standard EBSCO search interface (see entry I512 for an evaluation). The earliest document is from 1913, but extensive coverage does not begin until the late 1980s. Unfortunately, the Web site lacks a sufficient explanation of scope and editorial practices.

Film Literature Index Online covers 1976–2001; there is currently no plan to add additional records. The Basic Search screen allows users to search by keyword, production title, or person. Advanced Search searches by keyword, production title, author, person as subject, title, journal, subject, and corporate name to be limited by date, format (film or TV), document type, document features (e.g., biography, filmography), language, and peer-reviewed journals. Users can also browse lists of subjects, persons, production titles, and corporate names. Results, which appear in descending chronological order, can be e-mailed, saved, or printed.

The indexing of periodicals before the advent of Film Literature Index and International Index to Film Periodicals is unsatisfactory. Although there is considerable overlap among the following, each must be checked either because of its scope or its organization:

FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals Plus. Chadwyck-Healey, 2006–13. 25 Jan. 2013. <http://fiaf.chadwyck.com>. Updated monthly.

FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals . Chadwyck-Healey, 2006–13. 25 Jan. 2013. <http://fiaf.chadwyck.com>. Updated monthly.

FIAF Databases. International Federation of Film Archives, 2002. 25 Jan. 2013. <http://www.fiafnet.org/uk/publications/fdbo.html>. Updated regularly. (Included in FIAF Plus.)

International Index to Film Periodicals, [1972– ]: An Annotated Guide. Brussels: Intl. Federation of Film Archives, 1973– . Annual. Z5784.M9 I49 016.79143.

A subject index that currently covers about 79 periodicals published worldwide. Since the volume for 1983, entries are organized in four divisions: general subjects (with many headings subdivided by country; discussions of film versions of literary works are grouped under “adaptations” and subdivided by literary author), individual films (organized alphabetically by original title), biographical discussions (organized by biographee), and corporate names. Each entry is accompanied by a brief descriptive annotation. Indexed by authors. The best access is through the electronic versions, which are more current than the print volumes. FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals and FIAF Plus (which offers full text of some journals) can be searched by keyword, title of article, subject, film title, persons, director, journal title, author, ISSN, date of publication, country of publication, language, and type of publication. Results are returned in descending chronological order and cannot be sorted. Records can be e-mailed, printed, downloaded, or saved to a personal archive. It also incorporates International Index to Television Periodicals, [1979–90] [London: Intl. Federation of Film Archives, 1983–93]). Although it covers fewer journals than Film and Television Literature Index (U5780) and the print version is unacceptably far in arrears in indexing many of them, the International Index does annotate entries. Since each work indexes journals omitted by the other, the two together offer the best coverage of film periodicals since 1972 and are essential sources for identifying articles on film adaptations of literary works and reviews of films.

Rehrauer, George. The Macmillan Film Bibliography. 2 vols. New York: Macmillan, 1982. Z5784.M9 R423 [PN1993.5.A1] 016.79143′09.

An annotated selective bibliography of English-language books published through c. 1980 on all aspects of film. Rehrauer includes reference works, biographies, and published filmscripts, but excludes novelizations and fictional works about the film industry. Listed alphabetically by title, most of the 6,762 entries are accompanied by full descriptions of content and brief evaluative commentary. Because of the organization, users should generally approach the work through the subject, author, and filmscript indexes; however, they are sometimes inconsistent and lack sufficient cross-references. The criteria governing selection are insufficiently explained; the evaluations are frequently bland or too generous; and there are numerous typographical errors. Still, Rehrauer is the most complete bibliography of English-language books about the subject and an especially valuable resource for identifying discussions of a film, performer, or film-related subjects. Review: Raoul Kulberg, Journal of Popular Film and Television 10.4 (1983): 183–84.

This work supersedes Rehrauer, Cinema Booklist (Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1972; 473 pp.), Supplement One (1974; 405 pp.), and Supplement Two (1977; 470 pp.).

Although less complete than Rehrauer, the following works list a few additional books:

Manchel, Frank. Film Study: An Analytical Bibliography. 4 vols. Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickinson UP; London: Assoc. UP, 1990. Z5784.M9 M34 [PN1994] 016.79143.

A massive (albeit selective), extensively annotated guide to English-language works and films (through 1988) illustrating representative approaches to the study of film. The extended evaluations of some 500 books, annotated entries for about 2,000 additional books and several hundred films, and several thousand citations to other books and articles are organized in seven extensively subdivided chapters: film as film (with a section on film criticism and theory); genres; stereotyping in film (with sections on feminist approaches to film, psychoanalysis and film, and Jews and African Americans in American films); thematic approaches; comparative literature (with sections on Hollywood and literature, literature and film, novels and film, and film adaptations of stage plays); the period approach (with American film, 1913–19, as its focus); history of film (with sections on reference works, histories, and national traditions). Chapters and subdivisions are introduced by extensive commentary. Seven indexes: article titles; authors of articles; authors of books; book titles; film personalities; subjects; film titles. Because of the book’s size and organization, users must study the list of contents in vol. 1 and make continual use of the indexes. Although omitting several important reference works, Film Study is valuable not only for the extent of its coverage but also for its uncompromising evaluation of so many studies.

Fielding, Raymond, comp. A Bibliography of Theses and Dissertations on the Subject of Film, 1916–1979. Houston: U Film Assn., 1979. 70 pp. U Film Assn. Monograph 3. Z5784.M9.

A list of theses and dissertations accepted by academic institutions in the United States between 1916 and 1979, although coverage after 1976 is incomplete. The 1,420 entries are listed alphabetically by author, with each entry recording title, degree, institution, and date of graduation. Indexed by subject at the beginning. Although the subject headings are usually too broad to be of much use, Fielding does bring together dissertations and theses accepted in a variety of departments. Researchers should also consult the works in section H: Guides to Dissertations and Theses.

Ross, Harris. Film as Literature, Literature as Film: An Introduction to and Bibliography of Film’s Relationship to Literature. New York: Greenwood, 1987. 346 pp. Bibliogs. and Indexes in World Lit. 10. Z5784.M9 R66 [PN1995.3] 016.79143′01′5.

A bibliography of about 2,500 English-language books and articles published between 1908 and 1985. Most reviews and newspaper articles are excluded. Entries are organized alphabetically by author in divisions for general studies of literature and film, language and film (including linguistic approaches), prose fiction and film, drama and film, poetry and film, general studies of adaptation, writers and the film industry, American writers, writers of the United Kingdom, Shakespeare and film, classical writers, European writers, Latin American writers, published scripts by literary figures and scripts of adaptations, pedagogy, and bibliographies and filmographies. The divisions treating writers have sections for individual authors; that for Shakespeare has sections for individual plays. Entries are accompanied by a list of writers or films discussed only when a title needs clarification. Although the introductory survey of basic issues involving the relationship between literature and film comments on numerous works, it is no substitute for annotations. Two indexes: scholars; subjects. Film as Literature is marred by the failure to annotate all entries and is restricted to English-language works; nevertheless, it is the best guide to scholarship on literature and film.

Jeffrey Egan Welch, Literature and Film: An Annotated Bibliography, 1909–1977 (New York: Garland, 1981; 315 pp.; Garland Reference Lib. of the Humanities 241) and 1978–1988 (1993; 341 pp.; Garland Reference Lib. of the Humanities 1114), is useful for its brief annotations of English-language scholarship on film adaptations of literary works, the relationship of film and literary genres, and the teaching of literature and film.

Slide, Anthony, ed. International Film, Radio, and Television Journals. Westport: Greenwood, 1985. 428 pp. Hist. Guides to the World’s Periodicals and Newspapers. Z5784.M9 I485 [PN1993] 016.79143′05.

A collection of signed profiles of about 190 important or representative scholarly and popular film periodicals from throughout the world, but emphasizing those published in the United States and Great Britain. Organized alphabetically by periodical title, each profile consists of two parts: a discussion of the history, general contents, and quality of the work; and a list of indexing sources, reprints, selected locations, title changes, volume and issue data, publisher(s) and place(s) of publication, and editor(s). Six appendixes: fan club journals; fan magazines (mostly American, since some British ones are given regular profiles); in-house journals; national film journals; a list of journals by country; a list by subject. Indexed by persons, journal titles, and some subjects. Although the profiles vary in quality, Slide is a convenient source of descriptions and evaluations of major film periodicals.