Film Review Resources

This is a very selective guide both print and electronic resources for finding film reviews. The campus libraries have an enormous variety of materials for conducting research on individual films, actors and actresses, directors, film theory and techniques, costumes and set design, the film industry, films of other countries, films and society, and numerous other areas of study. So keep in mind that this guide is just a starting point with a specific focus on reviews.

For a more comprehensive introduction to materials for film research see the Library's Research Guide on Resources for the Study of Films.

Print Resources:

Basic General Information:

When you are looking for movie reviews, it is important to know when a movie was released because this is when reviews would have appeared. The three works below will give you the release date and also provide additional information on each film.

Halliwell's Film and Video Guide. New York: HarperPerennial, 1977- [title varies].
(Davis Reference Desk PN1993.45.H27; most recent edition only, older volumes in Davis Stacks)
A standard handbook, alphabetical by film titles, giving a brief list of casts and directors, a short plot summary, and a rating. A good quick reference source.

Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies. New York: HarperPerennial, 1965- [title varies].
(Davis Reference Desk PN1993.45.H32; most recent edition only, older volumes in Davis Stacks)
A dictionary of actors and actresses, directors, producers, and writers.

The Motion Picture Guide.
(Davis Reference PN1993.M4434)
An ongoing encyclopedia with detailed production information, plot, and often lengthy critical comments.

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Reprints of Reviews:

The New York Times Film Reviews. New York: New York Times, 1913/1968-.
(Davis Reference Row 17)
Arranged chronologically. Reproduces reviews as they originally appeared in the New York Times. See also The New York Times Historical Newspaper, below.

Variety Film Reviews. New York: Garland, 1983-; v. 1 1907/1920-.
(Davis Reference Row 17)
Arranged chronologically. Reproduces reviews as they appeared in Variety, the chief trade magazine for the film industry.

Film Review Annual. Englewood, NJ: Ozer, 1982-.
(Davis Reference Row 17)
Provides production information and reprints the text of reviews from a number of major magazines and newspapers. A great source for films appearing since 1980.

Filmfacts. New York, 1958-77 [some years never completed].
(Davis Reference Row 17)
Provides production information, plot summary and critique, and reprints reviews selected from major magazines and newspapers.

Monthly Film Bulletin. London: British Film Institute, 1934-1991. Ceased.
(Davis Reference Row 17, 1970-; Davis Microforms, Microfilm Serial 1-1290, 1934-1969)
Detailed production information, plot summary, and critical analysis from the members of the BFI. Especially valuable for the large number of foreign and alternative films included.

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Print Indexes:

Film Review Index. Ed. by Patricia King Hanson and Stephen L. Hanson. Phoenix: Oryx, 1986-1987.
(Davis Reference Row 17)
In two volumes: v. 1, 1882-1949; v.2, 1950-1985
A wonderful time saver. Alphabetical by film titles. For each film lists reviews appearing in major mass-market publications, specialized film publications, and in books.

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Electronic Index to Film Reviews and Criticism:

Film Index International. 1900-, updated annually.
Indexes a large number of critical film publications, mass market reviewing sources, and press releases beginning with 1900. Produced by the British Film Institute and an excellent source.

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Other Library Databases for Locating Film Reviews:

The sources in this section are freely available throughout the UNC Chapel Hill campus and from off-campus to UNC Chapel Hill students, faculty, and staff.

New York Times Historical Newspaper. 1851-most recent 4 or 5 years.
3,400,000 pages of full-text and full-image articles covering the entire publishing history of the newspaper. Includes reviews reprinted in the The New York Times Film Reviews set, above and any other film-related articles, interviews, etc. in the paper.

Reader's Guide Retrospective. 1890-1982.
Indexing of over 500 popular periodicals and magazines for over 100 years. From the presidency of Benjamin Harrison to the election of Ronald Reagan, from the Spanish-American War to the Cold War, from the "robber barons" to the oil embargoes, provides information on articles chronicling the daily lives and the events of the 20th century.
Can be updated with the four databases below:

Academic Search Premier.
Covers popular and scholarly journal articles with many full-text articles. Academic Search Premier provides information from a wide range of academic areas including business, social sciences, humanities, general academic, general science, education and multi-cultural topics. This multidiscplinary database features full-text for over 4,000 journals with many dating back to 1975, abstracts and indexing for over 8,200 scholarly journals, and coverage of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor. It also includes coverage of over 6,800 peer-reviewed journals. (Source: vendor website.)
Search for movie title words as "Reviews & Products" (e.g., godfather), and select "Document Type" Entertainment Review.

MasterFILE Premier.
Provides abstracts and indexing for over 2,700 periodicals, plus searchable full text for nearly 1,800 active periodicals. Subjects covered include general reference, business, health, multi-cultural and more. (Source: vendor website.)
Search title as "Subject Terms" (e.g., assassination tango) and select "Document Type" Entertainment Review.

Expanded Academic ASAP Indexing and selected full-text 1980-.
Indexing and selected full-text from more than 1,500 general interest, scholarly, and trade publications in all subject areas. Overlaps with the two above databases.
Search for movie title as "Named Work" (e.g., sideways) and movie review as "Keyword" (default search).

LexisNexis Academic. All full-text, Dates of coverage vary, most post-1980.
A massive, full-text database heavy on news, business, and legal information. Use the Guided Search and select the News Category: Arts & Sports News. Then selected the News Source: Book, Movie, Music & Play Reviews.

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On the Internet:

The Internet Movie Database
The premier Web site for film information, with reviews, comments, and ratings supplied by volunteers. Now a close partner of Amazon.com, the site that will sell you everything from books and films to kitchen and baby ware.

Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times
Current reviews and an archive back to 1985 from one of the country's best-known reviewers. Includes both long and shorter "One Minute Reviews", interviews and essays, and reviews for a list of "Great Movies".

The All Movie Guide
A searchable directory of movies, with browsing by genre, country, and time period. Provides plot synopses and signed reviews.

Filmfinder
The UNC Library's Media Resources Center Filmography Search. A super resource. Search the Center's extensive film collection by title, release dates, director, genre, country of origin, or by words in the descriptions provided for the films.

The Greatest Films
Not for reviews but links to dozens of sites for hundreds of film lists of all kinds and to information on film genres and history.

Metacritic
Metacritc provides film, DVD, book reviews and more.

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For more Humanities Assistance,
Please contact Tommy Nixon, Humanities Librarian
tommy_nixon@unc.edu
(919) 962-1151

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