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Film and Cinema Information

Background Information (Encyclopedias and Handbooks)

This information will help you find background information on the film industry and actors and actresses and directors. To find reviews and motion picdture criticism, see the Subject Guide Film Reviews & Criticism.

Internet Movie Database
Free Website: http://us.imdb.com/
A growing Internet database of extensive film information and credits for both domestic and international films. Many extra features and news. Can search by film title or browse films listed by year.

Film Encyclopedia
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 K34 1994
Comprehensive film encyclopedia with entries on individual actors/actresses, directors and film terms.

Filmoteca de la UNAM
Free Website: http://www.filmoteca.unam.mx/
Provides free access to their database of information on 12,000 Mexican film titles, as well as citations to journal articles and books on Mexican cinema.

Encyclopedia of Early Cinema
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 .E53 2005
Early cinema topics include technological and industrial developments, techniques of film production, actors and filmmakers of the time, and the changing modes of representation and narration, as well as the social and cultural contexts within which early films circulated, including topics such as distribution, exhibition, and audience.

American Film Scripts Online (via Alexander Street Press) (UTSA Subscription)
Provides full text access to 497 feature film scripts by 604 writers from 1903 to the present, many of which are previously unpublished. Browse or search for writers, actors, directors, scripts, characters, scenes, subjects, and years. Short biographical sketches on the writers and information about film awards are included. The project is ongoing and will eventually contain over 1,000 film scripts with over 100,000 scenes. Updated quarterly until completed. Produced in collaboration with the University of Chicago.

Motion Picture Scripts: A Union Catalog
Free Website: http://scriptlist.oscars.org/
A free online catalogue of 30,000 film scripts in six Los Angeles libraries: American Film Institute's Louis B Mayer Library, the Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Library, Margaret Herrick Library, the USC Cinema-Television Library, UCLA and the Writers Guild of America West. Aimed at helping users read and research scripts written as early as 191. Updated monthly. Citations Only

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Books

Books and Materials at the UTSA Library

UCAT, UTSA Library Online Catalog
Search UCAT to locate books, journal titles (not articles), government documents, maps and multimedia materials available at the UTSA Library. Read the Search Tips to learn how to conduct a better search.

• Need to obtain a book from another UTSA campus?
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• Want to know how UTSA books are organized?
  Library Of Congress Subject Classification

Books and Materials Elsewhere

• Want to find books and journal holdings in other libraries?
  Check the Catalogs list to search other library catalogs
  
  
• Need to use another library?
  TexShare Cards
  
  
• Want the UTSA Library to obtain materials for you?
  Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

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Words & Phrases (definitions, quotes)

Complete Film Dictionary
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 K66 1997

Dictionary of Film Quotations: 6,000 provocative movie quotes from 1,000 movies
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1994.9 C67 1995
Browse the indexes by actor name, film or subject.

Film Terms: The Aesthetic Companion to Film Art
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 >B33 2006
Defines the essential terms of film analysis, appreciation, and production.

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People (biographies, directories)

Biography and Genealogy Master Index (UTSA subscription)
Comprehensive index to more than 12.7 million biographical sketches in current and retrospective reference books, covering both contemporary and historical figures throughout the world. Citations Only

Escritores del cine mexicano sonoro
Free Website: http://escritores.cinemexicano.unam.mx/index.htm
Biographies of script writers for Mexican films 1931 - 2000 with much hard to find information. From Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. In Spanish.

Literature Resource Center (UTSA subscription)
Biographies, bibliographies and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline, including film. Includes full text links to relevant journal articles. Search by directors's name, film title or genre. Full Text

Film Encyclopedia
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 K34 1994
Comprehensive film "bible" with entries on individual actors and actresses, directors and film terms.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1997.8 .F555 1984 UTSA Downtown Reference PN1997.8 .I58 1997
2000 edition available through Gale Virtual Reference Library (UTSA subscription)
Vol. 2-Directors/Filmmakers; Vol. 3-Writers and Production Artists; Vol. 4-Actors and Actresses.

Latin American Cinema Guide
Free Website: http://web.library.emory.edu/subjects/studies/latinamerica/latinamericancinema.htm
Internet links from Gayle Williams of Emory University.

Mexican filmography : 1916 through 2001
David E. Wilt
Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co.,
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.5 .M4 W55 2004
Basic film data and synopsis on thousands of films produced in Mexico.

South American Cinema: Dictionary of Film Makers
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1998.2 T7413 1989
Basic biographical and filmographies of film directors native to South America or who have made contributions to film production in that area.

Women Film Directors: An International Bio-critical Dictionary
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1998.2 F67 1995
Provides biographies and short critiques of representative films. Includes selective filmographies and bibliographies.

For more biography sources, see Biographical Resources

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Associations & Awards

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Free Website: http://www.oscars.org/
Web site devoted to the Academy. Get info on the Awards, fellowships for students, the Margaret Herrick Library, and more.

American Film Institute Online
Free Website: http://www.afi.com/
Web site gives info about AFI, its Lifetime Achievement Awards, current workshops, job listings, and much, much more.

Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematograficas
Free Website: http://www.academiamexicana.com/
The Mexican counterpart of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Includes history of the academy, and complete list of winners of the Premio Ariel (Mexican "Oscar"). In Spanish.

British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Free Website: http://www.bafta.org/site/jsp/index.jsp
"With an expert industry membership of nearly 6500 individuals, globally, we focus attention on the highest achievements of films, video games and television programmes shown in the UK each year in order to motivate and inspire those who make them, and to educate and develop the taste of those who watch them." Founded in 1947, now offers more than 100 awards annually in the area of films, television and video games.

Cannes
Free Website: http://www.festival-cannes.fr/
The archives section lists all the official awards over the past 50 years including winners of the Palmes d'or.

El Poder de la Palabra
Free Website: http://www.epdlp.com/
Biographies, bibliographies, and text excerpts on directors, actors, writers, composers worldwide, including an extensive selection of outstanding Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese authors. Lists winners of major films awards including the Goya (Spain) and Mar de Plata (Argentina).

New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.5 .U6 S539 1998
Historical information on film companies, processes and organizations. Bibliographies included with each entry.

Premios Goya
Free Website: http://www.sie.es/pgoya/
Nominees and winners of the Goya Award (Spanish "Oscar"). In Spanish.

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Facts & Figures

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Free Website: http://www.oscars.org/
Web site devoted to the Academy. Get info on the Awards, fellowships for students, the Margaret Herrick Library, and more.

Box Office Guru
Free Website: http://www.boxofficeguru.com/
This database contains comprehensive box office data on motion pictures released between 1989 and the present. Figures are updated weekly using data published in Variety.

The Movie Times
Free Website: http://the-movie-times.com/
Massive web site that keeps track of box office grosses for films, actors, actresses, and more. The place to go for figures.

World Almanac and Book of Facts
Location: JPL and UTSA Downtown Reference AY67 .N5 W7 (current)
JPL Stacks (back to 1971)
Look in the back index for the heading "MOVIES" to find information on box office hits and a list of Oscar winners.

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Further Research (guides, bibliographies)

Film, A Reference Guide
Location: JPL Reference Stacks PN1993.45 .A75
Basic guide to researching film.  Many helpful sections including a listing of major research collections in the area of film.

To find reviews or film criticism, see UTSA Subject Guide: Film Reviews & Criticism.