Search.Libraries
Visit Search.Libraries to find books, journal articles, scores, audio, video, and more—all from a single integrated starting point.
Primary Sources
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Hollywood, Censorship, and the Motion Picture Production Code 1927-1968The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Production Code Administration Files collection documents forty years of self-regulation and censorship in the motion picture industry.
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Black Film Center and ArchiveEstablished in 1981 as a repository of films and related materials by and about African Americans. Included are films which have substantial participation by African Americans as writers, actors, producers, directors, musicians, and consultants, as well as those which depict some aspect of black experience.
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Ad*Access (1911-1955) This link opens in a new window
Print advertising images from U.S. and Canadian publications; organized by product category: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II.
Background Sources
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A Dictionary of Film Studies
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ISBN: 9780198832096Publication Date: 2020Offering exhaustive and authoritative coverage, this A-Z is written by experts in the field, and covers terms, concepts, debates, and movements in film theory and criticism; national, international, and transnational cinemas; film history, movements, and genres; film industry organizations and practices; and key technical terms and concepts. New entries include computer games and film, disability, ecocinema, identity, portmanteau film, Practice as Research, and film in Vietnam. The Dictionary also includes indices of films and filmmakers mentioned in the text, feature articles on popular topics and terms, bibliographies for most entries, and web links to supplement the text. -
Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies
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ISBN: 9781628921489Publication Date: 2020The Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies provides readers with a gateway into the study of intercultural communication, public relations, and marketing communications. The 9th edition is a detailed compendium of the different facets of personal, group, mass-media, and internet communication, and covers new applications and developments. -
Film Theory: the Basics
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ISBN: 9781000579468Publication Date: 2022Film Theory: The Basics provides an accessible introduction to the key theorists, concepts, and debates that have shaped the study of moving images. The book examines film theory from its emergence in the early twentieth century to the present day, explores why film has drawn special attention as a medium and as a form of representation, and emphasizes how film theory has developed as a historically contingent discourse. This second edition offers a detailed account of new theoretical directions, and draws attention to how theory engages with pressing questions about digital technologies, the environment, and racial justice. Complete with questions for discussion and a glossary of both key terms and key theorists. -
Technics
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ISBN: 9789048564552Publication Date: 2024Featuring leading international media scholars, Technics rethinks technology for the contemporary digital era, with cutting-edge theoretical, historiographical, and methodological interventions. The volume's contributors explore the ideas of Walter Benjamin, Ursula Le Guin, Bernhard Siegert, Gilbert Simondon, and Sylvia Wynter in conjunction with urgent questions concerning algorithmic media, digital infrastructures, generative AI, and geoengineering.
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Academy Awards DatabaseSearchable database contains the official record of past Academy Award winners and nominees, including Scientific and Technical Award winners.
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AllMovieThe AllMovie database is comprehensive, including basic product information, cast and production credits, plot synopsis, professional reviews, biographies, relational links, and more. Allows searching by genre (e.g. Comedy or Musical) and by mood (e.g. Thought Provoking or Futuristic).
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Film FestivalsFilmfestivals.com’s mission is to be the premiere online entertainment destination dedicated to showcasing film festivals around the world and fostering new film and filmmaking talent.
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FilmsiteFilmsite.org is an award-winning website for classic film buffs, students, moviegoers and anyone else interested in the great movies of the last century. Detailed plot synopses, review commentary and film reference material are just some of the features available on the site. The site also contains film analysis, original content, information on the top films and most memorable movie scenes, "best of…" articles, and the most popular film quotes in all genres of film. Its many resources include a comprehensive overview of film history, a complete survey of the Academy Awards (Oscars), milestones and turning points in the industry, and background and descriptions for hundreds of classic Hollywood/American and other English-language movies from the last one hundred years.
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IMDB (Internet Movie Database)An online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media.
Scholarly Articles
The following are our top databases for finding scholarly & peer-reviewed articles related to Cinema & Media Studies.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z; you can filter the list by subject for Cinema & Media Studies.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Multidisciplinary - good for nearly all subjects. Scholarly and trade journals, popular magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings, book reviews, and more.
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Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Scholarly journal and trade magazine articles on all aspects of communication, rhetoric, journalism, film and television studies.
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Film & Television Literature Index This link opens in a new window
Index to journals, magazines, and selected books covering all aspects of film and television research, including film theory, preservation, restoration, screenwriting, production, cinematography, technical aspects, and reviews.
Books and Ebooks
Library of Congress Classification (LCC) assigns call numbers beginning with P to many cinema and media studies resources; subclasses and ranges are outlined below.
For more information, see the Library of Congress Classification Outline for P – Language and Literature.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) for cinema and media studies include:
- Feature films
- Film criticism
- Mass media
- Radio
- Television
Subject headings or terms might be viewed as problematic for a variety of reasons. They may be outdated, hurtful or offensive, inappropriate, incorrect, or unclear to the point of misunderstanding. To learn more, read about our Subject Term Flagging initiative.
Video (Physical & Streaming)
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore feature films:
- Search for videos where the subject contains "feature films"
- Search for videos where the genre contains "feature films"
- Search for videos where the genre contains "fiction films"
Databases
The following are the best databases for finding feature films:
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Feature Films for Education This link opens in a new windowHundreds of streaming full-length feature films for educational instructional purposes. This collection focuses on both current and hard-to-find titles, including documentaries, literary adaptations, blockbusters, classics, environmental titles, foreign films, social issues, animation studies, Academy Award winners, and more.
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Klassiki This link opens in a new window
Classic cinema from Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia, including silent classics through to the Soviet era and into the 2010s. Note: You must email ages@oberlin.edu to sign up for an account before you can use the platform.
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World Cinema Video Collection This link opens in a new windowStreaming feature films from Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, including films from the silent era, from the mid-20th century, as well as award-winning contemporary works.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Feature Films, or Video).
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore documentaries:
- Search for videos where the subject contains "documentary films".
Documentaries
The following are the best databases for finding documentaries:
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Academic Video Online This link opens in a new windowStreaming documentaries, films, and demonstrations on topics including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more.
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Bloomsbury Video Library This link opens in a new window
Filmed performances, fiction films, documentaries and instructional videos from the visual and performing arts, film, and history. Includes indie films and shorts, avant-garde performances, interviews with renowned writers, artists, choreographers, performers and practitioners, documentaries on an international range of themes, traditions, and historical figures. (1880-present)
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Docuseek This link opens in a new window
Educational documentaries and fiction feature films curated to help students examine the issues related to social, ecological, political, and environmental justice around the world.
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Films on Demand This link opens in a new windowA streaming video collection that provides unlimited access to 300,000 video clips in numerous subject areas. Includes captioning with interactive and searchable transcripts on all titles, as well as instructions for embedding videos in learning management systems.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Video).
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore television programs, commercials, and more:
- Search for videos where the genre contains "television"
Databases
The following are some best databases for finding television broadcast recordings (including news, advertisements, and more):
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AP Archive This link opens in a new windowThe film and video archive of the Associated Press is freely available on YouTube. The collection includes over 1.7 million global news and entertainment stories dating back to 1895.
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EUScreen This link opens in a new windowThousands of video clips produced by a variety of European television stations throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, that provide context for Europe's history and culture. Clips include, for example, a German broadcast of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a 1972 Polish fashion show, Maria Callas performing in Paris in 1958, and advice about how young men ought to behave from a 1960s London charm school.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Feature Films, or Video).
Video recordings in physical formats (e.g., Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS) are available at Oberlin College Libraries, and can be found using Search.Libraries.
To explore video recordings in physical formats:
- Search for videos using the wildcard character [?], and filter for Physical Items @ Oberlin
- Search for all items where the call number begins with DVD
- Browse by local call number DVD
- Search for all items where the call number begins with VCR
- Browse by local call number VCR