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Film Studies: Historical Reviews

Resources for film history, theory & criticism.

Historical Film Reviews

2 options for finding reviews contemporary with a film’s original release:

Option 1:

Film Review Index
Call number:
PN1995 .F4653 1986

available at the
Research Support Desk, Library North, 1st floor

TIPS:

1. Choose titles with day/month/year + page numbers only

2. Titles to look for are listed to the right

Option 2:

Readers Guide to Periodical Literature

Tips & Tricks:

1. Use the Advanced Search.

2. Use " " around a multi-word film title
(ex: "Broken Blossoms")

3. LIMIT:

  • Use the date "slider" to filter out other instances of the film title; OR
  • Add the director's last name to the search terms

4. Be sure to choose the items that were published around the same time as the film's release date.

Film Review Index Sample Page

Newspapers & Magazines

New Republic

1914-present

ONLINE
check Film Review Index for exact review date!

The New Yorker

1925-1939

MICROFILM (Library North 1)
Call Number: Per. Micr. AP2 .N6763 

1940-1974

PRINT (Library South 4, AP2 .N6763)

1975-present

PRINT (Library North 3, AP2 .N6763) 

New York Times

1851-2017

ONLINE
check Film Review Index for exact review date! 

1980-present

ONLINE

Newsweek

1933-1935

MICROFILM (Library North 1)
Call Number: Per. Micr. AP2 .N6772

1936-present

PRINT (Library North 3, AP2 .N6772)

Sight & Sound

1932-1972
 

MICROFILM (Library North 1)
Call Number: Per. Micr. PN1993 .S56
1974-present PRINT (Library North 3, PN1993 .S56)    

Time

1923-present

ONLINE
check Film Review Index for exact review date! 

Variety

1905-present

MICROFILM (Library North 1)
Call Number: News Micr. PN1601 .V37

 

December 1905-December 2000

ONLINE via the Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive
Use ADVANCED SEARCH to access Variety content 

Village Voice

1955-1963, 1970-2001

MICROFILM (Library North 1)
Call Number: News Micr. AN2.N7 N58    

Historical Reviews Help Guide

Film Librarian

Profile Photo
Nedda Ahmed
Contact:
Nedda Ahmed
Library South, 5th floor
nedda@gsu.edu