UVM Libraries Research Guides: Film & Television Studies: Film Lists, Plots & Adaptations

Film Lists/Catalogs & Plots

Note: Some of these sources also include plot summaries, production information, and/or brief critical information (e.g., reviews/analysis) about each film.

AFI Catalog of Feature Films - The First 100 Years 1893-1993
This is an ongoing project by the American Film Institute to catalog all commercially made and theatrically exhibited American motion pictures, from the earliest days of the industry to (currently) 1993. It also includes approximately 9,000 films released after 1993 that are documented with basic records. Each entry in the catalog typically includes the film's title, physical description, production and distribution companies, production and release dates, personal credits, a plot summary, and notes on the film's history.
Official Academy Awards Database
Includes a database of Academy Award Winners and Nominees and a database of Acceptance Speeches.
AFI's 100 Greatest.. Lists
AFI's 10 Top 10
The American Film Institute celebrated the first century of American film-making by polling their "experts" for lists of the greatest American films of all times and greatest American films in various categories. The AFI also polled their "experts" for "America's 10 greatest films in 10 classic genres."
American Silent Film Database (Library of Congress) The database represents the first comprehensive survey of the survival of American silent feature films. It contains information on the nearly 11,000 U.S. feature films released between 1912-1929, and holdings information about 3,300 of those titles for which elements are known to exist.
National Film Registry (Library of Congress)
List of films deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" to be preserved by the National Film Preservation Board. Each year the board selects 25 films to add to the Registry. Includes links to expanded essays on various Registry titles as written by film scholars and critics.
BFI Screenonline
Lists of British films by decade, 1890s-2000s.
British Film Council : British Films Directory
This is an extensive searchable database of new British films, extending back to 1998.

British Film Catalogue, 1895-1970; A Reference Guide
Call Number: REF PN 1993.5 .G7 G5
see also, British Films Directory, a searchable database of new British films, extending back to 1998.
International Film Index, 1895-1990 Indexes 180,000+ individual films (features, shorts, TV movies, animation, documentaries, serials, and silents) by 24,000+ directors representing 129 countries. Cross-referencing makes this work ideal for locating alternative film titles or a director's oeuvre.
Call Number: REF PN 1998 .I52 1991 (2 vols)
Magills Cinema Annual
Call Number: REF PN 1993.3 .M34. *1982-20XX on 3rd floor Quarto.
Current year in Reference Collection. Serves as an annual supplement to Magill's Survey of Cinema (see entries following). Published annually for significant domestic and foreign films released in the previous year. Each entry includes: the film title; running time; cast and crew; an essay which provides a history of the production, a plot summary, popular and critical reception, and analysis, and citation to reviews.
Magill’s Survey of Cinema : English Language Films, first series
Call Number: REF PN 1993.45 .M3 (4 vols)
Magill’s Survey of Cinema--English Language Films, second series
Call Number: REF PN 1993.45 .M32 (6 vols)
Magill’s Survey of Cinema, Foreign Language Films
Call Number: REF PN 1993.45 .M34 1986 (8 vols)
Magill’s Survey of Cinema--Silent Films
Call Number: REF PN 1995.75 .M33 1982 (3 vols)
Motion Picture Guide
Call Number: REF PN 1993 .M4334
Holdings: 10 vols. Updated annually, 1986-1999. Ceased publication in 1999.Vol. 10 is devoted to: Silent film, 1910-1936. Guide to English-language, foreign, and silent films. Films are arranged in alphabetical order by title, and each entry includes a starred rating, year of release, cast and crew list, production information, and a synopsis.
Screen World
Call Number: REF PN 1993.3 .D3 (Library Research Annex)
Each volume contains a survey of film releases for the previous year, often with photographs. It identifies major films with the cast lists and production credits. Library has 1955-2012 (ceased pub. in 2012).

Film Adaptations

Books and Plays in Films, 1896-1915 Catalogue of silent films adapted from literary, artistic and other media sources, 1896-1915. It includes novels, plays, non-fiction books, short stories, biographies, poems,operas, songs, cartoons and comic strips. The main arrangement is by author/creator, under which the film adaptations are listed chronologically. Films are included from the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, Scandinavia, Japan.
Call Number: REF PN 1997.85 .G54 1991
The Complete Index to Literary Sources on Film Provides information on titles, years, directors, actors, film lengths, and origins of international and silent films based on previous books, plays, short stories, or poems. Films covered are those released from 1895 to 1999 in 83 countries.
Call Number: REF PN 1997.85 .G64 1999
International Guide to Literature on Film Lists 7,500 film treatments of literature done between 1930 and 1990 worldwide. An alphabetical author index provides form of work, nationality, literary and film titles, publication date, and director.
Call Number: REF PN 1997.85 .I67 1994
The Encyclopedia of Novels into Film Provides a comprehensive, in-depth look at 300+ American and foreign novels and their film adaptations. Explores both the popular and lesser-known films. Covering American and foreign films, each of the entries provides an overview of the literary source and a critical assessment of its various film adaptations.
Call Number: REF PN 1997.85 .T54 2005
The Encyclopedia of Stage Plays into Film Lists stage plays adapted for films. Each of the 300 entries is classified within one of three sections: Dramatic Adaptations, Shakespearean Adaptations, and Musical Adaptations. Each entry includes an overview of the stage play -- title, playwright, plot summary, cast, production notes, criticism -- along with an assessment of related film adaptations. Appendixes include: "Backstage with the Bard"-movies that have been inspired by or are connected to Shakespeare; "Opera on Film"-operas that have been adapted for film.
Call Number: REF PN 1997.85 .T544 2001
Theatre : stage to screen to television
Call Number: REF PN 2189 .L44 [1981] (2 vols)
More theatre : stage to screen to television
Call Number: REF PN 2189 .M32 1993 (2 vols)
Enser's Filmed Books and Plays : ... 1928-1991
Call Number: REF Z 5784 .M9 B385 1993

Shakespeare on Film

World Shakespeare Bibliography Online This link opens in a new window
Provides annotated entries for all important books, articles, book reviews, dissertations, film and theatrical productions published or produced worldwide from 1960 to the present, reviews of productions, audiovisual materials, and other scholarly and popular materials related to Shakespeare. Cumulates and expands the annual bibliographies in Shakespeare Quarterly.

A Directory of Shakespeare in Performance, 1970-2005
Call Number: REF PR 3100 .D57 2007 (3 vols)
v. 1. Great Britain, 1970-2005 -- v. 2. Canada and USA, 1970-1990 -- v. 3. Canada and USA, since 1991
Shakespeare: a hundred years on film
Call Number: REF PR 3093 .S26 2004
Guide to films of Shakespeare's plays, as well as filmed stage performances and films based on or inspired by his works.
Shakespeare on Screen: an international filmography and videography
Call Number: REF PR 3093 .R68 1990

Shakespeare in Performance
From "Internet Shakespeare Editions" website. This database features materials from 1000+ film and stage productions related to Shakespeare's works. View director's notes, images of stage and costume design, performance stills, posters, information about a particular company or festival and the actors involved in Shakespeare performance, and cast and crew listings.