Ang Lee and King Hu: Some Basic Strategies for

Research

Ang Lee and King Hu : Basic Strategies for

Research

Gary HandmanDirectorMedia Resources CenterMoffitt Library

Writing About Film:Writing About Film:The Basic The Basic QuestionsQuestions

What What types of writingtypes of writing are out are out there?there?

What What types of publicationstypes of publications contain writing about film? contain writing about film?

Who’s doingWho’s doing the writing? the writing?

How do you identify How do you identify what’s what’s out thereout there and and where do you where do you findfind the stuff? the stuff?

Writing About Writing About Film…Film…ScholarlScholarlyy ReviewsReviews

Critical analysisCritical analysisBiographyBiography

PopPop

IndustryIndustryBox office and Box office and market infomarket infoProduction infoProduction infogossipgossip

GossipGossipFantasy & fetishFantasy & fetishGeneral weirdnessGeneral weirdness

FaFann

ReviewsReviewsPop talkPop talkBiographyBiography

What are the What are the SourcesSources for Film & for Film & TV Scholarship TV Scholarship

and Research? For Reviews?and Research? For Reviews?(i.e. Where do you find (i.e. Where do you find

this stuff?)this stuff?)

•BooksBooks•Journals, Magazines, Journals, Magazines, NewspapersNewspapers

Film Scholarship/Film Reviews SourcesFilm Scholarship/Film Reviews Sources

Acocella, Joan. "Crouching Tiger, Acocella, Joan. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." (movie review) . Hidden Dragon." (movie review) . The The New YorkerNew Yorker March 26, 2001 v77 i5 March 26, 2001 v77 i5 p100(2) p100(2)

ReviewsReviews

Simpson, Craig S. "'Crouching Tiger': the Simpson, Craig S. "'Crouching Tiger': the rebirth of myth." rebirth of myth." Chronicle of Higher Chronicle of Higher EducationEducation, March 22, 2001 v47 i28 pB19(1) , March 22, 2001 v47 i28 pB19(1)

Critical/ScholarlyArticlesCritical/ScholarlyArticles

•BooksBooks

•Journals, Magazines, Journals, Magazines, NewspapersNewspapers

•ReviewsReviews•Critical/ScholarlyArticles Critical/ScholarlyArticles

•Web Sites (the good, the Web Sites (the good, the academic, and the ugly)academic, and the ugly)

•Other online databasesOther online databases

Film Scholarship/Film Reviews SourcesFilm Scholarship/Film Reviews Sources

•Scholarly/authoritative worksScholarly/authoritative works•Pop schlock and fan worksPop schlock and fan works

How Do You Tell em’ How Do You Tell em’ apart?apart?

Author’s credentials/affiliationsAuthor’s credentials/affiliations Publisher (e.g. BFI, AFI, Publisher (e.g. BFI, AFI,

University Presses vs pop press; University Presses vs pop press; juried vs pop journals)juried vs pop journals)

Scholarly apparatus and Scholarly apparatus and sources: sources: notes, notes, bibliographies, other bibliographies, other documentationdocumentation

If they’ve been widely cited by If they’ve been widely cited by other scholarsother scholars

Film StudiesFilm StudiesWomen’s StudiesWomen’s StudiesEthnic studiesEthnic studiesQueer StudiesQueer StudiesLiteratureLiteraturePolitical sciencePolitical scienceHistoryHistoryArea Studies (i.e. areas of national focus)Area Studies (i.e. areas of national focus)Others…Others…

ScholarlScholarlyy

Who’s doing the writing?Who’s doing the writing?

Who’s Doing It = Where You LookWho’s Doing It = Where You LookFor Resources For Resources

Scholarly (or at least substantive) Scholarly (or at least substantive) BooksBooks

(Some generalizations)(Some generalizations)

Older FilmsOlder Films Films w/inFilms w/inlast 5 years or last 5 years or soso

Books aboutBooks aboutdirectors anddirectors andgenresgenres

Books aboutBooks aboutindividual filmsindividual films(xcept the biggies)(xcept the biggies)

MoreMore LESSLESS

Found in:Found in:•Film studies journals Film studies journals (print & online)(print & online)

•Journals in various disciplines Journals in various disciplines (print & online)(print & online)

•Web sites (occasionally… Web sites (occasionally… academic and commercial academic and commercial databases)databases)

Critical/Scholarly Journal ArticlesCritical/Scholarly Journal Articles

• Current Films Current Films (fewer)(fewer)• Older Films Older Films (more)(more)

Found in:Found in:•Popular, news, & fan journals and Popular, news, & fan journals and

newspapers (print & online)newspapers (print & online)•Film studies & scholarly journals Film studies & scholarly journals (print & online)(print & online)•Industry journals (e.g. Variety)Industry journals (e.g. Variety)•Web sites Web sites

•Fan and enthusiast sitesFan and enthusiast sites•Commercial sites (e.g., studio Commercial sites (e.g., studio

sites, video sites, video distributors)distributors)•Academic (or at least Academic (or at least academically-minded) film sitesacademically-minded) film sites

REVIEWSREVIEWS Current ArticlesCurrent Articles Retro ArticlesRetro Articles

PathfinderPathfinder Indexes Indexes &&AbstractsAbstracts

Inventory ofInventory ofBooksBooks and andJournalsJournals(what the(what theLibrary owns)Library owns)

Journal articlesJournal articlesby disciplineby discipline

How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?

How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?Journal Articles/ReviewsJournal Articles/Reviews

Film-related (not many exist) Film-related (not many exist) General news General news Literary Literary Other disciplines: e.g. Women’s Other disciplines: e.g. Women’s Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, History…etc.Studies, History…etc.

Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/reviewslist.html

Online & Print Online & Print Indexes and AbstractsIndexes and Abstracts

Reviews: How to Look Reviews: How to Look em’ Upem’ Up

•Search index using title of Search index using title of work (as a phrase) work (as a phrase)

•You can also include You can also include directordirector

•Try using Try using and reviewand review

e.g. e.g. Crouching TigerCrouching Tiger and and reviewreview

oror

Crouching TigerCrouching Tiger and and Ang LeeAng Lee and and reviewreview

Once You Find a Citation, Once You Find a Citation, How Do You Find the Article?How Do You Find the Article?

•Some indexes provide Some indexes provide holdings info [UC eLinks]holdings info [UC eLinks]

•Some indexes Some indexes link tolink to full-full-texttext

If neither…use PathfinderIf neither…use Pathfinder

How to Begin searching for books and/or articles on a research topic?

Before you click: THINK

Formulate your search in terms of:

•KEY WORDS and SYNOMYMS: --Looks for words anywhere in record: title, subject, abstract and full-text (if avail)

•PHRASES:--Looks for words in the exact order entered

How to Begin? Before you click: THINK

Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases:

The representation [reflect* portray* depict*] of gender [sex*] roles in the films films [cinema, movie*] of King Hu.

****Truncation varies from db to db: * # ?emigra* = emigrant, emigrants, emigrate, emigration

•Tweak your topic: Broaden it / select a different angle•Rethink your search strategy (new keywords, new concepts, etc.)•Bail out completely and choose another topic

What to do if nothing is turning up

http://www.lib.berkeley. edu/MRC/FilmBibMenu.html

Bibliographies on various film topics and individual films compiled by MRC (includes bibs for genres, filmmakers, national cinemas, and individual film).

Film Reviews and Criticism

…being driven over the edge by your research?

Call me:Gary Handman

643-8566ghandman@library.berkeley.edu

Review this presentation at:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/instruction.html