A Film Research Guide: Historical Context

When searching for books or articles for historical context, the following search phrases may be helpful:

"social life and customs" - Add this phrase to a search to find information on daily life in a particular time and place. For example:

Russia social life and customs 1533-1917

Missippi River Valley social life and customs

"social aspects" - Add this phrase to a search to find information on the social aspects of the topic.  For example:

motion pictures and social aspects

motion pictures and social aspects and Japan

short films and social aspects

"intellectual life" - Add this phrase to a search to find information about the intellectual life or culture in a particular place and time or among a particular group of people.  For example:

Bloomsbury intellectual life

New York intellectual life 19th century

Puerto Ricans United States intellectual life

Great Britain intellectual life 18th century

"sources" or "influences" - Add the words sources or influences to a search to find information on the events, philosophy, or literature that helped inform or influence a director or screenwriter, a genre of film, or a particular film.  For example:

Hitchcock and sources

anime and influences