This guide helps patrons find particular French films in our collection on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, and on streaming media. It also helps patrons find dictionary information about French films, film makers, actors, and actresses. And, it helps patrons find articles and reviews of French films. We also have a general research guide about Film Criticism and Reviews here.
It is possible to do a quick and dirty, one box keyword search of the contents of the MSU Libraries' web site, from the Home page, near center, left side. The results will be sorted into several categories to follow up on: articles from journals, books/media from our online catalog, databases, library research guides like this one, other. DVD film title search results will be in the Books/Media category. To do a more traditional search, read on.
To find paper/cloth, physical books, paper/cloth bound volumes of journals, or other individually cataloged electronic items, click on Books and Media below the general search box. Choose the type of search you wish to do by clicking on the down arrow next to the word "Catalog," and put in your search terms in the box to the right. Advanced search allows for combination of more than one search aspect, such as author and title, or subject headings and keyword. Enter author's name either last name, first name or first name last name. Omit initial articles in book titles, but include them as the occur within the title. To search by L.C. subject heading, it may be better to use the Browse Alphabetically by Subject search lower down in the list of options than Catalog: Subject, because those results will show the surrounding subject headings and number of hits retrieved. After you receive your results, notice that you can filter them in various ways by using the facets along the left side of the page.
To find electronic versions of journals or individual electronic books received by the Library in packages, use the E Books and Journals link below the general search box. You may need to check both Books and Media and E Books and journals to find your electronic book.
To find a particular film, look in Books and Media (online catalog) under the film title. Entries for streaming media films provide links to the movies in the catalog records. For VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray versions take the call numbers and go to the Digital and Multimedia Center on 4th floor, West wing; ask at the service desk there for the one you want.
Search Multimedia is a link in the green bar at the top left of the E Books and Journals search page. Put in film titles, film topics, names of people in the film world (directors, actors, actresses, etc.) to find thumbnail visual images, with bibliographical descriptions, which can be clicked on to enlarge. Movie posters. The information is from our visual resources called Image Collection, World History Image Collection, Literary Image Collection, Art Image Collection.
Here are some sample Library of Congress subject headings for finding French films and material about them in our online catalog. Use Books and Media and the Browse Alphabetically by Subject search.
Cinematography—France [technical aspects of making motion pictures and projection on screens]
[Ethnic group] in motion pictures [films about certain ethnicities]
Motion pictures--catalogs
Motion pictures—France [general works about French films shown in France or produced by French companies]
Motion pictures—France—history
Motion pictures—France—history—20th century
Motion pictures—France—influence
Motion pictures, French [French produced films shown outside of France]
Motion pictures—history
[Name of film production company]
National characteristics, French, in motion pictures
[Person’s last name, first name] in motion pictures [films about particular people]
[Place] in motion pictures [films about particular places]
Silent films--France
[Topic] in motion pictures [films about particular topics]
Video recording [technical aspects of making digital recordings]
War films—France
