Background - English 121 - Chavez - Research Guides at CUNY Lehman College

Finding Background Information

If you have a general topic in mind, it's important to develop a basic idea of what's going on in the field. This includes knowing the vocabulary and points of disagreement between scholars. To get this information you might try reading encyclopedia articles. Then you might read some current newspaper, magazine and journal articles to find out how this topic is being discussed currently. See the "Databases" tab on this Guide.

E-Reference Books

Gale Ebooks
Search for background articles by experts. Check bibliographies and linked subject terms.
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Oxford Reference Online
Search or Browse Topics for encyclopedia and dictionary definitions and brief background articles with references.

Wikipedia
Use this with caution as a starting point for your research to help you clarify your topic. Wikipedia is not always accurate. Information must be verified in more authoritative sources,

These encyclopedia sources will help you understand your topic and decide on information you need to search for:

Film Encylopedias

International Dictionary of Films and Filmakers

Film Sources on the Internet

Internet Archive Film Collection
Feature films on the internet.
Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
Synopses and details on feature films.

Recommended Databases

Kanopy
Streaming service for movies and video, including horror.
NexisUni
try for newspaper movie reviews
Academic Search Complete
horror film, and reviews
Gale Literary Sources

Horror Film Resources

Horror Movie News Sites
legal-horror-movies-online-1873338
16 Best (Legal Websites to Watch Free Horror Movies Online
https://www.thoughtco.com/watch-free-
30+ electronic full-text cinema journals

Sample Books

Fear Without Frontiers: Horror Cinema Across the Globe by Steven Jay Schneider (Editor)
ISBN: 1903254159
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
This staggering anthology on horror cinema from around the planet includes essays, interviews and hard-to-find facts from an international collection of leading authorities on the world horror phenomenon. Including new work from renowned horror experts Kim Newman, Pete Tombs, Art Black, Mitch Davis, Pam Keesey, Travis Crawford, Ken Hanke and many more, FEAR WITHOUT FRONTIERS also includes interviews with legends of the genre such as Takashi Miike, Reggie Nalder, Nonzee Nimibutr, Jorge Molina, Juraj Herz and Sion Sono.
The Films of Stephen King by Michael R. Collings; Stephen Fabian (Illustrator)
Call Number: PS 3561 .I483 Z623 1986
ISBN: 0930261100
Publication Date: 1986-07-01
A study of various King adaptations from "Carrie" to "Silver Bullet."
Horror Films by Michelle Le Blanc; Colin Odell
ISBN: 1903047382
Publication Date: 2001-03-01
Full of facts, opinions and useful information, Horror Films treats the genre with great respect. The authors brush aside the implication that horror films are trashy and juvenile and cover the subject in depth in this compact reference.
Terror and Everyday Life by Jonathan Lake Crane
Call Number: PN 1995.9 H6 C72 1994
ISBN: 080395848X
Publication Date: 1994-09-26
How does the horror in film relate to the horror we experience in everyday life? This is one of the questions addressed in this examination of the genre of horror film. The author argues that horror films today have broken with the tradition of the genre to embrace far more violent imagery, images that are in keeping with the escalating violence in society. By examining the horror film, its history and its current trends, the author hopes to further our understanding of the meaning of the genre in today's culture and our fascination with violence.

English 121 - Chavez: Background