General History of the Moving Image

Sites in this category:

Cinema History
A personal perspective of the history of cinema from Professor Yahnke based at the University of Minnesota. Divided into 'chapters', site considers various themes and eras which include Silent Film, Classic Hollywood, the 1950s and Directors as Auteurs. Each 'chapter' consists of commentary and/or a list of recommended relevant film titles. Also provides summaries/descriptions of films/documentaries as teaching aids. Imaginative and helpful site for researchers, students and interested historians of cinema.
Don Markstein's Toonopedia
In progress site aiming to be the definitive encyclopedia of cartoons - presently 1000 or so entries.
FIAF: The International Federation of Film Archives
Founded in 1938 as a collaborative association of the world's leading film archives whose purpose is to ensure the proper preservation and showing of motion pictures. Over 100 archives are FIAF members. Site provides information on archivist education, FIAF commissions and full text access to their own publication 'Journal of Film Preservation'. Useful FAQ section addresses how to become a member, donate films/film material to the archive, and organize film programming internationally. Plus news and membership directory information.
Film Archive Forum
The Film Archive Forum represents all of the public sector film and television archives which care for the UK's moving image heritage. Its members include the BFI National Archive, the Imperial War Museum, the Scottish Screen Archive, the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, and the eight English regional film archives. The Forum represents the UK's public sector moving image archives in all archival aspects of the moving image, and acts as the advisory body on national moving image archive policy.
Film Site of the 1930s
After a brief but informative overview and appraisal of films released in the 1930s, the site provides lists of selected films, arranged annually, from 1930 - 1939. Detailed and lengthy critiques are provided for certain film entries. These often include quotes and dialogue from the film. Video/DVD availability provided plus Box Office figures for the decade and information on Academy Award winners.
FLIPBOOK.info
A website devoted to "an art form half way between book and movie". Includes history of flick books and associated paraphanelia and video clips of flip books in action.
H-Net. Humanities and Social Sciences Net Online
Forum for 'academic historians to discuss cinema history and uses of the media'. Enables historians to make contact internationally, discuss teaching methods, and also have access to syllabi, handouts, bibliographies, table of contents of journals, library catalogues etc. Based at the University of Michigan, the content is divided by subject, eg Collections and H-Film Reviews which provide full text reviews of film publications. Also festival information and web links. Subscription necessary but free.
The History of Advertising Trust Archive
Based in Norwich, the archive was founded in 1976 to "encourage and subsidise the study of advertising and related subjects". The archive holds material from 1800 to present day and includes records from film, tape and photography. Details of new acquisitions are on the website, as is information on the different collections within the archive.
International Association for Media and History
Website representing a collection of professional film and television broadcasters and scholars concerned about film, radio, television and their relation to history. Association includes researchers and filmmakers and publishes 'The Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television'. Site provides an e-mail forum, news, details of conferences and relevant links.
Movie List
Movie List is an online-access archive of film trailers. Search by title, cast, director and category and download trailers to view.
The National Archives - Public Information Films
Public Information Films provides an introduction to the history of these films and the facility to view a selection of films produced between 1945-1951.
National Museum of Photography, Film and TV
Site of the National Museum which holds historical material on the start of TV, film and photography, plus an IMAX cinema and the only publicly accessible Cinerama cinema worldwide. Provides information on Special Exhibitions, 'TV Heaven' (which holds best and worst of British TV) and on film and photography sections in the Museum. Also provides details of film festivals hosted by NMPFT.
Projection Box
Site is produced by Stephen Herbert and Mo Heard who publish new research and archive documents in the subjects of pre-cinema, early film and optical recreations, from major specialists in the field. Includes a Magazine page and Noticeboard. Site also includes section on the Museum of Moving Image, (which closed in Aug 1999), via a visually impressive tour which describes both the introduction of motion picture films, and the optical devices used for entertainment and instruction before the introduction of cinema.
TerraMedia
Extensive site consisting of various sections relating to UK media. e.g.: 'Media Themes and Documents' includes contemporary media documents, history of UK media law, and history of development of film industry in the UK. The section 'Chronomedia' intends to become 'the most comprehensive and accurate timeline of development in communications every compiled', and integrates references to all audio visual media. Site also holds British History Media Statistics, Quotations on the Media and Announcements of recent additions to the site.
Turner Classic Movies
Multi-faceted site focusing on films, DVD's and videos released from the MGM archives and available from TCM's retail outlet. Provides an informative approach, and includes detailed contextual reviews of films, technical details, news and Press Releases. Also holds articles on classic films/material soon to be available, eg The Buster Keaton Collection (Nov. 2004), movie news and monthly film information.
Victorian Cinema
BFI siteThis impressive website is a 'biographical guide to the world of Victorian film' and features 300 profiles of those who contributed between 1871 and 1901 to the development of film and film culture. Containing an alphabetical list of individuals internationally, site outlines how each was involved in the advancement of motion pictures. Plus a technical overview of Victorian cinema, well annotated bibliography, country index of personnel involved and details of different cameras of the period. Based on the 1996 BFI publication Who's Who of Victorian Cinema, edited by Stephen Herbert and Luke McKernan.