Believe it or not, most of the classic movies questions I get can be answered by anybody if they know how to use the many resources available on the Web. I'm talking about resources that I use on a daily basis in order to find what I'm looking for. So I decided that what you need is a step-by-step "How-To" feature, explaining each of these resources and how to use them, beginning with the most obvious one...
The Classic Movies Site
First of all, I can often answer the broad questions (like, "Tell me everything you know about Frank Capra") by sending the questioner to a particular "shelf" of our Net Links "library. (Use the link to Net Links on the left column of any page of this site.)
Did you know that there are hundreds of links there to a wide variety of movie-oriented sites, all arranged by subject and alphabetized? And I'm not talking about an endless list of every site on the Web that ever claimed to have something to do with movies! This is a list of carefully screened sites, with each listing accompanied by a brief description of what you'll find there. The links are checked regularly to make sure they still connect to something, too. (If you find one that doesn't work, please email me immediately.)
Subjects include actors, actresses, directors, and individual movies, not to mention collectibles, sound files, photos, chat rooms, trivia, movie studios, movies on tv and many more. The All-Purpose Movie Sites category lists those sites that are themselves treasure troves of information and entertainment. Most importantly, for those of you who are searching for something, there is the Databases and Reviews category, consisting of a list of sites which offer you searchable databases and collections of film reviews and tributes of all kinds. Which brings us to our next step...
The Internet Movie Database
After this site, the Internet Movie Database should be your primary resource for movie information, and should be prominently bookmarked on your browser. It allows you to search for almost any movie-related information you can think of, and we're not kidding! The easy questions include a listing of films by a particular actor, or the cast list of a particular film, or the films directed by a particular director. Trickier searches might include finding a movie when all you know is a major plot point or a quote or a song or a character name. The IMDb Search function allows you to search their database using any of those items and more. Plus there are all kinds of other services in addition to the search function that you'll find useful or just entertaining. Click on the logo above and give it a try. We'll be right here waiting for you to come back.
Ah, there you are! Do you see what we mean? So next time you come up with a sticky question, try the IMDb search first before you write to me! (There are people who think I'm a genius, thanks to the IMDb.) You may also want to try the All Movie Guide. Only then, after you've searched this site, and checked with the IMDb, do you turn to the search engines...
Search Engine Bingo
The trouble with all the search engines is that they're too automated for their own good. Too many repeat entries and dead and irrelevant links. I particularly dislike those that offer gibberish instead of summaries. But if you choose your engines carefully, and learn their strong and weak points, you can find some gems. Google is currently the leading search engine, and I've had some success with it. For a complete listing of helpful search pages, visit a site called Beaucoup.
Search this site: First try searching the Classic Movies site to see if we've already got what you're looking for. Use the search box which you'll find in the upper right of this page, or any page of this site except the home page, where it's at the upper left. It works great, but don't ask questions in complete sentences. One or two words will work best, because you're trying to find a page that has those words on it, not asking a question that you want an answer to. (This isn't Ask Jeeves, and even Jeeves doesn't really work that way!)
My favorite search engine at the moment is Google. Or for even better results, use a multiple search engine such as IXQuick (no frills and good results).
If all your searches fail (or even if they don't), your next tactic is right here at hand...
