Citing a movie in MLA format requires attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and allowing your readers to easily locate the film. The core elements include the movie’s title, director, principal performers, production company, year of release, and any relevant URLs for online access, all formatted according to MLA’s standardized approach.
The Foundation: Understanding MLA Movie Citations
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style provides a standardized format for academic writing, ensuring consistency and clarity when citing sources. When referencing a movie, whether in your research paper, essay, or other scholarly work, following MLA guidelines is crucial for academic integrity and proper attribution. The basic format for citing a movie in the Works Cited list is:
Director’s Last Name, First Name, director. Title of Movie. Production Company, Year of Release.
This foundational structure allows for variations depending on how you accessed the movie and which aspects you want to emphasize.
Building Your Citation: Key Elements Explained
The Director: The Cornerstone
The director is generally the primary element in an MLA movie citation, as they are considered the driving force behind the film’s creative vision. Always list the director’s name in Last Name, First Name format followed by the word “director.” This is crucial even if you are focusing on a particular actor or writer involved in the production.
The Movie Title: Central to the Citation
The title of the movie should be italicized. If the title includes a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space. For example, The Dark Knight: Rises. Maintain the capitalization used in the official title of the film.
The Production Company: Identifying the Source
The production company refers to the studio that produced or distributed the film. This helps readers identify the origin of the work. Include the name of the production company as it appears on the film’s credits or promotional materials. This element is important for distinguishing different versions or releases of the same movie.
The Year of Release: Placing the Movie in Time
The year of release is a critical element that provides context for the film. Use the year the film was originally released theatrically. This year should be the only date included unless you are citing a specific version (e.g., a director’s cut) that was released at a different time.
Refining Your Citation: Context and Access
Beyond the core elements, consider how you accessed the movie and whether additional information is needed to accurately represent your source.
Online Streaming Services
If you watched the movie on a streaming service, include the name of the streaming service in italics after the year of release. This is followed by the URL, if available. Example:
Scott, Ridley, director. Alien. 20th Century Fox, 1979. Hulu, www.hulu.com/watch/12345.
DVD or Blu-ray
For physical media like DVD or Blu-ray, you do not need to include the URL. However, you may include the edition or format (DVD, Blu-ray) after the year of release, if relevant.
Focusing on a Specific Performance
If you want to emphasize the performance of a particular actor, you can begin the citation with the actor’s name, followed by “performance in” before the movie title. For example:
Ledger, Heath, performance in The Dark Knight. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Warner Bros., 2008.
Highlighting a Writer
Similar to focusing on a specific performance, you can highlight a writer’s contribution. Begin the citation with the writer’s name, followed by “writer” and then the movie title. For example:
Kaufman, Charlie, writer. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Directed by Michel Gondry, Focus Features, 2004.
FAQs: Answering Your Movie Citation Questions
FAQ 1: What if a movie has multiple directors?
If a movie has multiple directors, list them in the order they appear in the film’s credits, separated by commas. For example:
Scott, Ridley, and Tony Scott, directors. Enemy of the State. Touchstone Pictures, 1998.
FAQ 2: How do I cite a foreign film with a translated title?
Cite the original title first, followed by the translated title in brackets. Example:
Fellini, Federico, director. La Dolce Vita [The Sweet Life]. Riama Film, 1960.
FAQ 3: How do I cite a scene from a movie?
MLA generally discourages citing specific scenes unless it’s absolutely crucial to your analysis. If you must cite a specific scene, you can provide a description of the scene after the year of release, or a timestamp if available. Example:
Nolan, Christopher, director. Inception. Warner Bros., 2010. The zero-gravity hallway fight scene.
FAQ 4: What if the director is unknown?
If the director is unknown, begin the citation with the title of the movie. Example:
Citizen Kane. RKO Radio Pictures, 1941.
FAQ 5: How do I cite a movie trailer?
Cite a movie trailer similar to how you cite a short video. Include the title of the trailer, the platform where it was found, and the URL.
** Inception – Official Trailer. YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XE0Gf0.**
FAQ 6: How do I cite a film review?
Cite a film review like any other article. Include the author’s name, the title of the review, the name of the publication, the date of publication, and the URL if available.
Ebert, Roger. “Citizen Kane Movie Review (1941).” RogerEbert.com, 1 May 1941, www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-citizen-kane-1941.
FAQ 7: What if the production company is unclear?
If you cannot determine the production company, omit that element from the citation. It’s better to have a slightly incomplete citation than to provide inaccurate information. Prioritize accuracy above all else.
FAQ 8: Do I need to include the running time of the movie?
No, the running time is not typically included in an MLA movie citation.
FAQ 9: How do I cite a movie series?
Cite a specific movie within the series. If you are referencing the entire series as a whole, you can cite the first movie in the series and note that it is part of a series in your prose.
FAQ 10: Can I include more than one director if their contributions were collaborative and equal?
Yes, if the directors worked as a distinct directing team and are credited as such, list them together, connected by “and.” Maintain the order as presented in the film’s credits.
FAQ 11: What if I’m citing a special edition or director’s cut?
Include the name of the edition or cut after the title of the movie, but before the production company. Example:
Scott, Ridley, director. Alien: Director’s Cut. 20th Century Fox, 2003.
FAQ 12: How do I cite a movie that I watched in a theater?
The core citation elements remain the same. However, you can add “In theaters” after the year if you feel it’s relevant to your argument, although it is generally not necessary.
By adhering to these guidelines and understanding the nuances of MLA style, you can confidently and accurately cite movies in your academic work, demonstrating scholarly rigor and proper attribution. Remember to always consult the official MLA Handbook for the most up-to-date information and specific formatting requirements. Accuracy and consistency are key to credible academic writing.