In MLA style, you italicize the title of a movie. This simple rule ensures clarity and consistency in your academic writing, allowing readers to easily distinguish film titles from other elements within your text.
The Foundational Rule: Italicization is Key
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide provides a standardized approach to citing sources, ensuring academic rigor and clear communication. When referring to movies in your writing, the primary rule is to italicize the full title. This distinguishes the movie title from surrounding text and prevents confusion. This applies regardless of whether you’re mentioning the movie in the body of your text, within a parenthetical citation, or as part of your Works Cited entry. Think of it this way: major works get italics. A movie, being a substantial creative work, qualifies.
Practical Examples
Let’s illustrate this rule with a few examples:
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Incorrect: In Citizen Kane, the protagonist…
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Correct: In Citizen Kane, the protagonist…
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Incorrect: My favorite movie is Avatar.
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Correct: My favorite movie is Avatar.
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Incorrect: The film Spirited Away explores themes of…
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Correct: The film Spirited Away explores themes of…
These simple examples demonstrate the consistent application of italicization when citing movie titles in MLA. Remember, consistent adherence to this rule enhances the professionalism and clarity of your academic writing.
Building a Complete Citation: The Works Cited Entry
While italicizing the title is crucial within the body of your work, the Works Cited entry provides the complete bibliographical information for your source. Here’s the basic format for a movie citation in MLA:
Title of the Movie. Directed by [Director’s Name], Production Company, Year of Release.
For example:
- Parasite. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, Barunson E&A, 2019.
Breaking down this format:
- Title of the Movie: As we’ve established, this is italicized.
- Directed by [Director’s Name]: List the director responsible for the film.
- Production Company: This identifies the main studio that produced the movie.
- Year of Release: This indicates the year the movie was originally released.
Adding Specific Details: Understanding Optional Elements
Sometimes, you may need to provide more specific information within your Works Cited entry. For example, if you are referencing a particular version of the film (e.g., a director’s cut), include this information after the title. Similarly, if you accessed the film through a streaming service, indicate this after the publication details. Here are a few examples demonstrating these additions:
- Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Directed by Ridley Scott, Warner Bros., 2007.
- The Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994. Netflix, www.netflix.com.
Remember, the goal of the Works Cited entry is to provide your reader with all the necessary information to locate the exact source you used. Be as specific and accurate as possible.
In-Text Citations: Referencing Movies Within Your Prose
While the Works Cited entry provides the complete information, in-text citations briefly refer to your sources within the body of your paper. When citing a movie in the text, you’ll typically use a shortened version of the title or the director’s last name. The key is to ensure your in-text citation clearly corresponds to the full entry in your Works Cited list.
Here are a few common approaches:
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Using the Title: If your Works Cited entry uses the movie title, use a shortened version of the title in your in-text citation: ( Parasite).
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Using the Director’s Last Name: This works well if you discuss multiple movies by the same director: (Bong).
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Example: “The social commentary in Parasite is sharply critical of class disparities ( Parasite).”
Parenthetical Placement: Ensuring Clarity and Flow
The placement of the parenthetical citation is crucial for maintaining the flow of your writing. Generally, place the citation at the end of the sentence or clause that contains the referenced material. Ensure that the placement doesn’t disrupt the sentence’s grammatical structure.
FAQs: Addressing Common Questions About Movie Citations in MLA
Here are twelve frequently asked questions to further clarify how to properly cite movies in MLA style:
1. Do I italicize movie titles in footnotes or endnotes?
Yes, the same rule applies to footnotes and endnotes: italicize the title of the movie.
2. What if the movie title includes another title (e.g., a book or song)?
If the movie title includes the title of another work that is typically italicized (like a book), maintain the italicization throughout the movie title. For example: To Kill a Mockingbird: A Novel Becomes a Film. If the internal title is typically enclosed in quotation marks (like a song title), use quotation marks within the movie’s italicized title. Example: Singin’ in the Rain.
3. How do I cite a specific scene or sequence within a movie?
While MLA doesn’t have a rigid format for citing specific scenes, you can provide context. You can cite the entire film as usual and then include details about the scene in your prose. For instance, “In Pulp Fiction, the famous dance scene (directed by Quentin Tarantino, 1994)…”
4. Do I need to include the actors in the Works Cited entry?
Generally, you don’t need to list actors unless their performance is specifically the focus of your analysis. If the actors’ contributions are central to your argument, you can include their names after the director’s name: “Directed by Bong Joon-ho, performances by Song Kang-ho et al., Barunson E&A, 2019.”
5. How do I cite a movie review?
Cite the review just like any other article, including the author, title of the review (in quotation marks), the publication name (italicized), and the date of publication. Then, mention the movie being reviewed: “Smith, John. “A Critical Look at Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The New York Times, 10 Mar. 2022.”
6. What if the director is unknown?
If the director is unknown, omit the “Directed by” portion and start with the production company. Example: Eraserhead. Criterion Collection, 1977.
7. How do I cite a documentary film?
Cite a documentary in the same way as a fictional film. Italicize the title, include the director, production company, and year of release.
8. Should I include the country of origin?
While not mandatory, including the country of origin can be helpful, especially for international films. You can add it after the production company: “Barunson E&A, South Korea, 2019.”
9. What if I watched the movie on a DVD or Blu-ray?
You generally don’t need to specify the format (DVD, Blu-ray) unless the edition is significantly different from the original release. If you need to specify, add it after the year of release: “2019, DVD.”
10. How do I handle a foreign film with a translated title?
Use the original title of the film (italicized). You can provide the translated title in brackets if you think it will help your reader: Amélie [ Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain ].
11. Can I use a website like Citation Machine to generate my citations?
While citation generators can be helpful tools, always double-check their accuracy. These tools are prone to errors, and it’s your responsibility to ensure your citations adhere to MLA guidelines.
12. What edition of the MLA Handbook should I be using?
The MLA Handbook is periodically updated. Ensure you’re using the most current edition. Check the MLA style website or your professor’s instructions for the correct version. Currently, the 9th edition is the standard.