Motion Pictures and Television

The March 2009 New and Changed Entries posting focuses on 791.43 Motion pictures, 791.44 Radio, and 791.45 Television. 

The entry for 791.43 Motion pictures has the notes:

Regardless of distribution medium or method

Class here made-for-television movies, video recordings of motion pictures [both formerly 791.45]; direct-to-video and direct-to-DVD releases of motion pictures; dramatic films, entertainment films; films developed originally for Internet transmission; comprehensive works on dramatic, entertainment, documentary, educational, news films

The entry for 791.45 Television has the notes:

Regardless of distribution medium or method

Class here dramatic programs, entertainment programs; mini-series, extended pilots of television series; television-like programs developed originally for Internet transmission; comprehensive works on dramatic, entertainment, documentary, educational, news programs

Made-for-television movies, video recordings of motion pictures relocated to 791.43

These notes all have hierarchical force and thus affect subdivisions of 791.43 and 791.45.

There is a new Manual note to help distinguish between 791.43 Motion pictures and 791.45 Television:

Use the Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/) or a similar online source for help in determining if a production should be treated as a motion picture or a television program.  If in doubt, prefer 791.43.

An example of a made-for-television movie is Carrie’s War (2004), which is now classed in 791.4372 Single films.  The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) entry has the label “(TV)”: Carrie’s War (2004) (TV).

An example of a video recording of a motion picture is Fanny och Alexander, issued on videodisc in 2004, but originally released as a motion picture in 1982; it is now classed in 791.4372 Single films.  The IMDb entry has no special label after the date of the original theatrical release:  Fanny och Alexander (1982).

An example of a television mini-series is Jane Eyre (2006), which is classed in 791.4572 Single programs.  The IMDb entry has the label “TV mini-series”: “Jane Eyre” (2006) TV mini-series. 

There are also several film versions of Jane Eyre that are properly classed in 791.4372 Single films, e.g., a video recording of the 1996 motion picture Jane Eyre, which has no special label attached to its IMDb entry: Jane Eyre (1996).

Comments

[Amanda Raab]

I think you guys have created unnecessary confusion here.

A Made-for-TV Movie is still a television program. Your note for 791.45 includes works considered both episodic series and dramatic/entertainment 'programs'(presumably a one-time only broadcast). A Made-for-TV Movie is just that: a dramatic/entertainment program.

And if one goes to IMDB and sees that they too consider a Made-for-TV Movie a television program, wouldn't it be intuitive to class it as a television program rather than a motion picture?

[Doreen]

Can I get clarification on what a "single" program, classed as 791.4572, means? Does “single” mean a single episode of, say, Saturday Night Live? Does it mean a single season? Or a disc that might have the best of seasons 1, 2 and 3?

Does “two or more programs,” classed as 791.4575 mean multiple episodes/seasons of a single program (like SNL) or does it mean a compilation of different shows (maybe clips from great comedy shows like Carol Burnett, Red Skelton, DNL, all in one disc)?

[gaia gold]

Can I get clarification on what a "single" program, classed as 791.4572, means? Does “single” mean a single episode of, say, Saturday Night Live? Does it mean a single season? Or a disc that might have the best of seasons 1, 2 and 3?

[Carrie Dawson]

How would you classify audio books of Shakespeare's comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances?