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wikipedia search

The two things that make Wikipedia great can be summed up by the two words under its logo - Free Encyclopedia. The latter word stands for something that deals with the entire range of human knowledge. That for me covers movies, music, and anything that's close to entertainment.

Do a Google search for a film and Wikipedia crops up just below IMDB.com in the top tier of results. It's not only an encyclopedic reference point for films and movies but also a launching pad for a lot more.

If you have the patience, Wikipedia links can take you into new waters. A Wikipedia search for movies can serve as a compass for film buffs, or you can just lose yourself and discover films that you never knew before. Let's do both and discover the ways to use Wikipedia for movies and films.

Search For A Movie

Start with a Google search for a movie. Let's say, I want everything a search can give me for "˜The Lord of The Rings', one of my absolute favorites. Clicking on the Wikipedia link in the search results, I land up on the Lord of The Rings page. Being a trilogy, there is one for that and then there are separate entries for the three parts.

If I really didn't understand the film (Sean Connery didn't understand the story and Patrick Stewart disliked the script), the Plot is a refresher. Though, if you haven't seen the film, this section could be a spoiler.

wikipedia search

In the case of a film like LOTR and fantasy films of its ilk, you would find out where those beautiful panoramic scenes were shot. Wikipedia usually mentions the filming locations too.

If there's a book behind the movie like there is for a lot of movies these days, you can check out sections like Comparison with the source material.

Search For The Cast & Other Movies They Have Done

Here's where I start discovering new movies. Following the cast links, I can see their complete body of work (Filmography) and the ones that are in production. For instance, Viggo Mortensen went unnoticed in a small but powerful role in 'Carlito's Way' with Al Pacino.

I might check it out at the rental store or on the net again. Similarly, you can tell from a work that the director is good or great. The links to his other works are just a click away.

Search For Soundtracks

Searching for the score that you liked? Check it under the Soundtrack heading. Some of the tracks have their own Wikipedia pages with more details.

Search For Celebrity Chit Chat

The information on Wikipedia is supported by external references and links. You can get the complete dope on those from the References and External Links sections at the end. Some of the good ones are the interview links or their personal star pages.

Search In The Categories

For all Wikipedia entries you will find the Categories under which the page is included mentioned near the foot. The ones for the films are a treasure trove for information. Here's the Categories snapshot taken from Wikipedia's page on "˜The Dark Knight'.

search wikipedia

For instance, clicking on American action films takes me to an alphabetical list of movies and other sub categories. The list may not be complete, but you can find a lot of good stuff there. You can keep on following the links endlesslesly.

Search Through The Lists

search wikipedia

Are you a fan of sci-fi films? Follow the list of science fiction films arranged by decade. Then there are the related lists you can jump to from their like the list of films considered to be the greatest ever. There are all sorts of lists on Wikipedia.

Search Through The Wikipedia Portal On Films

search wikipedia

Featured content on Wikipedia comes in various forms, from articles, lists, topics, and portals. Films and movies have a portal for themselves. The Wikipedia film portal is an umbrella page for articles, biographies, news, lists, and sundry other content. Some of the best showtime content on Wikipedia can be got to from here.

Then as you scroll down, you can check out the sub -portals too that are specific pages built around a topic.

wikipedia search

The above seven points are just a steering guide on how you can conduct a movie Wikipedia search. It's a jungle of links, so the trick is to take a single thread (like the actor you are a fan of) and follow it instead of getting sidetracked by any link that comes up.

Right now I have a notepad full of film titles that I have yet to see. Make your own wishlist of films from Wikipedia and let us know how useful you find your Wikipedia search for that movie.