Bio: This blog post was written by Maris Tiller, SCRC Research Services GRA. Maris is a Graduate student pursuing her Master’s in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction.
Today in SCRC, we’ll be looking at one of our less frequently highlighted collections: The Motion picture press kits collection. This collection contains press kits for various films from the early 1990s to the early 2000s.
Pressbook for Lars Von Trier’s Dogville (2003)
Cover image of the press kit for Wong Kar-Wai’s Chungking Express (1994)
Press kits, or press books, for films are collections of contextualizing material that are gathered for newspapers and other journalistic media. On the inside of a motion picture press kit, there are credit lists, plot summaries, information on the production of the film, position papers, and stills from the movie, as well as behind the scenes photographs. All this information is gathered ostensibly so film critics can prepare to review a movie, but these books are often also used for advertising purposes. Many press books use superlative language to summarize a film to hype it up for reviewers and set their expectations. The primary goal of a pressbook is to advertise a film. The complexity of press kits varies. Some are simply a few sheets of paper outlining basic information on a film; others are more elaborate and attempt to create a narrative or structure relating to the film (Leuschner).
Contextualizing information for Kasi Lemmon’s film Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Edward L. Bernays is credited as the inventor of the press kit due to his highly successful advertising campaign for the 1917 film Cleopatra starring Theda Bara. Bernays advertised Cleopatra in a variety of ways to appeal to different demographics. He emphasized the romances of Cleopatra, the seductiveness of Bara’s portrayal, and the nature of the film as a historical epic. Since then, press kits have maintained this purpose of promotion through providing information about a movie (Leuschner).
These press kits contain important information about the films they are attached to. For example, interviews with the film’s director can provide context to what the making of and goals of the film were.
Interview with director David Cronenberg regarding his controversial film Crash (1996)
Director Kevin Smith discusses his debut film Clerks (1994)
Also, featured stills from the movie and behind the scenes photographs are included to give a reviewer a sense of what the film looks like and what the filming process was like.
Interestingly, some press kits are formatted in unique ways that reflect some aspects of the movie itself. This press kit for O, Brother Where Art Thou? resembles a record in an envelope, highlighting the centrality of blues and folk music in the film.
Gasper Noe’s Irreversible, a film about a vicious attack told in reverse order, presents its information on thin sheets of paper. As you turn the pages, the words are displayed backwards.
Finally, for the Tim Robbins’ film Cradle Will Rock – which is based on events surrounding labor movements of the Great Depression, artistry, and the controversial musical play of the same name – the press kit is formatted like a newspaper. This design emphasizes the historical context from which the movie originates.
These press kits, no matter what form they take, serve as valuable resources for film history. The included director interviews, cast information, production notes, and much more are crucial for understanding how a film was made and its intended purpose. Even the structure of the kits – how they were printed and formatted –offers insight into how the filmmakers and producers approached advertising the movie and the target audiences they had in mind. In this way, press books like these provide a concise collection of information and images that can enhance our understanding of contemporary conversations surrounding a film.
Cited Sources
Motion picture press kits collection, C0107, Boxes 3-5, 7, 10, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
Leuschner, Eric. “Motion Picture Press Kits: A Resource for Film Study.” Film & History, vol. 28, no. 1-2, 1998, 50-54.
Follow SCRC on Social Media and look out for future posts on our Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky accounts. To search the collections held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail us at speccoll@gmu.edu or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions.
