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Elliot Goldenthal

Elliot Goldenthal

Composer, also actor · Born May 2, 1954 (72) · Brooklyn, NY

Elliot Goldenthal (born May 2, 1954) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was a student of Aaron Copland and John Corigliano, and is best known for his distinctive style and ability to blend various musical styles and techniques in original and inventive ways. He is also a film-music composer, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2002 for his score to the motion picture Frida, directed by his long-time partner Julie Taymor.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 2, 1954 (72)
From
Brooklyn, NY
Works as
Composer, also actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What are Elliot Goldenthal's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
24%
Bonds
19%
Survival
16%
Self
13%
Society
12%
Ideas
10%
Power
5%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 6 · Dark 17

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 11

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 11 · Intense 16

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 10 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 15

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 20 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Melancholic
16
Dread
6
Contemplative
6
Romantic
7
Other
28

How their films linger

Thought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Elliot Goldenthal's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Elliot Goldenthal's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Glorias(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Our Souls at Night(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Julie Taymor's A Midsummer Night's Dream(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Tempest(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Public Enemies(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Across the Universe(2007)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • The Making of 'Heat'(2005)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Making of 'Alien³'(2003)

    Composer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • S.W.A.T.(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Good Thief(2002)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Frida(2002)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Titus(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • In Dreams(1999)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Butcher Boy(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Sphere(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Batman & Robin(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Michael Collins(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • A Time to Kill(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Heat(1995)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Voices (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • Batman Forever(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Cobb(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Roswell(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Golden Gate(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Demolition Man(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Alien³(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Fool's Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • Grand Isle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Criminal Justice(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Drugstore Cowboy(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Pet Sematary(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Blank Generation(1980)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Cocaine Cowboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 36 titles from 1979 to 2020.

Biggest box office

Batman Forever (1995)

$337M worldwide

Highest rated

Heat (1995)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Pet Sematary (1989)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Music36 of 36: 30 only music, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndOther crew6 of 36: 0 only other crew, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score74th

36 titles, 6 with more than one role — music and other crew overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s3 · crew1990s19 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Elliot Goldenthal's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 31; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · composer

The Glorias (2020)

78th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Heat (1995)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 65/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Elliot Goldenthal's work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles41–90 · median 71 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles12–73 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles22–80 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles25–64 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense17 titles33–87 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Elliot Goldenthal work with?

People who share at least 2 of Elliot Goldenthal's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Julie Taymor shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles