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Thomas Burstyn

Thomas Burstyn

Cinematographer, also director and producer · Born January 1, 1954 (72) · Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Thomas Burstyn, sometimes credited as Tom Burstyn, is a Canadian cinematographer and documentary filmmaker. He is most noted for his work on the 1995 film Magic in the Water, for which he won the Genie Award for Best Cinematography at the 16th Genie Awards.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1954 (72)
From
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Works as
Cinematographer, also director and producer
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 81 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What are Thomas Burstyn's films like?

Across their 46 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Crime 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
Bonds
29%
Morality
17%
Self
17%
Survival
14%
Society
8%
Power
8%
Ideas
7%
Family bonds20 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeNature5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 43 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 22 · Serious 8 · Dark 13

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

Grounded 33 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 11 · Charged 23 · Intense 9

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

Steady 22 · Shifting 21 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 26 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 23 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 23 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 0

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 19 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 38 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
30
Hopeful
19
Warm
11
Melancholic
10
Joyful
8
Other
36

How their films linger

Hopeful22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet23
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4

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 Thomas Burstyn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 33 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Thomas Burstyn'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

81 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page.

  • Holy Days(2026)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • An Amish Sin(2022)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Cowboy Bebop(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Invasion(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Snowpiercer(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • We Need to Talk About A.I.(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Red White Black & Blue(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Magicians(2015)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Descendants(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Some Kind of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · as Self - Narrator

  • Defiance(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Girl Vs. Monster(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Avalon High(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Riverworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Cinematographer

  • This Way of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • The Insatiable Moon(2010)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Last Templar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Vipers(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Tin Man(2007)

    Show 3 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • One Man, One Cow, One Planet(2007)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Marco Polo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • Marco Polo(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Population 436(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Final Days of Planet Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Cinematographer

  • Son of the Dragon(2006)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • The 4400 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 5 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Going to the Mat(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Full-Court Miracle(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Boys & Girl from County Clare(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Kart Racer(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Lost Junction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Cinematographer

  • Spooky House(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Within These Walls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Cinematographer

  • Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • First Target(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Race Against Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Deadlocked(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Where the Money Is(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Girl Next Door(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • A Marriage of Convenience(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • When Trumpets Fade(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Creature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Dead Silence(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • City of Industry(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Lost Treasure of Dos Santos(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Crazy Horse(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Seduced by Madness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Deadly Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Cinematographer

  • Magic in the Water(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Crying Freeman(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Surgeon(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Andre(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Hush Little Baby(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Lotus Eaters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Liar, Liar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Arctic Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Criminal Behavior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Blind Man's Bluff(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Empire City(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Silent Motive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • Toy Soldiers(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Tribute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • The Dreamer of Oz(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Cold Front (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • The Edge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Cheetah(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Leap of Faith(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Promised a Miracle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • Tadpole and the Whale(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Foxfire(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Ford: The Man and the Machine(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Native Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Mr. Wrong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Heavenly Bodies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • The Lost Tribe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Tales of the Klondike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 7 episodes · Cinematographer

  • If Brains Were Dynamite, You Wouldn't Have Enough to Blow Your Nose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 69 titles from 1976 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Andre (1994)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

When Trumpets Fade (1998)

Midcredits 75th

Most popular right now

Descendants (2015)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing5 of 69: 4 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 69: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography65 of 69: 64 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rd

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s11 · crew1990s23 · crew2000s21 · crew2010s8 · crew2020s5 · 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 Thomas Burstyn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 43; across their 43 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 51 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed25

Most divisive · producer

Red White Black & Blue (2017)

97th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Dreamer of Oz (1990)

Midcredits 84th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 56/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

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 Thomas Burstyn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles22–60 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian 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 Thomas Burstyn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Thomas Burstyn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stuart Gillard shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles