Lukas Heller
Writer · Died November 2, 1988, aged 58 · Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Lukas Heller (21 July 1930 – 2 November 1988) was a German-born British screenwriter. Heller was born to a Jewish family in Kiel. His father was political philosopher Hermann Heller. He was known for writing the screen adaptions for several Robert Aldrich films such as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964); for the later film he won an Edgar Award with Henry Farrell, who wrote the source text for both films.
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Biography from TMDB.
- July 21, 1930
- November 2, 1988 (aged 58)
- Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
- Writer
- 20 on MovieCove · 24 credits in all
Known for
What are Lukas Heller's films like?
Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 18
Light 1 · Serious 5 · Dark 13
A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2
A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 8 · Intense 9
Steady 6 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1
Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 1
Casual 6 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 2
A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 7
Resolved 17 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1
Moods and endings
- Happy3
- Bittersweet12
- Tragic3
- Ambiguous1
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 Lukas Heller's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).
Subscription and free streaming for Lukas Heller'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
24 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page.
Flight of the Phoenix(2004)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Monte Walsh(2003)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Blue City(1986)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Son of Hitler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Damnation Alley(1977)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
The Deadly Trackers(1973)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Monte Walsh(1970)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Too Late the Hero(1970)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Dirty Dozen(1967)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
The Ipcress File(1965)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Agent 8 3/4(1964)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Candidate for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
Never Back Losers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)
Sunday-Night Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
Sapphire(1959)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 23 titles from 1959 to 2004.
Biggest box office
Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
Highest rated
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Most popular right now
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
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 Lukas Heller's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up10
- 50th to 74th2
- 25th to 49th3
- Below 25th5
Shape of the crowd
7 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved5
- Crowd Pleaser7
- Broadly Agreed2
- Mixed6
Reviewers score the dialogue 55/100 and the plot and story 47/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
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 Lukas Heller's work okay for kids?
Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films and sex & nudity lighter.
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 Lukas Heller work with?
People who share at least 2 of Lukas Heller's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Robert Aldrich shares the most, 6.
Directors
- Robert AldrichShared titles: Too Late the Hero (1970), The Killing of Sister George (1968), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)See all 6 shared titles with Robert Aldrich
- Lee H. KatzinShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Lee H. Katzin
Writers
- Nunnally JohnsonShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987), The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (1985), The Dirty Dozen (1967)See all 4 shared titles with Nunnally Johnson
- David Zelag GoodmanShared titles: Monte Walsh (2003), Monte Walsh (1970)See all 2 shared titles with David Zelag Goodman
- Jack SchaeferShared titles: Monte Walsh (2003), Monte Walsh (1970)See all 2 shared titles with Jack Schaefer
- Mark RodgersShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Mark Rodgers
Actors
- Ernest BorgnineShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987), The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (1985), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)See all 5 shared titles with Ernest Borgnine
- Lee MarvinShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (1985), Monte Walsh (1970), The Dirty Dozen (1967)See all 3 shared titles with Lee Marvin
- Ronald FraserShared titles: Too Late the Hero (1970), The Killing of Sister George (1968), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)See all 3 shared titles with Ronald Fraser
- Telly SavalasShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Telly Savalas
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Michael LucianoShared titles: Too Late the Hero (1970), The Killing of Sister George (1968), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)See all 6 shared titles with Michael Luciano
- Joseph F. BirocShared titles: Too Late the Hero (1970), The Killing of Sister George (1968), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)See all 4 shared titles with Joseph F. Biroc
- Frank De VolShared titles: The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)See all 4 shared titles with Frank De Vol
- John CacavasShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with John Cacavas
Producers
- Walter BlakeShared titles: Too Late the Hero (1970), The Killing of Sister George (1968), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)See all 4 shared titles with Walter Blake
- Bobby RobertsShared titles: Monte Walsh (2003), Damnation Alley (1977), Monte Walsh (1970)See all 3 shared titles with Bobby Roberts
- Boris GregoricShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Boris Gregoric
- Mel SwopeShared titles: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Mel Swope