Skip to content
MovieCove
Cliff Martinez

Cliff Martinez

Composer, also actor · Born February 5, 1954 (72) · The Bronx, New York, USA

BAFTA Award winner · 3 other major award bodies

Cliff Martinez (born February 5, 1954) is an American musician and composer. Early in his career, Martinez was known as a drummer notably with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Captain Beefheart. Since the 1990s, he has worked primarily as a film score composer, writing music for Spring Breakers, The Foreigner, and multiple films by Steven Soderbergh (Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Solaris, Contagion, and Traffic) and Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, Only God Forgives, The Neon Demon and the miniseries Too Old to Die Young).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 5, 1954 (72)
From
The Bronx, New York, USA
Works as
Composer, also actor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 54 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 26% in 30 days

What are Cliff Martinez's films like?

Across their 38 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy 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
32%
Bonds
17%
Survival
16%
Self
15%
Power
11%
Society
7%
Ideas
3%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 12 · Dark 20

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 20 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 8

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 9 · Intense 26

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 21 · Whiplash 9

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

Straight-faced 27 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 6

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

A split, not a type: Casual 5 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 17

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 3 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 18

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 13

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
33
Melancholic
16
Dread
14
Cold
7
Absurd
6
Other
28

How their films linger

Thought-provoking23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous15

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 Cliff Martinez's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Cliff Martinez'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

54 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Copenhagen Cowboy: Nightcall with Nicolas Winding Refn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Composer

  • Copenhagen Cowboy(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Touch of Crude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Composer

  • Kimi(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Wilds(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Too Old to Die Young(2019)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Hotel Artemis(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Ekspeditionen - På sporet af Vitus Bering (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

  • Game Night(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Den of Thieves(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Foreigner(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • War Dogs(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Neon Demon(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Secret Slaves of the Middle East (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Composer

  • My Life Directed By Nicolas Winding Refn(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Knick(2014)

    Show 20 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Normal Heart(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Mea culpa(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Square(2013)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Only God Forgives(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Spring Breakers(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Company You Keep(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Golem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Composer

  • Arbitrage(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • NWR (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Additional Music

  • Drive(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Contagion(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Lincoln Lawyer(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Severe Clear(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • In the Beginning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Composer

  • Spy(Ies)(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Vice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Composer

  • Stiletto(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • First Snow(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Havoc(2005)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Stan Ridgway's Holiday In Dirt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer

  • Wicker Park(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Wonderland(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Solaris(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Narc(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Traffic(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Limey(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Wicked(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Fifth Element(1997)

    Additional Music

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Schizopolis(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Gray's Anatomy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • The Underneath(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • King of the Hill(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Black Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • Kafka(1991)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Pump Up the Volume(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Sex, Lies, and Videotape(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers: [1986] St. Louis, MO (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Drums

  • Pee-wee's Playhouse(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

Career shape

A full career of 54 titles from 1986 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Traffic (2000)

$208M worldwide

Highest rated

The Normal Heart (2014)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

War Dogs (2016)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 54: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleMusic52 of 54: 52 only music, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thOther crew1 of 54: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s3 · 1 acting · 2 crew1990s10 · crew2000s12 · crew2010s24 · 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.

Awards

a BAFTA Award and 1 other major award from 4 major nominations, 2002–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • Cannes award, won · Best Composer
  2. 2015
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Music
  3. 2012
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score
  4. 2002
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Cliff Martinez's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 37; across their 36 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 36

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · composer

Spring Breakers (2012)

66th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

The Normal Heart (2014)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 67/100 in their films, across 31 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 49. 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 Cliff Martinez's work okay for kids?

Across up to 29 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore25 titles17–96 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity29 titles19–70 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity25 titles42–91 · median 79 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs24 titles30–89 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense24 titles25–92 · median 66 · intenseheavier 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 Cliff Martinez work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cliff Martinez's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Steven Soderbergh shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles