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Thelma Schoonmaker

Thelma Schoonmaker

Editor, also actor and producer · Born January 3, 1940 (86) · Algiers, French Algeria [now Algeria]

3 Oscars · 3 BAFTA Awards · Primetime Emmy nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Thelma Schoonmaker (born January 3, 1940) is an American film editor, best known for her collaboration over five decades with director Martin Scorsese. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four ACE Eddie Awards. She has been honored with the British Film Institute Fellowship in 1997, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2014, and the BAFTA Fellowship in 2019. started working with Scorsese on his debut feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967), and has edited all of his films since Raging Bull (1980). She has received nine nominations for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing, winning three—for Raging Bull, The Aviator (2004), and The Departed (2006), both records. She has also been nominated eleven times for the BAFTA Award for Best Editing, winning for Raging Bull and Goodfellas (1990).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 3, 1940 (86)
From
Algiers, French Algeria [now Algeria]
Works as
Editor, also actor and producer
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 48 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 14% in 30 days

What are Thelma Schoonmaker's films like?

Across their 33 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Documentary9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 98th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile
: 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
Self
28%
Society
18%
Morality
15%
Power
11%
Ideas
10%
Survival
9%
Bonds
8%
Art6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy5 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 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 11 · Serious 4 · Dark 17

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 9

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 9 · Intense 16

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

A split, not a type: Steady 15 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 9

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

Straight-faced 22 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 6 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 10

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 11 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 14

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

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
16
Contemplative
13
Melancholic
14
Warm
8
Dread
8
Other
30

How their films linger

Thought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5
  • Cyclical3

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 Thelma Schoonmaker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Thelma Schoonmaker'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

48 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 26 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Dog with a Movie Camera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Visions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael Powell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • "Echoes of the Soil": The Unsung Stars of Gone to Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Thanks

  • Killers of the Flower Moon(2023)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Right Stuff(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · Consulting Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • The Irishman(2019)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Snowman(2017)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Silence(2016)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Letters from Baghdad(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Me and Earl and the Dying Girl(2015)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Bombay Velvet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Editor

  • Learning to Drive(2014)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Wolf of Wall Street(2013)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Rockshow(1980)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hugo(2011)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Shutter Island(2010)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Departed(2006)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Michael Powell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • The Aviator(2004)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Gangs of New York(2002)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Concert for New York City(2001)

    Editorial Consultant

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Neighborhood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Editorial Consultant

  • Bringing Out the Dead(1999)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • My Voyage to Italy(1999)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Kundun(1997)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Grace of My Heart(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Casino(1995)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 3 episodes · Supervising Editor

  • The Age of Innocence(1993)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Cape Fear(1991)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • GoodFellas(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Made in Milan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Editor

  • New York Stories(1989)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Last Temptation of Christ(1988)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Color of Money(1986)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • After Hours(1985)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The King of Comedy(1982)

    Editor · Production Supervisor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Raging Bull(1980)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Wings Over the World(1979)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Street Scenes 1970 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Editor

  • Woodstock(1970)

    Assistant Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Virgin President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Editor

  • Who's That Knocking at My Door(1967)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Passages from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Editor

  • Midnight Vendetta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Editor

  • Untitled Hawaiian Gangster Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Editor

  • What Happens at Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Editor

Career shape

A full career of 47 titles, 44 of them dated from 1967 to 2026.

Biggest box office

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

$407M worldwide

Highest rated

GoodFellas (1990)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 47: 3 only acting, 0 with another roleProducing2 of 47: 2 only producing, 0 with another roleEditing38 of 47: 36 only editing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score93rdOther crew6 of 47: 4 only other crew, 2 with another role

By decade

1960s3 · crew1970s3 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s6 · 1 acting · 5 crew2010s10 · crew2020s6 · 2 acting · 4 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

3 Oscars, 3 BAFTA Awards and 1 other major award from 27 major nominations, 1971–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  2. 2020
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  3. 2019
    • BAFTA Award, won · Film
  4. 2014
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Venice award, won
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  5. 2012
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  6. 2007
    • Oscar, won · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  7. 2005
    • Oscar, won · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  8. 2004
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
Show 7 earlier years
  1. 2003
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  2. 1993
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  3. 1991
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Editing
  4. 1984
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  5. 1982
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Editing
  6. 1981
    • Oscar, won · Best Film Editing
  7. 1971
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Film Editing

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 Thelma Schoonmaker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 93rd percentile, the median of all 33; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 92nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

95thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up27
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 34 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved17
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed1

Most loved · editor

GoodFellas (1990)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 51/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 61, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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 Thelma Schoonmaker's work okay for kids?

Across up to 22 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 & Gore22 titles23–94 · median 81 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity22 titles11–76 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity22 titles10–94 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs22 titles28–86 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense22 titles13–86 · median 69 · 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 Thelma Schoonmaker work with?

People who share at least 2 of Thelma Schoonmaker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Martin Scorsese shares the most, 29.

Directors

  • Martin Scorsese29 titles · 21 as director    See newest 12 of 29 shared titles with Martin Scorsese

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles