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Bruce Surtees

Bruce Surtees

Cinematographer · Died February 23, 2012, aged 74 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Born
August 3, 1937
Died
February 23, 2012 (aged 74)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 58 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

What are Bruce Surtees' films like?

Across their 47 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
29%
Self
20%
Survival
19%
Bonds
15%
Power
9%
Society
9%
Ideas
1%
Justice13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 47 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 14 · Serious 11 · Dark 22

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

Grounded 27 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 14 · Intense 25

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

Steady 15 · Shifting 27 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 6

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 23 · Even-paced 21 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 21 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 1

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

Easy watch 15 · Affecting 19 · Heavy 13

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

Resolved 38 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Melancholic
20
Warm
10
Thrilling
11
Hopeful
11
Other
41

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet22
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous9

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 Bruce Surtees' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bruce Surtees' 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

58 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page.

  • Joshua(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • And Never Let Her Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • American Tragedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Thin Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • The Lady in Question (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Lethal Vows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Just a Little Harmless Sex(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • That Championship Season(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Dash and Lilly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Murder in a Small Town(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Substitute(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Stars Fell on Henrietta(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Corrina, Corrina(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Birds II: Land's End(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Crush(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • That Night(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Super(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Chains of Gold(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Run(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Men Don't Leave(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • License to Drive(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Back to the Beach(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Ratboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Out of Bounds(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Psycho III(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Pale Rider(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Beverly Hills Cop(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Tightrope(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Sudden Impact(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Risky Business(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Bad Boys(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Honkytonk Man(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • White Dog(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Firefox(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Inchon(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Escape from Alcatraz(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dreamer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Movie Movie(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Big Wednesday(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Three Warriors(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Shootist(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Leadbelly(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Sparkle(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Night Moves(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Lenny(1974)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Outfit(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Blume in Love(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • High Plains Drifter(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Joe Kidd(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Conquest of the Planet of the Apes(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Dirty Harry(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Play Misty for Me(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Beguiled(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Lost Command(1966)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Hallelujah Trail(1965)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 58 titles from 1965 to 2002.

Biggest box office

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

$316M worldwide

Highest rated

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography56 of 58: 56 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thOther crew2 of 58: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · crew1970s20 · crew1980s16 · crew1990s16 · crew2000s4 · 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 Bruce Surtees' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 50; across their 47 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 50 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser28
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · cinematographer

Inchon (1981)

83rd percentile spread · 74% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 63/100 in their films, across 41 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 46. 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 Bruce Surtees' work okay for kids?

Across up to 25 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore23 titles46–82 · median 71 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity25 titles23–71 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles35–84 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs22 titles30–57 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense20 titles38–80 · median 64 · 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 Bruce Surtees work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bruce Surtees' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Clint Eastwood shares the most, 13.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers