Sir Alan William Parker (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020) was a director, writer and producer. His feature films have won nineteen BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes and ten Oscars. His films include Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes. He was founding chairman of the UK Film Council, a position he held for five years, and prior to that was chairman of the BFI. Sir Alan received the CBE in 1995 and a knighthood in 2002. He was also an Officier Des Arts et Lettres (France).
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Biography from TMDB.
- February 14, 1944
- July 31, 2020 (aged 76)
- Islington, London, England, UK
- Director, writer, actor and producer
- 16 on MovieCove · 27 credits in all
What are Alan Parker's films like?
Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
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 2 · Earnest 15
A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 2 · Dark 10
A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 5
A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 10
Steady 6 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 3
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 4
Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0
A split, not a type: Casual 7 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 5
A split, not a type: Easy watch 7 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 10
Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 3
Moods and endings
- Happy5
- Bittersweet8
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous2
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 Alan Parker's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (5).
Subscription and free streaming for Alan Parker'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
27 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Short Cuts: Mississipi Burning d'Alan Parker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
All That You Love Will Be Carried Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Dad's Army(2016)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Magi-Nation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Life of David Gale(2003)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
The Cry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Angela's Ashes(1999)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Evita(1996)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
The Road to Wellville(1994)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
The Commitments(1991)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Come See the Paradise(1990)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Mississippi Burning(1988)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Angel Heart(1987)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Birdy(1984)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Pink Floyd: The Wall(1982)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Shoot the Moon(1982)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Fame(1980)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Midnight Express(1978)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The South Bank Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Bugsy Malone(1976)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
No Hard Feelings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
The Evacuees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Footsteps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Our Cissy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Melody(1971)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 27 titles from 1971 to 2026.
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 Alan Parker's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 87th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 83rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up11
- 50th to 74th3
- 25th to 49th1
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
9 of their 16 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved5
- Crowd Pleaser9
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the atmosphere 75/100 and the pacing 50/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
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 Alan Parker's work okay for kids?
Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.
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 Alan Parker work with?
People who share at least 2 of Alan Parker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gerry Hambling shares the most, 14.
Writers
- Oliver StoneShared titles: Evita (1996), Midnight Express (1978)See all 2 shared titles with Oliver Stone
Actors
- Pruitt Taylor VinceShared titles: Come See the Paradise (1990), Mississippi Burning (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Pruitt Taylor Vince
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Gerry HamblingShared titles: The Life of David Gale (2003), Angela's Ashes (1999), Evita (1996), The Road to Wellville (1994), The Commitments (1991), Come See the Paradise (1990), Mississippi Burning (1988), Angel Heart (1987), Birdy (1984), Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982), Shoot the Moon (1982), Fame (1980) and 2 moreSee newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Gerry Hambling
- Michael SeresinShared titles: The Life of David Gale (2003), Angela's Ashes (1999), Come See the Paradise (1990), Angel Heart (1987), Birdy (1984), Shoot the Moon (1982), Fame (1980), Midnight Express (1978), Bugsy Malone (1976)See all 9 shared titles with Michael Seresin
- Peter BiziouShared titles: The Road to Wellville (1994), Mississippi Burning (1988), Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982), Bugsy Malone (1976)See all 4 shared titles with Peter Biziou
- Trevor JonesShared titles: Mississippi Burning (1988), Angel Heart (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Trevor Jones
Producers
- Alan MarshallShared titles: Angel Heart (1987), Birdy (1984), Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982), Shoot the Moon (1982), Fame (1980), Midnight Express (1978), Bugsy Malone (1976)See all 7 shared titles with Alan Marshall
- Robert F. ColesberryShared titles: The Road to Wellville (1994), Come See the Paradise (1990), Mississippi Burning (1988)See all 3 shared titles with Robert F. Colesberry
- David PuttnamShared titles: Midnight Express (1978), Bugsy Malone (1976), Melody (1971)See all 3 shared titles with David Puttnam
- David WimburyShared titles: Angela's Ashes (1999), The Commitments (1991)See all 2 shared titles with David Wimbury
Mixed roles
- Nicolas CageShared titles: The Life of David Gale (2003), Birdy (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Nicolas Cage
