Skip to content
MovieCove
Edward Lachman

Edward Lachman

Cinematographer and director, also actor · Born March 31, 1948 (78) · Morristown, New Jersey, USA

Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 4 other major award bodies

Edward Lachman, A.S.C. is an American cinematographer and director. Lachman is mostly associated with the American independent film movement, and has served as director of photography on films by Todd Haynes, Wim Wenders, Steven Soderbergh, Sofia Coppola and Paul Schrader

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 31, 1948 (78)
From
Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Cinematographer and director, also actor
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 89 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 27% in 30 days

What are Edward Lachman's films like?

Across their 45 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime 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
20%
Bonds
13%
Survival
13%
Morality
12%
Ideas
9%
Power
6%
Identity13 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 45 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 16 · Serious 9 · Dark 20

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 13 · Charged 19 · Intense 13

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

A split, not a type: Steady 25 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 3

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 26 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 5

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 28 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 15 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 5

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 15 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 20

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 24 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 9

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
22
Melancholic
23
Warm
15
Contemplative
13
Joyful
9
Other
45

How their films linger

Bittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet25
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous13

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 Edward Lachman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 38 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Edward Lachman'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

89 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Maria(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • El Conde(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues(2022)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Velvet Underground(2021)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Dark Waters(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Wonderstruck(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Wiener-Dog(2016)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Carol(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Don't Blink(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Sluizer Speaks(2014)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Cathedrals of Culture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer

  • Six by Sondheim(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Venice 70: Future Reloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Daft Punk | Random Access Memories | The Collaborators (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show Creator

  • Paradise: Faith(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Paradise: Hope(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dark Blood(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Paradise: Love(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Mildred Pierce(2011)

    Show 5 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • About Jenny Holzer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Cinematographer

  • Howl(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Life During Wartime(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Collapse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer

  • Hounddog(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Life for a Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Import/Export (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • I'm Not There(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • A Prairie Home Companion(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Music of Regret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Cinematographer

  • Stryker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • Ken Park(2002)

    Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Far from Heaven(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • S1m0ne(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Sweet November(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Virgin Suicides(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Erin Brockovich(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Limey(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Why Do Fools Fall in Love(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Selena(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Touch(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • My Family(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • My New Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Light Sleeper(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • London Kills Me(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Mississippi Masala(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Catchfire(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Local Stigmatic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Cinematographer

  • Lou Reed and John Cale: Songs for Drella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Protect me from what I want (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Imagining America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Less Than Zero(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • A Gathering of Old Men(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Making Mr. Right(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Mother Teresa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • True Stories(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Little Sister(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Ornette: Made in America(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Day You Love Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Stripper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Insignificance(1985)

    Additional Camera

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Look (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Tokyo-Ga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Desperately Seeking Susan(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Heart of the Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • R.A.B.L. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Report from Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • The Last Trip to Harrisburg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Huie's Sermon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Camera Operator

  • Say Amen, Somebody(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Little Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • Split Cherry Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • They All Laughed(1981)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • An All Round Maid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Lightning Over Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer · as Self

  • Union City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Last Embrace(1979)

    Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Wings Of Ash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • La Soufrière: Waiting for an Inevitable Catastrophe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer · as Self

  • The American Friend(1977)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Stroszek(1977)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Scalpel(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck...(1976)

    Assistant Camera · Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Lords of Flatbush(1974)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • America First (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Assistant Camera

  • Distances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

  • The Exiles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 88 titles, 86 of them dated from 1972 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Erin Brockovich (2000)

$258M worldwide

Highest rated

Six by Sondheim (2013)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Dark Waters (2019)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 88: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting8 of 88: 4 only directing, 4 with another roleCinematography75 of 88: 69 only cinematography, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thOther crew10 of 88: 8 only other crew, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score56th

88 titles, 6 with more than one role — cinematography and other crew overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1970s9 · crew1980s26 · crew1990s15 · crew2000s14 · crew2010s18 · 1 acting · 17 crew2020s4 · 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

5 major awards from 15 major nominations, 1987–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Cinematography
  2. 2024
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Cinematography
  3. 2018
    • Cannes award, won · Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography Award
    • Cannes award, won
  4. 2016
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Cinematography
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Cinematography
  5. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie
  6. 2003
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Cinematography
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Cinematography
  7. 2002
    • Venice award, won · Best Cinematography
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  8. 1993
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
Show 1 earlier year
  1. 1987
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Cinematography

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 Edward Lachman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 53; across their 45 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up24
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Sluizer Speaks (2014)

87th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Six by Sondheim (2013)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 70/100 in their films, across 38 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 52. 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 Edward Lachman's work okay for kids?

Across up to 26 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles14–83 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity26 titles24–65 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity18 titles27–72 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles30–84 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles16–76 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Edward Lachman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Edward Lachman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Christine Vachon shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles