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Owen Roizman

Owen Roizman

Cinematographer, also actor · Died January 6, 2023, aged 86 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Owen Roizman, A.S.C. (September 22, 1936 – January 6, 2023) was a cinematographer and a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). He received five Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, for the films The French Connection (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Network (1976), Tootsie (1982), and Wyatt Earp (1994). Roizman was known for collaborating with film directors William Friedkin, Sydney Pollack and Lawrence Kasdan. Description above from the Wikipedia article Owen Roizman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 22, 1936
Died
January 6, 2023 (aged 86)
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Cinematographer, also actor
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 29 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 28% in 30 days

What are Owen Roizman's films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror 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
25%
Bonds
19%
Self
18%
Power
18%
Society
9%
Ideas
6%
Survival
5%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 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 5 · Dark 10

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 10 · Intense 11

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 4

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 12 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 8

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 11 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 3

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 10 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 7

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

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Joyful
7
Melancholic
8
Warm
6
Romantic
6
Other
23

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous4

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 Owen Roizman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Owen Roizman'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

29 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer

  • French Kiss(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Wyatt Earp(1994)

    Cinematographer · as Danny

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Grand Canyon(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Addams Family(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Havana(1990)

    Cinematographer · as Santos

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • I Love You to Death(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Vision Quest(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Tootsie(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Taps(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Absence of Malice(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • True Confessions(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Black Marble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • The Electric Horseman(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Straight Time(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Network(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Independence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • The Return of a Man Called Horse(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Three Days of the Condor(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Stepford Wives(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Taking of Pelham One Two Three(1974)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Exorcist(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Heartbreak Kid(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Liza with a Z(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Play It Again, Sam(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The French Connection(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Stop! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 29 titles from 1970 to 2009.

Biggest box office

The Exorcist (1973)

$431M worldwide

Highest rated

Liza with a Z (1972)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Exorcist (1973)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 29: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleCinematography29 of 29: 27 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score77th

By decade

1970s16 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s6 · 2 acting · 6 crew2000s1 · 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 Owen Roizman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 73rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · cinematographer

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

86th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Liza with a Z (1972)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 70/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 55. 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 Owen Roizman's work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles31–69 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles24–52 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity15 titles29–80 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles30–54 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles13–62 · median 54 · moderateheavier 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 Owen Roizman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Owen Roizman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dave Grusin shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles