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George Fenton

George Fenton

Composer · Died October 5, 2026, aged 76 · Bromley, Kent, England, UK

2 Primetime Emmys · 3 BAFTA Awards · Oscar nominee · 3 other major award bodies

George Richard Ian Howe Fenton (19 October 1949 — 5 October 2026) was an Oscar nominated British composer primarily known for writing music for film and television. He has had longstanding collaborations with many directors including Ken Loach, Stephen Frears, Nicholas Hytner, Neil Jordan, Richard Attenborough, Andy Tennant, and Nora Ephron.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 19, 1949
Died
October 5, 2026 (aged 76)
From
Bromley, Kent, England, UK
Works as
Composer
Titles
102 on MovieCove · 151 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

What are George Fenton's films like?

Across their 94 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 86 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 33 · Serious 20 · Dark 33

Grounded 58 · Stylized 22 · Heightened 6

Gentle 25 · Charged 40 · Intense 21

Steady 33 · Shifting 45 · Whiplash 8

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 43 · Some laughs 31 · Funny 12

A split, not a type: Slow burn 45 · Even-paced 38 · Relentless 3

A split, not a type: Casual 44 · Engaged 34 · Full focus 8

A split, not a type: Easy watch 31 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 33

Resolved 67 · Open-ended 14 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
47
Melancholic
39
Contemplative
29
Hopeful
27
Warm
25
Other
91

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy27
  • Bittersweet43
  • Tragic8
  • Ambiguous13
  • Cyclical2
  • Other1

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 George Fenton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 62 of their 102 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Subscription and free streaming for George Fenton'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

151 credits, 102 with a MovieCove page.

  • Up Against It(2026)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Choral(2025)

    Composer · as Chauffeur

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Bergerac(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows
  • Unit 234(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • The Old Oak(2023)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Allelujah(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Wild Isles(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Beat the Devil(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • The Duke(2020)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The United Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Composer

  • Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Alan Bennett's Talking Heads(2020)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • Sorry We Missed You(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Cold Pursuit(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Red Joan(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Woman Walks Ahead(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • China: Between Clouds and Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · Composer

  • I, Daniel Blake(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Wild Oats(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Lady in the Van(2015)

    Composer · as Conductor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Absolutely Anything(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
  • Jimmy's Hall(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • The Voysey Inheritance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Composer

  • Bears(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • The Zero Theorem(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • National Theatre Live: People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • The Spirit of '45(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • The Angels' Share(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Frozen Planet(2011)

    Show 7 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • One Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

  • Route Irish(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • The Bounty Hunter(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Life(2009)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Looking for Eric(2009)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Fool's Gold(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • Earth(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • It's a Free World...(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Planet Earth: The Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 3 episodes · Composer · Actor

  • The History Boys(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Planet Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 11 episodes · Composer

  • Last Holiday(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Bewitched(2005)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Tickets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer

  • Valiant(2005)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Hitch(2005)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Stage Beauty(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • A Fond Kiss(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • Pride(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • Imagining Argentina(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Deep Blue(2003)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Sweet Home Alabama(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Sweet Sixteen(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • The Navigators(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The Blue Planet(2001)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Summer Catch(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Lucky Numbers(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Bread and Roses(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Center Stage(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • Anna and the King(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Entropy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Grey Owl(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • You've Got Mail(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Living Out Loud(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • My Name Is Joe(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Dangerous Beauty(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The Woodlanders(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • In Love and War(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • The Crucible(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • Carla's Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • August(1996)

    Conductor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • Multiplicity(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Heaven's Prisoners(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Mary Reilly(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Land and Freedom(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Mixed Nuts(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • China Moon(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Ladybird Ladybird(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Shadowlands(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Life in the Freezer(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Born Yesterday(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Groundhog Day(1993)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Hero(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Final Analysis(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • The Fisher King(1991)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • The Long Walk Home(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • 102 Boulevard Haussmann (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • White Palace(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • The Trials of Life(1990)

    Show 12 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • The Trials of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Memphis Belle(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • We're No Angels(1989)

    Composer · Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Dangerous Liaisons(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • The Dressmaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Composer

  • High Spirits(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • A Handful of Dust(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Talking Heads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

  • White Mischief(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Cry Freedom(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • 84 Charing Cross Road(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Past Caring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Composer

  • Call Me Mister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

  • The Monocled Mutineer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

  • Clockwise(1986)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Song of Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Composer

  • Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • The Company of Wolves(1984)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • The Jewel in the Crown(1984)

    Show 14 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
  • An Englishman Abroad(1983)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • The Ghost Writer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Composer

  • Runners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Composer · Conductor

  • Walter and June (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Composer

  • Gandhi(1982)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Walter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Easter 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Parole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Play for Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

  • Going Gently (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • The History Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

  • Dead End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Composer

  • Rain on the Roof(1980)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Hussy(1980)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Bloody Kids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Composer

  • Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 13 episodes · Composer

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

    Show 21 episodes · Composer

  • All Day on the Sands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • One Fine Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • Afternoon Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • The Old Crowd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • The Waterloo Bridge Handicap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Doris and Doreen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

  • A Visit from Miss Prothero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Last Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Composer

  • Hitting Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Composer

  • Plays for Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • Chéri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as M. Roland

  • A Day Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Florence's Brother

  • Emmerdale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 28 episodes · as Martin Gimbel

  • Private Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Composer · as Henry

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

Career shape

A full career of 149 titles, 148 of them dated from 1965 to 2025.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting7 of 149: 3 only acting, 4 with another roleMusic144 of 149: 135 only music, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thOther crew7 of 149: 2 only other crew, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score62nd

149 titles, 9 with more than one role — music and acting overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1960s1 · crew1970s17 · 4 acting · 14 crew1980s35 · crew1990s36 · crew2000s28 · 1 acting · 28 crew2010s20 · 1 acting · 20 crew2020s11 · 1 acting · 11 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

2 Primetime Emmys, 3 BAFTA Awards and 1 other major award from 31 major nominations, 1981–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Original Music, Factual
  2. 2012
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
  3. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
  4. 2006
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  5. 2005
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore)
  6. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore)
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Original Television Music
  7. 2001
    • Venice award, won
  8. 2000
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Show 13 earlier years
  1. 1996
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  2. 1994
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
  3. 1992
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
  4. 1991
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Film Score
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
  5. 1990
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Film Score
  6. 1989
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
  7. 1988
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Score
  8. 1987
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Original Television Music
  9. 1985
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music
  10. 1984
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special
  11. 1983
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Score
  12. 1982
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Original Television Music
  13. 1981
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Television Music

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 George Fenton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 93; across their 86 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 86

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 86

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 86

Midcredits score across 102 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up45
  • 50th to 74th24
  • 25th to 49th25
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

51 of their 102 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved18
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser51
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed22

Reviewers score the sound and music 59/100 in their films, across 67 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 George Fenton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 49 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore38 titles9–72 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity49 titles13–62 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity35 titles23–85 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs30 titles7–52 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense28 titles6–66 · median 29 · mildlighter 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 George Fenton work with?

People who share at least 2 of George Fenton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ken Loach shares the most, 17.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles