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William M. Anderson

Editor · Died January 4, 2022, aged 73 · Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

BAFTA Award nominee

William Mills Anderson was a film editor from Northern Ireland, who was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Editing for the film Dead Poets Society (1989). He had an extended, notable association with the director Peter Weir, beginning with the film Gallipoli (1981), including Dead Poets Society (1989), and continuing through to The Truman Show (1998).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 12, 1948
Died
January 4, 2022 (aged 73)
From
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Works as
Editor
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 45 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 26Up 4% in 30 days

What are William M. Anderson's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Comedy14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action 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
20%
Self
20%
Bonds
20%
Power
16%
Survival
15%
Society
6%
Ideas
1%
Identity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 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 8 · Serious 8 · Dark 20

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

Grounded 27 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 18 · Intense 13

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 23 · 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 19 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 17 · 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 15 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 1

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 7 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 15

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

Resolved 25 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Melancholic
16
Hopeful
9
Thrilling
8
Romantic
6
Other
31

How their films linger

Bittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet17
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous5

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 William M. Anderson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William M. Anderson'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

45 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page.

  • While She Was Out(2008)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Assassination of a High School President(2008)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Eagle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Editor

  • Snow Angels(2007)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Say It in Russian(2007)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • .45(2006)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

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

    Editor

  • If Only(2004)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Igby Goes Down(2002)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Ordinary Decent Criminal(2000)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Truman Show(1998)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Down Periscope(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Just Cause(1995)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold(1994)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Fearless(1993)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • 1492: Conquest of Paradise(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Turtle Beach(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • At Play in the Fields of the Lord(1991)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Green Card(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Shock to the System(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • RoboCop 2(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Old Gringo(1989)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Dead Poets Society(1989)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • 1969(1988)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Editor

  • Big Shots(1987)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Little Sister(1985)

    Sound Editor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • King David(1985)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • A Time to Live(1985)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Stanley: Every Home Should Have One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Editor

  • Razorback(1984)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific(1983)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tender Mercies(1983)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Year of Living Dangerously(1982)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Puberty Blues(1981)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Gallipoli(1981)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Editor

  • Breaker Morant(1980)

    Editor · Sound Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Money Movers(1978)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • 5 Weeks in a Balloon(1977)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Don's Party(1976)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Aaron Loves Angela(1975)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Editor

  • The Adventures of Barry McKenzie(1972)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Cindy and Donna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Associate Producer · Editor

Career shape

A full career of 41 titles from 1970 to 2008.

Biggest box office

The Truman Show (1998)

$264M worldwide

Highest rated

The Truman Show (1998)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing1 of 41: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleEditing40 of 41: 38 only editing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdOther crew2 of 41: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s7 · crew1980s16 · crew1990s9 · crew2000s9 · 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

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 1990, Best Editing.

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 William M. Anderson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 38; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · editor

The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific (1983)

90th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

The Truman Show (1998)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 50/100 in their films, across 35 reviewed titles; fans 59, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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 William M. Anderson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 21 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 & Gore12 titles13–82 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity21 titles13–65 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles30–83 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles19–77 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles6–72 · median 60 · 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 William M. Anderson work with?

People who share at least 2 of William M. Anderson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bruce Beresford shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles