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Arthur Schmidt

Arthur Schmidt

Editor · Died August 5, 2023, aged 86 · Los Angeles, California, U.S.

2 Oscars · Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award nominee

From Wikipedia, the free encylopedia. Arthur Robert Schmidt (June 17, 1937 – August 5, 2023) was an American film editor with about 27 film credits between 1977 and 2005. Schmidt had an extended collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis from the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985—1990) to Cast Away (2000). Description above from the Wikipedia article Arthur Schmidt, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 17, 1937
Died
August 5, 2023 (aged 86)
From
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Works as
Editor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 34 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 34% in 30 days

What are Arthur Schmidt's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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%
Bonds
23%
Survival
13%
Morality
10%
Society
10%
Ideas
9%
Power
8%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 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 14 · Serious 5 · Dark 8

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 14 · Intense 10

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 6

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 10 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 8

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 9

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 14 · 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 12 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Thrilling
8
Hopeful
10
Absurd
5
Joyful
6
Other
36

How their films linger

Fun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Arthur Schmidt's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Arthur Schmidt'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

34 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Chumscrubber(2005)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl(2003)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Cast Away(2000)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • What Lies Beneath(2000)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Primary Colors(1998)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Contact(1997)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Chain Reaction(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Birdcage(1996)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Forrest Gump(1994)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Addams Family Values(1993)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Last of the Mohicans(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Death Becomes Her(1992)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Rocketeer(1991)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Back to the Future Part III(1990)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Back to the Future Part II(1989)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit(1988)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie(1988)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • You Ruined My Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Editor

  • Ruthless People(1986)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Back to the Future(1985)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Fandango(1985)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Firstborn(1984)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Buddy System (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Editor

  • The Escape Artist(1982)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Idolmaker(1980)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Jericho Mile(1979)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Coal Miner's Daughter(1980)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Jaws 2(1978)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Last Remake of Beau Geste(1977)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Fortune(1975)

    Assistant Editor

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Assistant Editor

  • Hazard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Editor

  • Dr. Broadway(1942)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1942 to 2005.

Biggest box office

Forrest Gump (1994)

$678M worldwide

Highest rated

Forrest Gump (1994)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Editing31 of 33: 31 only editing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score79thOther crew2 of 33: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s2 · crew1970s4 · crew1980s13 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s4 · 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 Oscars and a Primetime Emmy from 7 major nominations, 1979–1995.

WinNomination
  1. 1995
    • Oscar, won · Best Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  2. 1989
    • Oscar, won · Best Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  3. 1986
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
  4. 1981
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Film Editing
  5. 1979
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special

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 Arthur Schmidt's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 78th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th5

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · editor

Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie (1988)

79th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Forrest Gump (1994)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 54/100 in their films, across 26 reviewed titles; fans 61, detractors 34. 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 Arthur Schmidt's work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore18 titles33–63 · median 51 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles17–50 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity19 titles28–61 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs18 titles19–56 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense18 titles28–64 · 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 Arthur Schmidt work with?

People who share at least 2 of Arthur Schmidt's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alan Silvestri shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers