Skip to content
MovieCove
Brian Trenchard-Smith

Brian Trenchard-Smith

Director, producer and writer, also actor · Born June 1, 1946 (80) · England, UK

Brian Trenchard-Smith is an Anglo Australian film and television director, producer, and writer, with a reputation for large scale movies on small scale budgets, many of which display a quirky sense of humor that has earned him a cult following. Quentin Tarantino referred to him in Entertainment Weekly as one of his favorite directors. His early work is featured in Not Quite Hollywood, an award winning documentary released by Magnolia. Among his early successes were the 20th Century Fox release The Man from Hong Kong, a wry James Bond/Chop Sockey cocktail, the Vietnam battle movie Siege of Firebase Gloria, and the futuristic satire Dead End Drive-In, a particular Tarantino favorite. BMX Bandits, showcasing a 15-year old Nicole Kidman, and Miramax's The Quest, starring ET's Henry Thomas, won prizes at children's film festivals in Montreal and Europe. He has also directed 35 episodes of television series as diverse as Silk Stalkings, Time Trax, The Others, and Flipper. Born in England, where his Australian father was in the RAF, Trenchard-Smith attended UK's prestigious Wellington College, where he neglected studies in favor of acting and making short films, before migrating to Australia. He started as a news film editor, then graduated to network promos before he became one of a group of young people that, as he recalls, "pushed, shoved, lobbied and bullied the government into introducing investment for Australian made films." He persuaded Australia's largest distribution-exhibition circuit at the time, the Greater Union Theater Organization, to form an in-house production company that he would run. The company made three successful films in a row, and his career was underway. In parallel careers, he was also founding editor of Australia's quarterly Movie magazine for 6 years, and has made over 100 trailers for other directors in Australia, Europe, and America. Among his 39 movies, 5 were commissioned by Showtime, including the remake of the World War II classic, Sahara, the highly rated, Happy Face Murders, starring Ann-Margret, and DC 9/11: Time of Crisis, with Timothy Bottoms as President Bush. His frequently repeated family drama for Lifetime, Long Lost Son starring Gabrielle Anwar, introduced future Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford to audiences in the title role." I knew from his first scene, he was going to be hot." In 2009, Trenchard-Smith shot Porky's - The College Years, a re-imagining of the famous 80's franchise of teen comedies. His recent ecological thriller Arctic Blast, starring Michael Shanks, was chosen to premiere at the 2010 Possible Worlds Canadian Film Festival in Sydney. Trenchard-Smith writes for filmindustrybloggers.com as The Genre Director, and is a contributing guru to trailersfromhell.com. He is married to Byzantine historian Dr. Margaret Trenchard-Smith, lives in Los Angeles, and is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 1, 1946 (80)
From
England, UK
Works as
Director, producer and writer, also actor
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 62 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 26Up 15% in 30 days

What are Brian Trenchard-Smith's films like?

Across their 33 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Action20 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 12th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure 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
Survival
33%
Morality
19%
Bonds
19%
Power
9%
Ideas
8%
Self
6%
Society
6%
Survival17 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 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 8 · Dark 13

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 19 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 5

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 13 · Intense 16

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 20 · 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 20 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 6

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 21 · Relentless 8

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

Casual 19 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Thrilling
18
Dread
9
Absurd
8
Melancholic
7
Other
14

How their films linger

Fun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet17
  • Ambiguous3

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 Brian Trenchard-Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Brian Trenchard-Smith'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

62 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Game of Death: The Six Doors to Hell(2024)

    as Major Paul Anders

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Thanatomania (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Turkey Shoot(2014)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Drive Hard(2014)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Leprechaun Chronicles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Absolute Deception(2013)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Chemistry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

  • The Cabin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Arctic Blast(2010)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Malibu Shark Attack(2008)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Pimpin' Pee Wee(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Tyrannosaurus Azteca(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Long Lost Son(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • In Her Line of Fire(2006)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Tides of War(2005)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • DC 9/11: Time of Crisis(2003)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Paradise Virus(2003)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Sightings: Heartland Ghost(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Seconds to Spare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer

  • Megiddo: The Omega Code 2(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Others (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Britannic(2000)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Happy Face Murders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Atomic Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Voyage of Terror(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Doomsday Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Leprechaun 4: In Space(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Escape Clause(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Flipper(1995)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows

  • Leprechaun 3(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Sahara(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • High Tide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Night of the Demons 2(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Official Denial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Time Trax (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Resistance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Thanks

  • Silk Stalkings(1991)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Tarzán(1991)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Demonstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Executive Producer

  • The Siege of Firebase Gloria(1988)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Strike of the Panther(1988)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Day of the Panther(1988)

    Director · Additional Dialogue · Writer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Out of the Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Dangerfreaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Dead End Drive-In(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Quest(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Jenny Kissed Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director

  • Special Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • BMX Bandits(1983)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Bloodtide(1982)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Turkey Shoot(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • That Dangerous Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Day of the Assassin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • Stunt Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Hospitals Don't Burn Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director

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

    Director · Producer · Story · as Hit & Run Director

  • The Man from Hong Kong(1975)

    Director · Screenplay · as Martial Arts Heavy

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Love Epidemic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Writer

  • Kung Fu Killers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The Stuntmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The World of Kung Fu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 61 titles from 1973 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001)

$6M worldwide

Highest rated

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010)

Midcredits 86th

Most popular right now

Tarzán (1991)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting5 of 61: 3 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting53 of 61: 39 only directing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score17thWriting10 of 61: 0 only writing, 10 with another roleProducing10 of 61: 4 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score6thOther crew2 of 61: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

61 titles, 14 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1970s9 · 2 acting · 9 crew1980s14 · crew1990s16 · crew2000s13 · crew2010s7 · 1 acting · 6 crew2020s2 · acting

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 Brian Trenchard-Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 13th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 19th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

20thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th20

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 34 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned3
  • Divisive3
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed24

Most divisive · director

DC 9/11: Time of Crisis (2003)

98th percentile spread · 51% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Sahara (1995)

Midcredits 70th · 64% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 49/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Brian Trenchard-Smith's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 81 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles23–65 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles41–74 · median 59 · 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 Brian Trenchard-Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of Brian Trenchard-Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeffrey Schenck shares the most, 7.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles