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José Luis Alcaine

José Luis Alcaine

Cinematographer, also actor · Born December 26, 1938 (87) · Tangier, Morocco

José Luis Alcaine Escaño (born 26 December 1938) is a Spanish cinematographer. Educated in Tangier, he was the first cinematographer to use a fluorescent tube as key lighting in the 1970s. He has worked on films such as Belle Époque (Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, 1993), Two Much (1995), Blast from the Past (1999), and The Skin I Live In (2011). He won the European Film Award for Best Cinematographer for Volver, and has received five Goya Awards for best cinematography. In February 2019, he received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes. Description above from the Wikipedia article José Luis Alcaine, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 26, 1938 (87)
From
Tangier, Morocco
Works as
Cinematographer, also actor
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 124 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 39 days to Oct 28Up 3% in 30 days

What are José Luis Alcaine's films like?

Across their 50 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy21 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Bonds
26%
Self
24%
Morality
16%
Power
12%
Survival
10%
Ideas
6%
Society
6%
Romantic love15 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession7 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 50 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 15 · Serious 15 · Dark 20

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

Grounded 15 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 14

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

Gentle 14 · Charged 23 · Intense 13

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

A split, not a type: Steady 22 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 8

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 25 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 13

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 17 · Engaged 27 · Full focus 6

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 15 · Affecting 16 · Heavy 19

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 27 · Open-ended 14 · Ambiguous 9

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
29
Melancholic
20
Absurd
13
Warm
12
Contemplative
12
Other
46

How their films linger

Bittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet20
  • Tragic7
  • Ambiguous12
  • Cyclical2

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 José Luis Alcaine's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for José Luis Alcaine'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

124 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Delights of the Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Cinematographer

  • Speak Sunlight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Cinematographer

  • Strange Way of Life(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Cuidado con lo que deseas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Cinematographer

  • Parallel Mothers(2021)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Glow and Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · Cinematographer

  • So My Grandma's a Lesbian!(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Human Voice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Cinematographer

  • Domino(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Pain and Glory(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Everybody Knows(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Queen of Spain(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Wild Oats(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Finding Altamira(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • I'm So Excited!(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Passion(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • La banda Picasso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • The Skin I Live In(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • My Life in Ruins(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Martes de Carnaval (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Lolita's Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • Las 13 rosas(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Theresa: The Body of Christ(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Blame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Cinematographer

  • The Maidens' Conspiracy(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Volver(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Vida y color (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • The Wretched Life of Juanita Narboni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • Roma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • The Whore and the Whale(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Bad Education(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • South from Granada(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Nobody's Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

  • Ruy Blas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

  • The Dancer Upstairs(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Antonio, a Boy in Lisbon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

  • Sound of the Sea(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Lost Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Blast from the Past(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Il mio West(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Don Juan(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • My Brother's Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Cinematographer

  • In Praise of Older Women(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Más allá del jardín (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Freedomfighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Confidencias (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Two Much(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Turkish Passion(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Tit and the Moon(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Golden Balls(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Intruso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Cuentos de Borges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Belle Epoque(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • El sur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Jamon Jamon(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Sevillanas(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Lovers: A True Story(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Dancing Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Cinematographer

  • Oh, Carmela!(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Twisted Obsession(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Sea and the Weather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Misadventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • El Lute II: Tomorrow I'll Be Free(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • El Lute: Run for Your Life(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Casanova(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Voyage to Nowhere(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Half of Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Hay que deshacer la casa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Mambru Went to War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Star Knight(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • La corte de Faraón(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Rustlers' Rhapsody(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • La reina del mate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • The Lost Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Tasio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Akelarre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • El caso Almería (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Después de… Primera parte: no se os puede dejar solos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • Después de… Segunda parte: atado y bien atado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • El Sur(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Murder in the Central Committee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • Bésame, tonta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • The Triple Death of the Third Character (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Per favore, occupati di Amelia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • La campanada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Girl with the Golden Panties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • From Hell to Victory(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

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

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Let's Go, Barbara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • Stay as You Are(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Red Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • God Bless Each Corner of This House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • Goodbye Alicia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • María, la santa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • School Trip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • Family Portrait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • Who Can Kill a Child?(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Songs for After a War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • País S. A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • A Diary of a Murderess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • Bride to Be (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • Devil's Exorcist(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sensualidad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • ¿... Y el prójimo? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Cinematographer

  • I Saw Her First (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Cinematographer

  • The Lonely Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • El niño es nuestro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

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

    Show 8 episodes · Cinematographer

  • El cronicón (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Cinematographer

  • El último día de la humanidad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • Paseo por los letreros de Madrid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • Tinto con amor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • Acteón (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Still Photographer

  • Javier y los invasores del espacio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Cinematographer

  • Nine Letters to Berta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Still Photographer

  • Los buenos samaritanos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Cinematographer

  • Carmen de Carabanchel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Cinematographer

  • Anabel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Still Photographer

  • Adam's Perfection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

  • El sastre del rey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 121 titles, 119 of them dated from 1964 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Volver (2006)

$86M worldwide

Highest rated

Volver (2006)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Parallel Mothers (2021)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography118 of 121: 118 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndOther crew3 of 121: 3 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s9 · crew1970s25 · crew1980s28 · crew1990s21 · crew2000s18 · crew2010s10 · crew2020s8 · 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 José Luis Alcaine's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 50; across their 50 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 50 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · cinematographer

Twisted Obsession (1989)

80th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Volver (2006)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 75/100 in their films, across 44 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 60. 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 José Luis Alcaine's work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore14 titles16–83 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles38–77 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles35–61 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles32–69 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles23–76 · median 36 · 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 José Luis Alcaine work with?

People who share at least 2 of José Luis Alcaine's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Andrés Vicente Gómez shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers