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Robert Folk

Robert Folk

Composer · Born March 5, 1949 (77) · New York City, New York, USA

Robert Folk (born March 5, 1949) is an American film and television composer and conductor who has written many movie scores, as well as other orchestral music in a classical style. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Folk, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 5, 1949 (77)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Composer
Titles
50 on Motif · 72 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 29% in 30 days

What are Robert Folk's films like?

Across their 48 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy23 titlesTypical Motif score: 16th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action14 titlesTypical Motif score: 17th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Motif score: 26th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Motif score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Motif score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
37%
Self
23%
Morality
17%
Society
8%
Power
7%
Survival
7%
Ideas
2%
Friendship17 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty7 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 48 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 36 · Serious 5 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 17 · Heightened 8

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 27 · Charged 13 · Intense 8

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

A split, not a type: Steady 25 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 3

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 31

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

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 27 · 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 39 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 44 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
31
Absurd
24
Tense
17
Thrilling
11
Warm
9
Other
32

How their films linger

Feel-good36 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy37
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous4

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 Robert Folk's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 50 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Folk's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

72 credits, 50 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Just Play Dead(2026)

    Composer

    Motif score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Secret Village(2013)

    Composer

    Motif score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Underground (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

  • Elephant White(2011)

    Composer

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Beethoven's Big Break(2008)

    Composer

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj(2006)

    Composer

    Motif score: 11th percentile of all films

  • American Pie Presents: Band Camp(2005)

    Composer

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Back to You in the Days(2005)

    Composer

    Motif score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Holiday Reunion (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Composer

  • Boat Trip(2002)

    Composer

    Motif score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Kung Pow: Enter the Fist(2002)

    Composer

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all films

  • All the Queen's Men(2001)

    Composer

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Thumb Wars: The Phantom Cuticle (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Held Up(1999)

    Composer

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • You're Dead... (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • The All New Adventures of Laurel & Hardy in For Love or Mummy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story(1998)

    Composer

    Motif score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Major League: Back to the Minors(1998)

    Composer

    Motif score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Nothing to Lose(1997)

    Composer

    Motif score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Booty Call(1997)

    Composer

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Maximum Risk(1996)

    Composer

    Motif score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace(1995)

    Composer · Conductor · Orchestrator

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Theodore Rex(1995)

    Composer

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls(1995)

    Composer

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Trapped in Paradise(1994)

    Composer

    Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • A Troll in Central Park(1994)

    Composer

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Nunzio's Second Cousin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • In the Army Now(1994)

    Composer

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Police Academy: Mission to Moscow(1994)

    Composer

    Motif score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Search and Rescue (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • State of Emergency (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • Two Fathers: Justice for the Innocent (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • The Thief and the Cobbler(1993)

    Composer · Conductor · Songs

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Sworn to Vengeance (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Composer

  • Shadowhunter(1992)

    Composer

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Loaded Weapon 1(1993)

    Composer

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Rock-A-Doodle(1991)

    Composer

    Motif score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Climate for Killing (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time(1991)

    Composer

    Motif score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Toy Soldiers(1991)

    Composer

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter(1990)

    Composer

    Motif score: 18th percentile of all films

  • For Better or for Worse(1989)

    Composer

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Happy Together(1989)

    Composer

    Motif score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Police Academy 6: City Under Siege(1989)

    Composer

    Motif score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Wicked Stepmother(1989)

    Composer

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Miles from Home(1988)

    Composer

    Motif score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach(1988)

    Composer

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Can't Buy Me Love(1987)

    Composer

    Motif score: 71st percentile of all films

  • High Mountain Rangers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Composer

  • Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol(1987)

    Composer

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Combat High(1986)

    Composer

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Stewardess School(1986)

    Composer

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Police Academy 3: Back in Training(1986)

    Composer

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Odd Jobs(1986)

    Composer

    Motif score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Prince of Bel Air(1986)

    Composer

    Motif score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Tall Tales & Legends (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Composer

  • Stitches (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Composer

  • Thunder Alley(1985)

    Composer

    Motif score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment(1985)

    Composer

    Motif score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • Call to Glory (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 22 episodes · Composer

  • Bachelor Party(1984)

    Composer

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Thumbelina (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • The Princess and the Pea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • Purple Hearts(1984)

    Composer

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Police Academy(1984)

    Composer · Conductor · Orchestrator

    Motif score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Slayer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Savage Harvest (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 2 episodes · Composer

    Motif score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Father Knows Best(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed Davis

    Motif score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • To Dream Of Roses (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 72 titles, 71 of them dated from 1954 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

$212M worldwide

Highest rated

The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)

Motif 86th

Most popular right now

Maximum Risk (1996)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 72: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleMusic71 of 72: 68 only music, 3 with another role · typical Motif score18thOther crew3 of 72: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

72 titles, 3 with more than one role — music and other crew overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s1 · crew1980s28 · crew1990s29 · crew2000s8 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · 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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Robert Folk's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 18th percentile, the median of all 48; across their 48 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 23rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Motif score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th27

Shape of the crowd

33 of their 50 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed33

Most divisive · composer

The Secret Village (2013)

85th percentile spread · 75% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)

Motif 86th · 71% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 47/100 in their films, across 32 reviewed titles; fans 60, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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 Robert Folk's work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 Motif titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore16 titles15–58 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles18–62 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 31
Profanity17 titles26–85 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 35
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles14–50 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles10–57 · median 18 · 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 Robert Folk work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Folk's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Neal Israel shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

  • David Graf7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with David Graf
  • Michael Winslow7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with Michael Winslow
  • George Gaynes6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with George Gaynes
  • Leslie Easterbrook6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Leslie Easterbrook

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles