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Michel Portal

Michel Portal

Composer · Born November 25, 1935 (90) · Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Michel Portal (born 27 November 1935) is a French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He plays both jazz and classical music and is considered to be "one of the architects of modern European jazz". Portal was born in Bayonne on 27 November 1935. His family was musical and there were several instruments in his house when he was growing up. His interest in jazz began after hearing it on the radio after World War II. He studied clarinet at the Conservatoire de Paris and conducting with Pierre Dervaux. Portal "gained experience in light music with the bandleaders Henri Rossotti and (in Spain in 1958) Perez Prado, as well as with the drummer Benny Bennett (1960), Raymond Fonsèque (1963), Aimé Barelli, and, for many years, the singer Claude Nougaro". Portal co-founded the free improvisation group New Phonic Art. During 1969, Portal played on a recording of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Aus den sieben Tagen. Portal began scoring music for films in the 1980s. He has won the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film three times. Source: Article "Michel Portal" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 25, 1935 (90)
From
Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
Works as
Composer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 54 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 5% in 30 days

What are Michel Portal's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
26%
Bonds
21%
Society
20%
Power
16%
Morality
10%
Ideas
7%
Identity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 0

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

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 0 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
4
Tense
4
Melancholic
4
Absurd
1
Bittersweet
2
Other
2

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Bittersweet2
  • 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 Michel Portal's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michel Portal'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

54 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Michel Portal @ Nancy Jazz Pulsations 2021 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Le Professeur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Composer

  • Cigarettes et bas nylons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • The Girl from the Chartreuse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer

  • Le porteur de cartable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Sound

  • Un fils de notre temps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Composer

  • Jacques Lacan, la psychanalyse réinventée (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Composer

  • Passionnément (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Composer

  • Le comédien(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Buud Yam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Composer

  • The Colors of the Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Composer

  • 1914 the Glorious Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • Doctor Semmelweis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • The Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • Eugénie Grandet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer

  • The Return of Casanova (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • Au Sud du Sud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

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

    Composer

  • Dr. Petiot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Ke arteko egunak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Adventure of Catherine C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Angels(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Children of Chaos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Composer

  • À corps et à cris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Composer

  • A Tale of the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Composer

  • The Mortal Fortune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Composer

  • No Harm Intended (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Composer

  • Sorceress(1987)

    Composer · Musician

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Yeelen(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Milan noir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Composer

  • Max My Love(1986)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Fou comme l'oiseau (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Composer

  • Le fou du désert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 4 episodes · Compositor

  • Paradise for All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Musician

  • The Return of Martin Guerre(1982)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Short Memory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Café Plongeoir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Droit de Réponse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • The Red Shade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • Le Beau Monde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • See Here My Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • The Dogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

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

    Composer

  • Surreal Estate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Composer

  • La Cecilia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Composer

  • Les conquistadores(1976)

    Composer

  • Tahia Ya Didou ! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Composer

  • The Bamboo Incident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • Les Trois Cousins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • A Question of Rape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Paris Blues(1961)

    as Musician (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • A few notes on freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Lui-même

  • Icelandic Fisherman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 53 titles, 51 of them dated from 1961 to 2021.

Biggest box office

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)

$3.7M worldwide

Highest rated

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Angels (1990)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 53: 3 only acting, 0 with another roleMusic47 of 53: 46 only music, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thOther crew4 of 53: 3 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew1970s8 · crew1980s18 · crew1990s14 · crew2000s5 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · 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 Michel Portal's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of the 7 of 8 with a score; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 7 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 7 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · composer

Angels (1990)

91st percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)

Midcredits 88th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 63/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 70. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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.

Who does Michel Portal work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michel Portal's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Féodor Atkine shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers