Skip to content
MovieCove

John S. Bartley

Cinematographer · Born February 12, 1947 (79) · Wellington, New Zealand

Born
February 12, 1947 (79)
From
Wellington, New Zealand
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
35 on MovieCove · 47 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 28Down 14% in 30 days

What are John S. Bartley's films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
22%
Survival
22%
Bonds
17%
Power
17%
Morality
12%
Society
8%
Ideas
2%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 8 · Intense 5

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 4

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

A split, not a type: Casual 7 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 5

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 8 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
7
Dread
4
Contemplative
6
Thrilling
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Unsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • 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 John S. Bartley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 35 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John S. Bartley'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

47 credits, 35 with a MovieCove page.

  • Walker: Independence(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Hypnotic(2021)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Pearl(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom(2021)

    Assistant Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Wu Assassins(2019)

    Show 10 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Doctor(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Returned(2015)

    Show 8 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Hunting Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Bates Motel(2013)

    Show 45 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Vikings(2013)

    Show 9 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • 17th Precinct (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Cinematographer

  • Innocent(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Dragon Age: Redemption(2011)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • The X Files: I Want to Believe(2008)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Prince of Motor City(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Gray Matters(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Odd Girl Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • Naughty or Nice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • Lost(2004)

    Show 15 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Chronicles of Riddick(2004)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Alien Lockdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • Spinning Boris(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Wrong Turn(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Eight Legged Freaks(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Matthew Shepard Story(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Black River(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • See Spot Run(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Where the Money Is(2000)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Cooler Climate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Disturbing Behavior(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Tricks(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Echo(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 64 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Another Stakeout(1993)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Sky High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Cinematographer

  • Immediate Family(1989)

    Chief Lighting Technician

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Stars(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Backfire(1987)

    Gaffer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • 21 Jump Street(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Firefighter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Gaffer

  • Love, Mary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Gaffer

  • Secrets of a Married Man(1984)

    Gaffer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Iceman(1984)

    Gaffer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Packin' It In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Gaffer

  • The Babysitter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Gaffer

  • Grand Unified Theory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 45 titles, 44 of them dated from 1980 to 2022.

Biggest box office

Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

$46M worldwide

Highest rated

Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1991)

Midcredits 81st

Most popular right now

Wrong Turn (2003)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography36 of 45: 36 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score42ndOther crew9 of 45: 9 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score44th

By decade

1980s10 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s15 · crew2010s8 · crew2020s4 · 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 John S. Bartley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 32nd percentile, the median of all 25; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 32nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 35 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 35 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · cinematographer

The Prince of Motor City (2008)

98th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The X-Files (1993)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 45/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 58, detractors 29. 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 John S. Bartley's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 29 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 58 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does John S. Bartley work with?

People who share at least 2 of John S. Bartley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Roger Spottiswoode shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers

Producers