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James Chressanthis

James Chressanthis

Cinematographer, also director, producer and writer · Born May 9, 1953 (73) · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Born
May 9, 1953 (73)
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Cinematographer, also director, producer and writer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 37 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 63 days to Oct 26Down 40% in 30 days

What are James Chressanthis' films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Crime 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
32%
Morality
28%
Self
14%
Society
8%
Ideas
7%
Power
6%
Survival
5%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 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 10 · Serious 7 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 14 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 14 · Intense 2

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

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 12 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 15 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

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 13 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Warm
11
Joyful
7
Melancholic
7
Contemplative
4
Other
17

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic1
  • 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 James Chressanthis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Subscription and free streaming for James Chressanthis' 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

37 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Tale(2018)

    "A" Camera Operator · Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond(2016)

    Cinematographer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • In My Dreams(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Cesar's Last Fast(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Christmas in Conway(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Watsons Go to Birmingham(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Prosecuting Casey Anthony(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Makeover(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Client List(2011)

    Show 25 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Hide(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • American Horror Story(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Venus & Vegas(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos(2008)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Living Proof(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Four Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • Ghost Whisperer(2005)

    Show 56 episodes · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Jules Verne's Mysterious Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Eloise at the Plaza(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Music Man(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Eloise at Christmastime(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Nancy Drew(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Urban Legend(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Judas Kiss(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Love Boat: The Next Wave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Reform School Girl(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Rebel Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Father & Son: Dangerous Relations(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Hexed(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Harts of the West(1993)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Majority Rule (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Leather Jackets(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Death Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • Voices That Care (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Camera Operator

  • The Witches of Eastwick(1987)

    Production Assistant

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 32 titles from 1987 to 2018.

Biggest box office

Urban Legend (1998)

$73M worldwide

Highest rated

Eloise at Christmastime (2003)

Midcredits 86th

Most popular right now

Urban Legend (1998)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing2 of 32: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting1 of 32: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 32: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography28 of 32: 27 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thOther crew3 of 32: 3 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s12 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s10 · 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 James Chressanthis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 29 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · cinematographer

In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King (1995)

88th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

American Horror Story (2011)

Midcredits 87th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 51/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 31. 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.

Who does James Chressanthis work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Chressanthis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Janet Brownell shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers