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Alan Clarke

Alan Clarke

Director, also producer · Died July 24, 1990, aged 54 · Wallasey, Merseyside, England, UK

Alan John Clarke (28 October 1935 – 24 July 1990) was an English television and film director, producer and writer. Clarke primarily worked for TV, writing and directing plays for Rediffusion, LWT, and the BBC. On film, he made only three features, the best known of which is the 1979 youth prison drama Scum, in fact an expansion of a Play for Today production.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 28, 1935
Died
July 24, 1990 (aged 54)
From
Wallasey, Merseyside, England, UK
Works as
Director, also producer
Titles
5 on MovieCove · 77 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 17% in 30 days

What are Alan Clarke's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Power
43%
Survival
26%
Self
21%
Morality
6%
Ideas
4%
Oppression3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 0 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 4 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 3

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

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

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 1

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 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 1 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Dread
3
Cold
2
Melancholic
2
Absurd
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Devastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet1
  • 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 Alan Clarke's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 5 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alan Clarke'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

77 credits, 5 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Director: Alan Clarke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • The Firm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Elephant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Christine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Rita, Sue and Bob Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

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

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Alive from Off Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Contact (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

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

    Producer

  • Stars of the Roller State Disco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • The British Desk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • Made in Britain(1983)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Tales Out of School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Brief Encounters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Baal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • Psy-Warriors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director

  • Beloved Enemy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director

  • Vodka Cola (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Producer

  • Scum(1979)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

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

    Director

  • Danton's Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director · Writer

  • Scum(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bukovsky(1977)

    Director · Producer · as Self - Interviewer (voice)

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Fast Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Plays for Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Director

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

    Director · Writer

  • Funny Farm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • A Follower for Emily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Penda's Fen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Love-Girl and the Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Adaptation

  • Man Above Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Achilles Heel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Horatio Bottomley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • The Edwardians (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • A Life Is Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • To Encourage the Others (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

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

    Director

  • Under the Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Everybody Say Cheese (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • The Hallelujah Handshake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • I Can't See My Little Willie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 11 episodes · Director

  • Sovereign's Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • The Comic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • The Last Train Through Harecastle Tunnel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • The Ladies: Doreen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • The Ladies: Joan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • Plays of Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Gold Robbers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Piano Tuner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Stand by Your Screen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • The Company of Five (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Nothing's Ever Over (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • The Fifty-Seventh Saturday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Stella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Never Mind How We Got Here, Where Are We? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Goodnight Albert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Got Yourself Sorted Out at All? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Sally Go Round the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • A Man of our Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • George's Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • Which of These Two Ladies Is He Married To? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • The Gentleman Caller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

  • A Man Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director

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

    Director

  • Half Hour Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 10 episodes · Director

  • The Informer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Seven Deadly Sins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Assistant Unit Manager

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Thirty-Minute Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Wednesday Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

Career shape

A full career of 77 titles from 1964 to 1991.

Biggest box office

Scum (1979)

$6.5K worldwide

Highest rated

Scum (1979)

Midcredits 95th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 77: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting74 of 77: 66 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score86thWriting6 of 77: 0 only writing, 6 with another roleProducing3 of 77: 1 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 77: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

77 titles, 8 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1960s30 · crew1970s26 · crew1980s20 · crew1990s1 · 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 Alan Clarke's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 86th percentile, the median of all 5; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 83rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 5 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 5 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · director

Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire (1985)

67th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Scum (1979)

Midcredits 95th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 83/100 and the pacing 65/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Alan Clarke's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 88 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 77 · intenseMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Alan Clarke work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alan Clarke's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Phil Daniels shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers