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Erik Daarstad

Erik Daarstad

Cinematographer, also producer · Died March 13, 2023, aged 87 · Norway

Erik Daarstad was a Norwegian born cinematographer most known for his work on experimental short films.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 27, 1935
Died
March 13, 2023 (aged 87)
From
Norway
Works as
Cinematographer, also producer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 27 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 7% in 30 days

What are Erik Daarstad's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Drama 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
Society
22%
Self
21%
Survival
18%
Ideas
13%
Bonds
11%
Morality
9%
Power
6%
Art2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 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 6 · Serious 0 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 9 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 1 · 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 5 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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 3 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
6
Hopeful
4
Warm
4
Melancholic
5
Tense
3
Other
3

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet6

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 Erik Daarstad's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Erik Daarstad'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

27 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page.

  • Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey(2015)

    Cinematographer · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Anita: Speaking Truth to Power(2013)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • G-Dog(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Bird by Bird with Annie(1999)

    Cinematographer

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

  • Frank and Ollie(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • National Geographic: Splendid Stones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • Slow Fires: On the Preservation of the Human Record (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Camera Operator

  • Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • The Haunting of Harrington House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • The Clue According to Sherlock Holmes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • SP FX: Special Effects - The Empire Strikes Back(1980)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Diary of a Young Comic(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Bass on Titles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • The Mysterious Monsters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • The Incredible Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • Sunburst(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • The Men Who Made the Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • Zoos of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Cinematographer

  • Old Young Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • Why Man Creates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • The Exiles(1961)

    Cinematographer · Editor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Hell Squad(1958)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Service Station (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Production Assistant

  • The Tender Power (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 24 titles, 23 of them dated from 1957 to 2016.

Biggest box office

Anita: Speaking Truth to Power (2013)

$177K worldwide

Highest rated

Frank and Ollie (1995)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Bird by Bird with Annie (1999)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing1 of 24: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography20 of 24: 18 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdEditing1 of 24: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew4 of 24: 4 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s2 · crew1960s3 · crew1970s10 · crew1980s5 · crew1990s1 · crew2010s2 · 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 Erik Daarstad's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 73rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · cinematographer

Anita: Speaking Truth to Power (2013)

86th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Frank and Ollie (1995)

Midcredits 94th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 67/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 55. 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 Erik Daarstad work with?

People who share at least 2 of Erik Daarstad's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Freida Lee Mock shares the most, 3.

Directors

Cinematographers

Mixed roles