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Tom DeSimone

Tom DeSimone

Director and writer · Died October 17, 2026, aged 87 · Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Tom DeSimone (born 1939) is an American director, writer, producer and editor, perhaps best known for directing the cult films Chatterbox (1977), Hell Night (1981), and The Concrete Jungle (1982). DeSimone was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emerson College. He relocated to Los Angeles, California in the 1960s, and enrolled at the University of Southern California to earn a Master's degree in filmmaking. DeSimone began his career as a director of numerous adult films in the late 1960s, including several gay pornography films under the pseudonym Lancer Brooks. He would later become known for directing the cult film Chatterbox (1977), produced by Bruce Cohn Curtis. Curtis would then hire him to direct his subsequent film, the cult slasher film Hell Night (1981). He also directed the films The Concrete Jungle and Reform School Girls, and the television series Freddy's Nightmares and Dark Justice. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1939
Died
October 17, 2026 (aged 87)
From
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 64 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

What are Tom DeSimone's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd 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
Survival
43%
Morality
21%
Bonds
10%
Self
10%
Power
10%
Society
5%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 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 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 3

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 3 · 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 4 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 3 · 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 4 · Engaged 2 · 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 1 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Absurd
2
Thrilling
3
Dread
3
Joyful
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Fun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Ambiguous2

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 Tom DeSimone's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tom DeSimone'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

64 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Anatomy of Death Scenes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • She Spies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Young Men of the 80's Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Pensacola: Wings of Gold(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • The Big Easy(1996)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Acapulco Bay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 60 episodes · Director

  • Super Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

  • Swamp Thing(1990)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • Angel III: The Final Chapter(1988)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Freddy's Nightmares (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Reform School Girls(1986)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Nightcrawler: A Leathersex Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Writer

  • Bi-Bi Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Writer

  • Bi-Coastal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Savage Streets(1984)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Comming Distractions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director · Editor

  • Gay Guide to Cruising (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • The Concrete Jungle(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Skin Deep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Presenter

  • Hell Night(1981)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Private Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor

  • The Dirty Picture Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Flesh and Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Writer

  • Wet Shorts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Presenter · Producer

  • Gettin' Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Producer

  • Bad, Bad Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

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

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The Harder They Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director · Producer

  • Heavy Equipment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Producer

  • Inside Jennifer Welles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Guy Hitting on Jennifer (uncredited)

  • Chatterbox!(1977)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Hot Truckin' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Wanted: Billy the Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Assistant Director · Camera Operator

  • Catching Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Good Hot Stuff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor

  • Aphrodisiacs in the Male Animal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Ballet Down the High Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Assistant Director · Camera Operator

  • Pool Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Station to Station (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Anything Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Duffy's Tavern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Games Without Rules (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Erotikus: A History of the Gay Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Chained! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Black Heat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Confessions of an Inmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Sons of Satan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Prison Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Dust Unto Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Blue Movie Auditions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Dirty Books (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • The Classified Caper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Assault (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Black and Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Confessions of a Male Groupie or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Electric Banana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Writer

  • Gay Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Writer

  • Highway Hustler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Lust in the Afternoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • The Peeker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Inside A.M.G. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • The Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • Terror in the Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • The Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Wooden Lullaby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 63 titles from 1962 to 2017.

Biggest box office

Reform School Girls (1986)

$2.5M worldwide

Highest rated

Savage Streets (1984)

Midcredits 50th

Most popular right now

Hell Night (1981)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 63: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting58 of 63: 38 only directing, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score21stWriting13 of 63: 0 only writing, 13 with another roleProducing6 of 63: 1 only producing, 5 with another roleCinematography2 of 63: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleEditing6 of 63: 0 only editing, 6 with another roleOther crew4 of 63: 2 only other crew, 2 with another role

63 titles, 20 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 13 of them.

By decade

1960s3 · crew1970s37 · 1 acting · 36 crew1980s15 · crew1990s5 · crew2000s2 · crew2010s1 · 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 Tom DeSimone's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 25th percentile, the median of all 6; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 9 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · director

The Concrete Jungle (1982)

74th percentile spread · 47% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Big Easy (1996)

Midcredits 57th · 66% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 55/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 6 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 Tom DeSimone's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 70 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles35–72 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tom DeSimone work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom DeSimone's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jack Cummins shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers