Skip to content
MovieCove

Desmond Dickinson

Cinematographer · Died March 1, 1986, aged 83 · Norbiton, Surrey, England, UK

Born
May 25, 1902
Died
March 1, 1986 (aged 83)
From
Norbiton, Surrey, England, UK
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 78 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 19% in 30 days

What are Desmond Dickinson's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Action 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
Morality
31%
Bonds
24%
Power
16%
Self
14%
Survival
11%
Society
3%
Ideas
2%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 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 16 · Serious 11 · Dark 5

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 11 · Charged 13 · Intense 8

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

Steady 14 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 3

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 16 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 18 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 14 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 3

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Dread
9
Absurd
7
Melancholic
10
Warm
8
Other
24

How their films linger

Fun15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5
  • Cyclical1

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 Desmond Dickinson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Desmond Dickinson'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

78 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Man from Nowhere(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Tower of Evil(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Nobody Ordered Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Burke & Hare(1972)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Blood Suckers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Cinematographer

  • The Beast in the Cellar(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Trog(1970)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Baby Love(1969)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher(1968)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Berserk(1967)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Alphabet Murders(1965)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • A Study in Terror(1965)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Murder Ahoy(1964)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Murder Most Foul(1964)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Cairo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Cinematographer

  • Sparrows Can't Sing(1963)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Two and Two Make Six (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Cinematographer

  • The Frightened City(1961)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Daffodil(1961)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Konga(1961)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Mary Had a Little...(1961)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Hands of Orlac(1960)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Horror Hotel(1960)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Horrors of the Black Museum(1959)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Orders to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • Intent to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • The Stowaway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • Action of the Tiger(1957)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Fire Down Below(1957)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Black Tent(1956)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Cinematographer

  • Quentin Durward(1955)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Loves of Three Queens(1954)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Fate of Two Queens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Cinematographer

  • Carrington V.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Cinematographer

  • The Man Between (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Cinematographer

  • The Net (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Cinematographer

  • Meet Me Tonight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Cinematographer

  • The Importance of Being Earnest(1952)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Encore(1951)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Browning Version(1951)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Five Angles on Murder(1950)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Morning Departure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Cinematographer

  • Madness of the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • The Rocking Horse Winner(1949)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The History of Mr. Polly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • Code Name: Westward Ho! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Cinematographer

  • Hamlet(1948)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Hungry Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Cinematographer

  • Thursday's Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Cinematographer

  • CEMA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Director

  • Eating Out with Tommy Trinder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Director

  • Two Days to Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • The Body Vanished (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Eddie Carroll and His Orchestra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Night Ride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Sunshine Ahead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Cinematographer

  • Variety (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • City of Beautiful Nonsense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • Dick Turpin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • Commissionaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • Love's Old Sweet Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • Here's George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Account Rendered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • The New Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • The Callbox Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Threads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Detective Lloyd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • The Great Gay Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Jealousy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • The House of Unrest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Other People's Sins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Such Is the Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Cinematographer

  • The Guns of Loos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • A Woman Redeemed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Assistant Camera

Career shape

A full career of 75 titles from 1927 to 1975.

Biggest box office

Hamlet (1948)

$126 worldwide

Highest rated

The Browning Version (1951)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Horror Hotel (1960)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing2 of 75: 2 only directing, 0 with another roleCinematography72 of 75: 72 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score39thOther crew1 of 75: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1920s2 · crew1930s21 · crew1940s10 · crew1950s19 · crew1960s14 · crew1970s9 · 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 Desmond Dickinson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 36th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 32 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · cinematographer

Trog (1970)

68th percentile spread · 62% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Browning Version (1951)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 63/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 50. 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 Desmond Dickinson'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
Sex & Nudity5 titles3–61 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

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 Desmond Dickinson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Desmond Dickinson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Herman Cohen shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles