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J. Michael McClary

J. Michael McClary

Director and writer

Works as
Director and writer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 9 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 18% in 30 days

What are J. Michael McClary's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
29%
Society
24%
Bonds
22%
Power
17%
Survival
7%
Prejudice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 0 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 0 · Intense 1

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 1 · 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 2 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 1

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

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
1
Hopeful
1
Romantic
1
Joyful
1
Tense
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Hopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 J. Michael McClary's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for J. Michael McClary'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

9 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page.

  • Annie O(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Halfback of Notre Dame(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Curse of the Starving Class(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Turning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • JFK(1991)

    Additional Camera

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Amazon Women on the Moon(1987)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Return to Salem's Lot(1987)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Tender Mercies(1983)

    First Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 9 titles from 1974 to 1996.

Highest rated

Curse of the Starving Class (1994)

Midcredits 49th

Most popular right now

The Halfback of Notre Dame (1996)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing2 of 9: 2 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting1 of 9: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleCinematography2 of 9: 2 only cinematography, 0 with another roleOther crew4 of 9: 4 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s3 · crew1990s5 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do J. Michael McClary's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 8; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 21st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

21stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

21stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 8 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · director

Curse of the Starving Class (1994)

92nd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Curse of the Starving Class (1994)

Midcredits 49th · 69% liked

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 J. Michael McClary work with?

People who share at least 2 of J. Michael McClary's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank Hames shares the most, 2.

Composers and cinematographers

Producers