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Alec Mills

Alec Mills

Cinematographer and director · Died February 12, 2024, aged 91 · London, England, UK

Alec Mills (10 May 1932 – 12 February 2024) was a British cinematographer, known for his work on several James Bond films. He was a camera operator on films from the 1950s to 1980s before getting his first notable credits as director of photography in the 1980s including The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 10, 1932
Died
February 12, 2024 (aged 91)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Cinematographer and director
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 35 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 28Up 110% in 30 days

What are Alec Mills' films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Adventure 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
51%
Bonds
20%
Self
11%
Survival
10%
Power
3%
Ideas
3%
Society
3%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · 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 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 5

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Thrilling
7
Hopeful
4
Melancholic
3
Warm
1
Other
8

How their films linger

Bittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet5

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 Alec Mills' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alec Mills' 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

35 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Point Men(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Inside 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Rag Nymph(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Seekers(1993)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Christopher Columbus: The Discovery(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Aces: Iron Eagle III(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Soldier Soldier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 22 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Bloodmoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Dead Sleep(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Licence to Kill(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Lionheart(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Living Daylights(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • King Kong Lives(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Shaka Zulu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 10 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Hot Target (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Space Riders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Biddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • James Bond in India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • The Appointment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Camera Operator

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

    Cinematographer

  • The Bed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Camera Operator

  • Eye of the Needle(1981)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Avalanche Express(1979)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Death on the Nile(1978)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Spy Who Loved Me(1977)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Crossed Swords(1977)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Shout at the Devil(1976)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Alfie Darling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Camera Operator

  • Gold(1974)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Macbeth(1971)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Hunting Party(1971)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Guns in the Heather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Camera Operator

  • Lost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Focus Puller

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

    Clapper Loader

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles from 1953 to 2001.

Biggest box office

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

$482M worldwide

Highest rated

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Licence to Kill (1989)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 34: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting2 of 34: 2 only directing, 0 with another roleCinematography15 of 34: 15 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score21stOther crew15 of 34: 15 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1950s2 · crew1960s1 · crew1970s9 · crew1980s14 · 1 acting · 13 crew1990s6 · crew2000s2 · 1 acting · 1 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 Alec Mills' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 16th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

16thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

5thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned3
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · cinematographer

Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992)

58th percentile spread · 67% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 54/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 38. 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 Alec Mills' 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 & Gore4 titlesmedian 72 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles34–46 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

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 Alec Mills work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alec Mills' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Glen shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers