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Stephen James Taylor

Stephen James Taylor

Composer · Born September 28, 1954 (72) · Los Angeles, California, U.S

Stephen James Taylor (born September 28, 1954) is an American composer best known for his film and TV scores. He has scored several films for directors Charles Burnett and Robert Townsend and numerous animated television shows. He has been nominated for four Emmy Awards for his work on the television film Brother Future and the series Timon & Bumbaa, I'll Fly Away, and Raw Toonage.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 28, 1954 (72)
From
Los Angeles, California, U.S
Works as
Composer
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 7% in 30 days

What are Stephen James Taylor's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Animation6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Bonds
24%
Morality
19%
Power
18%
Self
14%
Society
13%
Survival
7%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 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 10 · Serious 8 · Dark 6

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 14 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 14 · Intense 3

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

Steady 16 · Shifting 7 · 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 15 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 14 · 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 13 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

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 9 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Hopeful
13
Joyful
8
Warm
9
Contemplative
7
Other
22

How their films linger

Hopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic1

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 Stephen James Taylor's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stephen James Taylor'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

47 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page.

  • Chemical Hearts(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Composer

  • Making the Five Heartbeats(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Stitch & Ai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 13 episodes · Composer

  • Southside with You(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Maya Angelou and Still I Rise(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Black Panther(2010)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Of Boys and Men(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Phantom Punch(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation(2007)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Brer Rabbit(2006)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Mickey's Laugh Factory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

  • Teacher's Pet(2004)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie(2002)

    Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • 10,000 Black Men Named George(2002)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse(2001)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Disney's House of Mouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 52 episodes · Composer

  • Holiday Heart(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Bird Brained Donald (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Composer

  • John Henry(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Finding Buck McHenry(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Olivia's Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Composer

  • Blessed Art Thou(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • How to Haunt a House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Pluto Gets the Paper: Street Cleaner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Passing Glory(1999)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Selma, Lord, Selma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Maestro Minnie: Brahm's Lullabye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • Why Do Fools Fall in Love(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Composer

  • Jungle Cubs (Volume 1): Born to be Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • Nightjohn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • Around the World with Timon & Pumbaa(1996)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Jungle Cubs(1996)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • When It Rains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • Divas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • The Piano Lesson(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Glass Shield(1994)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation(1992)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • I'll Fly Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 16 episodes · Composer

  • Brother Future(1991)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • America Becoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • To Sleep with Anger(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tiny Toon Adventures(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • G.I. Joe(1990)

    Show 44 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

Career shape

A full career of 41 titles from 1983 to 2020.

Biggest box office

Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998)

$12M worldwide

Highest rated

Maya Angelou and Still I Rise (2016)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

G.I. Joe (1990)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Music40 of 41: 40 only music, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61stOther crew1 of 41: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s19 · crew2000s16 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s1 · 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 Stephen James Taylor's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 26; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · composer

Making the Five Heartbeats (2018)

92nd percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Maya Angelou and Still I Rise (2016)

Midcredits 95th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 61/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 Stephen James Taylor work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stephen James Taylor's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Robert Townsend shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers