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Saunder Jurriaans

Saunder Jurriaans

Composer · Born January 1, 1977 (49) · Evanston, Illinois, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee

Saunder Jurriaans is a contemporary film composer writing alongside Danny Bensi. Born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1977, Jurriaans is the child of Dutch immigrants who bounced around the United States before settling in Seattle, Washington. After moving to Providence, RI ostensibly to study at the Rhode Island School of Design, Jurriaans instead dropped out to play in a band. Around the same time he met Danny Bensi for the first time, and the pair quickly became collaborators. After moving to New York in 2000, Jurriaans, Bensi and drummer Gregory Rogove formed the proggy, chamber-rock trio Tarantula, later renamed Tarantula A.D. and finally Priestbird. The scope of their music is best reflected in the eclectic range of bands they toured with, including Avant-jazz-funk band Medeski Martin & Wood, freak folk singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart, psychedelic duo Cocorosie and heavy-metal rockers, The Sword. In Europe, they opened for Pearl Jam. The first film Jurriaans and Bensi composed the score for was 2010 drama Two Gates Of Sleep. The director, Alistair Banks Griffin, was a friend of Jurriaans' from Rhode Island School of Design. The new way of working came naturally to the pair. The critical applause for their debut soundtrack led to 'Danny and Saunder' to score the 2011 thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Sarah Paulson, and from then their career snowballed. Over the last decade their music has soundtracked over 100 films and television shows. Saunder Jurriaans also writes music outside of the film world - his first solo record "Beasts" will be released on Decca records September 18, 2020. Jurriaans lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Born
January 1, 1977 (49)
From
Evanston, Illinois, USA
Works as
Composer
Titles
94 on MovieCove · 112 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 155 days to Oct 26Up 25% in 30 days

What are Saunder Jurriaans' films like?

Across their 77 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama25 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
Self
23%
Morality
21%
Survival
16%
Bonds
15%
Society
15%
Power
6%
Ideas
4%
Identity17 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception14 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival10 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation9 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 66 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 20 · Dark 37

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

Grounded 44 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 4

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 9 · Charged 28 · Intense 29

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

Steady 27 · Shifting 31 · Whiplash 8

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

Straight-faced 53 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 2

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 37 · Even-paced 26 · 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 11 · Engaged 37 · Full focus 18

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 8 · Affecting 24 · Heavy 34

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 21 · Open-ended 20 · Ambiguous 25

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
57
Melancholic
35
Contemplative
34
Dread
26
Bittersweet
16
Other
47

How their films linger

Thought-provoking39 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling30 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 21 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet25
  • Tragic12
  • Ambiguous38
  • Other1

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 Saunder Jurriaans' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 82 of their 94 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Saunder Jurriaans' 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

112 credits, 94 with a MovieCove page.

  • I Will Find You(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Audacity(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Odyssey(2026)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Anniversary(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Splinter Cell: Deathwatch(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Black Rabbit(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Smoke(2025)

    Show 9 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Opus(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Enigma(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Earnhardt(2025)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Y2K(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Speak No Evil(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Presumed Innocent(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Exorcism(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • I Don't Understand You(2024)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Penelope(2024)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Secret Level(2024)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • A Murder at the End of the World(2023)

    Show 7 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • The Mission(2023)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Encounters(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Biosphere(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Last Thing He Told Me(2023)

    Show 7 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Somebody I Used to Know(2023)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Catching Lightning(2023)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Tulsa King(2022)

    Show 19 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • You Resemble Me(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • God's Creatures(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Staircase(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Outer Range(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Tokyo Vice(2022)

    Show 18 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Windfall(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Pieces of Her(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Night Sky(2022)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Girl Before(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Torn(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Becoming Cousteau(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Tina(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Composer

  • The White Tiger(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Lady and the Dale(2021)

    Show Composer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Wolfgang(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Trouble With Nature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Composer

  • Helstrom(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • The Devil All the Time(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Rental(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Homemade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

  • The Lodge(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Outsider(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Scheme(2020)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Countdown(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Tell Me Who I Am(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • On Becoming a God in Central Florida(2019)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Full-Dress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Composer

  • A Vigilante(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Wolf Hour(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Boy Erased(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Rosy(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Siberia(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Current War(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Price of Free(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Ozark(2017)

    Show 44 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • American Gods(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • LA 92(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Discovery(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Trophy(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Autopsy of Jane Doe(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • A Kind of Murder(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The OA(2016)

    Show 7 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Frank & Lola(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Christine(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Ticket(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Amanda Knox(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Barry(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Complete Unknown(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Fits(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Last Days in the Desert(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Critical Lifeline (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Composer

  • Jack of the Red Hearts(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Madly(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Nasty Baby(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Window Feel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Composer

  • Wildlike(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Fear the Walking Dead(2015)

    Show 76 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • The Gift(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Wolfpack(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Sea Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Composer

  • In Country(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Faster Horse(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Benefactor(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Driftless Area(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • A Good Marriage(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Bypass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Composer

  • The One I Love(2014)

    Composer · Scoring Mixer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Desert Cathedral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Composer

  • 5 to 7(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Enemy(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bluebird(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Jonathan's Chest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Composer

  • Runoff(2014)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Our Lad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • Magic Magic(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Sahasi Chori (Brave Girl) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • Karaoke! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Musical

  • All That I Am(2013)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Offerrollsretorik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • Nor'easter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Composer

  • Simon Killer(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

  • Martha Marcy May Marlene(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Strange Ones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

  • Two Gates of Sleep(2010)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Savant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 8 episodes · Composer

Career shape

A full career of 97 titles, 96 of them dated from 2010 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Speak No Evil (2024)

$77M worldwide

Highest rated

LA 92 (2017)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Secret Level (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing1 of 97: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleMusic96 of 97: 95 only music, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thOther crew1 of 97: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

2010s56 · crew2020s40 · 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.

Awards

2 major nominations and no wins, 2020–2026.

  1. 2026
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
  2. 2020
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Saunder Jurriaans' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 66; across their 66 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Midcredits score across 94 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up31
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th25
  • Below 25th17

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 94 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned3
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed15
  • Mixed27

Most divisive · composer

Odyssey (2026)

99th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Earnhardt (2025)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 59/100 in their films, across 48 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 46. 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.

Is Saunder Jurriaans' work okay for kids?

Across up to 43 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore31 titles25–90 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity43 titles14–69 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity35 titles40–80 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs29 titles28–62 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense29 titles35–79 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian 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 Saunder Jurriaans work with?

People who share at least 2 of Saunder Jurriaans' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Danny Bensi shares the most, 77.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles