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Films Made by Latter-day Saint
Cinematographers, Film Editors and Composers
Comparison of Box Office Receipts

(Dollar amounts are NOT adjusted for inflation.)



Tables on this page:

Some Films by Latter-day Saint Cinematographers

A few points should be made:

1. Audiences do not choose films based on the cinematographers.

2. The role of the cinematographer (director of photography) has a tremendous impact on the quality of a film, and is vastly under-appreciated.

3. The late Charles Lang was born in 1902 in Bluff, Utah. George Stapleford lives in Bountiful, Utah and only made films in Utah, for Sunn Classic Films.

Film TitleCinematographerYearU.S. Box Office GrossRank
for
Year
Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets Reed Smoot 1984 $280,000,000
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams George Stapleford 1975 65,000,000 6
How the West Was Won Charles Lang 1962 46,500,000 1
Napoleon Dynamite Munn Powell 2004 44,540,956
Homeward Bound Reed Smoot 1993 41,833,324 32
Mysteries of Egypt Reed Smoot 1998 40,593,286 50
Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West T.C. Christensen 2002 33,721,000 70
Bob & Carrol & Ted & Alice Charles Lang 1969 31,897,253 6
Cactus Flower Charles Lang 1969 25,889,208 9
Some Like It Hot Charles Lang 1959 25,000,000 4
In Search of Noah's Ark George Stapleford 1977 23,770,000 10
Wait Until Dark Charles Lang 1967 17,550,741 14
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man Reed Smoot 2000 15,626,076 128
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure Reed Smoot 2001 15,517,786 121
Galapagos: The Enchanted Voyage Reed Smoot 1999 15,167,393 125
Blue Skies Charles Lang 1946 14,300,000
Charade Charles Lang 1963 13,474,588 8
Welcome Stranger Charles Lang 1947 13,298,000 1
Father Goose Charles Lang 1964 12,500,000 11
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Charles Lang 1957 11,750,000
Blue Hawaii Charles Lang 1961 10,440,453 11
The Young Black Stallion Reed Smoot 2003 6,742,669 212
Smoke Signals Brian Capener 1998 6,719,300 142
One-Eyed Jacks Charles Lang 1961 4,300,000
ESPN's Ultimate X Reed Smoot 2002 4,197,175 177
China: The Panda Adventure Reed Smoot 2001 3,874,796 166
Separate Tables Charles Lang 1958 3,700,000
Loving You Charles Lang 1957 3,700,000
The Wraith Reed Smoot 1986 3,500,000 95
The Long Gray Line Charles Lang 1955 3,450,000
The Work and the Glory T.C. Christensen 2004 3,347,647
The Stork Club Charles Lang 1945 3,200,000
Gleaming the Cube Reed Smoot 1989 2,777,000 89
Fancy Pants Charles Lang 1950 2,600,000 4
Russkies Reed Smoot 1987 2,189,000 106
She Done Him Wrong Charles Lang 1933 2,000,000
Saints and Soldiers Ryan Little 2004 1,310,470
The Singles Ward Ryan Little 2002 1,250,798 214
Don't Tell Her It's Me Reed Smoot 1990 1,171,000 155
The Best Two Years Gordon C. Lonsdale 2004 1,163,450
The R.M. Ryan Little 2003 1,111,615 191
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! Reed Smoot 2001 993,040 198
Jack Weyland's Charly Bengt Jan Jonsson 2002 814,666 230
Little Secrets Brian Sullivan 2002 405,182 255
Pride & Prejudice Travis Cline 2003 372,752 309
The Home Teachers Ryan Little 2004 196,123
Baptists at Our Barbecue Brandon Christensen 2004 173,306
Sons of Provo John Lyde
Stephen Rose		 2005 120,488
Handcart Kels Goodman 2002 98,666 333
Down and Derby T.C. Christensen
Gordon C. Lonsdale		 2005 90,621
Out of Step Michael Worthen 2002 80,000 345
The Work and the Story Ben Hurst
Tristan Whitman		 2003 14,474 424


CinematographerTotal U.S.
Box Office Gross		Number
of Films
in Total
Reed Smoot $431,331,228 14
Charles Lang * 232,252,243 17
George Stapleford 88,770,000 2
Munn Powell 44,540,956 1
Brian Capener 6,719,000 1
T.C. Christensen 3,437,000 2
Ryan Little 2,687,592 4
Gordon C. Lonsdale 1,253,000 2
Bengt Jan Jonsson 814,666 1
Brian Sullivan 405,182 1
Travis Cline 372,752 1
Brandon Christensen 173,306 1
John Lyde
Stephen Rose		 120,488 1
Kels Goodman 98,666 1
Michael Worthen 80,000 1

Some Films with Scores by Latter-day Saint Composers

A few points should be made:

1. Audiences do not choose films based on the composer.

2. Much of the fine work by Latter-day Saint film composers has been done for straight-to-video films, or done on feature films released prior to when box office data is generally available. Leigh Harline and Robert F. Brunner, in particular, must be considered two of the deans of the community's composers, but their feature films mostly predate available box office data. The omission of these older box office figures are particularly unfortunate with regards to most films scored by Leigh Harline, one of the greatest Latter-day Saint composers ever, of any genre. Harline received 8 Academy Award nominations for his work, and won twice: for his score of Disney's Pinocchio, and for the song "When You Wish Upon a Star."


Film TitleComposerYearU.S. Box Office GrossRank
for
Year
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Leigh Harline 1937 $185,000,000 1
Pinocchio Leigh Harline 1940 84,300,000 1
Oliver & Company J.A.C. Redford 1988 74,151,346 11
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams Michael McLean 1975 65,000,000 6
D2: The Mighty Ducks J.A.C. Redford 1994 45,610,410 30
Mysteries of Egypt Sam Cardon 1998 40,593,286 50
Whales: An Unforgettable Journey Sam Cardon 1997 38,016,000 67
Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West Sam Cardon 2002 33,721,000 70
That Darn Cat! Robert F. Brunner 1965 28,062,222 5
D3: The Mighty Ducks J.A.C. Redford 1996 22,936,000 71
Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. Robert F. Brunner 1966 22,565,634 6
Blackbeard's Ghost Robert F. Brunner 1968 21,540,050 12
Windwalker Merrill Jenson 1980 18,636,000 19
The Boatniks Robert F. Brunner 1970 18,607,492 13
Heavyweights J.A.C. Redford 1995 17,689,000 86
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure Sam Cardon 2001 15,517,786 121
Extremities J.A.C. Redford 1986 13,418,000 64
A Kid in King Arthur's Court J.A.C. Redford 1995 13,406,717 101
Bye Bye, Love J.A.C. Redford 1995 12,073,560 106
Natural Disasters: Forces of Nature Sam Cardon 2003 10,786,000 124
The Island of the Sharks Alan Williams 1999 10,658,756 129
The Swan Princess Lex de Azevedo 1994 9,770,000 97
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Leigh Harline 1962 8,920,615 13
The Trip to Bountiful J.A.C. Redford 1985 7,466,000 65
The Work and the Glory Sam Cardon 2004 3,347,647
Newsies J.A.C. Redford 1992 2,819,000 100
Mark Twain's America in 3D Alan Williams 1998 2,295,730 182
The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1: The Journey Robert C. Bowden 2002 1,672,730 191
Saints and Soldiers J Bateman 2004 1,310,470
The Singles Ward Cody Hale 2002 1,250,798 214
The Best Two Years Michael McLean 2004 1,163,450
The R.M. Cody Hale 2003 1,111,615 192
Brigham City Sam Cardon 2001 905,073 204
Jack Weyland's Charly Aaron Merrill 2002 814,666 230
Little Secrets Sam Cardon 2002 405,182 255
Pride & Prejudice Ben Carson 2003 372,752 309
The Swan Princess 2 Lex de Azevedo 1997 235,766 234
The Home Teachers Cody Hale 2004 196,123
Baptists at Our Barbecue Greg Duckwitz 2004 173,306
Mobsters and Mormons Matt Larson
Dave Despain
Joel Stevenett		 2005 145,613 316
Handcart Eric M. Hanson 2002 98,666 333
Out of Step Merrill Jenson 2002 80,000 345
The Joyriders J.A.C. Redford 1999 64,579 316
Bush's Brain Michelle Shocked 2004 11,927 302



ComposerTotal U.S.
Box Office Gross		Number
of Films
in Total
Leigh Harline $278,220,615 3
J.A.C. Redford 209,634,612 10
Sam Cardon 140,371,000 8
Robert F. Brunner 90,775,398 4
Michael McLean 66,163,450 2
Merrill Jenson 18,716,000 2
Alan Williams 12,954,486 2
Lex de Azevedo 10,005,766 2
Cody Hale 2,558,536 3
Robert C. Bowden 1,672,730 1
J Bateman 1,310,470 1
Aaron Merrill 814,666 1
Ben Carson 372,752 1
Greg Duckwitz 173,306 1
Matt Larson
Dave Despain
Joel Stevenett		 145,613 1
Eric M. Hanson 98,666 1
Michelle Shocked 11,927 1


Some Films Edited by Latter-day Saint Film Editors

Film TitleEditorYearU.S. Box Office GrossRank
for
Year
Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets Stephen L. Johnson 1984 $280,000,000
The 40 Year-old Virgin Brent White 2005 90,726,553
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Brent White 2004 84,789,585
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams George Stapleford 1975 65,000,000 6
Napoleon Dynamite Jeremy Coon 2004 44,540,956
Mysteries of Egypt Stephen L. Johnson 1998 40,593,286 50
Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West Stephen L. Johnson 2002 33,721,000 70
Matilda Brent White 1996 33,576,681 46
Pacific Heights Steven Ramirez 1990 29,381,000 42
In the Heat of the Night Hal Ashby 1967 24,379,978 11
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming Hal Ashby 1966 21,693,114 7
Windwalker Stephen L. Johnson 1980 18,636,000 19
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure Stephen L. Johnson 2001 15,517,786 121
The Thomas Crown Affair Hal Ashby 1968 12,200,000 9
Natural Disasters: Forces of Nature Stephen L. Johnson 2003 10,786,000 124
The Other Side of Heaven Steven Ramirez 2001 4,720,371 151
The Work and the Glory Stephen L. Johnson 2004 3,347,647
The Legend of Johnny Lingo Steven Ramirez 2003 1,690,025 200
The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1: The Journey David Hales
Ira Baker		 2003 1,672,730 191
Saints and Soldiers Wynn Hougaard 2004 1,310,470
The Singles Ward Wynn Hougaard 2002 1,250,798 214
The Best Two Years Wynn Hougaard 2004 1,163,450
The R.M. Wynn Hougaard 2003 1,111,615 192
Jack Weyland's Charly Micah Merrill 2002 814,666 230
Panic Brent White 2000 748,730 213
Little Secrets Jerry Stayner 2002 405,182 255
Pride & Prejudice Alexander Vance 2003 372,752 309
The Home Teachers Wynn Hougaard 2004 196,123
Baptists at Our Barbecue Ludwig Einklang 2004 173,306
Mobsters and Mormons John Lyde 2005 145,613
Sons of Provo John Lyde
Stephen Rose		 2005 120,488
Handcart Joel Petrie 2002 98,666 333
Out of Step Wynn Hougaard 2002 80,000 345
The Work and the Story Ron Ralston
Steve Hennessey
John Crossman		 2003 14,474 424
The Slaughter Rule Brent White 2003 13,134 410
Wildflowers Brent White 1999 5,365 460


Film EditorTotal U.S.
Box Office Gross		Number
of Films
in Total
Stephen L. Johnson $399,780,000 7
Brent White 208,000,000 6
George Stapleford 65,000,000 1
Hal Ashby 58,273,092 3
Jeremy Coon 44,540,956 1
Steven Ramirez 34,848,752 3
Wynn Hougaard 2,710,056 6
David Hales; Ira Baker 1,672,730 1
Micah Merrill 814,666 1
Jerry Stayner 405,182 1
Alexander Vance 372,752 1
John Lyde 250,000 2
Ludwig Einklang 173,306 1
Stephen Rose 120,488 1
Joel Petrie 98,666 1




Web page with box office tables created 25 April 2001. This page split from original page on 30 November 2004. Last modified 23 September 2005.