Robert Leighton (film editor)
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Robert Leighton is a British film and television editor with more than 30 feature film credits since 1980. He has edited nearly all of the films by film director
Rob Reiner Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performanc ...
, commencing with ''
This Is Spinal Tap ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (also known as ''This Is Spınal Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi'') is a 1984 American mockumentary film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, M ...
'' in 1984. He has also edited three films with
Christopher Guest Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born February 5, 1948) is an American-British screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor, and comedian. Guest is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed, and starred in ...
. His work includes hit comedies and
mockumentaries A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
such as ''
This Is Spinal Tap ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (also known as ''This Is Spınal Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi'') is a 1984 American mockumentary film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, M ...
'', '' Best in Show'' and '' When Harry Met Sally...'' as well as classic dramas such as '' Stand by Me'' and the
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
thriller, '' Misery'', which garnered actress
Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actor and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, includ ...
a "Best Actress"
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
. He was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Film Editing The Academy Award for Best Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. For 33 consecutive years, ...
for the feature film, ''
A Few Good Men ''A Few Good Men'' is a 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin's 1989 play. It was written by Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and produced by Reiner, David Brown and Andrew Scheinman. It stars an ensemble cast including Tom Cru ...
'' (1992). Leighton is an alumnus of
London Film School London Film School (LFS) is a film school in London and is situated in a converted brewery in Covent Garden, London, neighbouring Soho, a hub of the UK film industry. It is the oldest film school in the UK.
.


Filmography

Leighton's filmography is based on the listing at the Internet Movie Database. The director for each film is indicated in parenthesis. * ''
A Dog's Purpose ''A Dog's Purpose'' is a 2010 novel written by American author W. Bruce Cameron. It chronicles a dog's journey through four lives via reincarnation and how he looks for his purpose through each. The novel was a ''New York Times'' bestseller f ...
'' ( Hallström-2017) * '' The Intern'' (
Meyers Meyers is a surname of English origin; many branches of the Meyers family trace their origins to Anglo-Saxon England. The name is derived from the Old French name ''Maire'', meaning "mayor", or an officer in charge of legal matters. The English s ...
-2015) * ''
Chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
'' ( Favreau-2014) * '' Now You See Me'' ( Leterrier-2013) * '' People Like Us'' (
Kurtzman Kurtzman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alex Kurtzman (born 1973), American film and television screenwriter and producer * David Kurtzman (1904–1977), American university Chancellor * Harvey Kurtzman (1924–1993), Amer ...
-2012) * ''
The Details The Details are an indie rock band based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, featuring vocalist and guitarist Jon Plett, bassist Keli Martin, guitarist Sean Vidal and drummer Shaun Gibson. Their current record label is Parliament of Trees. History ...
'' (
Estes Estes is an English-language surname said to derive from Old English and have the meaning "of the East" (literally, "East's"). As a surname, it has been traced to southern Kent, as early as the mid-15th century, Nicholas Estes (Ewstas, Esteuzi) b. 1 ...
-2011) (Consulting Editor, with Sarah Boyd) * '' Flipped'' (Reiner-2010) * ''
Gone with the Pope ''Gone with the Pope'' (also known as ''Kiss the Ring'') is a 1976 independent film written, directed and produced by Italian-American crooner-actor Duke Mitchell that was first released in 2010 by Grindhouse Releasing. Plot The movie tells the ...
'' (
Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...
-2010). Filming was completed in 1976, and Leighton and Robert Florio did some editing. The film was left unfinished at Mitchell's death in 1981.
Bob Murawski Bob Murawski (born June 14, 1964) is an American film editor. He was awarded the 2010 Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his work on ''The Hurt Locker'', which he shared with his wife, fellow editor Chris Innis. He often works with film dir ...
acquired the film in the 1990s. Over the next fifteen years, he edited it with Jody Fedele and Paul Hart; the film was finally released in 2010. * ''
The Bucket List ''The Bucket List'' is a 2007 American buddy adventure comedy-drama film directed and produced by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The main plot follows two terminally ill men on their road tr ...
'' (Reiner-2007) * '' For Your Consideration'' (Guest-2006) * ''
Rumor Has It Rumor Has It may refer to: Film and television * ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film * ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1 * ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV Music * "Rumour Has It" (Donna Su ...
'' (Reiner-2005) * '' Shall We Dance?'' ( Chelsom-2004) * ''
A Mighty Wind ''A Mighty Wind'' is a 2003 American mockumentary comedy film about a folk music reunion concert in which three folk bands reunite for a television performance for the first time in decades. Co-written (with Eugene Levy), directed, and composed ...
'' (Guest-2003) * ''
Alex & Emma ''Alex & Emma'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson. Written by Jeremy Leven, the film is about a writer who must publish a novel in thirty days or face the wrath of loan sharks. ...
'' (Reiner-2003) * '' Best in Show'' (Guest-2000). Christopher Guest had starred in ''This is Spinal Tap'', which Leighton edited. The films that Guest has directed are also "mockumentaries", and involve extensive improvisation during filming and extending editing to develop the story. * '' The Story of Us'' (Reiner-1999) * ''
Hush Hush may refer to: Film and television * ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young * ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi * ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...
'' (Darby-1998) * ''
Ghosts of Mississippi ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' is a 1996 American biographical courtroom drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and James Woods. The plot is based on the true story of the 1994 trial of Byron De La Beckwith, the ...
'' (Reiner-1996) * ''
Courage Under Fire ''Courage Under Fire'' is a 1996 American war film directed by Edward Zwick, and starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan. It is the second collaboration between Washington and director Zwick. The film was released in the United States on July ...
'' ( Zwick-1996) (Additional Editor, with
Steven Rosenblum Steven Rosenblum is an American film editor with over twenty feature film credits dating from 1987. He has had an extended, notable collaboration with the director Edward Zwick, and has edited all of his films since '' Glory'' (1989). Life and ...
) * ''
The American President ''The American President'' is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Rob Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film stars Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, and Richard Dreyfuss. In the ...
'' (Reiner-1995) * ''
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
'' (Reiner-1994) * '' Life with Mikey'' ( Lapine-1993) * ''
A Few Good Men ''A Few Good Men'' is a 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin's 1989 play. It was written by Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and produced by Reiner, David Brown and Andrew Scheinman. It stars an ensemble cast including Tom Cru ...
'' (Reiner-1992) * ''
Late for Dinner ''Late for Dinner'' is a 1991 American science fiction drama film directed by W. D. Richter and starring Peter Berg, Brian Wimmer and Marcia Gay Harden. The supporting cast features Peter Gallagher and Richard Steinmetz, along with Janeane Garof ...
'' ( Richter-1991) * '' Misery'' (Reiner-1990). Leighton's editing of the film has been used as a textbook example of "time expansion". * '' Blaze'' (Shelton-1989) * '' When Harry Met Sally...'' (Reiner-1989) * ''
Bull Durham ''Bull Durham'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy sports film. It is partly based upon the minor-league baseball experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor-league baseball team in ...
'' (
Shelton Shelton may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Shelton, North Bedfordshire, in the parish of Dean and Shelton, Bedfordshire *Lower Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire *Upper Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfor ...
-1988) * ''
The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to: * ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...
'' (Reiner-1987) * '' Stand by Me'' (Reiner-1986) * ''
The Sure Thing ''The Sure Thing'' is a 1985 American adventure comedy romance film written by Steven L. Bloom and Jonathan Roberts and directed by Rob Reiner. The film stars John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Viveca Lindfors, and Nicollette Sheridan. The film chron ...
'' (Reiner-1985) * ''
This is Spinal Tap ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (also known as ''This Is Spınal Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi'') is a 1984 American mockumentary film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, M ...
'' (Reiner-1984) (Supervising Editor;
Kent Beyda Kent Beyda (born October 11, 1953) is an American film editor. Life and career Beyda worked as an assistant editor on John Cassavetes' '' Opening Night'' (1977), Allan Arkush's ''Rock 'n' Roll High School'' (1979), and Joe Dante's ''The Howling ...
and Kim Secrist are credited as the editors.) * ''
Wavelength In physics, the wavelength is the spatial period of a periodic wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase on the wave, such as two adjacent crests, tro ...
'' (
Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
-1983) * ''
Blood Tide ''Blood Tide'' is a 1982 British horror film directed by Richard Jefferies (screenwriter), Richard Jefferies, and starring James Earl Jones, José Ferrer, Lila Kedrova, Mary Louise Weller, Martin Kove, and Deborah Shelton. Its plot follows a y ...
'' (
Jefferies Jefferies is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alan Jefferies (born 1957), Australian writer * Annalee Jefferies (born 1954), American actress * Chris Jefferies (born 1980), American basketball player * Cindy Jefferies, Englis ...
-1982) (Supervising Editor) * ''
Kill and Kill Again ''Kill and Kill Again'' is a 1981 action film directed by Ivan Hall. The film stars James Ryan as Steve Chase who is hired to save the scientist Horatio Kane, who has been kidnapped by the scientist Marduk. Chase gathers together a team of merc ...
'' (
Hall In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gr ...
-1981) * ''
Delusion A delusion is a false fixed belief that is not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence. As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, hallucination, or some o ...
'' (Beattie-1981) (Also known as The House Where Death Lives) * ''
Stunt Rock ''Stunt Rock'' is a 1978 Australian mockumentary musical action film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and starring Grant Page. Plot Australian stuntman Grant Page accepts a job on an American television series and travels to Los Angeles, where h ...
'' ( Trenchard-Smith-1979) (credited as Robert H. Money) * ''
Fantastic Animation Festival Fantastic Animation Festival is a package film of animation segments, set mostly to music and released to theaters in 1977. It was one of the earliest of the sort of collections typified by Computer Animation Festival and Spike and Mike's Sick an ...
'' (Berko/Padilla-1977) (Trailer Editor) * ''
Mastermind Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to: Fictional characters * Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters: ** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of the ...
'' (March-1969)


Awards and nominations

This list is based on the Internet Movie Database. *2001 - '' Best in Show'' - (Nominated) -
ACE Eddie Award Founded in 1950, American Cinema Editors (ACE) is an honorary society of film editors that are voted in based on the qualities of professional achievements, their education of others, and their dedication to editing. Members use the post-nominal ...
- Best Editing - Feature Film - Comedy or Musical *1993 - ''
A Few Good Men ''A Few Good Men'' is a 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin's 1989 play. It was written by Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and produced by Reiner, David Brown and Andrew Scheinman. It stars an ensemble cast including Tom Cru ...
'' - (Nominated) - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ("Oscar") - Best Film Editing *1993 - ''
A Few Good Men ''A Few Good Men'' is a 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin's 1989 play. It was written by Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and produced by Reiner, David Brown and Andrew Scheinman. It stars an ensemble cast including Tom Cru ...
'' - (Nominated) - ACE Eddie Award - Best Film Editing


See also

*
List of film director and editor collaborations This list of film director and editor collaborations includes longstanding, notable partnerships of film director, directors and film editor, editors. The list's importance is that directors and editors typically work together on the film editing, ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leighton, Robert British film editors Living people Year of birth missing (living people) British expatriates in the United States British television editors Alumni of the London Film School