---
name: "Donald McAlpine"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/donald-mcalpine"
fi1m_id: "donald-mcalpine"
imdb_id: "nm0005791"
tmdb_id: 1095
wikidata_id: "Q1240097"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "1 January 1934"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-05T11:25:41.295842+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Donald McAlpine

## Identity

Donald McAlpine

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/donald-mcalpine
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** donald-mcalpine
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005791
- **TMDB ID:** 1095
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1240097
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McAlpine, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1240097, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005791/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1095

Cinematographer. Born 1 January 1934 in Quandialla, New South Wales, Australia.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 1 January 1934, Quandialla, New South Wales, Australia
- **Active:** 1979–2009
- **Also known as:** Donald M. McAlpine, Don McAlpine, Don McApline
- **Frequently works with:** [Baz Luhrmann](https://film.one/person/baz-luhrmann.md), [Craig Pearce](https://film.one/person/craig-pearce.md), [Donald E. Stewart](https://film.one/person/donald-e-stewart.md), [Harrison Ford](https://film.one/person/harrison-ford.md), [Mace Neufeld](https://film.one/person/mace-neufeld.md), [Phillip Noyce](https://film.one/person/phillip-noyce.md), [Robert Rehme](https://film.one/person/robert-rehme.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 82 (1), 1980s 76 (3), 1990s 73 (4), 2000s 56 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 62 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 7, Action 5, Adventure 3, Comedy 3, Romance 3, Science Fiction 3
- **Screen time:** 21 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,948m across 11 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_McAlpine, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1240097, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005791/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1095

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Romeo + Juliet*](https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet.md) (82), [*Mrs. Doubtfire*](https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire.md) (74), [*X-Men Origins: Wolverine*](https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine.md) (45)
- **HBO Max:** [*My Brilliant Career*](https://film.one/film/my-brilliant-career.md) (82)
- **Netflix:** [*Parenthood*](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md) (78)
- **Hulu:** [*Patriot Games*](https://film.one/film/patriot-games.md) (61)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Time Machine*](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md) (47)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Donald McAlpine is an Australian cinematographer. Born in Quandialla, New South Wales, he worked as a physical education teacher in Parkes before joining ABC Television as a camera assistant in 1962 and later the Commonwealth Film Unit.

From 1972 he collaborated with Bruce Beresford on Australian features including *Breaker Morant* (1980) and with Gillian Armstrong on *My Brilliant Career* (1979). His later credits include *Mrs. Doubtfire* (1993), *Romeo + Juliet* (1996), *Moulin Rouge!* (2001), *Peter Pan* (2003) and *The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe* (2005).

McAlpine is a member of the Australian Cinematographers Society and the American Society of Cinematographers. He received an Academy Award nomination for *Moulin Rouge!* and the ASC International Achievement Award in 2009.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (11)

- *X-Men Origins: Wolverine* (2009), Fi1m 45, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine.md)
- *The Time Machine* (2002), Fi1m 47, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md)
- *Moulin Rouge!* (2001), Fi1m 75, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/moulin-rouge.md)
- *Romeo + Juliet* (1996), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet.md)
- *Clear and Present Danger* (1994), Fi1m 75, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/clear-and-present-danger.md)
- *Mrs. Doubtfire* (1993), Fi1m 74, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire.md)
- *Patriot Games* (1992), Fi1m 61, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/patriot-games.md)
- *Parenthood* (1989), Fi1m 78, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md)
- *Predator* (1987), Fi1m 84, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/predator.md)
- *Down and Out in Beverly Hills* (1986), Fi1m 65, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/down-and-out-in-beverly-hills.md)
- *My Brilliant Career* (1979), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/my-brilliant-career.md)

## Complete filmography (60)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Portable Door* (2023), Director of Photography
- *Savage River* (2022), series, Director of Photography
- *Black Site* (2022), Director of Photography
- *A Stitch in Time* (2022), Director of Photography, Executive Producer
- *Rajma Chawal* (2018), Director of Photography
- *Ali's Wedding* (2017), Cinematography
- *The Dressmaker* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Ender's Game* (2013), Director of Photography
- *Mental* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Mega Piranha* (2010), Director of Photography
- *X-Men Origins: Wolverine* (2009), Director of Photography — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine.md)
- *The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Peter Pan* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Anger Management* (2003), Director of Photography
- *The Time Machine* (2002), Director of Photography — Fi1m 47, [page](https://film.one/film/the-time-machine.md)
- *Moulin Rouge!* (2001), Director of Photography — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/moulin-rouge.md)
- *Stepmom* (1998), Director of Photography
- *The Edge* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Romeo + Juliet* (1996), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/romeo-juliet.md)
- *Nine Months* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Clear and Present Danger* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/clear-and-present-danger.md)
- *Mrs. Doubtfire* (1993), Director of Photography — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire.md)
- *The Man Without a Face* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Patriot Games* (1992), Director of Photography — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/patriot-games.md)
- *Medicine Man* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Career Opportunities* (1991), Director of Photography
- *The Hard Way* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Stanley & Iris* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Parenthood* (1989), Director of Photography — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md)
- *See You in the Morning* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Moon Over Parador* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Moving* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Orphans* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Predator* (1987), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/predator.md)
- *The Fringe Dwellers* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Down and Out in Beverly Hills* (1986), Director of Photography — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/down-and-out-in-beverly-hills.md)
- *My Man Adam* (1985), Director of Photography
- *King David* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Moscow on the Hudson* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Harry & Son* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Now and Forever* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Blue Skies Again* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Tempest* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Puberty Blues* (1981), Director of Photography
- *The Children of An Lac* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Club* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Earthling* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Breaker Morant* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Journalist* (1979), Director of Photography
- *My Brilliant Career* (1979), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/my-brilliant-career.md)
- *The Odd Angry Shot* (1979), Director of Photography
- *Money Movers* (1978), Director of Photography
- *Patrick* (1978), Director of Photography
- *Don's Party* (1976), Cinematography
- *Barry McKenzie Holds His Own* (1974), Director of Photography
- *The Fifth Facade: The Making of the Sydney Opera House* (1973), Camera Operator
- *The Adventures of Barry McKenzie* (1972), Director of Photography
- *How to Drive* (1969), Camera Operator

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2002: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Moulin Rouge!*

### Other awards — 1 won

- AACTA Award for Best Cinematography 1980: AACTA Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *Breaker Morant*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/donald-mcalpine