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Thief (1981)

Directed by Michael Mann · Cinematography by Donald E. Thorin

R123 min63 frames

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Tonight, his take home pay is $410,000... tax free.

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Thief

16 of 63 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — A dark, dimly lit booth interior with warm highlights on the subject. An older man with glasses sits quietly…Thief (1981) movie still: establishing — An iron fire escape sits between two dark buildings under a bright night light. The metal structure creates…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A dark concrete underpass with overhead lights spans above a paved road. A single car drives towards the camera…Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — A man's face is positioned against a solid, dark green wall. He speaks while looking towards the upper right of…Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — A close-up view shows the interior of a mechanical film camera. A metallic shutter blade remains partially…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A vertical view down a concrete apartment building stairwell with metal handrail segments. The central open space…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A wet asphalt parking lot at night bordered by a dark river and cityscape. Four men stand in pairs near their…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A high-rise building rooftop overlooking a sprawling urban landscape under a cloudy sky. Three men stand by the…Thief (1981) movie still: medium — An industrial-looking interior space with dim surroundings and overhead fluorescent lighting. An older man…Thief (1981) movie still: medium — A wood-paneled office features an American flag and a framed portrait of Abraham Lincoln. The judge sits behind…Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — The interior of a commuter train car is dark with out-of-focus city lights visible. A blonde woman sits near a…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A nighttime view of a dark city street featuring a Green Mill neon sign. The sidewalk is empty and the storefront…Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — A dimly lit indoor kitchen space with a tiled wall and a refrigerator. A man in his forties and a woman with…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A wet, overcast urban street is lined with parked cars and brick row houses. A police officer stands in the middle…Thief (1981) movie still: wide — A wood-paneled room features a large window overlooking a bridge structure outside. Two men interact in the space…Thief (1981) movie still: closeup — A man's face is visible in close proximity to a window at night. Beyond the glass, a dark industrial harbor area…
Thief (1981) — © Mann/Caan Productions, United Artists

Thief — official trailer

What is Thief about?

Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.

Where can you watch Thief?

US availability for Thief (1981). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Thief?

Who made Thief?

What does the cinematography of Thief look like?

Across 63 sampled frames, Thief builds its coverage from medium shots (35% of the sample), with close-ups (30%) carrying much of the rest. Cinematographer Donald E. Thorin keeps 59% of it in soft, low-key light. 56% of the frames play at night or in the failing light of dusk. Vintage glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in 65% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1980s.

What is the color palette of Thief?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Thief (1981) are #0d0d0c, #32302e, #535050, #f8f7f6, #73726e, #d3d0ce — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #0d0d0c
  • #32302e
  • #535050
  • #f8f7f6
  • #73726e
  • #d3d0ce

See the full Thief colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

Thief ranks in

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Techniques in this film

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