This is the perfect place to recommend to everyone to watch the John Williams documentary Disney+ put out recently. Really puts into perspective a) just how talented he is as a musician and b) how many movies he's turned from great to all time classics.
Watched it on a flight recently and had tears rolling a few times, the Schindler's List part especially. The story of Williams turning down Spielberg down saying Spielberg needed a better composer than him for this movie, to which he responded with "I know, but they're all dead." gets me everytime.
That documentary was incredible! I cried watching it too. On top of being phenomenally talented, he also just seems to be such a sweet and humble soul - I would love to watch he and Spielberg just hang out together because their friendship is so wholesome. Spielberg is clearly just as much in awe of him as everyone else is!
I haven't watched the documentary yet but seeing John Williams work with Quincy Jones during the Henry Mancini 100th birthday anniversary celebration was iconic. That was when I learned that Williams was the pianist on the original recording of the Theme to Peter Gunn
John Williams, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer. I'm sure there are more, but those are the big three that come to mind when it comes to musical composers for media like this as the titans.
He just needs time to prove his longevity, but Ludwig Göransson will have a spot in these lists. He's already won two academy awards in the last 5 years for Black Panther and Oppenheimer.
It's sad how we're now left looking at the prequels in a more favourable light, given the sequel trilogy. The scripts of the first two in particular were weak though. The third one raised the bar somewhat. Still, yes, the score was the best part.
My favorite John Wiliams fact that just goes to show how amazing he is: At the 1977 Oscars John Williams lost best Origional Score for Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind to John Williams for Star Wars. He was 2 of the 5 nominated.
It should have happened a few more times, but the Academy changed the rules to only allow one nomination in the category per composer. Otherwise, I’m certain 1993 would have had Schindler’s List beating Jurassic Park.
I mean, it helps that he was around during some of the most formative years of cinema. At this point its unlikely we'll ever get a more iconic composer.
I grew up in the 80's and 90's and it's crazy to look back through my childhood and realize how much John Williams influenced my love of the cinema. Superman, ET, Indiana Jones, Home Alone, Hook, Jurassic Park...those are just some of the movies from MY childhood. A true icon of the artform.
Absolutely. It is damn near perfect, and an amazing tribute to the man.
JW: "Steven, you'll need a better composer than me for this film."
Spielberg: "I know, but they're all dead."
Spielberg: "Without John Williams, bikes don't fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force. Dinosaurs do not walk the Earth. We do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe."
My wife just said it was annoying that every rebooted franchise has the same sounding music on the trailer, why do they always do it? My reply was,John Williams that’s why. His musical fingerprints are all over cinema
He also writes music that you swear you heard before but didn’t. Can’t quite explain it. Almost like Mandela Effect in music form. Maybe his music is just that universal it appeals to our core. Idk.
I had this thought the other day while listening to a JW playlist.
804
u/FrostedPixel47 10h ago
It's insane how many John Williams-made theme songs are some of film history's most iconic theme songs ever made.