Best John Williams Score

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 11th, 2005, 5:21 pm

I would have to say E.T. It got the Oscar too. Schindler's List runs a close second. (also got the Oscar.)

I guess you HAVE to mention Indiana Jones and Star Wars next. If I had to pick one over the other I'd have to say SW. (Empire Strikes back probably.) Indy is good too, but SW is an achievement of a lifetime.

The best Indy--Last Crusade, no contest. Although Raiders is right up there. Temple of Doom--well, he didn't really have that much story to work with there, so it's not really his fault.

Minority Report was great because it broke away from the tedium he was falling into. It made the movie even more suspensful.

Harry Potter I was very good but not spectacular--basically what you'd expect from Williams. Two had some great themes like the Pheonix and all that, but it was quite similar to I. Azkaban was awesome--a refreshing change--I plan to get that score. Very good job.

A.I. is a winner--the best parts are the David/Monica themes, they seem a lot more restrained than the "action scenes."

Empire of the Sun did the job, and had some good tracks. But a little too trademark Williams, not distinctive enough.

Jurassic Park--wonderful. Definetely unique, scary at times, emotional, optimistic--everything you could want.

Post by **Ben** » July 12th, 2005, 7:18 am

Yeah, pretty much sums it up...

BUT: Temple Of Doom was a rich, multi-layered score. Each of the Raiders films have the main theme (of course) and one main "romantic" theme. Temple Of Doom added a new twist which allowed the secondary theme to be played against the Raiders March. This not only adds to a theme we had become used to, but made it sound fresh and exotic at the same time.

Shame that Temple Of Doom never seems to get the recognition it deserves in many areas.

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 12th, 2005, 2:06 pm

BUT: Temple Of Doom was a rich, multi-layered score. Each of the Raiders films have the main theme (of course) and one main "romantic" theme. Temple Of Doom added a new twist which allowed the secondary theme to be played against the Raiders March. This not only adds to a theme we had become used to, but made it sound fresh and exotic at the same time.

Shame that Temple Of Doom never seems to get the recognition it deserves in many areas.

I'll have to listen to the TOD music again. I will say that I thought the film was EXCELLENT (my fave out of the three, no matter what critics say--exciting, romantic, scary, vivid characterizations) and is very under-rated. (Plus how can you say no to a movie that has Harrison Ford in top Indy form with his shirt off for half the movie?

) I loved Short Round, and I don't think Kate Capshaw was annoying as everyone said she was. I think Spielberg letting himself go and scaring the living daylights out of the audience is a treat no matter what the film.

Post by **Ben** » July 12th, 2005, 2:31 pm

Yep - I agree!

The opening 22 minutes of Temple Of Doom is among the most exciting pieces of adventure ever put on film!

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 12th, 2005, 3:44 pm

Yeah, I love "Anything Goes!" I had a cinema studies book that had photos from the opening scenes. The message of that song is basically the theme of the picture.

Love the part with the bugs, the snakes, the human sacrifice (ewwwww

), as well as the whole sequence in the starving Indian village. Where did he get all those extras and did he actually film this in India?

I can definetely see why the PG-13 rating in America was created after this movie. (big controversy) Did it cause as much uproar in Europe?

I know Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Steve and George Lucas have cameos right before Indy, Willy and Short Round get on the broken-down plane....

Post by **Christian** » July 12th, 2005, 4:45 pm

I like the Jurassic Park score . . . and Superman . . . and Star Wars.

Post by **Ben** » July 12th, 2005, 8:56 pm

ShyViolet wrote:Love the part with the bugs, the snakes, the human sacrifice (ewwwww ), as well as the whole sequence in the starving Indian village. Where did he get all those extras and did he actually film this in India?

I can definetely see why the PG-13 rating in America was created after this movie. (big controversy) Did it cause as much uproar in Europe?

I know Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Steve and George Lucas have cameos right before Indy, Willy and Short Round get on the broken-down plane....

Temple Of Doom has all the Staurday morning parts that one thinks of when you really think about the Indy style.

I believe the location parts of the film were shot in Sri Lanka, and indeed back in the days when extras were extras (remember the record set at the time for Ghandi?). The studio-base (for interiors and the heart-pounding fight on the snapped rope bridge were all shot at Elstree, as were all the Indy films, plus the original Star Wars trilogy, Roger Rabbit and many more (and also where I now have my own office).

The PG rating here didn't raise any objections that I recall, but I know that certain scenes were trimmed to get a PG here. Spielberg also worked on a special TV version which trimmed further bits.

Dan Aykroyd also gets a brief bit before Indy gets on the plane.

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 13th, 2005, 2:25 pm

The studio-base (for interiors and the heart-pounding fight on the snapped rope bridge were all shot at Elstree, as were all the Indy films, plus the original Star Wars trilogy, Roger Rabbit and many more (and also where I now have my own office).

Weren't Batman and Batman Returns also filmed there?

Also, even though Episode I wasn't a great film, I thought it had a great score, especially Duel of the Fates. A great comeback for Williams.

Post by **askmike1** » July 13th, 2005, 9:31 pm

My favorite score from him is Harry Potter. It's exactly how imagined it would be. I'm also a fan of Home Alone 2's score.

-Michael

Post by **Ben** » July 14th, 2005, 3:47 am

I actually like the Home Alone music (specifically the first one) too.

Very Harry Potter...!

Nah, Vi, Bats and Bats Returns (and new Wonka) were shot at Pinewood, about 30-40 mins from here.

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 14th, 2005, 4:43 pm

I like Home Alone too.

I forgot to mention Hook, which had some nice moments, but it's actually really similar to Home Alone in some ways!

There were also tons of extras in Close Encounters of the Third Kind--a film I have mixed feelings about....the music there was pretty good too as I recall.

I think the Color Purple was the only film Steve did without Williams, and I heard the Spielberg/Quincy Jones collaberation didn't work very well. I do like the music a lot, but I wonder what it would have been like if Williams had done it.

Post by **askmike1** » July 14th, 2005, 4:47 pm

ShyViolet wrote:I think the Color Purple was the only film Steve did without Williams.

He also didn't do Spielberg's segment in "Twilight Zone: The Movie"

-Michael

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 14th, 2005, 5:36 pm

Hey Mike...I totally agree with your last post on JHM "Ploy Story."

Disney is doing very well, you can't close your eyes to the truth.

For those who think that SaveDisney was about helping Disney, you watch how fast Roy quiets down once he's got a fancy office again.

So I suppose he's once more Chairman of Animation or something ....so what ARE his ideas about animated movies anyway?

Also, I can't help but wonder how Jim Hill will be dealing with WDFA now that Roy is back...especially with all the "issues" SaveDisney had with JHM over the past year and a half....

He also didn't do Spielberg's segment in "Twilight Zone: The Movie"

I like that segment, but it's like the popcorn to the Creme Brulee of Spielberg's career.

I am currently in Disney World.

Lucky!

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 14th, 2005, 5:46 pm

Nah, Vi, Bats and Bats Returns (and new Wonka) were shot at Pinewood, about 30-40 mins from here

That's cool. So what about Schumacker's films, as well as Bats Begins?

Post by **Ben** » July 14th, 2005, 6:04 pm

Bats Begins was Shepperton, a little further East to Pinewood, while I think Schumacher's Bat movies were done in the US (on location and the WB studio), to the best of my knowledge.

I think Jones' score for Color Purple (which he insisted upon, being one of the driving forces behind getting it to the screen) wasn't so bad - lovely opening theme as the girls run through the flowers at the beginning that is very Williams.

Jerry Goldsmith scored the Kick The Can segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie, since he was the listed composer for the entire film. Again, one can hear a very Williams/Spielberg connection in the music. Did you also know that it was directing a segment on this film that gave Stevie the initial idea to make the Amazing Stories anthology series?