Can you not think of 'Jaws' or 'Star Wars' or 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' or 'Superman' or 'Home Alone' or 'Schindler's List' or 'Jurassic Park'...

...without humming the music?

My all-time favorite composer/musician in the world is John Williams, the man who breathes such stunning life into even the worst flick (Remember "Heartbeeps?" or "Yes, Giorgio?").

In the summer of 1980---at the impressionable age of 16---I walked into the little theatre in Mount Vernon, Ohio to see the second Star Wars flick, "The Empire Strikes Back," and emerged a changed person. They could have showed a blank screen for all I cared. Darth Vader's Theme, Yoda's theme, and that INCREDIBLE battle music on the ice planet---just a few examples---contributed to my seeing that movie no less than 20 times that summer.

John Williams is a god. He is not only the finest film composer who ever lived, he is one of America's best composers, period. To this day I get teary-eyed when I listen to that glorious finale from "E.T."---and I NEVER cry (boys don't do that, right? Thanks for the sensitivity training, Dad).

His upcoming score for "Harry Potter" is already getting rave reviews as one of his best fantasy scores. Next year we get ANOTHER STAR WARS SCORE!!! And, at 69, the man has no intention of slowing down. Incredible.

Any other JW fans out there?

[This message has been edited by Bill Harnsberger (edited 08-27-2001).]

Right on, Bill. Two thumbs up, couldn't agree more.

Man, I hate agreeing with you, Bill. But you did understate it a little bit....

John Williams... WOW™

would have sufficed!

Paul

I too am a John Williams fan. I have several CD's of his music. Erich Kinzel and the Cincinatti Pops have recorded quite a bit of it. The 25th anniversary collection is outstanding too. What a talent!! What a gift!!

chris g

Now why would you hate to agree with me, Paul? Isn't agreement a good thing?

We both love Harbour Lights
We both work in TV
We're both from the midwest (I grew up next door in Ohio)
We're both stubborn
And now we have John Williams in common

Are you sure we're not kin???

The "Jaws" score??? You mean:
Da-dum.......................................
Da-dum.......................................
Da-dum....................da-dum............DA-Dum.....DA-DUM.....Da-DUM....DA-DUM...DA-DUM..DA-DUM..DA-DUM DA-DUM DA-DUM...then feeding frenzy sounds and screams?

I'm not sure if I would actually call it hummable Bill, but it certainly is memorable and does set the mood.

Doc John (who sadly can't recall a single note from the "Home Alone" score)

WoW - the greatest film composer that ever lived wrote the soundtrack to Seven Years in Tibet? Who woulda known? Yeah John Williams is ok. Imo, E.T. is his best , though the most recent Star Wars is pretty good. Empire of the Sun is kinda different. He certainly has been successful.

Considerably better than James Horner - that repetitive hack (gee Tim tell us how you really feel). Listen to Horner's 'Aliens' soundtrack - which is actually pretty good - and you've heard almost everything he's ever written.

Have your heard some of the stuff written by JW's older brother Vaughan Williams? (rofl) He's done a few worth a listen. Try Antartica for soundtracks, or Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis - if that one doesn't make you weep...

While consider greatest, here's a few more soundtrack composers to consider - Ennio Moricone, Bernard Herrmann, and Michel Legrand.

How 'bout Trevor Jones' 'Last of the Mohicans' or Dave Grusin's 'Havana'? John Ottman's 'The Usual Suspects' is interesting.

__
/im

[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 09-01-2001).]

I agree that Horner can be sloppy and lazy. At the same time, he's done some great stuff:

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (which is really his signature score that all of his rip-offs have spun out of, including Aliens).

Titanic (admittedly a love-it-or-hate-it score. I love it)

Great animated movie scores for An American Tail and The Land Before Time.

Legends of the Fall is a masterpiece, as is Glory and The Mask of Zorro.

Field of Dreams---perhaps his finest work.

I think it all depends on whether or not he feels like making a real investment in the film. This year, he did quite the hack job on "Enemy at the Gates," which was disappointing. In my mind he's got the talent of John Williams...but not the discipline.

With Linda Ronstadt singing on the "American Tale" soundtracks, who could go wrong?

American Tail 2 is easily dismissed with one exception: It features the final performance (voice only) of Jimmy Stewart. He plays the sheriff who teaches Fievel the basics of gunplay. He was, as always, perfect.

And another exception of "Fievel Goes West" is the beautiful song "Dreams To Dream." In my opinion it is far superior to the more popular "Somewhere Out There" from "American Tail"...although the latter is still a great song.

[This message has been edited by DocJ44 (edited 09-01-2001).]

OK, my all time favorite sound track and it's not the Sound of Music...


It is...


"Guns of Navarone" by......


Dimitri Tiomkin

No doubt about it, John Williams has done some beautiful stuff. Lately, I have been enjoying the soundtrack from The Patriot.

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...