There are many, many great film composers out there. Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, David Arnold, and James Horner to name a few. But very few composers have left such an impact on the film industry as the legendary John Williams. Another composer from New York, John Williams has built an incredible legacy of film and television music over the course of 6 decades. SIX! There’s not a lot people out there who can say. The man has created more iconic themes than anybody else in the industry. I wasn’t going to talk about John Williams just yet, but with Star Wars fever in the air, I can’t think of a better time. So, like the other composers, I’m going to list some of Mr. Williams’ best work. I hope you enjoy it.
Jaws
Boy, if there was a movie that made you afraid to back into the water, it was Jaws. For a film that’s 40 years old, it’s still incredibly scary. Why? The shark. You only catch glimpses of it, but mostly the fin. This was a movie that really emphasized the “less is more” approach. Mostly because the shark wasn’t working properly most of the time, so Steven Spielberg had to resort to some camera tricks, shots and editing to really terrify the audience. The result is one of the best monster movies in history. I don’t think it would have been NEARLY as effective without the aid of John Williams’ infamous score. The opening credits as well as the first attack is quite possibly one of the most memorable opening sequences ever. It just gets better from there. With top-notch acting and visual effects, Jaws is one of the greatest films ever made.
Star Wars
While Jaws was extremely memorable with it’s unique score, it was Star Wars that really put John Williams on the map with his famous opening theme. While each rendition that does of the main theme are equally fantastic, I chose to use the one from Return of the Jedi, because BAM! It hits you right out of the gate. The main theme for Star Wars is arguably the most iconic theme in film history. John Williams’ contribution to Star Wars is more than that. He gave us themes for the Empire, Yoda and the Ewoks. But he also crafted the “Duel of the Fates” theme for the Prequels. When people talk about John Williams, Star Wars inevitably comes up, because it was one of the greatest soundtracks ever created. At 84 years old, Williams is still writing and composing music for movies. That’s just how good he is.
Superman: The Movie
After the amazing success of Star Wars, John Williams would go on to compose the score for not only Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but also one of the greatest superhero movies of all time: Superman: The Movie. Directed by Richard Donner, Superman would become a part of pop culture phenomenon, because of it’s incredible characters, story and music. The tag line for the film was: “You will believe a man can fly.” The visual effects still stand up today, and is widely regarded as one of the best movies ever. There seems to be a lot of these. Anyway, John Williams signature theme for the film is EPIC. It’s not just the theme that’s great, but the love theme for Lois Lane and Superman is really charming. Overall, it’s a great soundtrack to a great film.
Indiana Jones
It just seems like John Williams has a major hit after hit. Few composers are as consistent as Mr. Williams. John Williams would work with Steven Spielberg on another tent-pole film: Raiders of the Lost Ark, which introduces a new hero by the name of Indiana Jones. What can I say about this soundtrack that hasn’t been said before? It’s beyond phenomenal. It’s epic, groundbreaking and classic. The music helps tell the story of grand adventure with Indy chasing down the fabled Ark of the Covenant. John Williams was hitting his stride during this time, as he composed the classic music for E.T. which was released the following year.
Hook
Yet another collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg sees Robin Williams take on the iconic role of Peter Pan. If there’s a film that really reminds me of my childhood, it’s this one. It’s adventurous, exciting and funny. The film has some of the greatest visuals and sets that I’ve ever seen. John Williams’ score provides a very needed playfulness to the goings-on, especially during the final battle with Captain Hook and the pirates. While Hook wasn’t the greatest of Steven Spielberg’s films, it has since become far more appreciated by those of us who grew up with the film. Again, very few people can pull off an epic soundtrack the way John Williams can. Hook and the soundtrack are extremely underrated.
Jurassic Park
In case you haven’t noticed, John Williams is to Steven Spielberg as Danny Elfman is to Tim Burton. These guys are a perfect duo. Jurassic Park, released in the summer of 1993, blew the box-office out of the water with state-of-the-art special effects that are still admired over 20 years later. With a great cast that includes Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough, Jurassic Park was the PERFECT summer blockbuster. John Williams’ incredible themes for the film hit the right notes of adventure, silliness and drama. The music and film are very much like the dinosaurs in the film: Big, graceful and awesome. “Welcome…..to Jurassic Park.” Indeed.
Saving Private Ryan
While the other pieces of music that I listed were epic and grand, Saving Private Ryan features probably one of my favorite soundtracks from John Williams. It’s not adventurous, but is absolutely dramatic. The thing is, there isn’t a whole lot of music in the film. It’s primarily a war drama about a handful of soldiers sent on a suicide mission to rescue one man from behind enemy lines. It was a film about duty, courage and brotherhood. The film was a major hit featuring one of the most gut-wrenching war sequences in film history. There is no music during the battle sequences, but it does show up during the smaller and more dramatic moments, which make this soundtrack one of the most powerful I’ve ever heard. It’s incredibly emotional and is an extraordinary tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom. Steven Spielberg and John Williams have proven YET again, that they are a force to be reckoned with.
In conclusion, John Williams is THE master of film music. Sure, you have Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner deliver some outstanding pieces of music, but Mr. Williams stands heads and shoulders above the rest. With 143 credits to his name, John Williams is my favorite film composer. A lot of people can say the same. The man has done SO much. Not just for film, but music as well. He proved that you can tell a story with just music and have an emotional core that can speak to just about everybody. John Williams has since gone on to write music for movies like Harry Potter, Tintin, and Lincoln, but it’s the ones on this list that really prove that he is the Jedi Master of film music. It’s kind of hard to top John Williams so I think this will be a fitting conclusion to my Best Composers series. I may do a honorable mentions in a future post, but as it stands, The Best will continue with a different topic. So, I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on some of the best film composers in the world.