When the New York Philharmonic honored film composer John Williams this spring, director Steven Spielberg introduced a clip of the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark without music. The effect, he apologetically notes, was like French New Wave.
The clip played again, this time with an orchestra. Magically, the adventurous spirit of the film has been restored.
On June 30, the movie’s central character, the burly archaeologist (played by Harrison Ford), will return for the fifth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Fate. As ever, Williams’ essential music accompanies him.
The composer, who turns 91 this year, said it would be his last film score. In a recent video call, he said he has withdrawn his retirement plans. “If they do Indiana Jones 6, I’ll be in.”
Ahead of the new film’s release, Williams shared his thoughts on an extraordinary career milestone, along with contributions from others closely associated with the film.
1966
“How to Steal a Million”
Williams made early contributions to film scores, especially playing piano on music such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “West Side Story”. (It’s also him playing piano riffs on crack) “Peter Gunn” Theme for TV. )
Under the name Johnny Williams, he gradually transitioned from “piano stand to writing desk” and composed some light, jazzy music for comedy. The art heist “How to Steal a Million” starring Audrey Hepburn was his early high point. “It was the first movie I did for a super talented big name director named William Wyler,” Williams said.
With moments of comedy and ironic suspense, the score was an early clue to “just how versatile John Williams is,” said Mike Matescino, producer of many of Williams’ soundtracks. .
Many years later, long after his name became synonymous with blockbuster movie sound, Williams adapted his early and entertaining work into jazz-inspired music.Catch Me If You CanThe mode “was there for decades afterward, roaring and waiting to come to the surface,” Williams said. “It was the easiest thing in the world for me, and I laughed while doing it.”
Working with director Robert Altman has produced some of the strangest pieces in Williams’ filmography. The soundtrack to Altman’s spellbinding neo-noir “The Long Goodbye,” with Elliot Gould as the laconic Philip Marlowe, features several cheeky variations on the title track, including bluesy nightclub numbers, mariachis and tangos. It consists of
In the psychological horror Images, he gave Williams the freedom that Altman famously gave his actors. “‘Do whatever you want. Do something you’ve never done before,'” Williams remembers Altman saying.
The result is an eerie, broken score that reflects the deterioration of the main character’s mental state. The music was a collaboration with Japanese percussionist Yamashita Stom, who performed sculptural works by François and Bernard Baschet. Williams said that if he had devoted his career to composing for the concert hall instead of the cineplex, his work would most likely have resembled his “Images” music.
Spielberg experimented with the sound of Image when he was looking for terrifying music to accompany the horror scenes in Jaws. But Williams felt the film needed something more primal and less psychological, and ultimately built the theme around two savage bass notes.
How would you sum up the collaboration between Williams and Spielberg? Starting with The Sugarland Express and ending (at least for now) with The Fabelmans, the partnership spanned 29 movies.
Spielberg called Williams’ Schindler’s List music “one of the most amazing and inspiring gifts John has ever given us.” Jurassic Park, released the same year, featured another of Williams’ epic music, an almost religious reverence for the prehistoric creatures featured in the film. , which speaks to the breadth of their collaboration.
In an interview, Emilio Audissino, author ofFilm music by John Williamsclaimed that “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” was a film in which “the two fully realized the mutual benefits and compatibility of partnership.” Certain moments in that film capture some of the alchemy of Spielberg and Williams. A musical dialogue between humans and otherworldly visitors, a kind of artistic collaboration in itself.
Williams remembers spending hours with Spielberg listening to countless musical phrases. “We’ve been waiting for that eureka moment.”
Years later, Williams finally understood why the phrase he chose (re, mi, do, do so) felt so perfect. He explained that the “re, mi, do” felt musically resolved, and that the subsequent heterogeneous response of “do, so” felt like a fitting surprise interjection. “I realized it after 20 years.”
Remember when superheroes had memorable themes?
The “Superman” score demonstrated one of Williams’ own musical superpowers: making the unbelievable utterly believable. His unyielding sound is essential for audiences to embrace and impress the spectacle of a man in flight.
Director Richard Donner had theorized that the three-note motif in the main theme, triumphantly hitting the air, was a musical evocation of “Superman!” .
is there anything about it?
“There is all That’s it,” Williams told me.
1999
“Star Wars Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace”
Williams remembers feeling “a little apprehensive” on the first day of recording “Star Wars” in 1977. But Lionel Newman, the studio’s musical director, “was sitting next to me and said, ‘This is going to work really well.'” Well, you know. ”
Even if the film itself failed to resonate, the music of the central “Star Wars” saga was consistently exceptional. This is also true of “The Phantom Menace,” which despite its 51 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, features some of the composer’s most exciting work. today, Carl Orff– Inspired symphonic banger “Duel of the Fates” is the most streamed “Star Wars” musical piece on Spotify.
Maxine Kwok, first violinist of the London Symphony Orchestra, said of the recording session, “It was indescribable.” “I remember feeling chills when Ostinato first started.” Part of the reason Ms. Kwok joined the facility was because she was inspired by the music from her childhood soundtrack, “Star Wars.” Because it reminded me of “I grew up with that heroic trumpet and soaring strings. It had a big impact on me.”
Williams, who scored 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker after working on Star Wars for more than 40 years, said he didn’t want it to end. “My feeling was, ‘This is fun.’ Let’s go back and do nine more.”
2023
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Fate”
The Indiana Jones movie features many themes from Williams’ most famous characters. It also features adventurous music, precisely tuned to the on-screen action.
Director James Mangold said, “I don’t think of John as just a theme and song genius. He certainly is.” “Rather, it is John’s moment-to-moment scenework that amazes me. It’s John’s sensibility for this partnership.”
“I thought if Harrison Ford could do it, I could do it,” Williams said of his fascination with the score for the fifth Indiana Jones movie. The film introduces a new theme to the character of Helena, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. “She had a great time writing the theme for her,” Williams said.
“Obviously I was surprised when John played that theme with the orchestra for the first time,” said Mangold. But I was a little nervous that it was too much and too lush. too romantic. John smiled sweetly and let me talk. Because I think he knew it would work. ”
