‘Music by John Williams’ Review: Steven Spielberg and Friends Pay Rapturous Tribute to the Master Composer

As a movie enthusiast with over three decades of cinematic memories etched into my heart, I can confidently say that “Music by John Williams” is like a sweet symphony that brings back the magic of countless childhood dreams and adulthood escapes to the silver screen. The documentary, much like a well-orchestrated piece, offers glimpses into the life of this legendary composer, while keeping the focus primarily on his unforgettable scores that have become an integral part of our collective filmic consciousness.

From the deep, quickening heartbeat of “Jaws” to the astral opening blast of “Star Wars,” the music of John Williams not only earns its place among the most iconic film scores of all time, but it also proves memorable enough to carry with us out of the cinema. So effective are his themes that to hum just a few notes of a Williams score is to be caught up in the same emotions you felt gazing up at the big screen in the first place, watching Superman take flight over Manhattan or Elliott and E.T. bicycle across the moon.

At 92 years old, the maestro has been showered with numerous accolades – from esteemed institutions, admirers, and fellow members of the Academy – yet, Williams has consistently declined offers to be the focus of the camera. “Music by John Williams” changes that perspective, offering in-depth interviews with the composer, alongside glowing testimonials from directors and musicians who’ve collaborated with him. This isn’t a traditional documentary but rather a tribute, a resource for fans aimed at honoring Williams’ legacy without delving too deeply into personal or technical aspects of his life.

The film’s director is Laurent Bouzereau, a well-known figure to many as the go-to man for Steven Spielberg when it comes to crafting stories behind the scenes, as evidenced in numerous “making of” documentaries on DVDs. In this movie, Spielberg makes frequent appearances, which is fitting given the significant impact their collaborative work has had on both their careers. At the beginning of the film, Williams can be seen at a piano where he initially played the chilling two-note melody that signifies the impending threat of the unseen shark in “Jaws.” As Williams plays, Spielberg enters and embraces his long-time friend “Johnny,” reminiscing about the first time he heard that iconic theme.

It’s a good story, and one that may surprise people, since Spielberg originally enlisted Williams on his previous feature, “The Sugarland Express.” The director had liked Williams’ old-school orchestral scores for two Westerns, “The Reivers” and “The Cowboys,” and wanted something similar for his “Badlands”-like thieves-on-the-run movie. Williams wrote him a folk-sounding score, enlisting harmonica master Toots Thielemans at its center, offering an unexpected, original solution to the assignment.

In “Jaws,” Williams deviated more than Spielberg anticipated. Initially, Spielberg had incorporated bits from Williams’ experimental and discordant score for Robert Altman’s “Images” to create a test track. However, Williams envisioned something radically different, focusing the suspense on just a few ominously escalating notes. Had the movie succeeded without Williams’ score? It’s doubtful, as it would have been a completely different film. From that point, Spielberg regarded Williams as an integral part of his creative process, believing that the film truly came alive during the scoring sessions. According to Bouzereau, this is something Spielberg eagerly anticipates on every project, and several of these recording sessions are featured in his documentaries.

Such behind-the-scenes stories feel like raw gold for cinephiles, although the documentary doesn’t contain nearly enough of them. We learn how Williams nearly passed on “Star Wars” to write the music for “A Bridge Too Far” instead, and we get insights into the violin-driven score for “Schindler’s List,” which Williams miraculously produced the same year as “Jurassic Park” — a testament to the sheer range of his talent (as well as Spielberg’s). One can find certain commonalities running throughout the composer’s oeuvre, from his knack for crafting indelible themes (the backbone of nearly every Williams score) to the virtuosity with which he expands that catchy bunch of notes into a multi-instrumental symphonic experience.

The movie acknowledges Williams’ nearly solo effort in reviving the orchestral film score, a practice that was becoming increasingly scarce due to the rise of synthesizers, jazz, and pop tunes in soundtracks. It would have been fascinating to delve into his creative process, which is only slightly suggested here through depictions of him jotting down some concepts by hand and revealing a sheet containing five-note sequences that potentially formed the main theme for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Although I was fortunate enough to delve deeply into the legend, Bouzereau chose not to explore Williams’ creative process or personal journey extensively. His early career, as the son of a jazz drummer who found his first film scoring opportunity through military service, is merely skimmed over. Yet, by the time he penned “Jaws,” Williams had already accumulated two Emmys (for “Heidi” and “Jane Eyre”) and racked up the initial 10 of his eventual 54 Oscar nominations – with a win for “Fiddler on the Roof.” As someone who admires his work, I find it fascinating how prolific he was even in the early stages of his career.

The movie “Music for John Williams” seems to be more about highlighting his most famous works, similar to a well-regarded coffee table book, rather than delving into understanding the person himself. Although the documentary does bring up an early personal tragedy – the sudden death of his wife Barbara Ruick due to an aneurysm in 1974 – and touches on a challenging phase in his career when he stepped down from conducting the Boston Pops, this was only briefly discussed. The film hints at the fact that even accomplished film composers like Williams may not be fully respected within the classical music community.

The film draws upon some of Williams’ compositions outside of films, yet it’s undeniably his movie magic, especially his collaborations with Spielberg and Lucas, that will keep his music relevant for centuries to come. In fact, as we observe the original “Star Wars” trilogy grow older, it seems more evident that Williams’ score is what offers the most enduring appeal, continuing to be cherished far into the future… a truth you’re already familiar with.

2024-10-24 07:46

‘Music by John Williams’ Review: Steven Spielberg and Friends Pay Rapturous Tribute to the Master Composer

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