Happy Birthday Mr. Williams
Yesterday was the birthday of a great man. An amazing man. A man who contributed more to your movie going experience than you will probably ever know.
This Man.
John Williams, who turned 80 this year is responsible for seemingly almost every iconic film score. Anything theme you can hum just from hearing the title of the movie is most likely composed by Williams from Star Wars, to Indiana Jones, to Harry Potter to Jaws.
It helps that Williams has had a long time working relationship with Steven Spielberg, having composed music for all but two of his projects. So even some of the less iconic Spielberg movies, Hook, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, aslo have Original scores by Williams.
But it's these "lesser known" works that I want to touch on for a minutes. After all Williams has been nominated for an Oscar 47 times (winning five of them) which is second only to Walt Disney who holds the record at 59. (Ironically, thats the same number of times Williams has been nominated for a Grammy.)
It occurred to me yesterday when I was listening to the Oscar Nominated Score for Tintin not only how good it was simply musically speaking but how well the music was able to capture the tone and feel for the movie. Williams is able to tell a story and convey a feeling through music like nobody else. The music from Tintin creates a mystery adventure all on its own. Just in the same way that the Harry Potter music feels like stepping into a secret magical world, and the simple two notes in the Jaws theme is able to create that feeling of terror.
Unless you're a music student who studies this sort of thing, it's unlikely you've ever heard the score to Catch Me if you Can other than the time you we're watching the actual movie. But take a quick listen. While it sounds nothing like the grand, epic score of Star Wars that John Williams is known for, it fits the movie, and the main character of the movie, perfectly. It sounds like the 60s. It sounds like espionage. But most of all it just sounds cool. The feeling of the entire movie is set up in the bit of music that is played over the credits.
So for the dozens of movies you've made better with your music, and for writing the soundtrack of my childhood, I want to say thank you Mr. Willams, and Happy Birthday.
Oh yes...Can't talk about John williams without including this tribute now can I?
This Man.
John Williams, who turned 80 this year is responsible for seemingly almost every iconic film score. Anything theme you can hum just from hearing the title of the movie is most likely composed by Williams from Star Wars, to Indiana Jones, to Harry Potter to Jaws.
It helps that Williams has had a long time working relationship with Steven Spielberg, having composed music for all but two of his projects. So even some of the less iconic Spielberg movies, Hook, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, aslo have Original scores by Williams.
But it's these "lesser known" works that I want to touch on for a minutes. After all Williams has been nominated for an Oscar 47 times (winning five of them) which is second only to Walt Disney who holds the record at 59. (Ironically, thats the same number of times Williams has been nominated for a Grammy.)
It occurred to me yesterday when I was listening to the Oscar Nominated Score for Tintin not only how good it was simply musically speaking but how well the music was able to capture the tone and feel for the movie. Williams is able to tell a story and convey a feeling through music like nobody else. The music from Tintin creates a mystery adventure all on its own. Just in the same way that the Harry Potter music feels like stepping into a secret magical world, and the simple two notes in the Jaws theme is able to create that feeling of terror.
Unless you're a music student who studies this sort of thing, it's unlikely you've ever heard the score to Catch Me if you Can other than the time you we're watching the actual movie. But take a quick listen. While it sounds nothing like the grand, epic score of Star Wars that John Williams is known for, it fits the movie, and the main character of the movie, perfectly. It sounds like the 60s. It sounds like espionage. But most of all it just sounds cool. The feeling of the entire movie is set up in the bit of music that is played over the credits.
So for the dozens of movies you've made better with your music, and for writing the soundtrack of my childhood, I want to say thank you Mr. Willams, and Happy Birthday.
Oh yes...Can't talk about John williams without including this tribute now can I?
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