“Music By John Williams” Review

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You don’t need to see the titular credit to get excited for a movie with a John Williams score. You know it when you hear it. The limited notes from Jaws evoke terror in the water. The inspiring horns let you know that Superman is on the way. Every Star Wars entry is made iconic with the blazing orchestra for the opening credits. Williams makes these movies complete, from the adventurous melody of Indiana Jones to the foreboding wonder of Harry Potter.

Music By John Williams acts mostly as a nostalgic retrospective of the acclaimed composer. It has the atmosphere of hanging out at Williams’s home in the same way that Steven Spielberg pops over as a friend. They share memories about the start of their friendship and their collaboration and dig up old music sheets to relive the memories. Spielberg admits to being intimidated by Williams, who is such a notable name with his film scores that he believes the composer wouldn’t give him the time of day. Not only would Williams agree to work with Spielberg, but he put in the extra effort to ensure his music would be a perfect fit, often volunteering to rewrite music overnight if need be. When Spielberg shot Jaws, he was thinking there would be tense horror music. Williams, however, recognized that this was more of an adventure film and made the score more exciting.

There is some history in the film, as Williams details his early days of playing in an orchestra and getting his big shot at crafting his own scores. You can see where his ability for themes grew as he shifted from scoring mostly forgettable films to the music of TV programs. That progression gave Williams an ear for the simplest of notes that create the most fitting of emotions. Spielberg was stunned with how limited the theme for Jaws was, but the terror in the water was evoked with just a few touches of piano keys that grew progressively faster. Years later, Williams used his less-is-more strategy to bring out the tears from Spielberg with the theme of Schindler’s List. It’s such a fantastic act, and Williams is happy to demonstrate on his piano how the smallest choices can make the biggest difference.

Other directors are interviewed for this film and they all pretty much gush as much as Spielberg about this operatic talent. J.J. Abrams, who directed Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, spoke of how Williams placed trusts in Abrams when crafting new Star Wars music. While Williams would write and compose new themes, he would ask Abrams to see if his music was good or not for the film. As Abrams notes, it’s surprising to hear such an elderly master of music ask for notes, considering he’s John-fricking-Williams. But, as Spielberg relays, there were plenty of notes and rewrites amid his Williams collaborations of the 1980s. The man loves a challenge, even in his old age.

I think what’s most fascinating about the documentary is how humble Williams becomes. He doesn’t seem to harp on his old music so much and often seemed surprised when his music became iconic. When Star Wars was released, he didn’t expect his music to become so revered that he’d be requested to compose it live for an audience. It’s perhaps that constant need to keep composing that makes Williams so welcoming. The moment he’s done with one soundtrack, he moves onto another, as he directly jumped from Star Wars to Close Encounters. That said, the film also addresses how firm Williams would become when heading an orchestra that wasn’t willing to work with the man behind Star Wars. He may be a composer for movies about killer sharks and space battles, but he’s still a composer who needs full control of his orchestra. And, in case any music snobs held his filmography over his head, Williams has been known for composing original music as well.

It’s hard not to be won over by Music From John Williams, for both the man and his music. Sure, a few stretches in the film are mostly talking heads getting all giddy when listening to everything from the Superman theme to the Harry Potter theme. But how could you not? So many film franchises have become defined by his music and you can instantly recognize the film from the first few notes. I will often throw on some of his soundtracks in the background while working and see if my wife can recognize them. “Harry Potter?” she asks as her ears pick up. It’s an important aspect of his music worth noting, and the documentary does a solid job of communicating that allure. It may perhaps be a flowery portrait of Williams, but also one that grounds him. He seems less like a god-like machine of music scores and more like a sweet guy who wants to keep composing music forever, one note at a time.