Few film composers have reached the status and recognition that John Williams has and for good reason. Throughout his illustrious career, Williams has created some of Cinema’s most iconic pieces of music, synonymous with a number of widely popular Hollywood classics and blockbuster franchises. Within the first few notes of a John Williams piece, the film or franchise it is attached to is easily recognized. The music composed by Williams does not only serve the purpose of slapping a distinguishable theme on its music, but also immerses a strong sense of wonder and mystique into the audience. The music grabs a hold of our emotions and pulls us into a new world in such an effective way, few composers are capable of this. These five films and franchises feature arguably the best of Williams’ work throughout his career.
Harry Potter
The ‘Harry Potter’ films feature some of the most heartwarming, emotional, and wondrous music in Cinema. The first three films, the scores for which were composed by Williams, are certainly no exception. The first film, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’, features the classic theme that we now associate with Harry Potter and his journey through the wizarding world. The music also featured throughout his first year at Hogwarts, particularly during Christmas time, fills the viewer with the same sense of joy and awe that Harry experiences while being introduced to this world for the first time in his life.
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The second film, ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’, is accompanied by the eerie and gothic music fit for this mystery based film that focuses on a series of attacks at Hogwarts and finding the perpetrator. Williams’ music during the scenes that feature Fawkes the Phoenix, whether in the office or down in the Chamber of Secrets helping Harry, do absolute justice in honoring the presence of a creature that has been celebrated throughout many forms of mythology for decades. The final piece of music is heard when all the petrified students have been healed and Hagrid returns from Azkaban after being falsely accused as the perpetrator; it features probably the single most touching, heartwarming, and emotionally uplifting piece of music ever heard in a major motion picture. The third film, ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, follows a thirteen-year-old Harry trying to learn how to accept and live with what happened to his parents. The music featured in these scenes, primarily when Harry goes on walks with Professor Lupin to confide his feelings, effortlessly garners sympathy for Harry from the audience regarding his overwhelming amounts of fear and grief. Williams’ work on these films gave us not only a classic overall theme but an all-around highly emotional score for each of the three outings.
Star Wars
Perhaps what catapulted Williams to mainstream popularity as a film composer is ‘Star Wars’, probably the single most popular film franchise on the planet, with arguably the single most recognizable theme to go with it. The classic opening crawl music composed by Williams may very well be the most prolific sound in American pop culture, but most Star Wars films have their moments and scenes which feature powerful pieces by Williams that help immerse audiences into this galaxy far, far, away. The massively divisive ‘The Phantom Menace’ is heard the lightsaber battle between Qui Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul. The same track returns in the sequel, ‘Attack of the Clones’, when a padawan Anakin Skywalker searches for his kidnapped mother. But perhaps, the best of Williams’ music in the ‘Star Wars’ series is in the film ‘Revenge of the Sith’, during the scene where Order 66 commences, and the entire Jedi order is wiped out as well as in the climactic battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar. Williams also concocts other memorable tracks in the original trilogy, such as in the final battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in ‘Return of the Jedi’ and the celebration scene of that film. It is easy to see how these films ultimately put Williams on the map as a master of motion picture music.
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Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s 1993 sci-fi epic was technically the first mainstream Hollywood film where the real stars were the dinosaurs; Williams’ memorable score emphasized this. With ‘Jurassic Park’, Williams was able to evoke the emotions one would likely feel when encountering giant dinosaurs for the first time. The classic theme now associated with the film was big, loud, grand, and awe-inspiring, which perfectly aligned with the emotions of the characters seeing a live Brachiosaurus for the first time in their lives as well as that of the audience when they first marveled at the film’s visual effects. But the most magical piece of music is when the characters first land on the island. That piece provides the sense that this island is waiting to be explored. It may also be the nostalgia that this piece creates, as it can be heard when first entering the Universal Studios theme park at opening time.
Indiana Jones
The founding film of modern action/adventure blockbusters, the first ‘Indiana Jones’ film, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, paved the way for the types of swashbuckling action flicks that many enjoy today. John Williams’ classic theme, featured in all four films, encapsulates the fun sense of adventure that Harrison Ford’s titular character frequently finds himself on. The theme was especially magical in the closing shot of ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’, where Indy, his father, Salah, and Marcus Brody ride off into the sunset. Williams’ work on the beloved adventure film franchise brilliantly walks the line between heartwarming and exhilarating.
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Superman
There has never been a lackluster score on any film centered on the iconic cape-wearing superhero. Both John Ottman and Hans Zimmer provided their own brilliant musical analyses of the character in ‘Superman Returns’ and ‘Man of Steel’ respectively. However, Williams’ long familiar piece for ‘Superman’ back in 1978 created the sound anybody around the world thinks of when they hear the word “superhero”. Williams’ music validated the film’s now-famous tagline, “You will believe a man can fly.” This was largely due to Williams’ music but also because of the achievement in visual effects that were revolutionary in Hollywood at the time. This music honors the beloved comic book character with a theme nearly as powerful as he is.
By Nadar Chamas
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Nader Chamas is an aspiring television writer who seeks to fuse thought provoking progressive ideals into the films, shows, and stories that he loves. Having graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Screenwriting, Nader seeks to use his writing to advance causes that do not get enough attention or input across mainstream media. Like most, Nader has his own share of his favorite franchises and stories across pop culture. However, he seeks to contribute timely and relevant topics into these stories as well as in his own original material. This is why Nader’s analysis of popular films and tv shows matches The Hollywood Insider’s practice of discussing entertainment from a socially cognizant and critical perspective.
Nader Chamas is an aspiring television writer who seeks to fuse thought provoking progressive ideals into the films, shows, and stories that he loves. Having graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Screenwriting, Nader seeks to use his writing to advance causes that do not get enough attention or input across mainstream media. Like most, Nader has his own share of his favorite franchises and stories across pop culture. However, he seeks to contribute timely and relevant topics into these stories as well as in his own original material. This is why Nader’s analysis of popular films and tv shows matches The Hollywood Insider’s practice of discussing entertainment from a socially cognizant and critical perspective.
