Is Close Encounters Of The Third Kind the greatest John Williams score of all time..?

[Sandor 796]

Recently, I’ve been listening a lot to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, John Williams’ original soundtrack presentation from 1977.

Although there is a wealth to choose from, I believe CE3K may actually be the single greatest work of Williams’ career.

Overshadowed by the cultural impact and more direct nature of Star Wars, I think CE3K is a somewhat undiscovered gem: profound, rich, liberal. A score that explores a wide range of emotions and – as another poster on this board once beautifully said – it’s “John Williams channeling the universe”.

CE3K may be Williams’ Star Trek The Motion Picture, Williams’ Vertigo, Williams’ Ben Hur. The one score that shines just a little brighter than all his other masterpieces.

[Marian Schedenig 8,153]

I don't believe in singling out one "greatest" work in such a large body of great works.

But if you had to compile a list of greatest Williams scores, perhaps to then pick a single greatest one from it (that part I'd refuse to do), then CE3K would definitely have to be on that list.

[Jay 37,249]

Close Encounters didn't even make my Top 10. It's a great score with a BRILLIANT finale and ending, but I listen to Empire Strikes Back and Hook FAR more often.

[Quintus 5,399]

It's an incredible score, but not his finest achievement in my opinion.

[Ollie 1,059]

It's top 5, brilliant music.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Is CE3K the greatest John Williams score of all time?

Yes.

Timeless beauty.

Mr Williams is probably one of them.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

It's brilliant stuff, but it's from that 10 year period where John did almost everything perfect.

[A24 4,322]

It's John Williams channeling the more modern composers of the 20th Century like Ligeti. The music is great but as a score it's slightly obtrusive (more, more, more!)

[The Dark Trilogy 39]

Although there is a wealth to choose from, I believe CE3K may actually be the single greatest work of Williams’ career.

According to music critics, yes.

It's top 5, brilliant music.

Agreed.

[Faleel 5,326]

Its great, but it can be a hard listen, its great for falling asleep to (in a good kind of way)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's top 5, brilliant music.

This!

[Brónach 1,301]

It's one of my favourite scores of all time and one of my favourites of his.

[Richard Penna 3,662]

I like the end titles.

[Brónach 1,301]

I like it more than Star Wars. It's lovemaking to my ears.

[Josh500 1,615]

Close Encounters didn't even make my Top 10. It's a great score with a BRILLIANT finale and ending, but I listen to Empire Strikes Back and Hook FAR more often.

Yes, exactly!

This score will be in my top 20, probably, but definitely not in my top 10.

[Jonesy 55]

I think it's a great score, and his final act is wonderful.

[Brónach 1,301]

Close Encounters is one of the things that make life worthwhile.

[tedfud 38]

for me....yes

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[Jay 37,249]

Josh is back!

[Nick1Ø66 4,687]

Before I found this forum, I always just assumed it was understood among Williams fans that ESB was the maestro's greatest score. I'm actually a bit surprised that anyone can't see this universally obvious truth.

[Brónach 1,301]

Indeed.

[Jay 37,249]

hahaha. I think it's great, but I always vacillate between thinking it or Hook is my favorite score of his.

[Quintus 5,399]

E.T. is probably his crowning achievement, but I personally consider Raiders or Star Wars to be my favourite. Or um, E.T.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Its up there, but there are so many other brilliant JW scores.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Before I found this forum, I always just assumed it was understood among Williams fans that ESB was the maestro's greatest score. I'm actually a bit surprised that anyone can't see this universally obvious truth.

10 years ago that was true, ESB was #1, with ET a close 2nd.

[Jay 37,249]

10 years ago was 2003. What score came out post-2003 that changed your #1?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

10 years ago was 2003. What score came out post-2003 that changed your #1?

I'm referring to the message board selecting ESB as it's #1 score. My personal #1 is E.T. and shall remain so until something new knocks it off.

[Jay 37,249]

Ohhhhhhh. I didn't get that.

Neat, I just looked at the 2003 compilation of people's favorites. My top 10 is 7/10ths the same as that list, and my entire top 10 is within that list's top 15.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Hey, that makes you the Mainstream-Guy!

[Uni 306]

I placed it at #3 on my own list, and it may arguably be interchangeable with the two above it (Superman and E.T.). I think it loses a place or two for most people because of its abstract elements, which don't make for the same soaring experience some of his more popular works offer. But if you're judging strictly on the impact a score has on the movie it accompanies, and the vitality of its presence—to the point where it literally becomes a part of the story being told—you could make a very strong case indeed that CE3K is Williams' magnum opus. Thematically speaking, it's one of his simplest scores, but terror, wonder, and grandeur of the final result at least equal, and in many ways surpass, anything else he's done.

Before I found this forum, I always just assumed it was understood among Williams fans that ESB was the maestro's greatest score. I'm actually a bit surprised that anyone can't see this universally obvious truth.

Hmm . . . I was sorely tempted to make hay on the subject of people bringing their "universally obvious truths" to light around here, but I'll curtail that into a simpler message: Nothing is that universal in this place—save perhaps that JW is the greatest living film composer, and there are some here who would even argue against that. It's a diversified group with wide-ranging tastes . . . and that's what makes it work so well. How boring would it be if everyone sat around agreeing with one another on how one score is better than all the others? That would make us a pretty narrow group, and leave us with much less to talk about. And it would eliminate the need for, and interest in, the sort of Top-10 list being compiled even now.

Let me put it another way: how exactly would it honor the scope, variety, and astonishing range of Williams' collective repertoire if everyone felt precisely the same way about all his music? It's his ability to compose for—and thereby appeal to—such a vast array of emotional and cognitive sources that makes him such a brilliant artist. The broader the palette, the more people he'll attract and fascinate, because he'll be speaking to so many different hearts and minds . . . and they'll each have their own reasons for loving what he does, and they'll each have a favorite work and a reason for thinking it so.

I'd say any composer whose followers agreed in lockstep on any "universally obvious truth" about him would be speaking volumes about his lack of reach and depth. I'd take that as a sign that he'd peaked with one score, and never hit his stride again. That's one thing (thankfully) that can never be said about John Towner Williams. . . .

- Uni

[crocodile 7,973]

It would be in his top 5, certainly. Maybe even no. 1.

Karol

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Yeah! Karol is a good poster. Maybe even no. 1.

Pasi

[gkgyver 1,645]

As far as I am concerned, it is.

IMO, nothing in his opus touches CE3K. It's the most perfect score.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah, I agree. It's even better than Shore's LotR.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Surely not!

[Quintus 5,399]

Nah, I'm just fucking about. Thought it might make gkgyver burst a blood vessel.

[Brónach 1,301]

I think I'd go with Close Encounters but LOTR is too long to make a comparison.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

LOTR is too long

[Josh500 1,615]

Before I found this forum, I always just assumed it was understood among Williams fans that ESB was the maestro's greatest score. I'm actually a bit surprised that anyone can't see this universally obvious truth.

Good one!

[Incanus 5,713]

Close Encounters comes close to being Maestro's best score. Very close. But again there are several equally classic "perfect" scores vying for that title.

[gkgyver 1,645]

@ Lee

I'm not nearly as touchy as you assume. If something makes me burst a blood vessel some day, it surely has nothing to do with this place.

[wanner251 17]

I thought I read somewhere, that Williams himself had said that CE3K was his own personal favorite, that it had a unique quality to it that he felt he could not or had not captured since. I can't remember where I read that.

[A24 4,322]

I have three versions of Close Encounters on CD. The Alhambra release (which almost nobody has - don't go looking for it either - it's not worth it - the sound is inferior), the Varese Sarabande release and Arista's Collector's Edition, which tells a very different story altogether. To which version do you listen the most? Which one do you prefer?

Alex Neary

[Incanus 5,713]

I thought I read somewhere, that Williams himself had said that CE3K was his own personal favorite, that it had a unique quality to it that he felt he could not or had not captured since. I can't remember where I read that.

Williams has indeed cited Close Encounters as his favourite score in numerous interviews over the years alternating between it and E.T.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

CE3K, E.T. and Spacecamp actually

[gkgyver 1,645]

I never listened to anything but the Arista release.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I have the original LP, which is almost ruined by zillions repeats. Now it is the CE.

[crocodile 7,973]

I've never heard the original album. The only version I have is Collector's Edition. But given my recent infatuation with both Jaws and E.T. short albums, which work almost as concert pieces, I'd like to hear this one as well in such a form. Having said that, the album I have is great.

Karol

[A24 4,322]

I have the original LP, which is almost ruined by zillions repeats.

I still have it too. And yes, when I listen to Close Encounters these days, it's the CE, simply because it almost like listening to a new Williams album.

Yes, crocs, it's the same with the Varese album. It's a different experience, more like a concert piece, indeed. I wonder what Thor has to say about it. Is this THE exception?

Alex - throwing gasoline into the fire

[Sandor 796]

I thought I read somewhere, that Williams himself had said that CE3K was his own personal favorite, that it had a unique quality to it that he felt he could not or had not captured since. I can't remember where I read that.

Williams has indeed cited Close Encounters as his favourite score in numerous interviews over the years alternating between it and E.T.

And Jane Eyre.