JWFAN Members Top 10 John Williams scores lists

[SF1_freeze 138]

Why don't you rate the recording sessions as i already suggested? And the recording sessions are the film score as a whole like Jason already explained.

[Thor 9,362]

Now, class, which word is used TEN BLOODY TIMES in Joey's instructions? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

film score, not the album or presentation

Anyone who needs further clarification is free to fly to Little Rock and discuss it over mashed potatoes and chicken wings with the man of the hour himself.

If that's the case, then Joey has my list in the second one and all is fine and dandy in this world. The reason I asked in the first place, though, is that it's a fairly ambigious term, since many people equate 'film scores' with 'soundtrack albums' in such "Top 10" contests.

[Wojo 2,458]

Why don't you rate the recording sessions as i already suggested? And the recording sessions are the film score as a whole like Jason already explained.

Because Thor isn't the kind of guy to download the recording sessions and give them the time of day. They represent the fully unabridged film score, and thus are the building blocks of soundtrack albums. They are the water to his wicked witch of the west way of looking at how a soundtrack album should be loved and cared for and put under the pillow and...oh...oh...oh...ahhhhhhhhhhhh...

[Hlao-roo 390]

I like turtles.

Yeah, but are we talking about cartoon turtles, or the ones you make into soup? The distinction is important.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

You can't make soup out of cartoon turtles?

[Wojo 2,458]

I like turtles.

Yeah, but are we talking about cartoon turtles, or the ones you make into soup? The distinction is important.

Now, when you say soup, do you mean an entire pot of soup, or just a single serving size bowl? Soup is a fairly ambigious term, since many people equate 'bowl of soup' with 'pot of soup' in such "soup" contests. I just want to make sure I don't make enough soup for thirty and I end up eating turtle soup for a week.

[SF1_freeze 138]

Joey will have a hard time to sort through all the "garbage posts" to get to his lists

[Hlao-roo 390]

For me personally, my impression of a film score is shaped pretty strongly by the soundtrack album, and somewhat secondarily by its use in the film itself. That probably won't suit purists on either side, but that's how I do it. I hope we can accept that this survey will be full of a variety of confounds and won't be in any way scientific.

[SF1_freeze 138]

This is interesting cause then you sort of dismiss half of the material written and recorded for the movie (regardless if it is used and how it is used). It would be like ordering a full menu with several courses but to judge the whole thing after only trying half of the courses. You may have missed the best parts of it.

You cannot judge from a 40-60 minute long album to the whole recording sessions/scores as heard in the film. Oftentimes they are revelations and elevate films much much higher than what their soundtrack albums are.

Best examples right off the bat would be Hook, Revenge of the Sith and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. There is so much great essential stuff missing on the original soundtrack albums that they don't properly depict the qualities of the scores!

To be fair there also are almost perfect soundtrack albums that offer a better listening experience than the complete scores written for the film. That happens mainly in scores with less thematic and creative variety.

[Thor 9,362]

You bring up some interesting points, SF_freeze, even though I don't agree with them. So we probably shouldn't go further in that direction (we can take it by personal messaging, if you will). Now that clarification has been made (or at least that I've given lists for both scenarios), it's time for more lists!!

LISTS FOREVER!

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Joey will have a hard time to sort through all the "garbage posts" to get to his lists

I'll manage,

List please!!!

[hornist 1,261]

I certainly want to participate in this treatise.

1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

2. The Empire Strikes Back

3. HP III -The Prisoner of Azkaban

4. The Return of the Jedi

5. IJ and the Temple of Doom

6. Empire of the Sun

7. Superman

8. E.T The Extra Terrestrial

9. Hook

10. Episode I - The Phantom Menace

[pixie_twinkle 60]

1) The Empire Strikes Back

2) E.T.

3) Star Wars

4) Raiders of the Lost Ark

5) Superman the Movie

6) Jaws

7) Close Encounters of the Third Kind

8) Hook

9) Schindler's List

10) The Witches of Eastwick

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Man just leave Thor be. He made his list(s), what's the problem?

Great list Joey. Nice to see the love for War Horse in this thread so far. I place it at #13 so it didn't make my top 10, but it's a close call.

I'm surprised, thought I would be the only one to have it in the Top 10.

Glad someone else loves Black Sunday as much as I do. It almost made my list.

I was surprised it didn't, actually.

I went though my collection and picked about 15, and cut 5 out, it was one of them. Rosewood too, if anyone's interest in that tidbit. Who knows, it'll probably be in the next JW list I make. Schindler's List moved down a lot though, I listened to it recently and didn't connect with it nearly as much as I used to.

[SF1_freeze 138]

Great list Joey. Nice to see the love for War Horse in this thread so far. I place it at #13 so it didn't make my top 10, but it's a close call.

I'm surprised, thought I would be the only one to have it in the Top 10.

I also put it on my list at tenth place. It's just a masterpiece!

[mrbellamy 8,245]

1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
   
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
   
3. Catch Me If You Can
   
4. Jaws
   
5. The Cowboys
   
6. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
   
7. Angela's Ashes
   
8. The Empire Strikes Back
   
9. Home Alone
   
10. Born on the Fourth of July
    

[MrJosh 1,205]

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2. Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace

3. Raiders of the Lost Ark

4. Star Wars

5. The Empire Strikes Back

6. Hook

7. Home Alone

8. A.I.

9. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

10. Jurassic Park

[Score 775]

1. The Empire Strikes Back

2. Star Wars

3. E. T.

4. Hook

5. Schindler's List

6. Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

8. Superman

9. Jurassic Park

10. Jaws

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I will ponder about this and give you my list, Joe.

[LaloCoyoacan 51]

10. A.I. - Artificial Intelligence

9. The Fury

8. Jurassic Park

7. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

6. The Witches Of Eastwick

5. Superman - The Movie

4. Memoirs Of A Geisha

3. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

2. Schindler's List

1. Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Hook is by no means one of my 50 best scores of John Williams

Sorry if this annoys someone (Jason perhaps)

[Xander Harris 9,677]

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Jaws
Hook
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Superman: The Movie
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone

A top 10 doesn't really work for me. I mean, look at that. Where's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Mission NBC News package, Jurassic Park, Amazing Stories: The Mission, Always, Minority Report etc.? Too difficult to narrow down and ultimately unnecessary.

[Brónach 1,330]

A top 10 doesn't really work for me. I mean, look at that. Where's Last Crusade, NBC News, Jurassic Park, Amazing Stories, Minority Report etc.? Too difficult to narrow down and ultimately unnecessary.

The coolness of JW's body of work cannot be conceptualized in a mere narrow list. It isn't illustrative. His great work doesn't simply doesn't fit in a list of ten.

[Hlao-roo 390]

Indeed, this vulgar exercise in rigid taxonomization runs flagrantly counter to the art form we claim to revere. Notes, wild and free, leap off the page, burrowing into our collective unconscious and stirring something that resides deep within us -- something elemental, something primal, something that tells us who we are. In an instant, we are transfigured, and the images before us, once discrete, become our reality.

In creating these sorts of lists, we try to tame that which cannot be tamed; we try to reduce complex, uncertain reality to simple, reassuring numbers. But the moment we impose artificial structure on who we are and what we perceive, we lose our humanity.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Just pick 10 you cry babies.

[Melange 448]

Indeed, this vulgar exercise in rigid taxonomization runs flagrantly counter to the art form we claim to revere. Notes, wild and free, leap off the page, burrowing into our collective unconscious and stirring something that resides deep within us -- something elemental, something primal, something that tells us who we are. In an instant, we are transfigured, and the images before us, once discrete, become our reality.

In creating these sorts of lists, we try to tame that which cannot be tamed; we try to reduce complex, uncertain reality to simple, reassuring numbers. But the moment we impose artificial structure on who we are and what we perceive, we lose our humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc4-JFOoD8Y

[Maurizio 6,913]

Really hard for me, but I'll give it a try. In absolute casual order:

E.T.

Jaws

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Superman

Close Encounters

The Accidental Tourist

Star Wars

The Empire Strikes Back

Empire of the Sun

Jane Eyre

[JoeinAR 1,957]

thanks for the lists so far, keep them coming.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

Jaws

Star Wars

Jurassic Park

The Empire Strikes Back

Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

[Mari 279]

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

2. Jane Eyre

3. Angela's Ashes

4. Star Wars

5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

6. Schindler's List

7. War Horse

8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

9. Memoirs of a Geisha

10. JFK

[Hlao-roo 390]

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

2. Jane Eyre

3. Angela's Ashes

4. Star Wars

5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

6. Schindler's List

7. War Horse

8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

9. Memoirs of a Geisha

10. JFK

Four. I think that's the most overlap I have with anyone so far.

[SF1_freeze 138]

I like that many of you show love for JW more recent works too

[Hlao-roo 390]

I like that many of you show love for JW more recent works too

As they say, there's no accounting for taste.

[Romão 2,473]

1 - Sleepers

2 - JFK

3 - Return of the Jedi

4 - Seven Years in Tibet

5 - ET The Extra Terrestrial

6 - Schindler's List

7 - Nixon

8 - Close Encounters in the 3rd Kind

9 - Memoirs of a Geisha

10 - Adventures of Tintin

Reflecting on my top 10, the overal consistency of JW's ouvre becomes staggering. There are easily 20 more scores I consider for inclusion in a top 10

[Hlao-roo 390]

7 - Nixon

Nixon was a near miss for my top 10.

Tim Perrine ("The Groovy Yak") on Sleepers:

I wish this was the score that people would remember Williams for long after he is gone. It's better than Schindler's List, better than Born on the 4th of July, better than Rosewood, better than Empire of the Sun. This is Williams best dramatic score to date- and to receive that accolade from me marks one hell of an achievement.

[Romão 2,473]

It's a very special score in JW's cannon. I'd have to agree with Tim Perrine

[KK 3,313]

I like that many of you show love for JW more recent works too

Indeed. I was surprised to find War Horse on some lists. Goes to show the diversity in our affinity for Williams' work.

[scissorhands 16]

1 - Sleepers

Just needed to stop by and quote this. I knew you liked it, but never realised you held it in such a high regard, Romao.

So here's my updated list (not including concert works, that is):

1. Saving Private Ryan

2. Empire of the Sun

3. War of the Worlds

4. Sleepers

5. Amistad

6. Minority Report

7. Nixon

8. Always

9. War Horse

10. The Lost World

[Hlao-roo 390]

Ah, Peio, ever the maverick.

[MrJosh 1,205]

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

Jaws

Star Wars

Jurassic Park

The Empire Strikes Back

Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

That's an awesome 10!

NOW I want to see your top 10 Bond films

[Incanus 5,891]

1. Angela's Ashes

2. Jurassic Park

3. The Empire Strikes Back

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark

5. A.I. - The Artificial Intelligence

6. Hook

7. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

8. Schindler's List

9. Memoirs of a Geisha

10. Sleepers

Top 10, the ranking is not hierarcically strict though.

[Hlao-roo 390]

Top 10, the ranking is not hierarcically strict though.

Another person with whom I have zero overlap.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

2. Jurassic Park

Weird. We don't hear you talking much about that score. The others on your list, yes, but not that one.

[Incanus 5,891]

Time for another Incanalysis it seems! To the Inkmobile!

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Nanananananana Inky! Nananananananana Inky!

[Incanus 5,891]

Top 10, the ranking is not hierarcically strict though.

Another person with whom I have zero overlap.

Yowzer!

And still your list is full of top 10 material.

2. Jurassic Park

Weird. We don't hear you talking much about that score. The others on your list, yes, but not that one.

Actually it is a score I do praise quite regularly when it comes up on the MB. It was the film score that actually led me to the whole genre and still after all these years I consider it to be one of the quintessential Williams scores.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Untrue! Last time you praised it was on the 28th of June. More than three months ago! And before that, one has to look at your 2011's posts to find you praising that score. So I wouldn't say you "praise it quite regularly"...

[JoeinAR 1,957]

more lists please, less nonsense please. Thank Peio, though I'm disturbed that you didn't put EOS #1. But I'm sincerely honored that you participated.

[Quintus 6,499]

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark

2. Star Wars

3. Jaws

4. E.T.

5. Superman

6. Jurassic Park

7. The Empire Strikes Back

8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

10. Return of the Jedi

[hornist 1,261]

2. Jurassic Park

Weird. We don't hear you talking much about that score. The others on your list, yes, but not that one.

How about your list BB?

Oh I forgot you only like three of JW's scores: Star Wars and ID4.

[BloodBoal 8,711]