Molly Weasley

Every single one of William's OST albums should be listened to exactly as released at least once.

DGA podcast with Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson
 
 
Just one little reference to JW, Spielberg mentions asking Williams if they should start the score in earlier and that it was Williams' own intuition to really have Mitzi's dance be its first major entrance. 

I'll just say I'm very glad I saw the film before I listened to the album.  I definitely can understand feeling underwhelmed without the context of why it sounds like this and why it's so short.  A lot of score would have given scenes a feeling of fantasy, of going to the "dream world" that films can conjure without parallel as Mitzi Fabelman might describe it.  It would have been so wrong for the film.  The scenes that do have score it is with such a feeling of purpose.  These are masters at work, Spielberg and Williams.
 
I also can't imagine just making a playlist and cutting the classical tracks out, I love this album program!  And of course the Bach adagio is maybe the key piece of music in the entire film.

Look what I found in the christmas tree  
 

 
What a beautiful release, from the gorgeous Jim Titus art to the perfect assembly from Mike, this is truly the expansion of the year for me.
 
I've only listened once to the main program and I already know this is a score I'll revisit often. Can't wait to discover the additional music and the great liner notes!

All the "childhood" years are without any score. It's obvisously a choice... But, hey, all the beginning of a movie without an original score... that's heavy man.
 
And that "cameo" at the end of the movie, the "famous" director scene... that was half-funny and half-distracting (wait a minute, is it really... yes it's him... no? Google!). Generally, I've found the casting of this movie to be very uneven anyway.
 
A nice movie in the ensemble, some too long scenes (you know, when you have to wait the music to end... sort of those kind of things, I said cut to myself more than one time!).
 
I don't think Spielberg is very at ease to tell personal stories, even his own one.

Just watched the film. I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I didn't know what I was going to see so there were quite some surprises. I was a bit worried that it would be a film just about Spielberg and it becoming a sort of 'here, look how good I am' film. So to my delight it wasn't that at all. It was a beautiful film about a family, a young boy's dreams and those dreams being influenced by the events in his life.
 
The performances were all outstanding. Standouts were Williams, Dano, LaBelle, Hirsch & Lynch in a great cameo.
 
Williams score was sparingly but when it was there it instanty reminded me of why Williams is the best film composer of all time. Wonderful work.
Besides the acting and music the directing by Spielberg, as always, was outstanding. I can't describe it but this is a Spielberg film through and through, from the first shot to the last.
 
I had to scene that I thought were instantly iconic in his filmography. The scene in the hallway after the showing of his Ditch Day video and the scene with Lynch as Ford. Incredible!!!

Couldn't help thinking of this thread 

Couldn't help thinking of this thread 

So my friend is doing the music for the second trailer coming out next month, and it's going to be about the Nazis from the first trailer, so they used the Nazi motif from TLC. He sent me a short preview of it:
 
 
indiana_jones_dial_of_destiny_trailer#2.mp3

Aside from the silliness of this thread, this is a somewhat interesting conversation. I think the disconnect is the idea that a trailer should give a "bite-sized representation of what your film is actually like." For the folks making the trailers, I'm sure the only goal is to make people want to see the film. (Especially, but not exclusively, people who are more likely to enjoy the film.) So that becomes sort of a game of one-upmanship—whose trailer will be the most epic? hilarious? scary? dramatic? And part of that is the music. It's an arms race for the trailer tropes that most effectively entice the largest numbers of people into the theater. (Or onto the subscription streaming service, or whatever.) Any decent film composer knows you have to hold back in a lot of places to craft a score that really supports the film; any decent trailer music composer knows you have to keep up with the Joneses to keep getting work. Or in this case, you have to help the Joneses keep up with over-the-top adventure movie trailers everyone else is making. (I don't think they were successful with this one, but the proof will be in the box office pudding.)

I’ve never seen anyone try and pull a ‘don’t you know who I am?!’ over trailer music before but this is the thread that keeps on giving 

Maybe Williams got some sample libraries on black friday and wanted to try out some epic bwahhm versions of his Indy theme! "ah yes, indeed that sounds very fire, as the kids say"

@Jay Thanks for the detailed notes on the bonus tracks! I hope this will become a regular feature of these expansions.
 

Spielberg has had a not great track record with casting young men over the last 20 years.  They've mostly ranged from bad (Justin Chatwin in WOTW) to the just ok, not actively hurting the movie but not good either (Jeremy Irvine in War Horse, Tye Sheridan in RP1).  Well, he finally struck gold with The Fabelmans.   I was so impressed with Gabriel LaBelle in this movie, he really knocked it out of the park in every way.  That scene with the jock bully in the hallway after showing the beach movie.... wow, the absolute highlight of the movie for me and LaBelle was truly great in it.

I did like the new Universal -> Amblin logo that premiered with The Fabelmans.  If nothing else just for the humor of having Goldsmith score over the ET Amblin emblem .
 
Despite my problems with Universal's strategy these days, it does feel good and right for Spielberg to be back "home" after so many years.  I just hope they continue to work together despite the failure of this one.
 
 

Not many people know that when Spielberg showed JW Schindler's List, ... 

It'd be fun to create a parody alt account on the forum with the persona of only posting well-known Williams anecdotes/factoids as if they're obscure.  I'd use the Michael Caine catch-phrase "Not many people know that" and maybe with Caine as the avatar to encourage people to read the posts in his voice.
 
"Fun fact: The ending parade music in The Phantom Menace is actually the Emperor's theme in disguise.  Not many people know that."

I was planning on seeing the movie this week but just realized it’s only showing at one theatre in my state 150 miles away! 😭
I don’t live in the largest of cities but it’s still the state capital and fairly large so I’m surprised there isn’t a single showing. 

Just got out of the theater and I echo all the praise for this film. I tear easily at movies and this one jerked all the tears out of me, especially as the child of divorced parents.
 
The latter half of the movie, once they move to Santa Clara county, was spellbinding. Some of the vibes, such as in the scenes with the bullying or the prom breakup, were much like what I experienced, even if the details were completely different. But also the breezy feel of high school, with its cliques and  girls you crushed on and the general optimism at that age in your life—Spielberg is almost 80 and he captured that mood so fucking brilliantly; better than directors half his age could.
 
The David lynch cameo was pricelessly terrific and leads into the funniest and cleverest meta moment (one of at least two in the film) I’ve seen in a movie maybe ever. 
 
Also, everyone can quit bitching about the amount of original score in this movie. It’s perfectly spotted and JW’s score is pitch perfect when seen in context. 
 

It was very good, a rich and multi-faceted experience.  All of the actors were extraordinary.  Anyone who says “Oh Hollywood just loves movies about the power of movies” has clearly not actually seen this movie as that would be a willfully shallow takeaway from this story.

I don't know what to say about this album, except that it's a masterpiece on multiple levels.
 
It's a masterpiece of a film score - from themes to underscore to orchestration to soloist work.... I continue to be astounded by this score's many stand-out moments
 
It's a masterpiece of a recording - say what you want about other recordings of his, but Shawn Murphy was at the top of his game in 1997 and this recording is one of the most satisfying recordings of his I've ever had the pleasure of listening to
 
It's a masterpiece of album production - the main program is paced brilliantly, finally showcasing what Williams did for this film in a way the old score album couldn't come close to, and even the film does not.  The main program flows so perfectly into the bonus track section you just want to keep listening and don't even feel like you're in a bonus track section.  Any so many specific decisions were made to fit everything recorded for the score into 2 discs, but still keep a great flow throughout... Mike's instincts have never been better are how to take a big score and make it listenable.  And time I listen to a random track, I just keep listening to the album from there.
 
There is no album of music of any genre I've listened to more than this since getting it.  It's an amazing release and I can't wait for everyone to hear it.  It's a must-have for any Williams fan.

Absolutely amazing! Look at that runtime!
 
We estimated 40 minutes of unreleased music but this trumps those estimates (and expands upon the 55 minute OST) with a whopping 100 minutes! Also consider the OST partially repeated music from track 1 in track 14!
 
Completely blown away by this. This could be the Eiger Sanction of 2022 in terms of a completely new musical experience we hardly knew existed.
 
Thank you LLL and MM!

ANOTHER WILLIAMS/SPIELBERG MASTERPIECE...
 
RELEASE #4
 
AMISTAD: 25th ANNIVERSARY EXPANDED LIMITED EDITION (2-CD SET)
LLLCD 1612
Music by John Williams
Limited Edition of 5000 Units
RETAIL PRICE: $29.98
 
ORDERS BEGIN TUESDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2022 AT 12 PM PST
 
In celebration of John Williams‘ 90th birthday and the 25th Anniversary of the acclaimed feature film AMISTAD, La-La Land Records, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Geffen Records present AMISTAD, a special 2-CD remastered and expanded release of Academy Award-Winning composer John Williams’ (E.T., SCHINDLER’S LIST, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) original motion picture score to the renowned 1997 big-screen historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou. Maestro Williams’ masterwork encompasses the depths and heights of human experience, unleashing unforgettable moments of anguish and uplift as it supports the film’s true chronicling of the 1839 African slave ship revolt abord the La Amistad and its subsequent landmark U.S. court case. 

A breathtaking fusion of orchestral Americana with African percussion rhythms and vocal chanting, this important John Williams score finally gets a definitive release with this deluxe 2-CD presentation, meticulously produced, edited and mastered by Mike Matessino, in consultation with the composer and director. 

Remastered in high resolution from studio master elements, Disc One and Disc Two of this program features the film Score Presentation, which expands the original 1997 soundtrack album by almost double its length, including cues not used in the film. The score presentation is followed on Disc Two by 50 minutes of bonus tracks including source music, concert arrangements, and alternates - some of which offer completely different approaches than the film versions. The exclusive, in-depth liner notes are by writer Jeff Bond, with the packaging’s elegant design by Jim Titus. This is a limited edition release of 5000 units. 

TRACK LISTING:
SCORE PRESENTATION 1:45:04
1 Introduction And Retribution 4:40
2 July 4, 1839 4:04
3 Steering East 1:27
4 The Capture 5:00
5 Introducing John Quincy Adams 5:15
6 Meeting Of The Minds 3:58
7 Counsel Meets Client 1:36
8 The Ship Remembers 5:32
9 Visiting Adams 1:32
10 What Is Their Story? 3:44
11 Learning To Count 1:57
12 Tale Of The Lion’s Tooth 5:48
13 The Capture Of Cinqué 4:03
14 The Crossing 4:41
15 Tales Of Horror 7:40
16 Discovering The Bible 5:05
17 Prisoners’ Song 1:33
18 The Letter To Massachusetts 2:09
19 Cinqué’s Legal Mind 2:26
20 African Violet 5:33

Disc One Time: 78:10
 
DISC 2 
SCORE PRESENTATION CONT’D
1 Adams’ Address To The Court 7:21
2 Adams’ Summation (Film Version) 3:01
3 The Verdict 5:10
4 Liberation Of Lomboko: Dry Your Tears, Afrika 2:17
5 Going Home 2:05
6 Dry Your Tears, Afrika (Reprise) 3:37
7 The Long Road To Justice 3:19

ADDITIONAL MUSIC 49:53
8 Cinqué’s Theme 4:13
9 Introduction (Alternate) 1:12
10 The Capture (Alternate) 5:02
11 Harbor Tavern 3:05
12 Cinqué’s Theme (Solo Flute) 2:07
13 Meeting Of The Minds (Instrumental Version) 3:45
14 The Ship Remembers (Alternate) 5:26
15 What Is Their Story? (Alternate) 3:33
16 The Crossing (Alternate) 4:23
17 Tales Of Horror (Alternate Excerpt) 3:19
18 Discovering The Bible (Alternate) 5:11
19 Cinqué’s Memories Of Home 2:39
20 Going Home (Alternate) 2:06
21 Dry Your Tears, Afrika (Alternate) 3:35
 
Disc Two Time: 76:50
 
Total 2-Disc Time: 2:35:00
 
This is a CD format release.
 
https://www.facebook.com/lalalandrecords/posts/pfbid02C5KU3xb3nP4WCT7WxYTaESVxuT8ft2jsQpkeBUvMYQbwm9BhcWkYhFUiDFJKFUn4l

I thought it was cool that the entire orchestra is credited in the credits. Plus John Williams name shows up twice.

Got to see it last weekend in LA with friends and it was just amazing. We’re all 20-somethings trying to make it in the entertainment biz, having all moved away from home to pursue our passions. The film really spoke to us.
 
I agree with @Molly Weasley that there’s a universality to the movie. It’s actually really incredible that something so personal and specific could be so relatable - Spielberg is so good at that.