Tom

Anyone still annoyed that this film lost out to Shakespeare In Love?  

Anyone still annoyed that this film lost out to Shakespeare In Love?  

Good thing, then, that Williams did not call it Hymn to the Draft Dodgers and Cowards.   

Hymn to the Fallen is music fit for the funeral of presidents and war heroes.

The film and score are so masterful and deeply moving, this sequence always brings me to tears.  This film exemplifies two masters of their medium at the pinnacle of their craft.  Sublime, mature, rich, complex, efficient, and ultimately deeply moving.  This is from a moment in the film where so much is happening subtextually.  A masterpiece of film making, scoring, and storytelling.  
 
 
The film never scores the action, only the subtext or inner thoughts of the characters.  Something Spielberg and Williams hinted at in all their prior collaborations but here it is in full display.
 
A few reasons why this film hits me so hard - I think it was 2014, I was flying back from Baltimore, Maryland, after performing there.  That was after a wonderful experience performing with Marin Alsop and the amazing musicians and friends in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  Since I had to fly with my trombone in a seat without it blocking any passengers in case there was an evacuation, I was boarded first and in the front row. Next were a group of 20 senior citizens that were all part of the Honor Flight Network (a non-profit organization whose mission is to transport Veterans to Washington DC to visit memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice). This was one of the most enjoyable flights I had ever taken making the five-hour flight feel like only 30 minutes it was over so quick.
 
The man sitting next to me was known as the “kid” because he was the youngest one at 87. He was a rear gunner on a B-17 bomber. I told him I was a pilot which excited him as we began talking about what he saw and experienced flying dozens of dangerous missions, the fright of the Luftwaffe, friends he lost, and the incredible randomness of great tragedies. He almost started tearing up recalling a routine mission with several of his friends where all on board died because the plane simply flew into a mountain. I could feel the cold, noise, smell, fear, cramping, claustrophobia inside the rear and belly turret of these long missions over enemy terrain. He said the introduction of the P-51 Mustang was a game changer because they would now have armed escorts on their dangerous missions who were as agile (probably more so) as the Luftwaffe. They frequently didn't even know what happened to their friends. After difficult missions, they simply returned and noticed airplanes missing or bunks unoccupied. No word of what happened to their friends...are they now POW? Did the plane ditch in the sea? Were there any survivors? They had no easy answers. How terrifying it must have been to fly these missions before the P-51 where it must have felt like they were a large sitting duck! Now at least, they had a chance.
 
Halfway through the flight, many of these men had to go the bathroom so my front row chair became a rotating door of great stories from these incredible veterans. One consistent story I heard was how much they all revered one of the passengers on the flight above all else. Finally, he made his way to the front row seat awaiting the bathroom.
 
When he sat next to me, we started talking and I saw his cap "101st Airborne Screaming Eagles" Infantry division. My jaw dropped. He was a paratrooper on D-Day who jumped from a glider behind enemy lines in the middle of the night during the Invasion of D-Day. Against incredibly bad odds, he survived the battle telling me that night, he lost half his company. Just imagine, in a 24-hour period losing one out of two people you trained and bonded with.  These guys were around 17 to 22 years old at that time and I couldn't believe I was looking them directly in their eyes hearing them recount these horrific experiences firsthand.  This scene from Saving Private Ryan, the 101st is crossing paths with Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks) character as they look through the dog tags of paratroopers killed.  I met those men.  
 
It was incredibly humbling to meet these true heroes and I was reminded of them each time I see this film. I will never forget meeting them and hearing their stories firsthand. 
 

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Hi, I'm Curly, and I only surround myself with people who allow me to keep using that name.

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

Its all fun and games now, but remember your enthusiasm for this when you read the following blurb next year.  "Due to overseas conducting commitments, Williams had to pass on scoring Spielberg's highly anticipated new UFO movie.  Spielberg admitted that he was disappointed but looks forward to working with Zimmer for the first time."   

I wonder if Spielberg knows that he made this movie in the 70s.  
 
Williams better score the damn thing.  

Very obscure reference.
 

I believe that piece is known as "The Raider's March."

Very obscure reference.
 

Very obscure reference.
 

I believe that piece is known as "The Raider's March."

I believe that piece is known as "The Raider's March."

I love the version of Helena's Theme with ASM.

I wonder if Spielberg knows that he made this movie in the 70s.  
 
Williams better score the damn thing.