Just 3 great scores in the last 10 years, just 3

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I can hear it in my head, can you?

The sounds of the Lost World, can you hear it.

It calls to me. Its one of the three.

Then there is the Sorcerer's Stone, the 2nd of the three.

The last 50 seconds of Hedwigs theme as played in the finale are perhaps the best 50 seconds of the last 10 years.

And finally the last of the three, appropriately the third Harry Potter film, the Prisoner of Azkaban, so much great music, so much great unreleased music.

These are the only scores worthy of 5 star status among the 21 scores in the last 10 years. It doesn't bode well for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls. On the other hand John is due for a great score. Personally I'll hold out hope for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so much rich material for John to draw inspiration from. Lincoln will offer nothing but dust collecting potential, while Interstellar might just be the closing of the Spielbergs space trilogy, with Williams offering up more magic as he did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.

I must listen to the Lost World at lunch, close my windows, turn up the volume, its not the dark test, but the car test is the next best thing. Its the best action score of John's last 10 years and the best action score period, of the last 10 years.

I still say the Sorcerer's Stone is the best score of the 21st century, though many LOTR fans will disagree, (they are wrong), as will POA fans.

And while I put HPSS and HPPOA as two of three great JW scores, it must be noted that HPCOS has two tracks in Fawkes the Phoenix and Chamber of Secrets that rank among the very best ques EVER by JW.

[gkgyver 1,638]

Such a nice and heartfelt guy ...

[Romão 1,931]

Seven Years in Tibet, Angela's Ashes, A.I and Memoirs of a Geisha.

[Morlock 9]

Lost World is 5 stars in your book? I mean, I love a lot of it, great main theme, the action music is some of JW's most entertaining, but I wouldn't say it's in the pantheon. For my money, HP 1 & 3, Angela's Ashes, The Phantom Menace, Memoirs of A Geisha are all up there, A.I. not being far behind.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I've missed Joe!

Ray Barnsbury

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

We all need more pessimism dont we?

[pixie_twinkle 44]

What's so great about Memoirs of a Geisha? I really don't hear it. Going to School is lovely, but the rest of the score is quite forgettable, no matter how much of a personal project it was for Mr Williams.

I really have to agree with Joey for the most part, although I would add A.I., The Terminal, Catch Me if You Can, and The Phantom Menace to the list of great scores.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Joe speaks the truth, and he speaks the truth well. (except for the LOTR part)

John Williams = has been!

[Morlock 9]

What's so great about Memoirs of a Geisha? I really don't hear it. Going to School is lovely, but the rest of the score is quite forgettable, no matter how much of a personal project it was for Mr Williams.

I generally skip that track, actually. I think 'Sayuri's theme' is a gem.

While I do agree that perhaps JW hasn't had all that many all-time greatest scores, but I love the spirit of most of the scores. In 2002, four scores, none of them among the best ever, but each one has something special, like JW was writing them with a twinkle in his eye, trying something, exploring....I get an excited vibe from many of his latest scores. After his break in 1994 he really started exploring new territory, and I dont' think he's stopped, straight through Munich.

[Incanus 5,518]

Yeah everything Williams has written since E.T doth suck!

And indeed the LotR fans are misguided fools! Fools I say!

[Quintus 5,391]

The best JW score of the last 10 years is none of Joe's choices. That's because its The Phantom Menace.

[Datameister 1,394]

HP:SS and POA are indeed great scores, but I have trouble understanding why TLW made your list while TPM didn't. For me, the two are on totally different levels in terms of enjoyability.

[Morlock 9]

IMO, TPM is not a great score in every repsects. It has some not good passages. Really, I think it's a collection of an unusually high amount of highlights, so much so that there are far more highlights than dead spots.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

The best JW score of the last 10 years is none of Joe's choices. That's because its The Phantom Menace.

Phantom Menace would be the one I'd say just missed the top 3, its very very good, by far the best of the prequel scores, a true and worthy "Star Wars" score.

Just because I picked three as great doesn't mean the other 18 are failures, on the contrary, there are many very good, and good scores among them, along with some very weak stuff. You all must be the judges, but for me SPR, AOTC, and Terminal are all bad scores, by JW standards.

As for the very good, CMIYC, WOTW, MOAG, Angela's Ashes, all fit that choice. Even though I think AI is a bad movie, the score has its moments, though ultimately not enough to keep me interested. It will get a play at the first of the year for my annual JW score rotation.

Datameister, you must give TLW a chance, I too easily dismissed it, but thanks to the Master, and the former original phantom zone trio member chris, I discovered its true greatness. Its not always about enjoyability.

[Datameister 1,394]

Its not always about enjoyability.

Yes. It really is. Enjoyability comes through a lot of different ways and reasons, but music is worthless if it's not enjoyed at all.

I do enjoy TLW. I have given it a chance, and I suspect it will continue to grow on me as time passes, but it still doesn't quite qualify as a favorite Williams score for me.

Phantom Menace would be the one I'd say just missed the top 3, its very very good, by far the best of the prequel scores, a true and worthy "Star Wars" score.

But your premise wasn't that you were picking the top three...your premise was that there were only three Williams scores in the last decade that qualified as "great", and that anything else just wasn't. Did you choose the number three because there were only three that were worthy of the title, or did you decide you wanted to pick three greats and then go through and decide which ones are worthy?

[JoeinAR 1,759]

no, they are the only scores I'd give 5 stars too, the Phantom Menace would get a nice 4-1/2, it just missed because of problems.

and I still don't agree, enjoyability isn't always the point. I admire the skill of Schindler's List, its a solid 4 to 4-1-/2 star score, but its not a score I enjoy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Once again, I agree.

[Quintus 5,391]

for me SPR, AOTC, and Terminal are all bad scores, by JW standards.

When you say "bad scores" do you mean as a standalone listen or in the literal sense ie; just a inferior score?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

This is silly. Worst decade? Hindsight bias anyone?

[JoeinAR 1,759]

for me SPR, AOTC, and Terminal are all bad scores, by JW standards.

When you say "bad scores" do you mean as a standalone listen or in the literal sense ie; just a inferior score?

is there a difference. I find those 3 scores weak by JW standards, SPR is just smaltzy, AOTC is just inferior, and Terminal is terminal.

blume, we are not talking a decade just the last 10 years, really 11.

And I did listen to the Lost World at lunch, and was amazed. I must state that listening to it live as performed by an orchestra is a thing of beauty.

[MSM 85]

Brian Tyler - Timeline

Edward Shearmur - The Count of Monte Cristo

Hans Zimmer - Batman Begins

[Quintus 5,391]

for me SPR, AOTC, and Terminal are all bad scores, by JW standards.

When you say "bad scores" do you mean as a standalone listen or in the literal sense ie; just a inferior score?

is there a difference?

Um, as someone who is supposed to appreciate the art of film scoring I find it blatantly odd how you could make such a remark. Terminator 2 had a superb score, but on headphones (and as a piece of music) it sounded bloody awful. There is a huge difference.

SPR had a perfectly serviceable, even affecting score, therefore it is not a "bad" (being a very definite, negative description) score by anyones reckoning. Whether or not it passes the isolated listen test is irrelevant, even if you think it did indeed fail.

A good score is an entirely different beast to a good album. But you knew that, right?

[JoeinAR 1,759]

first Film scoring isn't an art, its a craft, its a huge difference. Once again this board is too free with art, as it is with masterpiece.

SPR is affecting, it affects my gag reflect, its a bad score.

often times my only listening experience with a score is the album, and not the usage in the film.

I don't watch the Lost World yet I judge it to be a 5 star great score, not based on the film usage but on what I listen too.

You're standard can be difficult as the score as heard in the movie is often badly edited.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

blume, we are not talking a decade just the last 10 years, really 11.

Oh...my bad.

But I still think there have been more great scores [Lord of the Rings excepted due to heavy controversy around here]

. There's been The Lost World, Count of Monte Cristo, The Mummy, Great Expectations, Phantom Menace, Les Miserables, Prisoner of Azkaban, Lady in the Water, and The Sorcerer's Stone (mainly for a couple of amazing tracks). I'd say those are all worthy of 5-starhood.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

But I don't care if the scores I like are a highlight in the context of his career!

[JoeinAR 1,759]

Blume, I've only been referring to John Williams.

This is a John Williams board isn't it.

Im really not concerned with non John Williams scores.

[Quintus 5,391]

first Film scoring isn't an art, its a craft...

SPR is affecting, it affects my gag reflect, its a bad score.

I don't watch the Lost World yet I judge it to be a 5 star great score, not based on the film usage but on what I listen too.

You're standard can be difficult as the score as heard in the movie is often badly edited.

Seeing as I disagree with you on all accounts (your first sentence in particular) I'll retire from this pointless discussion. I can only listen to so much bullshit per day and you have unwittingly caused my brain's 'shite detector' to peak earlier than normal. Sorry.

[scissorhands 16]

Great scores from the last 10 years:

-Seven Years in Tibet

-Rosewood

-Amistad

-The Lost World

-Saving Private Ryan

-Stepmom

-The Phantom Menace

-Angela's Ashes

-The Patriot

-A.I.

-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

-Minority Report

-Catch Me If You Can

-Attack of the Clones

-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

-War of the Worlds

-Revenge of the Sith

-Memoirs of a Geisha

-Munich

Believe it or not, we are witnessing John Williams' Golden Age.

[Quintus 5,391]

Great scores from the last 10 years:

-Seven Years in Tibet

-Rosewood

-Amistad

-The Lost World

-Saving Private Ryan

-Stepmom

-The Phantom Menace

-Angela's Ashes

-The Patriot

-A.I.

-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

-Minority Report

-Catch Me If You Can

-Attack of the Clones

-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

-War of the Worlds

-Revenge of the Sith

-Memoirs of a Geisha

-Munich

Believe it or not, we are witnessing John Williams' Golden Age.

With the uppermost respect; No Fucking Way!

[JoeinAR 1,759]

first Film scoring isn't an art, its a craft, its a huge difference. Once again this board is too free with art, as it is with masterpiece.

SPR is affecting, it affects my gag reflect, its a bad score.

I don't watch the Lost World yet I judge it to be a 5 star great score, not based on the film usage but on what I listen too.

You're standard can be difficult as the score as heard in the movie is often badly edited.

Seeing as I disagree with you on all accounts (your first sentence in particular) I'll retire from this pointless discussion. I can only listen to so much bullshit per day and you have unwittingly caused my brain's 'shite detector' to peak earlier than normal. Sorry.

thanks for being a quitter, not surprising as your arguments are those of a fool. whaaaa, whaaaaa, whaaaaa,

You quit because your arguments are weak and you can't play with the big boys. Go away, you add no value.

The mere fact that you cannot agree with my statement about art vs craft is typical of this crowd.

To so many of you here everything is art, and everything is a masterpiece.

I guess you're a liar too.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

This is no discussion. This is a contest of who can back up his opinions with the biggest ego.

Sadly, it's hardly new around here.

[Quintus 5,391]

first Film scoring isn't an art, its a craft, its a huge difference. Once again this board is too free with art, as it is with masterpiece.

SPR is affecting, it affects my gag reflect, its a bad score.

I don't watch the Lost World yet I judge it to be a 5 star great score, not based on the film usage but on what I listen too.

You're standard can be difficult as the score as heard in the movie is often badly edited.

Seeing as I disagree with you on all accounts (your first sentence in particular) I'll retire from this pointless discussion. I can only listen to so much bullshit per day and you have unwittingly caused my brain's 'shite detector' to peak earlier than normal. Sorry.

thanks for being a quitter, not surprising as your arguments are those of a fool. whaaaa, whaaaaa, whaaaaa,

You quit because your arguments are weak and you can't play with the big boys. Go away, you add no value.

The mere fact that you cannot agree with my statement about art vs craft is typical of this crowd.

To so many of you here everything is art, and everything is a masterpiece.

Glad to see you relished your last word on the matter so beautifully, baldy!

I guess you're a liar too.

Hehe, this could almost be mistaken for fun!

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

OK, well you mentioned LoTR in your post so I figured it was open to all composers.

But on John Williams I 101% agree with you Joey.

[Red 73]

No way has Williams become bad in recent years. He's as good as he ever was, if not quite up to the "classics" of old.

There are far more than 3 great JW scores in the last 10 years.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

and I never said he became bad, but he's not producing the same quality of scores. and it should be pointed out that with just a few exceptions each score has made one decent contribution to his catalog.

And with all due respect to Peio, you really do dance to a different drum.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

This is no discussion. This is a contest of who can back up his opinions with the biggest ego.

I WON!!!!

[scissorhands 16]

And with all due respect to Peio, you really do dance to a different drum.

All I know is that I'm not alone in this particular voyage. I have Williams on my side, to start with.

[MSM 85]

Blume, I've only been referring to John Williams.This is a John Williams board isn't it.Im really not concerned with non John Williams scores.

Ok, you weren't that clear in your first post about that

Then (may I give top 5?):

1) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2) Memoirs of a Geisha

3) The Phantom Menace

4) A.I.

5) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

I have Williams on my side, to start with.

I don't care about Williams' opinions, I only care about his music.

If his opinions were worthwhile he should have become a politician, or talkshow host!

Just shut up and compose something....

[Miguel Andrade 964]

And with all due respect to Peio, you really do dance to a different drum.

All I know is that I'm not alone in this particular voyage. I have Williams on my side, to start with.

Count me in as well, then.

[MSM 85]

This is no discussion. This is a contest of who can back up his opinions with the biggest ego.

I WON!!!!

...And the biggest letters

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Bigger...is better...in every way!

[Jacob 0]

The mere fact that you cannot agree with my statement about art vs craft is typical of this crowd.

To so many of you here everything is art, and everything is a masterpiece.

So what's the difference between art and craft? Just looking up craft in a random dictionary: "Skill in doing or making something, as in the arts"

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

I'm a printer. What I do I very much consider a craft, but not an art. Even though I something print art.

[Luke Skywalker 1,284]

Interstellar might just be the closing of the Spielbergs space trilogy, with Williams offering up more magic as he did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.

Cuadrilogy. What about WOTW?

Unless you willingly 'fotgot' it...

[pixie_twinkle 44]

Williams' music still fits well within the context of the film, but I find that the older he gets the less interesting his music is when heard as a seperate entity. Perfect case in point is War of the Worlds and Minority Report. In the films the music is incredible and very effective, but on it's own I really don't ever listen to it apart from the odd cue (Everybody Runs and Spyders for instance). He used to write music that functioned beautifully both onscreen and offscreen. That's what I miss the most. Harry Potter still has that, as do the other scores I mentioned, but not many others.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

Interstellar might just be the closing of the Spielbergs space trilogy, with Williams offering up more magic as he did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.

Cuadrilogy. What about WOTW?

Unless you willingly 'fotgot' it...

Luke, you know I like WOTW, both film and score, but I don't count that as part of Spielberg's alien vision.

Its hard not to respect Peio and Miguel's position even if I don't alway agree, they justify it so well.

[MSM 85]

I'm a printer. What I do I very much consider a craft, but not an art. Even though I something print art.

You're now comparing John Williams with a printer?

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Lincoln will offer nothing but dust collecting potential, while Interstellar might just be the closing of the Spielbergs space trilogy, with Williams offering up more magic as he did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.

Lincoln will offer another Academy Award nomination, and possibly a long-overdo win for John.

Steven has done more space films than just Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and E.T. Are you forgetting War Of The Worlds? Spielberg has three types of films: his historical dramas (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Munich), his sci-fi action films (Minority Report, A.I., War Of The Worlds), and his comedic dramas (Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal).

I must listen to the Lost World at lunch, close my windows, turn up the volume, its not the dark test, but the car test is the next best thing. Its the best action score of John's last 10 years and the best action score period, of the last 10 years.

The Lost World is one of John Williams' worst scores, and how can you say it's the best action score in the last 10 years? I'm positive Hans Zimmer holds that title for one of his several action scores.

I still say the Sorcerer's Stone is the best score of the 21st century, though many LOTR fans will disagree, (they are wrong), as will POA fans.

Seriously, Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone is the best score in the last 100 years? I don't even need to elaborate on why that sentence is wrong.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

you have so much to learn unpronoucable screenname person, also I think I seem to know what films

Spielberg has done, I think Im the only one who's actually seen all of his films in the theatre during their first run on this site.

As I said to Luke, WOTW is not part of Spielberg's alien vision, its not a positive view like CE3K or ET.

I don't have to defend Lost World, one only has to listen to hear its greatness, and Hans zimmer doesnt hold anything with the word best in it.