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What are the worst John Williams scored films, not the


JoeinAR

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John has scored many a film, scored many a great film. The perception is that John scored mostly quality films while his contemporary Jerry Goldsmith often scored the dregs.

I think when you look at John's filmography you can see that isn't quite true.

John has scored some really bad movies, really really bad movies.

Its kind of unfair to really go after some of his very earliest works since most haven't been seen in decades but much of his 70's, 80's, 90's and films today are fair game.

So lets discuss. I'm really talking more about the films, John might have contributed a bad score for a bad film but I'm more concerned with the bad film itself.

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There was a time when I would have said Family Plot, but I should rewatch it with a proper transfer and aspect ratio. I just remember it being incredibly slow, hokey and annoying. The VHS transfer I rented (probably in about 1992) made the film just feel bad in general, like the worst Columbo episode ever.

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Attack of the Clones.

Leaving the score out of it, I saw the first 20 minutes recently, and my god it was boring. Politics, lazy performances and dodgy CG work throughout.

That would probably be my choice as well.

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Easily 1941. It's a complete mess, and Spielberg's worst.

I don't get why everyone always disses 1941 so much. It's not an amazing film, but I thought it was pretty funny.

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I can't answer this question well, not having seen all John Williams scored films....

but Attack of the Clones has got to be near the top of that list. What a disaster in every way...

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I think the more entertaining question would be what's the worst film Goldmith scored.

Goldsmith? King Solomon's Mines. Just Painful.

And Add one more vote for 1941. What an obnoxious film... and the score is pretty tiresome too.

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There are far worse film than AOTC in Williams filmography.

Some of his early 60s assignments are pretty unwatchable movies. Then there are the infamous Heartbeeps and Monsignor. Spacecamp is pretty bad too.

In the latest years, Sabrina is probably the worst of all.

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Attack of the Clones is worst of this decade no doubt, its bad.

Stepmom is not a bad movie at all.

1941 isn't the worst Spielberg movie, Terminal, Hook, LC, AI, Munich, Always, and Amistad are all just as problematical, some are even worse.

They are not as as bad as AOTC,

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Earthquake
Earthquake

Forgot about this one, but you can add it to my list easily. So slow moving and unrealistic (the 5 minute earthquake scenes).

And Add one more vote for 1941. What an obnoxious film... and the score is pretty tiresome too.

As much as I detest the film, I love the score to death. It's fantastic, IMO.

I don't think the Terminal is bad, but it's nothing I'd really want to watch more than once. And I like AotC, despite its flaws.

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I think The Terminal is a lovely film, even with it has no idea what to do with Catherine Zeta-Jones, and with it's tone-deaf last 20 minutes.

I personally couldn't stand Always, Far & Away, Stanley & Iris or The Fury, though the last three were all made far more bearable by their scores, and I've been meaning to give The Fury another viewing. Can't say I've seen many of his 60's films, though. I did see Daddy-O once, but I have almost no recollection of it. I'm sure it's terrible.

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I forgot to add Far & Away.

Not all of Williams' 60's films are bad. I found Fitzwilly, Guide For The Married Man, How To Steal A Million, Penelope & Not With My Wife You Don't rather fun.

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I think the more entertaining question would be what's the worst film Goldmith scored.

Goldsmith? King Solomon's Mines. Just Painful.

I guess you haven't seen Hollow Man.

Hollow Man started off promising and then devolves into typical Hollywood, "boo!" mode. Such a wasted opportunity. But it's nowhere near as bad (and embarrassingly cheap) as King Solomon's Mines.

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I forgot the Fury, its easily among the worst films JW scored, though Marian will disagree. Neil likes it too.

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I think the more entertaining question would be what's the worst film Goldmith scored.

Goldsmith? King Solomon's Mines. Just Painful.

I guess you haven't seen Hollow Man.

Hollow Man started off promising and then devolves into typical Hollywood, "boo!" mode. Such a wasted opportunity. But it's nowhere near as bad (and embarrassingly cheap) as King Solomon's Mines.

Agreed, I was somewhat suprised at how predictable the film became halfway thru. But typical of most films.

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It belongs here more than AI does. ;)

Or Last Crusade.

No, AI is a worse film, I didn't say LC belonged here, I said it was problematical. It has some severe flaws.

"Technically"

its probably SS worst film from a technical filmmaking aspect.

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eh, fun...maybe, but I can't believe Spielberg would be so sloppy. Never before and never again though.

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again another film that doesn't belong here, and it doesn't have any of the technical issues that LC is so full of.

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Of all the Williams scored movies I've seen, Attack of the Clones is probably the worst

1941 is not great, but it's good. A screening I went to recently was very well received.

Neil

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It was, Joe. It was a double feature of I Wanna Hold Your Hand and 1941. Bob Gale, Nancy Allen, Perry Lang and Wendie Jo Sperber's stunt double were there to talk between the films. I'd never seen I Wanna Hold Your Hand and I found it to be hysterical. I didn't know if 1941 would hold up after that, but it did.

Neil

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The Lost World didn't do much for me either.

The T-Rex in San Diego is worth waiting through the whole film though. The trailers over the cliff scene is good too. Actually, a lot of it is entertaining and fun. The plot isn't that great, but who doesn't love watching dinosaurs kill people?

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Yeah, the moment where Julianne Moore is on the glass window and it's cracking around her is great. The rest of the movie is entirely disposable. It's dreadful.

Nell

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I liked the opening sequence quite a lot: the pachys, the interesting cut to Jeff Goldblum and his conversation with the guy on the train. The film starts to suck around the time Ludlow shows up.

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