John Williams scores - by Film Studio

[Jay 39,156]

I thought it would be helpful to group all of John Williams' film scores by the studio that owns the rights. It helps to figure out what might be coming out by a label if they release some clues, etc.

Beyond that, it's just kind of interesting to see what studios John has worked the most and least for. And which studios have been the best and worst at licensing their properties out to the specialty labels.

This is basically an updated version of this original post here.

Bold = has not been expanded in the modern era
strikethrough = has been expanded in the modern era

 

 

British Lion Film Corporation

1. 1970 Jane Eyre (2023 Quartet)

Disney

20th Century Studios

1. 1962 Bachelor Flat (Intrada 2008)
2. 1965 John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (FSM 2001)
3. 1966 How To Steal A Million (Intrada 2008)
4. 1967 A Guide For The Married Man (FSM 2000)
5. 1967 Valley of the Dolls
6. 1972 The Poseidon Adventure (La-La Land 2019)
7. 1973 The Paper Chase (FSM 1998 released can be improved upon)
8. 1973 Cinderella Liberty (Intrada 2008 release is not expanded)
9. 1974 Conrack (FSM 1998 released can be improved upon)
10. 1974 The Towering Inferno (La-La Land 2019)
11. 1978 The Fury (La-La Land 2013)
12. 1982 Monsignor (Intrada 2019)
13. 1986 SpaceCamp (Intrada 2022)
14. 1990 Home Alone (La-La Land 2015)
15. 1992 Home Alone 2 (La-la Land 2012)
16. 2002 Minority Report (La-La Land 2019)
17. 2013 The Book Thief
18. 2017 The Post

Lucasfilm

1. 1977 Star Wars(1997 RCA release is not complete)
2. 1980 The Empire Strikes Back(1997 RCA release is not complete and has sound quality issues)
3. 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark  [Paramount still involved?] (2008 Concord release is not complete and has pitch issues)
4. 1983 Return of the Jedi (1997 RCA release is not complete and has sound quality issues)
5. 1984 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom [Paramount still involved?] (2008 Concord release is not complete and has pitch issues)
6. 1989 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [Paramount still involved?] (2008 Concord release is not complete)
7. 1999 The Phantom Menace (2000 Ultimate Edition is not complete and has many other problems)
8. 2002 Attack of the Clones
9. 2005 Revenge of the Sith
10. 2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [Paramount still involved?]

Hollywood Pictures

1. 1995 Nixon

Touchstone Pictures

1. 2011 War Horse
2. 2012 Lincoln

Disney

1. 2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2. 2016 The BFG
3. 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi
4. 2019 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
5. 2023 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

 

 

 

Handmade Films

• 1972 Images (Prometheus 2007 release and 2021 Quartet release is not expanded)

 

 

 

MGM

1. 1966 Penelope (FSM 2004)
2. 1969 Goodbye, Mr. Chips (FSM 2006)
3. 1973 The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (FSM 2002)
4. 1990 Stanley & Iris (Varese 2017)

United Artists

1. 1967 Fitzwilly (Music Box Records 2013)
2. 1971 Fiddler On The Roof (La La Land 2021)
3. 1973 The Long Goodbye (Quartet 2012)
4. 1973 Tom Sawyer (Quartet 2015)
5. 1976 The Missouri Breaks (Kritzerland 2013)

 

 

Paramount

Allied Artists

1. 1960 I Passed For White

National General Pictures

1. 1969 The Reivers

Paramount

1. 1977 Black Sunday (FSM 2010)
2. 1995 Sabrina (La-La Land 2023)
3. 1999 Angela's Ashes
4. 2011 The Adventures of Tintin

Dreamworks

1. 1997 Amistad (La-La Land 2022)
2. 1998 Saving Private Ryan (La-La Land 2018)
3. 2002 Catch Me If You Can
4. 2004 The Terminal
5. 2005 War of the Worlds (Intrada 2020)

 

 

Sony

Imperial Productions / American International Pictures

1. 1958 Daddy-O

Columbia Pictures

1. 1960 Because They're Young
2. 1963 Diamond Head (FSM 2006 release was not expanded)
3. 1963 Gidget Goes To Rome
4. 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (La-La Land 2017/2022)
5. 1998 Stepmom
6. 2000 The Patriot
7. 2005 Memoirs Of A Geisha [Dreamworks co-production]

Tri-Star Pictures

1. 1991 Hook (La-La Land 2023)
2. 1997 Seven Years In Tibet

 

 

Universal

1. 1961 The Secret Ways
2. 1965 The Killers
3. 1966 The Rare Breed
4. 1966 The Plainsman
5. 1970 Storia di una donna (Story of a Woman)
6. 1972 Pete 'n' Tillie (Varese 2017)
7. 1974 The Sugarland Express (La-La Land 2024)
8. 1974 Earthquake (La-La Land 2019)
9. 1975 The Eiger Sanction (Intrada 2021)
10. 1975 Jaws (Intrada 2015)
11. 1976 Family Plot (Varese 2010)
12. 1976 Midway (Varese 2011)
13. 1978 Jaws 2 (Intrada 2015)
14. 1979 Dracula (Varese 2018)
15. 1979 1941 (La-La Land 2011/2015)
16. 1981 Heartbeeps (Varese 2001)
17. 1982 E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (La-La Land 2017/2022)
18. 1984 The River (Intrada 2020)
19. 1989 Born On The Fourth Of July
20. 1989 Always (La-La Land 2021)
21. 1992 Far And Away (La-La Land 2020)
22. 1993 Jurassic Park (La-La Land 2022)
23. 1993 Schindler's List (La-La Land 2018)
24. 1997 The Lost World (La-La Land 2023)
25. 2005 Munich [Dreamworks co-production]
26. 2022 The Fabelmans

Universal Television

1. 1972 The Screaming Woman

 

 

 

Warner Brothers

1. 1965 None But The Brave (FSM 2009)
2. 1966 Not With My Wife You Don't! (FSM 2006)
3. 1972 The Cowboys (Varese 2018)
4. 1978 Superman: The Movie (La-La Land 2019)
5. 1987 The Witches Of Eastwick (Perseverance 2012 release is not expanded)
6. 1987 Empire Of The Sun (La-La Land 2014)
7. 1988 The Accidental Tourist (FSM 2008 release is not expanded)
8. 1990 Presumed Innocent (Varese 2022)
9. 1991 JFK
10. 1996 Sleepers
11. 1997 Rosewood (La-La Land 2013)
12. 2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence (La-La Land 2015/2021)
13. 2001 Harry Potter 1 and the Sorcerer's Stone (2018 La-La Land)
14. 2002 Harry Potter 2 and the Chamber of Secrets (2018 La-La Land)
15. 2004 Harry Potter 3 and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2018 La-La Land)

National Geographic Pictures

1. 1969 Daddy's Gone A-Hunting

[Ricard 2,254]

Excellent list!

It shows how much great material we're missing and we're likely to get from the labels in years to come

[Jay 39,156]

Yea. Universal really needs to open their vaults more! Some good gems owned by WB too - Hopefully, Empire of the Sun is a sign that more Williams / Warner Brothers titles can happen.

Fox seems to be wiped clean apart from scores there's missing elements for.

I unfortunately don't think the scores left at Sony, MGM, and Paramount are high on any label's priority list.

I'm not sure how the Dreamworks owned properties work now that the company's changed ownership and many films where co-distributed with other studios anyway.

[Balahkay 629]

Nice list. Will Episode VII be considered a Disney score or would that still be Lucasfilm?

[Koray Savas 2,254]

The Patriot is probably a good candidate for expansion.

[Jay 39,156]

Nice list. Will Episode VII be considered a Disney score or would that still be Lucasfilm?

Both I guess. I dunno. I guess in many ways it's his first score for a Disney picture (unless you count War Horse, which was a Dreamworks picture distributed by Disney)

[Balahkay 629]

Never thought that Williams first "real" Disney score would be Star Wars. I guess it would be both Lucasfilm and Disney, but Disney will probably release the score when the time comes.

[Jay 39,156]

Oh yea, I'm sure the OST will be on Disney's own record label.

I really hope they are interested in producing new 2CD sets of all six original Star Wars films next year. Hopefully their Disney Legacy collection has shown there's a market for catalog titles like that.

[Incanus 5,787]

Great work Jason! As always!

Oh yea, I'm sure the OST will be on Disney's own record label.

I really hope their record label also makes new 2CD sets of all six original Star Wars films next year. Hopefully their Disney Legacy collection has shown there's a market for catalog titles on their own label.

The next SW film would be a perfect excuse indeed to release all 6 previous SW scores again in full form! Let us keep up this "fool's hope"! I vote Mike Matessino to produce these!

[JohnnyD 1,304]

What do you mean when you say that the 2008 expanded releases of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom have pitch issues? I have the 2008 expanded editions of both in addition to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on iTunes, and I find nothing wrong with them when compared to the film.

[Jay 39,156]

You're wrong. The music was transferred incorrectly on several tracks (for Raiders and TOD), and the pitch is off.

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16688

Last Crusade is fine, pitch-wise.

[Incanus 5,787]

You're wrong. The music was transferred incorrectly on several tracks (for Raiders and TOD), and the pitch is off.

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16688

Last Crusade is fine, pitch-wise.

Which makes you wish for the truly complete and final Indy Box to end all Indy releases!

[Jay 39,156]

Oh yea. That would be awesome. Hopefully if Disney IS working on SW expansions for next year, they follow it up with Indy expansions.

[Balahkay 629]

Doesn't Sony own the rights to the Star Wars scores until 2019? It's not likely Sony will do anything special or new with the scores. I'd prefer LLL or Intrada to directly handle the releases instead of Disney. Not sure of the likelihood of that happening, though.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

I'd prefer LLL or Intrada to directly handle the releases instead of Disney. Not sure of the likelihood of that happening, though.

Why not? Intrada has a deal with Disney.

[Jay 39,156]

Doesn't Sony own the rights to the Star Wars scores until 2019? It's not likely Sony will do anything special or new with the scores. I'd prefer LLL or Intrada to directly handle the releases instead of Disney. Not sure of the likelihood of that happening, though.

I believe Sony owns them through 2017, but now I can't remember why I thought that. 2019 makes more sense, since that would be 20 years since they bought them for the Phantom Menace OST in 1999.

Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if some kind of new box set or individual releases can come out with Lucasfilm/Disney overseeing the project, but Sony being the actual label it comes out on. Then in 2019 when their contract ends, new identical version on the Disney label could be released (kind of like how the 1997 RCA expansions eventually got re-issued by Sony)

[Balahkay 629]

I'm not a big fan of Disney's releases, especially for their animated films. They are starting to redeem themselves with the Legacy Collection. I just think Intrada or LLL would produce a better release of the Star Wars scores - a release to end all releases. For me, some of Disney's releases leave a lot room for improvement.

[Jay 39,156]

Mike Matessino produced re-issues of the Star Wars and Indy scores would be amazing. Wouldn't matter which specialty label put it out, he's the man to do the job right. Though with LLL, we'd get Jim Titus artwork

[Koray Savas 2,254]

I'd prefer LLL or Intrada to directly handle the releases instead of Disney. Not sure of the likelihood of that happening, though.

Why not? Intrada has a deal with Disney.

Because it's Star Wars. Intrada gets the leftover stuff no one cares about.

[Balahkay 629]

ike Matessino produced re-issues of the Star Wars and Indy scores would be amazing. Wouldn't matter which specialty label put it out, he's the man to do the job right. Though with LLL, we'd get Jim Titus artwork

Agreed. I've been very impressed with Matessino produced releases and I believe he would produce a real "ultimate edition" of the Star Wars and Indy scores. Fingers crossed.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

[Miguel Andrade 1,343]

You're missing Williams first film score, Daddy-O (produced by Imperial Productions).

[Jay 39,156]

Ah, thanks!

Hmmm, I can't figure out which major studio would own the rights to that one now...

EDIT: I found a VHS for it released by Sony on Amazon, so we'll go with that.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,081]

No Disney backed pictures in any way shape or form. Not even Buena Vista.

That's really interesting. Has Disney/Buena Vista [studio, not distributor] avoided requesting Williams? I'm sure they could get him if they really wanted.

[Jay 39,156]

I've often wondered about that. Even Jerry got to score some Disney flicks

[Miguel Andrade 1,343]

Just checked again and you need to add "I Passed for White" (1960).

The production credits according to imdb:

Production Companies

• Fred M. Wilcox Enterprises Inc.

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (all media)
• Kit Parker Films (2007) (World-wide) (all media)

[Jay 39,156]

Wow, that's an obscure one. I would estimate the chances of that ever getting a release at about 0%

[Miguel Andrade 1,343]

Not only obscure, but also a bad film... Thought that hasn't prevented some releases to happen!

[Thor 8,190]

I don't care about expansions this way or that way, but thanks for the list. I have no idea about this 'label' stuff.

[Balahkay 629]

What's missing from Jaws 2 aside from the cue where Brody finds the body in the water?

[Jay 39,156]

What's missing from Jaws 2 aside from the cue where Brody finds the body in the water?

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14277&p=389627

[Jay 39,156]

Looking through the list in the main post again, its depressing how many big JW scores still haven't received definitive treatment....

[Thor 8,190]

Says you!

It's more disconcerting to me how there's a complete standstill as far as the completely unreleased scores are concerned. Which soundtrack label is more likely to ally with what film company to remedy such things? That's the big question to ask.

[Jay 39,156]

Most of the remaining completely unreleased Williams score are Universal, and none of the labels have had much luck releasing Unversal scores lately, for whatever reason. Maybe Universal simply doesn't care about their catalog film soundtrack department. Though Intrada releasing Jaws: The Revenge brings us hope.

[Bespin 8,673]

Most of the remaining completely unreleased Williams score are Universal, and none of the labels have had much luck releasing Unversal scores lately, for whatever reason. Maybe Universal simply doesn't care about their catalog film soundtrack department. Though Intrada releasing Jaws: The Revenge brings us hope.

I've personally worked with Universal, well the France part, and... they don't care.

Sorry that's not true, they care about one thing : $$$.

[Jay 39,156]

I believe it!

 

Fox is the easiest studio for the labels to work with. Why haven't any of the labels tackled Valley of the Dolls yet, or made definitive versions of The Paper Chase, Conrack, and The Towering Inferno like LLL did with The Poseidon Adventure? The deal with SpaceCamp is that Intrada tried to expand it but the rights holders weren't interested, so they just re-issued the OST.

FSM, Kritzerland, Music Box and Quartet have all had luck digging through the MGM vaults. Why have none of them tackled Fiddler on the Roof, Tom Sawyer, or Stanley and Iris yet?

Paramount was a tough nut to crack by the labels for decades until La-La Land broke through with Airplane, and them the floodgates opened for FSM, Intrada, and other labels to work with them and we've had amazing Paramount expansions and premieres in the past 6 years. So why has nobody tackled Sabrina or Angela's Ashes yet?

La-La Land was able to expand Hook through Sony. Why not follow up with Close Encounters, Seven Years in Tibet, or Stepmom?

La-La Land has also been releasing a ton of stuff from Warner Brothers for their entire history - including Empire of the Sun and Rosewood by Williams. Why not add on Presumed Innocent, JFK, or Sleepers? Hopefully, Perseverance's The Witches of Eastwick will go OOP soon, allowing LLL to expand that. Varese has perpetuity rights to The Cowboys, unfortunately.

And that brings us to Universal. Varese had a long history of working with them - they tackeld Family Plot, Midway, and Heartbeeps, and also have sold the only CD versions of Earthquake, The Eiger Sanction, Jaws 2, and Dracula. I think we know why we haven't seen any Varese/Universal Williams titles in a while - the label has shifted from releasing 4-5 batches of catalog titles per year to only doing one batch at the end of the year. I really, REALLY hope they re-issue (even if they are not expanded!) Earthquake, Eiger Sanction, Jaws 2, and Dracula - I want those on my shelf!

Beyond Varese, La-La Land tackled 1941, and made an amazing, definitive presentation. I am surprised they haven't followed up that Universal collaboration by doing E.T., The River, Born on the Fourth of July, Always, or Far and Away. Maybe LLL just got lucky? 1941 was a co-production of Universal and Sony, after all. Maybe another label could tackle those scores I just mentioned? I assume Universal won't let anyone but themselves handle Jurassic Park and The Lost World.

Which leaves all the pre-Earthquake Universal scores - Secret Ways, Killers, Rare Breed, The Plainsman, Sergeant Ryker, Storia di una donna, The Screaming Woman, and Pet 'n' Tillie (and The Sugarland Express, which Williams supposedly doesn't want released). A label NEEDS to tackle these! Anyone - please!

[Thor 8,190]

Which leaves all the pre-Earthquake Universal scores - Secret Ways, Killers, Rare Breed, The Plainsman, Sergeant Ryker, Storia di una donna, The Screaming Woman, and Pet 'n' Tillie (and The Sugarland Express, which Williams supposedly doesn't want released). A label NEEDS to tackle these! Anyone - please!

Agreed on this last point. And while we wait for those from Universal, how about the sole unreleased score from Allied Artists -- I PASSED FOR WHITE -- as well as the unreleased Sony ones? At least do the research to check for availability?

[Jay 39,156]

Yes, it'd be nice if a label tackles Daddy-O, Because They're Young, or Gidget Goes To Rome by Sony. Surely FSM would have if they hadn't closed shop. Maybe Music Box or Quartet can come to the rescue?

I have no clue how anyone would go about licensing I Passed For White, or if the recording sessions would even be vaulted anywhere....

[TownerFan 5,097]

If I remember well, Valley of the Dolls was a title Lukas Kendall was planning to release, but it seems tapes are nowhere to be found.

Both Varèse and Intrada release several Universal titles in the last 5-6 years, so I think it's more a matter of finding usable materials and licensing stuff.

I think every soundtrack niche label would release any Williams title, if circumstances permit. And I'm sure many labels are probably working on some of them. But we have to take into account that some titles are more difficult than others to release for a variety of reasons. As much as we'd love to see all of them released, they don't come in a finger snap.

[Jay 39,156]

Wise words, my friend, wise words.

[Jay 39,156]

MV has posted that Varese has the rights to Stanley and Iris, and "probably" Presumed Innocent", in perpetuity, so I updated the main post to reflect that.

[Jay 39,156]

OK, I previously had A.I. Artificial Intelligence listed in the "Dreamworks" section, but since the new LLL version has the "Expanded Archival Collection" banner on top I guess WB is the ultimate owner, so I moved it to the WB section and crossed it off the list.

Here's hoping I can cross two Universals off soon!

[Koray Savas 2,254]

We have to understand that regardless of what these labels want to release, they also have to make sure it sells. All these early JW titles would sell maybe 500 copies.

[Jay 39,156]

Sure, but there's plenty of post-Jaws Williams scores worth expanding as well!

[Jay 39,156]

Just updated the main post

-Added The BFG (John's second ever Disney film!)

-Added [Fox] and [Paramount] tags to all the old Lucasfilm entries

-Updated The Witches of Eastwick's listing.

[Jay 39,156]

Today I realized The Reivers isn't on this list!

Is that controlled by Paramount, now?

[Koray Savas 2,254]

Didn't Bruce Kimmel say that one was impossible?

[TownerFan 5,097]

Today I realized The Reivers isn't on this list!

Is that controller by Paramount, now?

It seems Paramount/Viacom controls the film rights only for US region, as the movie came out on several different labels in European markets (curiously enough, the Italian DVD credits on the back cover say "Music by Lalo Schifrin"!)

As for the soundtrack release, the LP was released by CBS in 1969, then reprinted on CD with a limited run by Varèse/Masters Film Music in the late 80s and finally released by Sony in 1994 (with an unreleased track).

I seem to remember Lukas Kendall once said on the FSM board that there are issues that prevent a new release, but I don't remember the specifics. I'd love a good remastering for this title. The OST is already fairly complete, there isn't much music missing actually.

[Jay 39,156]

Didn't Bruce Kimmel say that one was impossible?

I have no idea - got a link?

Added The Reivers under Paramount. They control NGP's titles now: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_General_Pictures

[Koray Savas 2,254]

Found it. I actually had asked him back when The Missouri Breaks was released. Didn't say it was impossible, but doesn't seem like it'll happen anytime soon.

Towards the bottom of the page, here.