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Thomas Newman replaces John Williams on Bridge of Spies [UPDATE: New Spielberg interview mentions Williams' health]


Jay

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I'm sick and tired of reading about how any project is a potentially boring drama score. You'll get your fanfares and action music (which I also love) in the end of year. Thank God for variety in Williams output. Most of my favorite JW scores are drama scores

That's true. After JW passes, everybody here (including me) will miss the luxury of having any new JW score at all, whether boring or not.

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It will the first ever JW all-synth score!


I'm sick and tired of reading about how any project is a potentially boring drama score. You'll get your fanfares and action music (which I also love) in the end of year. Thank God for variety in Williams output. Most of my favorite JW scores are drama scores

I concur. Quite heartily.

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It will the first ever JW all-synth score!

If only that were true ...

Now now let us not be that adventurous. It would be too much at this point.

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I'm sick and tired of reading about how any project is a potentially boring drama score. You'll get your fanfares and action music (which I also love) in the end of year. Thank God for variety in Williams output. Most of my favorite JW scores are drama scores

The problem is that both his fanfare and drama modes are boring now.

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None of the prequel scores were nominated, so I doubt TFA will be. If that's the case, and the movie holds up extremely well come award time, then Williams has about as good a chance as he usually does. If the score clearly elevates the film in an unexpected way, or stands out more than normal for the genre, then I say he has a shot. I'm very interested to see how Spielberg plans to use Johnny in this film.

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Williams sabotages himself by submitting two scores to the Academy. His greed for recognition is his undoing.

His ego has always been the worst of his sins.

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It would be nice if Spielberg allowed Williams to do something that doesn't require a full orchestra. A small, chamber ensemble would be quite nice for a change. Or pulling a Herrmann a doing just a certain section of the orchestra according to the scene needs. Both would be quite nice.

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I'm sure Spielberg would allow Williams to do whatever he wanted or deemed appropriate. I doubt he's putting that type of stipulation on him, and he obviously trusts him.

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Williams' drama scores are some of my favorites. I loved Munich, and I really enjoy Presumed Innocent and Sleepers, really interesting scores that no one ever mentions.

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Sleepers in probably my favorite Williams score

Quite high up on my list as well.

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It's at the bottom of my list.

Not a big surprise.

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I'm sure Spielberg would allow Williams to do whatever he wanted or deemed appropriate. I doubt he's putting that type of stipulation on him, and he obviously trusts him.

That's not how it works. Spielberg usually comes up with some kind of temp he communicates to Williams, hence the operatic vocals in, i. e. MUNICH or A. I. For a score like TINTIN there may be shorthands since both man have made the same movie multiple times in the past but beyond that they will discuss the musical imprints the score should have. It's just how collaborations work.

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It's at the bottom of my list.

You only want uplifting and you would ban everything else if you were in charge! Sometimes you scare me, E.T. and Elliot!

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Wow its official he ain't dead or infirmed and he's scored every non quincy Jones SS film.

I'm stunned and shocked. You might even say I'm surprised.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

Spielberg talks Williams:

AP: "Bridge of Spies" is the first film in years you've made without John Williams composing the score.

Spielberg: Johnny Williams will be back to do "The BFG." We've only not worked together twice in 42 years. The first one was "The Color Purple" in 1985 and the second time was because Johnny had a small medical procedure that precluded him from writing and scoring my movie in the window that he was going to do it. He's fine, he's 100 percent back to work on "Star Wars," but it sadly precluded him from working on "Bridge of Spies." I was able to work with Thomas Newman, who I'm a huge fan of. This is just a blip and we're both sad about it, but we're excited to get back together for "BFG" now.

http://www.startribune.com/fall-movie-preview-spielberg-plunges-into-the-cold-war/323849331/

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Spielberg will need a better explanation that that to explain why Williams unfriended him on Facebook.

Seriously though, that's the first mention of Williams actually having had surgery on his back, right? Speedy recovery to you, maestro!

This could also explain his groggy voice in the Comic-Con video. I'd put it right up that evil Mickey's alley to demand Williams record a special video while coming down off morphine.

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The only odd thing about all this, still, is that Spielberg wanted the score written and recorded way back in what, Jan/Feb of this year, for its October release date. In the end, I think him wanting to immediately jump into The BFG played as much of a role in JW not scoring it as JW's back thing and the Star Wars 7 timeline did.

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I guess sometimes Spielberg will say "Color Purple was my only movie without JW" in general. But most people tend to exclude those from his "legit" filmography, anyway, since of course Duel was made-for-TV and he had 3 co-directors on Twilight Zone. Obviously he's just talking about his theatrical features.

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