Jump to content

J.J. Abrams on working with John Williams


Lewya

Recommended Posts

Its actually a compliment to JJ. He's a director who likes to use the same composer from film to film. I admire that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He'd rather be working with the next John Williams.

Definitely not true.

You don't know that. My theory is just as likely as your opinion.

OK, so you think that JJ Abrams is lying everytime he talks publicly about enjoying working with the composer he's idolized since his childhood, and you think he'd prefer to be working with Giacchino instead of Williams on Star Wars 7? That is what you are saying?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We need a separate subforum for The Grey Pilgrim!

About damn time!

Just noticed Stiff liked this post. Is that a first??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We need a separate subforum for The Grey Pilgrim!

About damn time!

Just noticed Stiff liked this post. Is that a first??

I thought the same thing, but I didn't want to mention it and scare him off. At any rate, I was touched and cried for at least fifteen minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He'd rather be working with the next John Williams.

Definitely not true.

You don't know that. My theory is just as likely as your opinion.

OK, so you think that JJ Abrams is lying everytime he talks publicly about enjoying working with the composer he's idolized since his childhood, and you think he'd prefer to be working with Giacchino instead of Williams on Star Wars 7? That is what you are saying?

Did I use the word lie? Are you so dense to believe that someone wouldn't say things publically that are less than the whole truth. Naive....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt it's an either/or scenario. He probably misses Giacchino and knows how much fun they would have had working on a freaking Star Wars movie together, but he also is a real JW fan, knows in his head and heart that it was the right decision to invite him back, and is most likely totally on the level when he says he's treasuring the experience of working with him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt it's an either/or scenario. He probably misses Giacchino and knows how much fun they would have had working on a freaking Star Wars movie together, but he also is a real JW fan, knows in his head and heart that it was the right decision to invite him back, and is most likely totally on the level when he says he's treasuring the experience of working with him.

I bet that's exactly how he feels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't imagine any director not enjoying the opportunity to work with John Williams and have him score his/her film, especially this late in his career when he's mostly collaborated with Spielberg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt it's an either/or scenario. He probably misses Giacchino and knows how much fun they would have had working on a freaking Star Wars movie together, but he also is a real JW fan, knows in his head and heart that it was the right decision to invite him back, and is most likely totally on the level when he says he's treasuring the experience of working with him.

I bet that's exactly how he feels.

Yep.

And I'm not sure if JJ and Giacchino are as friendly together as you all think. Giacchino seems much more buddy buddy with Bird and Docter as of late.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJ probably has a good shorthand with Giacchino by now and is comfortable with him. That doesn't mean they're BFFs. I believe Abrams fully when he says the opportunity to work with John Williams, especially on a Star Wars film, is one of the great treats in his professional and filmic career. I'm sure Williams' way of speaking, listening, and musical knowledge put JJ at ease very quickly. After he got over being star-struck of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt it's an either/or scenario. He probably misses Giacchino and knows how much fun they would have had working on a freaking Star Wars movie together, but he also is a real JW fan, knows in his head and heart that it was the right decision to invite him back, and is most likely totally on the level when he says he's treasuring the experience of working with him.

I bet that's exactly how he feels.

Both of them.

As any of us, Giacchino wants to listen to another new star wars score from the maestro.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJ probably has a good shorthand with Giacchino by now and is comfortable with him. That doesn't mean they're BFFs. I believe Abrams fully when he says the opportunity to work with John Williams, especially on a Star Wars film, is one of the great treats in his professional and filmic career. I'm sure Williams' way of speaking, listening, and musical knowledge put JJ at ease very quickly. After he got over being star-struck of course.

Exactly. And I would venture to guess that if J.J. would've had the chance to have JW score every one of his films to this point, he would've jumped at the chance (instead of instructing Gia to make Super 8 sound like Close Encounters, don't you think he would rather have had the real thing?).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get that, obviously. My point was simply that the notion that J.J. has disdained a creative collaboration with JW until now, and is only doing it because it's a SW movie and he has no choice, is fundamentally inane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

J.J has been praising Williams all over the place (which is obviously understandable) but I hope he doesn't sit back and not tell him if he wants to change something here and there out of fear of challenging a god of his craft. Of course film is a collaborative process and although that process screwed up some of The Hobbit Trilogy, PJ and Shore's collaboration is what made the music so perfect for LOTR. J.J needs to be at the scoring sessions at least a few times to shape Williams music to HIS film. I know it's blasphemy to speak of such things, but I hope J.J has the confidence to say "no" when he wants it his way. We all know that Williams being specifially instructed happens, like the classic Binary Sunset business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a big event release like this the Disney execs will be butting their heads in as well as JJ. There's no way we'll be getting pure, unadultered JW music here.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, of course. The exec who butted into the AOTC recordings (Gelb) led to the version of "Across the Stars" we have now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get that, obviously. My point was simply that the notion that J.J. has disdained a creative collaboration with JW until now, and is only doing it because it's a SW movie and he has no choice, is fundamentally inane.

Williams hasn't been available to 'regular' directors for at least 10 years, if not 15, THE PATRIOT being really the last strictly commercial product he did for others beyond Spielberg and Lucas. Neither BOOK THIEF nor GEISHA count, one was to be a Spielberg movie for years and he loved the book, the other was him just loving the book.

I'm afraid JJ's rather pedestrian output would have to be put into a Delorean and travel back in time to the mid-80's to make Williams a viable option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yea, there's no reality where Williams considered scoring MI3, ST09, Super 8, or STID. He's scoring The Force Awakens because its an official Star Wars chapter, not because its JJ Abrams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

J.J. is a down-to-business, get-it-done professional. He greatly admires the work of JW, but I promise you he won't hesitate to act as a full collaborator on the score.

Yea, there's no reality where Williams considered scoring MI3, ST09, Super 8, or STID. He's scoring The Force Awakens because its an official Star Wars chapter, not because its JJ Abrams.

For sure. J.J.'s happy to get the chance whatever the circumstances, but nobody's kidding themselves about what those circumstances are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

J.J. is a down-to-business, get-it-done professional. He greatly admires the work of JW, but I promise you he won't hesitate to act as a full collaborator on the score.

Exactly. He had no problem going against what George Lucas had intended for these films, for example.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
On May 8, 2015 at 0:32 AM, Jay said:

 

Dark Side Motif

1-09 Han Solo and the Princess 3:06-3:26

1-11 The Magic Tree 3:56-4:05

2-10 Clash of Lightsabers 0:07-0:41

2-11 Rescue from Cloud City 0:28-0:47

 

ANH

2-5 Wookiee Prisoner 1:10-1:15??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 14.5.2015 at 0:26 PM, BloodBoal said:

He hired him out of pity for him!

Pity? It was pity that stayed Abrams' hand when it came time to hire a composer for Star Wars. Pity of the fans of Star Wars. Pity of Abrams may rule the fate of many, not least the fans of John Williams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, DominicCobb said:

ANH

2-5 Wookiee Prisoner 1:10-1:15??

 

Considering he didn't invent the theme until ESB I'd say no.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jay said:

 

Considering he didn't invent the theme until ESB I'd say no.

I don't doubt that it's probably a coincidence but it does sound quite a bit like it to my ears. Thought I'd share.

 

Also, Training of a Jedi Knight at 2:40.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a hard time classifying that as a theme or motif to begin with. Many of the passages we're comparing do indeed share the same melodic contour, but it's literally just three notes combined in a characteristically Williams way. Could have happened in virtually any score. Who knows, maybe it was intentional, but for something that nondescript to be recognized as an actual theme, I'd say it really needs to be used much more frequently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

I've just been re-reading this topic. May I ask something? And forgive me if the matter has been discussed already. Whilst listening to the various fascinating ciphers inside what must be Williams' Magnum Opus, I noticed again the extended solo Flute dialogue with Pizzicati strings from 08:40 - 09:10 at Track 9 - "Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett" on Disc 2.

        I've always been convinced that the old RSO double LP of Empire presented this small section of the score in a proper mix because on the 1997 Special Edition Reissue one can hardly hear the Flute in this mix and it sounds as if channels are reversed or something. Could this be something that perhaps Mr Matessino may rectify if and when he ever tackles the mammoth task of issuing completely new sets for the three trilogies? 

         

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.