The Legacy of John Williams (Website & Podcast)

[GlastoEls 563]

40 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Yeah, this was definitely among the best episodes so far. I love all this "musical archaeology" work.

 

Karol

Big +1 to this.  It’s so fascinating hearing the obstacles to getting magic like this done. 

[Bespin 8,483]

Hmmmm... watching all of Spielberg's movies in chronological order based on the years portrayed in each film.

 

Thanks for the idea Mr. Matessino!

 

PS: Anyone have a list?

[Jay 37,369]

Keeping in mind that some films include scenes across different time periods, and Temple Doom should be watched AFTER Raiders, I don't care WHAT the on-screen date says, this is how you'd do it:

 

1839 - Amistad

1865 - Lincoln

1918 - War Horse

1930s - The Color Purple

1936 - Raiders of the Lost Ark

1935 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

1938 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

1941 - 1941

1941 - Empire of the Sun

1943 - Amazing Stories: The Mission

1944 - Schindler's List

1944 - Saving Private Ryan

1940s/50s - Tintin

1957 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

1957 - West Side Story

1960 - Bridge of Spies

1962 - The Fabelmans

1969 - Catch Me If You Can

1971 - Duel

1971 - The Post

1972 - Munich

1973 - The Sugarland Express

1975 - Jaws

1977 - Close Encounters

1981 - E.T.

1982 - Poltergeist (if you count it)

1982 - The BFG

1985 - Twilight Zone: The Movie (if you count it)

1985 - Amazing Stories: Ghost Train

1989 - Always

1991 - Hook

1993 - Jurassic Park

1997 - The Lost World

2004 - The Terminal

2005 - War of the Worlds

2045 - Ready Player One

2054 - Minority Report

2100s - A.I.

[Dr. Know 326]

This podcast is absolutely essential listening for fans of John Williams' work and these releases... so many incredible insights into what goes into a massive and complex project like this one.  I have always appreciated Mike's attention to detail, his passion, and care, and listening to him talk about HOOK I am just in awe.

[JohnnyD 1,223]

@Jay, The BFG takes place in 1982. Queen Elizabeth II makes a call to Nancy Reagan in the film.

[bollemanneke 3,349]

Did you have to bring that up? I was doing so well repressing memories of that scene.

[JohnnyD 1,223]

Why? I always get a chuckle from that moment. Also, E.T. was released in 1982. Does it not take place in the same year?

[Jay 37,369]

ET takes place from October to November 1981.

[Bespin 8,483]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

ET takes place from October to November 1981.

 

Yes, I remember that November night vividly. It was the 3rd. We could see the lights in the sky all the way from Quebec.

[Jay 37,369]

I thoughy he went home on November 2nd?

[Faleel 5,354]

2 minutes ago, Jay said:

I thoughy he went home on November 2nd?

Would Quebec timezone difference make it the 3rd? or just a different time on the 2nd?

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

On 27/12/2023 at 5:33 PM, Jay said:

I believe he's retired.

 

Maybe just from the world of film music:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/author/didierdeutschusmwriter/

 

"He is currently V.P. of Jazz Catalogue at Verve."

(I guess there are a few film soundtracks on the Verve label, but it's a miniscule fraction of that catalogue.)

 

Yavar

[JohnnyD 1,223]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

ET takes place from October to November 1981.

 

Well, son of a gun. All this time, and I never knew that. Also, I'm surprised you did not know The BFG takes place in 1982. Not only does the scene with Queen Elizabeth II asking Nancy Reagan if "Ronnie" is there before telling her, "Well, wake him" confirm this, but in the orphanage, there is an E.T. plush toy by one of the kids' beds. Plus, that is the year the original children's book by Roald Dahl was published.

[Jay 37,369]

Ok, updated

[Bespin 8,483]

@Jay Did I really hear the animator say 'Jason LeBlank'?

 

Do you pronounce it that way?

[Jay 37,369]

3 minutes ago, Bespin said:

@Jay Did I really hear the animator say 'Jason LeBlank'?

 

Do you pronounce it that way?

 

The animator?

[Bespin 8,483]

Sorry that's the word in french for host... woops.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

An animated podcast? Sounds expensive. 

[Jay 37,369]

My last night rhymes with Gronk

[Faleel 5,354]

LeBLONK

[scoreman36 68]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

Keeping in mind that some films include scenes across different time periods, and Temple Doom should be watched AFTER Raiders, I don't care WHAT the on-screen date says, this is how you'd do it:

 

1839 - Amistad

1865 - Lincoln

1918 - War Horse

1909-1937 - The Color Purple

1936 - Raiders of the Lost Ark

1935 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

1912, 1938 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

1941 - 1941

1943 - Amazing Stories: The Mission

1944 - Schindler's List

1941-1945 - Empire of the Sun

1944 - Saving Private Ryan

1940s/50s - Tintin

1957 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

1957 - West Side Story

1960 - Bridge of Spies

1962 - The Fabelmans

1969 - Catch Me If You Can

1971 - Duel

1971 - The Post

1972 - Munich

1973 - The Sugarland Express

1975 - Jaws

1977 - Close Encounters

1981 - E.T.

1982 - Poltergeist (if you count it)

1982 - The BFG

1985 - Twilight Zone: The Movie (if you count it)

1989 - Always

1991 - Hook

1993 - Jurassic Park

1997 - The Lost World

2004 - The Terminal

2005 - War of the Worlds

2045 - Ready Player One

2054 - Minority Report

2100s - A.I.

This is brilliant! Ok, who’s going to do a master list of all JW scores ordered in the same way? I’m sure someone’s already collating the data… Is there anything set prior to The Patriot?

 

 

 

 

Apart from Star Wars, I guess!

[Bespin 8,483]

@Jay I asked because some pronounce it the French way, and in French, the 'C' in the word 'blanc' (meaning white) is silent.

 

 

[Jay 37,369]

Yeah I know. We pronounce the C though.

[Bespin 8,483]

So excuse me, but I'll continue, in my head, when reading your name in a booklet to say LeBlanc without a 'C'.

 

In the next lesson, I'll teach you how to pronounce 'Didier' as if you were born from a French cancan dancer at Le Moulin Rouge.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

Isn't CMIYC set over several years?

[Jay 37,369]

Many movies in the list are, as I said in my opening paragraph.

[Faleel 5,354]

22 minutes ago, Bespin said:

 I'll teach you how to pronounce 'Didier' as if you were born from a French cancan dancer at Le Moulin Rouge.

It's not Did-ee-Air?

[bollemanneke 3,349]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Yeah I know. We pronounce the C though.

That's... strange. It would never have crossed my mind to do that.

[Jay 37,369]

That's America for you

 

Most of my extended family pronounce it like it rhymes with blank

[Brando 1,864]

6 hours ago, scoreman36 said:

Apart from Star Wars, I guess!

What do you mean? They would be listed first since they all take place a long time ago….

[Thor 7,508]

12 hours ago, scoreman36 said:

This is brilliant! Ok, who’s going to do a master list of all JW scores ordered in the same way? I’m sure someone’s already collating the data… Is there anything set prior to The Patriot?

 

 

 

 

Apart from Star Wars, I guess!

 

It's a good question. Taking both his film and television music into account, there is no whole work that predates THE PATRIOT. However, if you look at small, individual sequences, you might find some. On at least three occasions - GIDGET GOES TO ROME, the documentary INSIDE THE MOVIE KINGDOM and DIAL OF DESTINY - does he tap into old Roman music tropes for sequences depicting that time period.

 

Also, if count a bit from the "Mr. DNA" animated sequence in JURASSIC PARK, you could argue he scores a sequence set 65 million years ago.  

[bollemanneke 3,349]

If Letterboxd finally imported those TMDB keywords, this list could be made in no time.

[Smaug The Iron 515]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

It's a good question. Taking both his film and television music into account, there is no whole work that predates THE PATRIOT. However, if you look at small, individual sequences, you might find some. On at least three occasions - GIDGET GOES TO ROME, the documentary INSIDE THE MOVIE KINGDOM and DIAL OF DESTINY - does he tap into old Roman music tropes for sequences depicting that time period.

I can think of nine films that is taking place before The Patriot. It takes place A long time ago in a galaxy far far away 

[scoreman36 68]

What about the Amazing Stories theme? How long ago were those guys telling stories around their campfire?

10 hours ago, Brando said:

What do you mean? They would be listed first since they all take place a long time ago….

Which is why I wrote “apart from Star Wars I guess”

[MrJosh 892]

On 28/12/2023 at 9:00 AM, Richard Penna said:

Also did I hear correctly that DD wanted to do E.T. by just combining tracks from the existing releases as an approximate expansion? (that's not even possible, is it? Isn't there a film version that wasn't on prior releases?) Why on earth would anyone want to do it that way, as opposed to going to the tapes, if not pure laziness?

While MM's E.T. expansion was great, we can only dream of how great the DD E.T. edition would have been:

[Bespin 8,483]

Ok I admit, I searched for the tracks with a #.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

I did too, after heavily suspecting there weren't any...

 

Also:

 

Quote

Escape / Saying Goodbye / Chase

 

Reordering the last sequence to put the chase music after the glorious ending - finally how Williams really intended it!

[MrJosh 892]

Both the Heidi/ Jane and the Hook Part I episodes are fantastic. 

 

I know I've expressed this before but if Mike Matessino had a podcast, I'd listen to him talk about this stuff for hours. 

 

I echo what others have already said, that hearing the behind the scenes stories on this latest episode was so great and fascinating. I'm surprised Spielberg told Leslie "no" when initially asked about the song demos. I'm so glad he did end up saying yes in the end. 

 

The whole story with Didier was really interesting, and highlights even more how lucky we all are that Mike exists and is doing what he does with such integrity. So much so that I'll see a score release that I'm not familiar with at all, but I see "Mike Matessino" mentioned and I want to instantly buy it because I know that the work done on it was done with care and attention to quality and detail. 

 

 

 

Fascinating to hear that there were boxes labeled "Hook" with a bunch of uncategorized stuff in them. Crazy how some of these items are stored. Someone needs to send Mike an Indiana Jones hat to wear when he digs through this stuff. 

 

It's also crazy that it took a year to get all the vocalists approvals and do fee negotiation. It must feel great for Hook to have finally come out, for all those who were involved in working on it. 

 

As always, appreciated all the questions and comments from @TownerFan and @mahler3. Looking forward to Part II of the Hook discussion. 

 

[Richard Penna 3,694]

This further highlights Mike's attention to detail and work ethic, but the mindset of buying literally anything with his name on it is going a bit far into fanboy territory. He might produce the best possible restoration of a score but if you don't like that score to begin with, a perfect expansion isn't going to change that.

[Faleel 5,354]

1 minute ago, Richard Penna said:

This further highlights Mike's attention to detail and work ethic, but the mindset of buying literally anything with his name on it is going a bit far into fanboy territory. He might produce the best possible restoration of a score but if you don't like that score to begin with, a perfect expansion isn't going to change that.

Sure, But he was talking about scores he was unfamiliar with, not scores he hates.

35 minutes ago, MrJosh said:

. So much so that I'll see a score release that I'm not familiar with at all, but I see "Mike Matessino" mentioned and I want to instantly buy it because I know that the work done on it was done with care and attention to quality and detail.

 

[Richard Penna 3,694]

True but I don't think that the quality of an assembly really has any relevance towards whether to blind buy a score. That should have more to do with the film/composer/genre etc.

[Faleel 5,354]

41 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

True but I don't think that the quality of an assembly really has any relevance towards whether to blind buy a score.

Yeah, who cares about quality right? 😉

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

A Zimmer score is still a Zimmer score even if expanded by Mike.

[Faleel 5,354]

7 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

A Zimmer score is still a Zimmer score even if expanded by Mike.

But if it's mixed by Mike, then at least it could be slightly less headache inducing with more range

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

But if it's longer...

[bollemanneke 3,349]

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

A Zimmer score is still a Zimmer score even if expanded by Mike.

Bring on Angels & Demons, Spanglish, Pirates 3, Lion King 2019, Inception, simpsons Movie and Da Vinci Code assembled by Mike! Instabuys.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

Just now, bollemanneke said:

Bring on Angels & Demons, Spanglish, Pirates 3, Lion King 2019, Inception, simpsons Movie and Da Vinci Code assembled by Mike! Instabuys.

 

I might buy some of those.

[JTN 2,030]

CRIMSON TIDE

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

On 29/12/2023 at 3:25 PM, Presto said:

It's not Did-ee-Air?

 

It's Did-ee-air Dootch.

[Faleel 5,354]

15 minutes ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 

It's Did-ee-air Dootch.

"Blinded by the light, wrapped up like Deutsch, another expansion tonight."