charlesk 0 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Hearing news like Williams being "too busy" to comment Korngold's music in a DVD, and knowing how much Williams cares for the Oscars, and resents his losts, is it possible that Williams is at this point disappointed about his career?We all see him as a man that has nothing to worry about, he is very wealthy and has the highest fee for a film composer in Hollywood. We think that if we had this success we had nothing to worry about. But when you get to become the highest paid composer in Hollywood, money is a non-issue for you, and you find that it only solves your financial concerns, but you now your mind still worries the same, at another level. This level can be trouble in personal relationships, fear of aging, need for recognition, fear of losing his "touch".If I attempt to put myself in the shoes of John Williams, the man, and look at my career at this moment, the sight is quite disappointing: In the last eight years, Williams has produced tons of top quality work like "Amistad", "Seven Years in Tibet", "Saving Private Ryan", "Angela's Ashes", "AI", two Star Wars movies, two Harry Potter movies, "Minority Report", "Catch me if you can"... Williams has done different genres (drama, sci-fi, comedy, independent, fantasy), different music styles (ethnic, patriotic, heroic, avant garde, jazzy), but besides the customary respectful nomination, Williams has not received any Academy Award, and has lost to (honestly) some lower quality works.Williams broke the mold several times, with the highly complex and original EP1, fantastic concepts like AI and MR, mix of genres like CMIYC... why do I bother continuing? Which of the scores Williams did doesn't show a deep and profound work investigating new approaches, new sounds, new styles?If we see in the direction of the future, the prospect is less than optimistic: two more sequels (one, assuming that we won't score HP), another Spielberg sci-fi, another Spielberg comedy, and possible another Indy sequel. Knowing the quite cold reception of Spielberg's last eight years works, the future at the Oscars in uncertain.Williams position is like the one from a person who has being working for the same company for many years, but now the company is not performing as before and the future is uncertain. You can move and explore other options, but now you are older, you now fear taking risks with other people, you fear failure, you fear change.Maybe that's why Williams refuges himself in the concerts, in the concert works. Maybe the mentioning of Korngold reminds him that so good and inspirational this composer was for Williams, very few remember and listen to Korngold nowadays, and there it comes the fear of being forgotten in just a few years.Is possible that Williams is living a hopeless momentof his life? What would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 arh... I think its all in your head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin 2 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Well there is a bigger gap of oscars between E.T. and Schindler's List. Personally I don't think it's that big a deal. It's highly doubtful Williams is depressed.Unless he's like Kirk or Holmes. The absensce of scores leaves him vexed.Justin - Who thinks Charlie boy is overeacting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Williams has just recently said - I don't recall the source - that he has come to love scoring movies more and more over the years. He loves it more than ever. So I doubt he's 'seeking refuge' in his concert works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melange 446 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 The absensce of scores leaves him vexed."It vexes me.....i'm terribly vexed" (Emperor Commodus in Gladiator) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 The most important thing for Williams is to compose and study. That's what he does on a daily basis with enormous succes. If you believe that he's whining for something as trivial as the oscars and that prices and recognition are his sole motivation for making music then I think you couldn't be further from the truth.Your thread has a sad tone. :cry: Are you sure you feeling OK?---------------Alex Cremers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 302 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 ... the prospect is less than optimistic: two more sequels (one, assuming that we won't score HP) ...This reminds me of "ET:" "We? what do you mean we? Why do you keep saying we all the time?" But Charles, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I don't think Williams has any disdain for his profession. Unfortunately, many of the movies he scores (well, just the Star Wars films) are not very inspirational. It would be pretty hard to come up with a stellar score for a dull movie.And I would be honored with the Oscar nominations, and yet slightly bummed out by not winning. But as was pointed out, it was 11 years between "ET" and "Schindler's List," and it's only been 10 years since then. The fact that he has never stooped to unimaginative mass production like Goldsmith says something about how much he loves his job.Jeff -- who has not been disappointed in Williams' work since "Hook" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Yeah this is quite a depressing thread. Besides, have you seen Williams' conducting schedule for this year? He's all over the place. I think he really is busy, and maybe he wants a little time for himself before he starts travelling this summer.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin 2 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 have you seen Williams' conducting schedule for this year? He's all over the place.And yet he still couldn't come to Marietta. Justin - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesk 0 Posted April 24, 2003 Author Share Posted April 24, 2003 Your thread has a sad tone. :cry: Are you sure you feeling OK?Sorry guys, I woke up in a sad mood. It is probably a reflexion of my own career, which has not advanced in a while :cry: I need a change, a challenge... please forget about this post, forgive me and wish me luck... :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrScratch 294 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Williams clearly loves what he does. He is also in the position to do whatever he wants. All those movies you mentioned that he did in the past decade were all he projects that he chose to do. He has been in a position this whole time to pick and choose his films. He has no financial worries, so if he wanted to he could just conduct, or just write for the concert hall. Lucky for us, he does ALL THREE! I think that Williams would be disappointed if he weren't busy.Jeff, who can't wait to be in Philly on 7/15!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 302 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Your thread has a sad tone. :cry: Are you sure you feeling OK?Sorry guys, I woke up in a sad mood. It is probably a reflexion of my own career, which has not advanced in a while :cry: I need a change, a challenge... please forget about this post, forgive me and wish me luck... :oops:I'm right there with ya buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 I agree that Williams is most likely content with his current level of success and renown. In interviews, he speaks jokingly about his many Oscar losses being quite frustrating (such examples which I think have been negatively exaggerated by certain filmtracks webmasters), but he seems happy enough just to be recognized -- remember the 70th birthday bashes that he was awarded with, conducting at the Olympics and the Oscars. If I were Williams, I'd be concerned with writing -more- concert works, and more scores for serious films. We all have to admit that he's not getting any younger, and if he is as self-conscious about his place in the history of serious American orchestral music as I am for him, then I'd concentrate on writing important, influential music like a long overdue Symphony II (I dont know if that one back in, what, 66?, even counts any more, seeing as how no one seems to know what it sounds like), or the the idea of opera he entertained. Also, I'd already be thinking about the Abraham Lincoln biopic Speilberg referred to making a while back. In other words, keep on crankin the quality material JW!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 another Spielberg sci-fiLincoln? Terminal? Walter Mitty? ???Or maybe you mean some NON-STAR WARS film (according to Lucas) directed after Episode III?Because we also must considerate Lucas' future films!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 Your thread has a sad tone. :cry: Are you sure you feeling OK?Sorry guys, I woke up in a sad mood. It is probably a reflexion of my own career, which has not advanced in a while :cry: I need a change, a challenge... please forget about this post, forgive me and wish me luck... :oops:I'm right there with ya buddy. 8OYou mean we're a making a club now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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