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Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score per decade


Jay

Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of each decade  

82 members have voted

  1. 1. Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of the 60s

    • Bachelor Flat (1962)
      0
    • Diamond Head (1963)
      0
    • None But The Brave (1965)
    • John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965)
    • The Rare Breed (1966)
      0
    • How To Steal A Million (1966)
    • Not With My Wife, You Don't! (1966)
    • Penelope (1966)
      0
    • Guide For The Married Man (1967)
      0
    • Fitzwilly (1967)
    • Valley of the Dolls (1967)
      0
    • Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
    • The Reivers (1969)
    • I don't like or have not heard any of these scores
  2. 2. Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of the 70s

    • Jane Eyre (1970)
    • Pete N Tillie (1972)
      0
    • The Cowboys (1972)
    • Images (1973)
    • Tom Sawyer (1973)
      0
    • The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973)
      0
    • The Paper Chase (1973)
      0
    • The Long Goodbye (1973)
    • Cinderella Liberty (1973)
    • Conrack (1974)
      0
    • The Eiger Sanction (1975)
    • Family Plot (1976)
    • The Missouri Breaks (1976)
    • Midway (1976)
      0
    • Black Sunday (1976)
      0
    • The Fury (1978)
    • Dracula (1979)
    • I don't like or have not heard any of these scores
  3. 3. Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of the 80s

    • Heartbeeps (1981)
    • Monsignor (1982)
    • The River (1984)
    • SpaceCamp (1986)
    • The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
    • The Accidental Tourist (1988)
    • Born On The Fourth of July (1989)
    • I don't like or have not heard any of these scores
  4. 4. Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of the 90s

    • Stanley & Iris (1990)
    • Presumed Innocent (1990)
    • JFK (1991)
    • Far and Away (1992)
    • Sabrina (1995)
    • Nixon (1995)
    • Sleepers (1996)
    • Rosewood (1997)
    • Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
    • Stepmom (1998)
    • Angela's Ashes (1999)
    • I don't like or have not heard any of these scores
  5. 5. Your favorite non-franchise, non-Spielberg Williams score of the 00s-10s

    • The Patriot (2000)
    • Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
    • The Book Thief (2013)
    • I don't like or have not heard any of these scores


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No franchise scores means no Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, Home Alone, or Harry Potter

 

No Spielberg scores means no films he directed

 

I also excluded the disaster scores to make the 70s poll more interesting

 

The 00s and 10s are combined because there are so few options in them.

 

Vote now, and tell us what you voted for and why!

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35 minutes ago, Alex said:

The Book Thief is a wonderful little score with an outstanding end credits arrangement at the end.

 

Agreed it's incredible.  Williams love for the film really shines through out the score.

 

But I just like Memoirs a bit better.

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The Reivers is running away with the 60s, Far and Away is the clear favorite of the 90s, and Geisha has a massive lead for this century. 

 

The 70s and 80s are far more diverse! 

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It was tough to choose Nixon over Presumed Innocent for the 90s.

 

I love some of the individual moments of Nixon more than Presumed, but the latter score is a better cohesive whole. 

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I am still struggling with Geisha. It came out around five years after Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with this marvellous score from Tan Dun. And even though the movies are quite different the score of Geisha reminded me stylistically very much to the score of the chinese movie and I liked the first score better. So, I could not get that exited about Geisha.

 

My love for the Book Thief score broke out when I finally managed to watch the movie and to see how the music actually colours the scenes.

 

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60s Williams is not so great for me, but I went for The Reivers which I think is fine.

 

70s: Dracula, although I was considering also Jane Eyre or family Plot

 

80s: The Witches of Eastwick is too good.

 

90s: Far and Away, again because I think is very, very good but other contenders of that decade are also excellent.

 

00s: Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my all-time favourite Williams scores.

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60s: no opinion

 

70s: Dracula (by far)

 

80s: The Witches of Eastwick (by far)

 

90s: this was tough! I went with Angela's Ashes, but at least JFK, Sleepers and Seven Years in Tibet are similarly important for me. Not a huge fan of Far and Away.

 

00s-10s: The Book Thief

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1960s: THE REIVERS is in a class of its own. Raw, emotionally direct Americana. But the most entertaining - and a huge, personal favourite - will always remain NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T. I considered giving it my vote (kinda sad to see it without any votes), but it would be disingenious.

 

1970s: JANE EYRE, without question. It's one of my top 10 scores of all time, regardless of composer. Ralph Vaughan Williams galore, which is a plus. And one of the few uses of recorder that doesn't sound terrible.

 

1980: Tough call, but ultimately BOT4OJ, I guess. Mostly for the Americana stuff; not that keen on the dissonant Vietnam stuff.

 

1990s: ANGELA'S ASHES, hands down. Gorgeous pastoral writing.

 

2000s: MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. It feels "kinda" like a Spielberg project even though he left the director's chair. It certainly had many years to percolate in Williams' mind, which shows in the finished product. One of my favourite west-meets-east scores.

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Well The Reivers has now taken a massive lead in the 60s, nothing else is close except people who don't like or don't know his 60s score at all!

 

Dracula likewise now has a massive lead in the 70s.  For a while, The Cowboys and The Fury were ahead of it, but not any more!  I wonder if the recent expansion is the cause of this (although The Cowboys expansion came out around the same time), the current season, or people just genuinely prefer it over the other options!

 

The Witches of Eastwick is winning the 80s, but Born on the Fourth of July is right behind it.

 

Far and Away also has a massive lead in the 90s.  Recent expansion bias as well?

 

Memoirs of a Geisha is winning the later years, but The Patriot has a respectable vote count as well

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Kudos to Mark Smith for voting JOHN GOLDFARB - what many of us consider Williams' worst score of all time. :)

 

Interesting to see DRACULA get such a massive lead. As you say, Jay, probably because of the recent expansion. I can't remember people being so enthusiastic about it back in the day. Same for FAR & AWAY, I suppose, even though that has always been more of a fan favourite (including mine).

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I was kind of amazed to step back and see how little non-Spielberg, non-Potter, non-Star Wars scores he's done in the past 20 years... only 3 scores!

 

I wonder if we'll ever get another non-Spielberg film score out of him?

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6 minutes ago, Jay said:

I wonder if we'll ever get another non-Spielberg film score out of him?

 

I will hope untill there is no more hope.

 

You've left off all the unreleased scores, but I can understand that. Few have heard them.

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I've heard some material here and there from those 60s scores, but I don't consider myself familiar enough to pick a favorite for that decade.

 

70s: Dracula, but I also love The Cowboys and The Fury.

 

80s: Born on the Fourth of July, though I admit I haven't actually heard The Accidental Tourist or Heartbeeps.

 

90s: Far and Away -- and yes it's almost definitely because the recent expansion introduced me to the score. I also love Angela's Ashes and the Theme from Seven Years in Tibet though.

 

00s: As lovely as The BFG is, Memoirs of a Geisha takes this one easily.

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1 minute ago, Thor said:

You've left off all the unreleased scores, but I can understand that. Few have heard them.

 

Yea I left them off on purpose, I only included scores that have been released in some format

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True. I guess technically one could include the 50s too, although the choice is down to M SQUAD and WAGON TRAIN as far as released soundtracks are concerned. But they aren't FILMS, of course, and he shares space with other composers.

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Terrific poll. I often wondered if it wasn’t for the successful franchises he scored if John Williams would be as ingrained in popular culture as he is today. His career would probably resemble Goldsmiths I imagine. Insane talent squandered on average/bad films with the occasional Oscar film in there...
60s- Not sure

70s- Cowboys

80s- Witches of Eastwick

90s- Far and Away

00-10s- Patriot (now wheres THAT expanded release??)

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60s: I don't care for any of the scores Williams wrote this decade, I have heard some of them and I don't feel encouraged to keep exploring

70s: The Long Goodbye

80s: I don't feel enthuastic enough about any score Williams wrote this decade, I am sorry to say. Some decent work to be sure, but it is nothing I listen to

90s: Nixon, which is maybe his second best score outside Spielberg after The Long Goodbye

00s:  I don't fee lenthusiastic enough about any score Williams wrote outside Spielberg this decade, I am sorry to say. Some decent work to be sure, but it is nothing I really listen to. Even A.I. is pushing it as a favourite, but it is by far his best score of the decade.

 

So to sum it up, The Long Goodbye is my favourite Williams score outside Spielberg (if we included Spielberg, I like Close Encounters of the Third Kind about as much, but none of the other scores come anywhere close to those two). I like Williams for most part as a composer for for a few, maybe even a handful or so of scores (for Close Encounters and The Long Goodbye above all), the rest is OK, but it is nothing I really listen to.

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12 minutes ago, Jay said:

I'm impressed Angela's Ashes already has 5 votes, and Faleel hasn't even voted yet!

 

I'm disappointed it doesn't have more (it deserves it!), but at the same time not so much - since it's more special to love a gem in fewer numbers than be part of a "pack".

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My favorites (doesn't necessarily mean I'm saying they're the "best")

 

The Reivers

The Eiger Sanction

Born of the Fourth of July

Seven Years in Tibet

The Patriot

 

 

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1 hour ago, Brundlefly said:

The ninties are an absolute scandal! Far and Away, I mean seriously?!:eh: That is the worst score out of these and it got fucking fifty percent of the votes! Just wait until @Naïve Old Fart sees the results of this poll!:angry:

@Naïve Old Fart will accept the results of this poll with the good grace, and magnanimity, with which he has become associated.

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60s: don't know any

 

70s: Between Cowboys, Black Sunday and Dracula, I gave it to the latter.

 

80s: only know Monsignor and River and it's gotta be the latter then.

 

90s: of these I only really know F&A and love it.

 

Rest: hehe, Memoirs, no question.

 

I will have a lot of discovering to do when many of the ones I haven't heard yet slowly eventually get expanded!

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Rosewood and Stanley&Iris already have nice expansions, hopefully the remaining scores will get one too!

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60s:  The Reivers

70s:  The Long Goodbye

80s:  The Accidental Tourist

90s:  Angela's Ashes

00s:  Memoirs of a Geisha

 

Because they were my favorite in the lists... though, mainly in the 70's, it was hard to pick just one. From the 80's on, this have been my favorite scores anyway.

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23 hours ago, Thor said:

Kudos to Mark Smith for voting JOHN GOLDFARB - what many of us consider Williams' worst score of all time. :)

 

I’m not sure I can explain. I don’t know anyone else who likes it. My wife hates it (although she likes Thomas and the King even less!) I remember seeing it in listings of his movies back in the 80s – pre-internet so there was no way to watch it easily. I wondered what it sounded like and was surprised when FSM finally put it out.

 

I especially like the scores with songs from the 60’s. For pure orchestral scores I’d pick the Reivers with special mention to The Rare Breed (need more than the Silva recording!).
 

JG - Copy.jpg

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Even though I dislike it (even in my whittled-down 20-minute something playlist), I love the fact that you love it! Any fans of Williams' 60s scores are ace in my book. Too few of them around these parts.

 

Doubly impressed that you got it signed. What did Williams say when you put it in front of him?

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What a cool poll!  And thanks for making the ballot easy!

 

I'm looking specifically at the 1975-1984 Golden Age.

 

Both Witches of Eastwick and Born on the 4th lack the golden period magic by a couple of years.  

 

But thank you for giving me a reason to revisit Witches, which I haven't in a while.  Bot4thoJ is crippled by the brevity and repetition of its album.  There doesn't seem like much to it for it to be rated so highly.

 

Now...  the Love Theme from Heartbeeps... if you like the friendship theme from E.T., then this is an easy choice.     (This is the hill I'll die on :lol:). The River would be my second choice for the way it just nails Americana.

 

I probably should've picked Dracula over The Cowboys, but years of the OST's reliance on the theme has it still catching up for me.

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None But the Brave/Cowboys/Born on the Fourth of July/Angela's Ashes/Geisha

 

I was tempted to pick The Reivers over None But the Brave based on the concert suite, but I haven't heard any of the score proper to know.

 

Including the disaster scores wouldn't have changed my votes.

 

Impressed with John Williams Fan Network user @tee_oh who has never heard or doesn't like every one of these scores!

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