Jump to content

Your Top 10 JW Scores


SteveMc

Recommended Posts

What are your top 10 John Williams scores?

You don't have to rank them in order.

Here are mine as of right now.

 

Jane Eyre

Jaws

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Superman

The Empire Strikes Back

ET

Empire of the Sun

Schindler's List

Lincoln

The Book Thief 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't done this in a while.

 

But probably something like this:

 

1. JURASSIC PARK

2. Return of the Jedi

3. Jane Eyre

4. A.I.

5. Angela's Ashes

6. Hook

7. Images

8. Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade

9. Not With My Wife You Don't

10. E.T.

 

....or something. Places 4-10 vary somewhat; the first three are pretty much set in stone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was tough to choose!  My first 6 were no-brainers, but the last 4 are fluid. 

 

Here are mine in no particular order:

-Star Wars

-Empire Strikes Back

-Raiders of the Lost Ark

-Hook

-E.T.

-Superman

-Close Encounters of the Third Kind

-Home Alone

-Far & Away

-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is probably my current list:

  1. The Empire Strikes Back
  2. E.T.
  3. The Force Awakens
  4. Dracula
  5. The Phantom Menace
  6. The Witches of Eastwick
  7. The Lost World
  8. War Horse
  9. Minority Report
  10. Jaws
     

It was a hard choice not to add Raiders. I am not a huge fan of the Raiders March, but without that one all the Indy scores would it probably easily make into my top 10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. The Empire Strikes Back

2. Star Wars

3. The Force Awakens

4. E.T.

5. Revenge of the Sith

6. Temple of Doom

7. Superman

8. The Adventures of Tintin

9. War Horse

10. Raiders of the Lost Ark

 

(noticed that the 5 first are sure to be in that top the next ones might variation depending of my mood)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In no particular order...

  1. The Empire Strikes Back**
  2. Star Wars
  3. Jurassic Park
  4. ET
  5. Jaws
  6. Close Encounters
  7. Hook
  8. Raiders of the Temple of the Last Crusade*
  9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  10. Superman

*May contain cheating

**I have to admit that, while I always say Empire is my favourite score of all time, I don't listen to it super often and often find myself gravitating towards his best stuff the public wouldn't necessarily recognise... for example, Far & Away, Home Alone 1 & 2The Witches of Eastwick, the Oliver Stone triumvirate, The Cowboys etc... which I'd easily put as equal 11th place. It's an embarrassment of riches to be fair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your favorite, or what you consider his best, scores don't have to be the ones you listen to more often.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Jay said:

I find it too hard to rank them so I'll just list them in the order they came out

  1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  2. Star Wars
  3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
  4. The Empire Strikes Back
  5. ET
  6. Return of the Jedi
  7. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  9. Hook
  10. Jurassic Park


Not to nitpick, but if you want to list these in release order, Star Wars should be first instead of CE3K and Empire (1980) before Raiders (1981).

 

My personal top 10 hasn’t changed much over the years:

 

1. Star Wars (1977)

2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

3. Schindler’s List (1993)

4. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

5. Superman The Movie (1978)

6. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

7. Jaws (1975)

8. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)

9. Jurassic Park (1993)

10. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started with a list of 40, then tried to get down to 10...it was painful. This is it currently, but really a good number of other scores could be traded into some of these slots. 

 

In no particular order:

 

The Phantom Menace

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Home Alone
Hook

Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Temple of Doom
Jurassic Park
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A top 10 not including E.T. must be disqualified! :P

 

A Top 10... A Top 10...

 

In the order it came to me...

 

E.T.

Star Wars '77

The Empire Strikes Back

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Jurassic Park

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Phantom Menace

A.I. (The Expansion)

 

One more?

 

NOT JAWS, I like JAWS, Jaws is important, Jaws is essential, but a favourite of mine, no?

 

Will I dare?

 

:o
 

Spoiler

Presumed Innocent

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Born on the Fourth of July

Catch Me If You Can

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Harry Potter 1-3

Home Alone

Hook

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

 

ABC order. I think this is a pretty honest nine for me, looking over the years. Chamber of Secrets is the guiltiest pleasure but I feel silly pretending like I don't enjoy it as much as the others. The circumstances make it very flawed but continues to be one of my favorites and came along when John Williams first shot me with Cupid's arrow. And when I had some extra cash that first allowed me to buy one Signature Edition, I bought the Chamber of Secrets suite. Money don't lie.

 

It is hard to really single out a tenth. I've actually picked Close Encounters of the Third Kind before as my #1, a brilliant score for a brilliant movie, but exists a little bit under glass for me at this point. Maybe a sign it's due for another listen, dust it off. Any of the other classic picks could qualify, really, but I think especially Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back are on my mind too. Three very different but equally exemplary scores for terrific movies in his most defining period. But I am also thinking of less iconic favorites that have their hooks in me, particularly The Cowboys, Angela's Ashes, and The Terminal.

 

It's always just the weird part of these lists trying to reconcile my esteem for his craftsmanship with my actual listening habits, moments or tracks I go back to most often, melodies that live in my head, things I've prioritized learning to play or studying the scores, which ones have stuck with me the longest, how I feel about the scores cinematically. And trying not to let the canon or the hip JWFan faves have too much influence over a personal list.

 

I do think absolutely all things considered, I would have to agree with the direction of this thread that E.T. is his most quintessential score. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been thinking a lot about this since the thread started, and I'm also doing an "In No Particular Order". I'm going shameless here.

 

Revenge of the Sith

ET

Temple of Doom

Chamber of Secrets

Hook

Empire Strikes Back

The Phantom Menace

The Patriot

AI

Return of the Jedi

 

Actually not as controversial as I thought it'd be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to list the MOST PLAYED - not " best" ( which would include SCHINDLER).

 

1. SUPE

2.E.T.

3. A.I.

4. WAR HORSE

5. LAST CRUSADE

6. TEMPLE OF DOOM

7. ESB

8. JFK

9. STAR WARS

10. MINORITY REPORT.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ET is the Lord of All Horses Scores

 

Then, in alphabetical order

 

AI

Amistad

Close Encounters

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Jaws

Jurassic Park

Lincoln

Saving Private Ryan

Star Wars

 

I've said in the past The Reivers is in my top 10, but really what I mean is that the opening cue is in my top 10 JW cues of all time.  Anyway, I made this list in 2 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

3. The Empire Strikes Back

4. Return of the Jedi

5. Superman - The Movie

6. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

7. Raiders of the Lost Ark

8. Jaws 2

9. Jaws 

10. The Witches of Eastwick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In no particular order:

 

  • Star Wars
  • The Empire Strikes Back
  • The Phantom Menace
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  • E.T. the Extra-terrestrial
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

It's not a particularly surprising list. For the record, I still love Images and 1941 and War Horse and CE3K and a whole bunch of others that I hate to leave off the top 10. But if I'm honest with myself, right now those 10 are the top shelf for me.

 

EDIT: Shit, I forgot Jaws. It might replace TOD. That's a tough call.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In order:

 

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark

2. The Empire Strikes Back

3. Jaws

4. E.T.

5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

7. War Horse

8. Schindler's List

9. Memoirs of a Geisha

10. The Terminal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, May the Force be with You said:

1. The Empire Strikes Back

2. Star Wars

3. The Force Awakens

4. E.T.

5. Revenge of the Sith

6. Temple of Doom

7. Superman

8. The Adventures of Tintin

9. War Horse

10. Raiders of the Lost Ark

 

(noticed that the 5 first are sure to be in that top the next ones might variation depending of my mood)

I love when Tintin gets some love.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In no particular order

 

  • Sleepers
  • Seven Years in Tibet
  • The Phantom Menace
  • Memoirs of a Geisha
  • Dracula
  • Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
  • Return of the Jedi
  • E.T The Extra-Terrestrial
  • A.I.
  • Nixon

 

But this list is quite fluid and at least 20 other scores could've easily made the top 10

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m gonna admit I’m surprised this thread hadn’t been done in a dozen different iterations previously. It’s a great topic, though!

 

Here are mine:

- Jurassic Park

- Star Wars

- The Lost World

- A.I. 
- Empire Strikes Back

- Schindler’s List

- TPM

- Jaws

- Nixon

- Raiders

 

But it’s so hard to limit to just 10. JW’s oeuvre comes as close to a uniform distribution of awesomeness as you’ll see from any composer. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

In no particular order...

Schindler's Force

Lincoln the Revenge

List of the Sith ET 

The AI Terrestrial Extra Step

Artificial Intelligence Mom Home Awakens

Alone

The Harry Patriot 

Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 

giphy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By the way, I would have found it interesting to open the top ten to include also John Williams' Concert works like his concertos, so something like "Your Top 10 JW Works". Maybe the result would have been the same. But I would have probably added his Violin Concerto to my Top 10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Thor said:

Alas, no concert works of his would have managed to mingle with the film scores. But a separate list for concert works would....uhm, work.

For any JW Top 10 out there in the world I would agree with you. I just thought, at least here in the forum might be some hardcore fans of his concert work who would decide differently. But you might be right. What do I know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Song for World Peace!

I actually have a qustion on my mind for that one.

The similarity with Strauss' "Also Sprach Zaratustra" is intended, isn't it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully he was thinking of world peace.

 

I just thought, he might have mentioned something in interviews or so.

Actually, this similarity is so obvious and Zaratustra is one of the most famous pieces in the world, so that I considered it a quote.

 

Anyway, it's a beautiful piece.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In no particular order after the first 5:

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

2. STAR WARS

3. Empire of the Sun

4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

5. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

7. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

8. Memoirs of a Geisha

9. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

10. Jaws

 

Runners up (no particular order):

Home Alone

Schindler's List

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Lincoln

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Star Wars Episode IV: Return of the Jedi

 

So, out of 16 listed, I can't legally (or in some cases even illegally) listen to... 7 in their actual great complete form in pristine 1st gen quality as the composer intended it to work. Lovely. (Though with Lincoln I think I'd probably still pick the OST if I had the choice.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My favorite JW ranked*

1. HOOK

2. Jurassic Park

3. Last Crusade

4. Force Awakens

5. Empire Strikes Back

6. Phantom Menace

7. Temple of Doom

8. The Patriot

9. Angela’s Ashes

10. Prisoner of Azkaban

 

*This ranking changes about every week lol. But HOOK will always and forever be my Number 1 JW score.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

E.T., Jaws, Superman, 1,2,3. 

Star Wars, Raiders,TOD, CE3K, JP, TI, ESB in some order though Star Wars is always superior to ESB, always.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was very easy to make a shortlist of 19 and less easy to make a 10 favorites list.


 

The Force Awakens

WAR HORSE

Prisoner of Azkaban

AI Artificial Intelligence

The Phantom Menace

Saving Private Ryan

Temple of Doom

Return of the Jedi

ET 

Empire Strikes Back

 

 

longer shortlist below

Spoiler

 

The Force Awakens

WAR HORSE

Memoirs of a Geisha

Prisoner of Azkaban (ost)

AI Artificial Insemination (ost)

The Phantom Menace

Saving Private Ryan

Jurassic Park

Hook

Home Alone

The Last Crusade

Temple of Doom

Return of the Jedi

ET 

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Empire Strikes Back

Superman the Movie

Star Wars

The Cowboys

 

 

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.