Most surprising movie JW scored?

[UCFKevin 0]

For me, it's The Patriot.

I never in a million years would've expected him to do an Emmerich movie. I figured they'd stick with David Arnold, and when I heard Johnny was going to do the score, it was just very shocking. Just didn't seem like something he'd do. But lo and behold, it turned out quite nice.

Stepmom was pretty surprising, too, that he scored that.

[nja 0]

I suppose a lot depends on what exacly "most surprising" means. If we're talking studios or directors, I could think of several possibilities. In reference to unusual departures from cinema style or type of film, I would have to go with the two Home Alone comedies (I and II). The "cartoon-like" nature of the jokes (and their musical accompaniment) in these types of movies makes the timing so difficult compositionally. In fact, because of the rare opportunites these films afford their composers to do less fragmented writing, many of them tend to turn them down.

If I remember correctly, JW himself said that his primary motivation in doing the Home Alones was his desire to write Christmas music. And did he ever! I'll gladly go on record reccommending the Varese Sarabande set of HA2. You could write an textbook on the orchestrations alone.

[tpigeon 3]

Rosewood. Far and Away was also a surprise since he had never worked with Ron Howard before, at least as far as I know. Witches of Eastwick is another surprise.

Ted

[Morlock 11]

Rosewood. Far and Away was also a surprise since he had never worked with Ron Howard before, at least as far as I know. Witches of Eastwick is another surprise.

Ted

I'd also say Rosewood. I would've never expect JW to score such a southern movie, and I never would've expected him and Terence Blanchard to be concidered for the same movie.

Also Sleepers- concidering that he'd never worked with Levenson before, and that Levenson already had a working relationship with Randy Newman and Hans Zimmer.

[Romão 2,274]

Angela's ashes was a surprise in a sense that I did not expect the score to be as good as it is.

[A24 4,356]

Heartbeeps.

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Alex Cremers

[tpigeon 3]

I wish he would have scored Natural Born Killers.

Ted

[Morlock 11]

I wish he would have scored Natural Born Killers.

Ted

I couldn't possibly imagine what kind of score that movie could have, if it could have any score at all.

I think the movie was great with all the source music. Even though I hate Dr. Dre- rap od hip-hop is the only way to put rythem to that kind of movie.

[Simon R. 10]

My vote goes to Sleepers - the score is also pretty atypical Williams, except for the closing theme.

[Miguel Andrade 1,266]

Angela's ashes was a surprise in a sense that I did not expect the score to be as good as it is.

I think I've told you this before, but Angela's Ashes is one of my favorite Williams score. In fact I love almos everyhting about Angela's Ashes, beginning with McCourt wonderful writting.

[Luke Skywalker 1,799]

Harry Potter.

I cant believe he got involved with that...

Luke, who was shocked when he first heard the news, but now is glad to own those scores

(Remember i hated HP then, now i still dont mind it, but dont think it was as bad as i thought)

[Peio 0]

Home Alone. Who would have thought Williams would score a comedy for children, with christmas music?

[Justin 2]

I was just going to say Home Alone. It really is strange that he got involved now a days it seems like that would go to John Debney or Alan Silvestri for some sweet little kiddy score. But Williams score greatly improves the film.

Justin -Who still enjoys Home Alone both film and score.

[Guest]

The "cartoon-like" nature of the jokes (and their musical accompaniment) in these types of movies makes the timing so difficult compositionally. In fact, because of the rare opportunites these films afford their composers to do less fragmented writing, many of them tend to turn them down.

Examples?

[nja 0]

I couldn't give you a list of films composers have turned down (especially since many of the negotiations are not public) but do know that slapstick comedies tend to be one of the most difficult and time-consuming types of scores to write. You will notice that many of the "elite" soundtrack composers (Goldsmith, Horner etc.) tend to shy away from them for that reason. Of course that is not without exception, but does seem to be a tendency.

In the notes to Home Alone 2, Matessino points out that before HA2, "Williams hadn't scored a comedy since the late 1960's . . ." He quotes Williams description of the film, " . . . And a lot of these wonderfully burlesque? in the classic use of that word? comedy sequences that the orchestra accompanies so completely in the film, almost like a cartoon where every gesture the orchestra makes is accompanied by some comedic action on the screen. So it's challenging from that point of view, just technically, as well as the emotional aspects of it."

[Steven Awalt 0]

Wasn't Home Alone a comedy too?

[MSM 126]

When looking back, I think it is a surprise that he did Dracula, the only horror movie he has scored up to now (unfortunately because he did a great job for Dracula - those strong themes! Maybe he doesn't like the genre, or maybe he doesn't think any horror movies of the past time worth scoring), although tracks as Hook-napped, The Chamber of Secrets and the Witches of Eastwick score come close to Williams 'horror' style.

MSM

[Molaram 0]

I would agree that Home Alone was a surprising choice, but Dracula seems like a far more surprising one to me. Dracula was an out and out horror picture, and it came right in between Superman and The Empire Strikes Back. Who could have guessed that Dracula would be his choice to compose in beween those two greats?

[Lurker 5]

I would agree that Home Alone was a surprising choice, but Dracula seems like a far more surprising one to me.  Dracula was an out and out horror picture, and it came right in between Superman and The Empire Strikes Back.  Who could have guessed that Dracula would be his choice to compose in beween those two greats?

Well he had already done Jaws, Jaws 2 and The Fury,

Neil

[Steven Awalt 0]

And The Screaming Woman (made for TV) in 1972 was a horror film too--his first in fact.

I concur that Home Alone seemed the oddest choice. Lucky Chris Columbus that, given his previous films as director and the project of Home Alone that Williams chose to work on the film. Knowing Spielberg as Columbus did might not have hurt...Lucky us that Columbus and Williams have a working relationship now, 'cause the Home Alone and Harry Potter scores are wonderful

[Guest]

but do know that slapstick comedies tend to be one of the most difficult and time-consuming types of scores to write.

How do you know this? It can only be based on your own personal experience as a composer, or assumption.

If the composer is well versed in that method and has the chops and skills to pull it off, why would it be so daunting?

You will notice that many of the "elite" soundtrack composers (Goldsmith, Horner etc.) tend to shy away from them for that reason.

Both Horner and Goldsmith have shown themselves to be more than capable of handling complicated edits, mickey mousing etc, eg Honey I shrunk the kids, The Land before time, Batteries not included, An American Tail, The Secret of Nimh, Total Recall, etc.

Williams description of the film, " . . . And a lot of these wonderfully burlesque– in the classic use of that word– comedy sequences that the orchestra accompanies so completely in the film, almost like a cartoon where every gesture the orchestra makes is accompanied by some comedic action on the screen. So it's challenging from that point of view, just technically, as well as the emotional aspects of it."

I don't think it would have been any more challenging for him than Saving Private Ryan, for example. Williams says everything is a challenge anyway, it's his humble style.

[King Mark 3,631]

Heartbeeps.Makes me wonder how after he scored all these high profile movies and he was #1 composer of the time,wow he managed to get himself involved at all into this project

K.M.

[King Mark 3,631]

[

Both Horner and Goldsmith have shown themselves to be more than capable of handling complicated edits, mickey mousing etc, eg Honey I shrunk the kids, The Land before time, Batteries not included, An American Tail, The Secret of Nimh,  

 

[.

These are some of Horners best too...There's also Were Back,A dinosaur Story,Balto,Pagemaster,Casper..ect...

K.M.

[nja 0]

Both Horner and Goldsmith have shown themselves to be more than capable of handling complicated edits, mickey mousing etc, eg Honey I shrunk the kids, The Land before time, Batteries not included, An American Tail, The Secret of Nimh, Total Recall, etc.

So has John Williams- the Home Alone films are some of the best examples of slapstick comedy writing out there. My observations concerning Horner Goldsmith and Williams for that matter, relate not to their skill at this style, nor suggesting that they are unwilling to work on films of this sort, but merely that they tend torwards more epic dramatic pictures.

I think the uniqueness of the Home Alones in Williams' repertoire supports this premise.

AI, In the spirit of the original forum question . . . I was wondering if you were willing to venture an opinion of a most surprising. Apparently not Home Alone, I was curious what if might be.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

My observations concerning Horner Goldsmith and Williams for that matter' date=' relate not to their skill at this style, nor suggesting that they are unwilling to work on films of this sort, but merely that they tend torwards more epic dramatic pictures.[/i']

Regarding Goldsmith, you should check out his Gremlins, Gremlins II, Dennis The Menace, Fierce Creatures, Mr. Baseball, The 'Burbs, Mom And Dad Save The World, Matinee and very probably his upcoming Looney Tunes: Back in Action to discover just how unfounded your statent is.

Goldsmith has done a lot more light comedy of slapstick style scores then Williams (not counting his early 60's period, when that was pretty much ass he was hired for)

Stefancos- who generally likes these quirky little Goldsmith scores and has high hopes for Looney Tunes: Back in Action

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

I remember in an interview with Goldsmith, they were talking about Williams, can´t remember how it came up, but Goldsmith said he was surprised when he learned Williams was scoring Home Alone. Can´t find the interview anywhere, I read it on the internet back in 97 or 98

[MrScratch 294]

I remember being a little surprised that he scored 'Sabrina', I believe this is his only romantic comedy. Not sure though, you might consider Cinderella Liberty a romantic comedy though. And his 60s stuff was more caper-comedy, but I haven't seen them all.

[King Mark 3,631]

So has John Williams- the Home Alone films are some of the best examples of slapstick comedy writing out there.

don't forget 1941!

K.M.

[Morn 8]

Images.... Williams using such an expermental frontier style, quite surprising.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I don't know. I have only been following William's work actively for the past year, ever since the trailer of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone came out. There haven't been much surprising works since, but I was surprised to see that he had worked with Ron Howard on Far and Away (that was a Ron Howard film, wasn't it?).

I was also surprised that he did The Towering Inferno, of which we had a bootleg tape lying around somewhere, but which I never watched because the pan & scan was absent; the opening credits can't be read, and the elevator scene at the beginning was one nose talking to the other. I never got past that, and only saw the movie for the first time this morning, because I taped it last night from TV.

I was also surprised to find that Williams had been involved in a film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. And even more surprising, that he had won an Oscar for it.

So I guess my surprises weren't so much things that struck me when I heard Williams was going to do a movie, it was about what he already HAD done. Ah, how ignorant and naive I was...

- Marc

[tpigeon 3]

Images.... Williams using such an expermental frontier style, quite surprising.

Agreed. Images is one of the most unique films he has scored, and it is also one of his most unique scores. I only wished that John Williams and Robert Altman would have worked together more. After the Long Goodbye and Images, it seemed like there was a collaboration in the midst, but those were the only two projects that they have worked together on - a true shame.

[Omen II 1,235]

After the Long Goodbye and Images, it seemed like there was a collaboration in the midst, but those were the only two projects that they have worked together on - a true shame.

Not quite right, Ted. There was at least one earlier collaboration between Williams and Altman, Nightmare In Chicago, a TV movie from 1964. I believe that it was expanded from an episode of Kraft Suspense Theater that Williams had scored. It was about a psycho serial killer called Georgie Porgie!

I do agree with your sentiment, however; it is a shame that Altman and Williams have not worked together more often and that none of their collaborations has been acknowledged by an official CD release.

Damien

[PBL 0]

Definitely Images. I love that score. As you said Morn (and Tpigeon), unique and very surprising