What’s a score you wish John Williams hadn’t done?

[Edmilson 7,656]

3 hours ago, Bellosh said:

What's a Thread You Wish no one at JWFan hadn't done

Fixed.

[JTN 2,262]

51 minutes ago, Erik Woods said:

Actually, Williams had an opening in his schedule

So you - and the liner notes - are saying that the fact that SPACECAMP had Kate Capshaw in it, had nothing to do with Williams doing the project?

 

 

35 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

What's a Thread You Wish you had done

Fixed.

[Erik Woods 570]

6 minutes ago, JTN said:

So you - and the liner notes - are saying that the fact that SPACECAMP had Kate Capshaw in it, had nothing to do with Williams doing the project?

 

That's exactly what I'm saying. If she was a producer on the film, I might be inclined to agree with you. The project that was cancelled that afforded him the time to commit to Spacecamp, was Spielberg's Peter Pan musical, which was to premiere in 1986. 

 

-Erik-

[WilliamsStarShip2282 309]

I think Andre Previn was right when he told him "stop it with the Star Wars". The recent trilogy was a complete waste of his time, which only yielded some nice musical nuggets. I know people like Rey's theme, but compared to his other works, especially Helena's theme, I don't find it very miraculous. Given the massive amount of time that went into them, he probably could have been using his time better on something else.

 

Stanley and Iris is a score and movie that were both not very good though, same with Pete n Tilly.

But this question is kind of double edged specifically for him, since there are several movies that he did that were not good but the music was wonderful to listen to on it's own. Did not care for Accidental Tourist or Yes Georgio, but both excellent scores.

[Andy 4,284]

I’m gonna answer the OP legitimately. 
 

I wish he hadn’t done Spacecamp, but instead applied some of those sensibilities to Star Trek IV The Voyage Home.  Plenty of opportunities for Earth and Space drama in that one.   I’m sad he never did a Trek, and for its time, it was the most popular among fans and non fans alike.   Williams would’ve knocked it out of the park. 
 

I like Spacecamp just fine. But if I could trade that for a John Williams Star Trek IV, I would. 

[Fabulin 3,523]

15 minutes ago, Andy said:

I’m gonna answer the OP legitimately. 
 

I wish he hadn’t done Spacecamp, but instead applied some of those sensibilities to Star Trek IV The Voyage Home.  Plenty of opportunities for Earth and Space drama in that one.   I’m sad he never did a Trek, and for its time, it was the most popular among fans and non fans alike.   Williams would’ve knocked it out of the park. 
 

I like Spacecamp just fine. But if I could trade that for a John Williams Star Trek IV, I would. 

Was Williams offered to score that film?

[Andy 4,284]

Not that I’ve ever heard, no.  Trek films were always very budget conscious. 

[mstrox 6,684]

13 hours ago, Erik Woods said:

No idea, but there are people in the film score community that have more clout in these parts and on social media than I do who spew this nonsense based on hearing something from a friend of a friend of a friend who knows someone who is a friend of a friend they "trust."

I have to ask: why is your source for this information more correct than the sources of multiple people in the actual industry?

[Holko 9,624]

3 hours ago, Fabulin said:

Was Williams offered to score that film?

Nah, Nimoy was friends with Rosenmann or something like that.

[Richard Penna 3,783]

4 hours ago, mstrox said:

I have to ask: why is your source for this information is more correct than the sources of multiple people in the actual industry?

 

Tbh I'm not sure which 'sources' I'd prefer were correct. If Erik's right, it means that someone is either misinterpreting or just making up negative notes from Williams. If he's not, then Williams has made the occasional comment about another composer's choices regarding his material and someone's decided the world must be told.

 

Either way someone out there thinks that any real or perceived creative ills against his higness must be front page news. How pathetic.

[Erik Woods 570]

9 hours ago, mstrox said:

I have to ask: why is your source for this information more correct than the sources of multiple people in the actual industry?

 

A journalist never gives up their sources but I will tell you that I didn't have to play the telephone game to get the facts. The facts were then corroborated by another source who had first hand knowledge of the situation. 

 

-Erik-

[Naïve Old Fart 9,740]

There are no scores that I wish that JW had not done, but there are plenty of films out there that did not deserve as good a JW score as they got.

[Bellosh 3,515]

17 hours ago, Andy said:

John Williams Star Trek IV, I would. 

 

i created a poll a long time ago but Whale Fugue > Shark Fugue

 

but in all seriousness if Williams did The Voyage Home I already know it would be in my top 5 of all time

[Edmilson 7,656]

20 hours ago, Fabulin said:

Was Williams offered to score that film?

 

20 hours ago, Andy said:

Not that I’ve ever heard, no.  Trek films were always very budget conscious. 

The better question is: if (and that's a big if) Williams was offered to do a Trek movie, would he want to leave his mark in a franchise whose scores were already defined by Goldsmith and Horner?

 

I know him and Alexander Courage are friends though, so that could help (or maybe not). Either way, it would be a completely new situation for Williams to step in a franchise where he wasn't responsible for the themes that defined it but rather a colleague and an "equal".

 

I'm struggling to remember any potential movies in Williams's careers who had previous entries not scored by him. Tintin, maybe? It had the animated show before the Spielberg flick.

[artguy360 1,847]

11 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

 

The better question is: if (and that's a big if) Williams was offered to do a Trek movie, would he want to leave his mark in a franchise whose scores were already defined by Goldsmith and Horner?

 

I know him and Alexander Courage are friends though, so that could help (or maybe not). Either way, it would be a completely new situation for Williams to step in a franchise where he wasn't responsible for the themes that defined it but rather a colleague and an "equal".

 

I'm struggling to remember any potential movies in Williams's careers who had previous entries not scored by him. Tintin, maybe? It had the animated show before the Spielberg flick.

Somewhat similar, JW reportedly turned down scoring Brian De Palma's Mission Impossible because the filmmakers wanted him to use the classic Mission Impossible theme instead of writing his own.

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

30 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

Somewhat similar, JW reportedly turned down scoring Brian De Palma's Mission Impossible because the filmmakers wanted him to use the classic Mission Impossible theme instead of writing his own.

That would be like some hotshot future composer being offered an Indiana Jones reboot and saying "Nah, I don't want to use that old John Williams tune. I'll come up with something else."

[JTN 2,262]

51 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

I'm struggling to remember any potential movies in Williams's careers who had previous entries not scored by him.

What comes closest is Fiddler on the Roof. 

[Edmilson 7,656]

2 minutes ago, JTN said:

What comes closest is Fiddler on the Roof. 

Superman had some movie serials, a TV show and a few animated stuff before the Richard Donner movie. I guess it's the closest it came of being a famous property before receiving a Williams score.

[JTN 2,262]

Well, true, but none of them had any memorable theme that Williams would've been asked to use.

[pete 910]

On 09/05/2024 at 9:02 AM, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

 

 

Stanley and Iris is a score and movie that were both not very good though, same with Pete n Tilly.
 

 

I've got the opposite opinion about Stanley and Iris, and to a lesser extent Pete n Tilly - the music anyway, as opposed to the movies. And Pete n Tilly is such a great title. One of my childhod friends has the family name "Tilley", but I digress.

 

I long for more smaller intimiate score ala Stanley and Iris, but I can't for the life of me choose a score I wish he hadn't done. Even if a gun was placed to my head, I wouldn't answer that question... well, maybe if it was a loaded gun.

[filmmusic 1,911]

36 minutes ago, pete said:

I've got the opposite opinion about Stanley and Iris

Yeah, I agree. It's a great little score! 

And I love the movie too!

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

4 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Superman had some movie serials, a TV show and a few animated stuff before the Richard Donner movie. I guess it's the closest it came of being a famous property before receiving a Williams score.

 

4 hours ago, JTN said:

Well, true, but none of them had any memorable theme that Williams would've been asked to use.

Not saying Williams used it as a template in any way, but the theme for the old Fleischer cartoons was a memorable, jaunty little tune.

 

 

[Schilkeman 1,016]

29 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

 

Not saying Williams used it as a template in any way, but the theme for the old Fleischer cartoons was a memorable, jaunty little tune.

 

 

Superman! Superman! Superman Superman Superman! 

 

That's how it's always played in my head.

[JTN 2,262]

4 hours ago, Mr. Hooper said:

 

Not saying Williams used it as a template in any way, but the theme for the old Fleischer cartoons was a memorable, jaunty little tune.

 

 

It’s nice, but not nearly as catchy that JW would be asked to use it. He clearly was asked to do his magic after he blew everybody away with Star Wars. So he did, the rest is history.

 

 

4 hours ago, Schilkeman said:

Superman! Superman! Superman Superman Superman! 

 

That's how it's always played in my head.

JW’s Superman theme does that to me. And it did to Richard Donner too, who during the first take of the recording sessions ran into the recording studio to congratulate JW on his amazing theme that almost says “SUPERMAN!”. 

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

11 hours ago, Schilkeman said:

Superman! Superman! Superman Superman Superman! 

 

That's how it's always played in my head.

Now you've condemned me to hearing "Superman! Superman! Superman Superman Superman!" in my head too!  

[Schilkeman 1,016]

29 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Now you've condemned me to hearing "Superman! Superman! Superman Superman Superman!" in my head too!  

It pops into my head on a regular basis, lol

[BB-8 3,542]

Augie's Great Municipal Band

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

4 hours ago, BB-8 said:

Augie's Great Municipal Band

I love it. It's so energetic. Love the trumpets. And that sneaky inversion of the emperor's theme.

[BB-8 3,542]

 

 

 

[Tom 4,692]

On 09/05/2024 at 10:41 PM, Mr. Hooper said:

 

Not saying Williams used it as a template in any way, but the theme for the old Fleischer cartoons was a memorable, jaunty little tune.

 

 

Sousaman.

[filmmusic 1,911]

7 hours ago, BB-8 said:

Augie's Great Municipal Band

If we're talking about individual cues, I wish he hadn't done Victory Celebration from Return of the Jedi special edition.

It reminded me of a cheap fake-ethnic Indian music we hear on the streets...

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

4 hours ago, BB-8 said:

 

 

 

I kinda dig the third rendition.

 

6 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

If we're talking about individual cues, I wish he hadn't done Victory Celebration from Return of the Jedi special edition.

It reminded me of a cheap fake-ethnic Indian music we hear on the streets...

Detractors like to zing that it's "Yanni-esque", but I quite like it, though it's a little downbeat for a galaxy-spanning celebration.

 

It has a bittersweet flavour that says, "Yes, the Empire has fallen. But think of the many Bothans that died bringing us that information."

[Jurassic Shark 12,253]

42 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

It reminded me of a cheap fake-ethnic Indian music we hear on the streets...

 

Unlike Yub Nub?

 

...

[filmmusic 1,911]

2 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Unlike Yub Nub?

 

...

Well, I like that far better.

It seems somewhat authentic.

[Mr. Hooper 2,003]

14 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Unlike Yub Nub?

'Yub Nub' was fine and apt for a celebration that was confined to Endor, but doesn't work IMO for the whole galaxy celebrating.

 

But again, Williams could've given the SE redo more of a joyous quality. Perhaps not the giddy jubilation of Augie's Great Municipal Band, but something more like it.

[GerateWohl 4,498]

58 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

It reminded me of a cheap fake-ethnic Indian music we hear on the streets...

Like Horner's Avatar. 

[artguy360 1,847]

On 10/05/2024 at 1:25 AM, JTN said:

It’s nice, but not nearly as catchy that JW would be asked to use it. He clearly was asked to do his magic after he blew everybody away with Star Wars. So he did, the rest is history.

 

 

JW’s Superman theme does that to me. And it did to Richard Donner too, who during the first take of the recording sessions ran into the recording studio to congratulate JW on his amazing theme that almost says “SUPERMAN!”. 

That anecdote from Donner has pretty much been debunked as an old Hollywood tall tale. An embellished story for dramatic effect.

[JTN 2,262]

Thanks for ruining it for those who thought it was true and cool. 👍🏻

 

 

15 hours ago, filmmusic said:

I wish he hadn't done Victory Celebration from Return of the Jedi special edition.

I love how it transitions into the end title.