John's Impact Scores

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I've been listening to John's music for 40 years now, which spans 5 decades of music.

Since the 1970's John Williams has given film music a life it had never before known.

In all that time John has had a scores that impacted filmgoers in such a reconizable way, the the music filtered outside the realms of film, and into the public's daily life.

In the 70's John had Jaws, Star Wars, and Superman. Each of these scores registered with the public outside of movies. These three may well be John's most recognisable themes.

In the 80's it didn't take long for it to happen again. Raiders of the Lost Ark came along, and the music again trickled outside the film. The following year gave us E.T., and again the music gained mass appeal.

The Star Wars, and Raider's sequels would do the same, but the credit still falls to the original film.

In the 90's Jurassic Park was John's only real impact score, but they didn't come much bigger.

The 21st century rolls around, and John scores big again with Harry Potter and the Socrcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.

No other composer in film history has done this. Sure individually many have had an impact score that went beyond the norm. But its rare. Horner's Titanic, Steiner's Gone With the Wind, but there have been so few. Oh sure there are lots of compilations out there full of songs that have no real connection to the film they are in, but a score is a different creature all together.

Lets hope John has another impact film in the 2010's. I certainly won't complain.

[krosstj 0]

Agreed (hey thats twice in one day) I'd add Schindlers List, I know it might not have the same mass apeal as the others, but I think that score certianly hit a chord with many people. That would probably make 2 in the 90's. Also while not MASS apeal scores I'd say Amistad and SPR and also maybe even Home Alone and Hook would count as well.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Yes, it's amazing how much influence John's music has had. Although I must say in all fairness, that it helped a great deal that his scores were attached to wonderful films as well.

Another score (or rather just a motif) that has been living a life outside of its original film for decades that comes to mind is Herrmann's high strings for the shower scene in Psycho.

[krosstj 0]

Yes, it's amazing how much influence John's music has had. Although I must say in all fairness, that it helped a great deal that his scores were attached to wonderful films as well.  

Another score (or rather just a motif) that has been living a life outside of its original film for decades that comes to mind is Herrmann's high strings for the shower scene in Psycho.

Also, and I've brought this up before..Tara's theme gone with the wind....how many times I've heard this in different arrangements at different events or things outside of the Film.  Psycho is a great pick, Jaws is kinda the copycat of Psycho as it hits a chord with lots of people in that Unsetteling event.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Agreed (hey thats twice in one day)  I'd add Schindlers List, I know it might not have the same mass apeal as the others, but I think that score certianly hit a chord with many people.  That would probably make 2 in the 90's.    Also while not MASS apeal scores I'd say Amistad and SPR and also maybe even Home Alone and Hook would count as well.

nope, Schindler's List didn't have the cross over like any of the films I mentioned. I know your joking about Amistad and SPR, I hope, and Hook.

Home Alone is debatable. It does have that Christmas crossover.

[fommes 153]

nope, Schindler's List didn't have the cross over like any of the films I mentioned. I know your joking about Amistad and SPR, I hope, and Hook.  

Home Alone is debatable. It does have that Christmas crossover.

I must disagree, Schindler's List ís the kind of impact score like Jurassic Park, Raiders and E.T. - even more so than the latter (perhaps because it's more recent?). Definitely here (in Europe?), I'm fairly positive. Many people will recognize Schindler's List, or at least guess right, not everyone will guess E.T.. I don't know about Home Alone in the U.S., but over here the score is more obscure. Of course not so obscure as Amistad or Saving Private Ryan.

[John Crichton 4]

Schindler's List seems to be the score that got the most positive reaction from the traditional anti-Williams groups of classical elites and the non-Williams film score fans, but I agree that with the general public it didn't make too much of an impact.

[krosstj 0]

nope, Schindler's List didn't have the cross over like any of the films I mentioned. I know your joking about Amistad and SPR, I hope, and Hook.  

Home Alone is debatable. It does have that Christmas crossover.

Yes SPR and Amistad were jokes sorry if I didn't specify enought. I still have to say S.L. is an impact score as stated above. Home alone also gets my vote for the main theme.

[Trumpeteer 302]

Schindler's List had an impact, but not the kind of impact that Star Wars and others had.

[krosstj 0]

NOTHING really had the kind of impact Star Wars has. So that's not really a fair statment, no? I mean E.T.? NOPE, J.P.? NOPE. I.J.? NOPE....

[JoeinAR 1,949]

don't sell E.T., and Raiders short, unless you remember the early 80's with clarity, and remember it differently than it happened.

Jurassic Park was huge. Toys everywhere, the music was everywhere. Seems like every commercial was some sort of ty-in. I remember seeing kids run into the tv room the minute they heard the JP music, wanting to see if it was the movie, or a commercial or what.

Schindler's List scored with music fans, that it, it didn't go beyond into the mainstream, thats why it doesn't fit.

[krosstj 0]

Still disagree about Schindler's List. How about Classical Music fans....and Just because there music fans does not mean it does not have a certian impact. I do have clarity with I.J. and E.T. and J.P. Yes, they were Impactful at the moment. Still don't hold the same Impace 2 decades later ala SW.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

only because Star Wars is still going, but its score doesn't have the impact of Jaws which is the greatest of them all.

If you don't believe that, go to the beach the summer get in the water near some strangers and start humming.

[krosstj 0]

If you don't believe that, go to the beach the summer get in the water near some strangers and start humming.

HAHAHAHAHA! Joe have you done that? Knowing your affinity for Joking I can see you doing that. Well actually I can't, cause I have no idea what you look like. YES JAWS RULES THEM ALL, in a certain way.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I works even in a lake where there are zero chances for sharks.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I think CE3K has had a big influence as well. Most people know the famous five-note motif. Certainly every Sci-Fi fan, I think.

- Marc

John Williams - The Mountain from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE)

[scissorhands 16]

I wonder when Harry Potter scores did impact (anyway it would have been successful written by any other composer, no matter how good the music is, just like LOTR)

[jamesie 1]

Harry Potter, Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Magnificent 7, Homeward Bound, Psyco, Lord of the Rings... Those are the ones known by teens and the whole kid generation. They don't know much else. BUT, they DEFINETLY notice the music. Like if you make one of them watch Hook or Schindler's List, they'll notice the music. We watched To Kill a Mockingbird. They all noticed this one kind of danger theme that played a LOT and they all noticed it and hated it. It was in the background.... So it wasn't obvious. Anyway.

Witness - A song our choir got a 1 rating on at state. We kicked arse.

[scissorhands 16]

- A song our choir got a 1 rating on at state. We kicked arse.

Congratulations!!!