Which period is the best Williams

[King Mark 3,631]

K.M.

[A24 4,353]

Hmm, his artistic heyday, when almost every album became an instant classic, against his modern output? That's quite an easy choice to make, Mark.

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Alex Cremers

[King Mark 3,631]

Well,not for those who were introduced to Williams by Harry Potter and the SW prequels..we'll see.

K.M.

[Damo 0]

1999-2005 period is the best, but 1977-1985 is a classic.

[Luke Skywalker 1,798]

What abput 1986 to 1998?

Half the fans here were introduced to John Williams at that time...

[Melange 446]

The earlier era, of course. Same with Jerry Goldsmith, really. Those were Golden years when Jerry and Johnny (sounds like a good Cartoon) were both Titans of the film music world. Nearly everything they did was genius. I would start this a few years earlier than 77 though, for both of them. Occasionally, Johnny suprises me with tastes of his earlier genius in some of his later scores. But those moments are rare for me. I find myself having to go back to his early scores to find it, more often than not it seems.

Melange

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The first option, obviously.

[deimos 0]

I infer from his words that King Mark has a similar theory to the one Lucas has about the prequels fans: those who were introduced to Star Wars in the prequels era prefer them to the original trilogy. The case of Williams fans is a more difficult choice though, since his modern scores are at least good.

I was introduced in the middle time (as Luke appointed), and prefer the classic period without any doubts.

[Orson 1]

1977-1985 is the easy choice for me.

[Lurker 5]

1977-1985

Neil

[shaunwcomposer 0]

Though I was introduced to JW with the Star Wars themes, my favorite period of of scores form the movies he has done starts in 77-85. He did some of his best work in that time. i also like 95 - present. Some great themes and scores have come from the past 10 years

[Morlock 11]

The first one is the best, by far. But the second one is IMO a large part of what makes him the best film composer ever, with an unparalleled quality and freshness in his output so late in the game.

The earlier era, of course. Same with Jerry Goldsmith, really. Those were Golden years when Jerry and Johnny (sounds like a good Cartoon) were both Titans of the film music world. Nearly everything they did was genius.

But unlike Williams, I don't think any semi-serious film score collector would come close to concidering the last few Goldsmith years as being any where near as good as the Golden years. I'd put JW's efforts of the last 6 years against any other film composer's best period, and I think he comes out top more than once.

[shaunwcomposer 0]

I agree completely morlock. he is without a doubt, in my mind, the most influential film composer ever. he comes out on top no matter who you put him up against.

[Trumpeteer 302]

His early period has allowed him the kind of fame he enjoys now, as well as the ability to do so many of the excellent works we love in the 21st century. Jerry Goldsmith, may he rest in peace, was in the business longer, but never got the best projects. Though I will admit that most of the work in the 1977-1985 period was either from Spielberg or Lucas, which Williams got exclusive first pick.

But without those two partnersdhips, he probably wouldn't have been Chris Columbus' go-to guy, which created the best music outside of AI in the 21st century.

The poll should have started in 1975, obviously.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

The first one.

[HPFAN_2 0]

99-2005 is the best Williams. His output for the first choice doesn't engage me as his recent scores do. Yes i would trade Empire Strikes Back for Rots any day.

[Olivier 5]

1977-1985, without the slightest hesitation.

From the modern period, the very best things are Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, A.I., Hook, War of the Worlds; the same quality as the classic period.

[King Mark 3,631]

A.I.,HPPS,HPPOA,the themes from CoS,The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith are certainly the same quality as the classic period.

K.M.Who voted for 1977-1985 but with the addition of RotS it's getting close

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I have to go for 1977-1985, despite the fact that many of Williams greatest scores were composed between 1999 and 2005 (The Patriot, Attack of the Clones, etc.)

[A24 4,353]

I have to go for 1977-1985, despite the fact that many of Williams greatest scores were composed between 1999 and 2005 (The Patriot, Attack of the Clones, etc.)

I'm sure everyone agrees that The Patriot is no match against the likes of a Heartbeeps.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I believe this new 1999-2005 period has everything the classic one did, and a lot more. A true winner to my ears.

[A24 4,353]

Films were different and so was film music. Listen to 'Jaws': you got tense music, adventurous music, jolly sing-a-long tunes, sad and reflective music, all different moods forming an interesting musical journey with ups and downs. Listen to 'War Of The Worlds' and we hear: ______________________________ (flatline).

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Alex Cremers

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I have to agree with Alex there. War of the Worlds works very well with the film, but the music doesn't work away from the film with a couple of exceptions. Having said that every now and then Williams gives us a "Williams" score. The three Harry Potter scores are excellent. I wonder if he'll ever do another sweeping old-fashioned score now he's quit the Potter franchise. My guess is probably not, unless he pulls out all the stops for Indy4. I think he's winding down towards retirement. Sure, he's doing 3 or 4 films a year, but I think more work went into the score for Empire than went into his last 3 scores combined.

[Justin 2]

1984

* Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom *****

* The River

1983

* Return of the Jedi *****

1982

* Monsignor ****

* Yes, Giorgio

* E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial *****

1981

* Raiders of the Lost Ark *****

* Heartbeeps ***

1980

* The Empire Strikes Back *****

1979

* Dracula ***

* 1941 ****

1978

* The Fury *****

* Superman *****

* Jaws 2 ****

1977

* Close Encounters of the Third Kind ****

* Black Sunday ****

* Star Wars *****

as opposed to...

2005

* War of the Worlds ***

* Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith *****

2004

* The Terminal *****

* Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban *****

2003

* (none)

2002

* Catch Me If You Can ****

* Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets *****

* Minority Report ****

* Star Wars: Attack of the Clones ***

2001

* Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone *****

* A.I. Artificial Intelligence ****

2000

* The Patriot ***

1999

* Angela's Ashes *****

* Star Wars: The Phantom Menace *****

I'm gonna have to go with '77 - '84.

Justin

[Luke Skywalker 1,798]

Jerry and Johnny (sounds like a good Cartoon)

[Trumpeteer 302]

LOL

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Why does everyone here rate Revenge of the Sith score so highly? I certainly don't think it's a five stars score. I think it's a solid 3, but no more. It's better than Clones, but come on, it's hardly up to the standard of the original three (except for the bit he ripped straight out of Empire...).

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I agree. I think people made it what they wanted it to be; they expected a masterpiece to end the Star Wars sage, so they see it as such regardless of its actual quality.

Ray Barnsbury

[A24 4,353]

I agree.  I think people made it what they wanted it to be; they expected a masterpiece to end the Star Wars sage, so they see it as such regardless of its actual quality.

Ray Barnsbury

It's called "Prequelism". The good news is that it can be cured.

[batmanand 0]

1999-2005 was/still is an amazing period in JW's career. Indeed, if compared against any other composer's any six years (if you see what I mean) it would win.

However, 1977-1985 was the greatest period in film scoring history, so no contest really.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's called "Prequelism". The good news is that it can be cured.

I got cured back in 1999.

Then had a slight relapse in 2002 but seeing AOTC for the second time fixed that.

It never re-occured......

[JWfangirl1992 18]

What you hav to think about is compare Augie's Municipal Band (star wars Episode 1) to Imperial March (star wars epi...do I NEED TO SAY IT!). The music is much better because of new technology and age comes experience and exprience leads to better music and better music leads to the dark side! (sorry i had to write that what I was writing sounded to much like what Yoda says fear leads to anger, anger to hate...yea yea you know.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Augie, better than the Imperial March? Well, you're certinaly bringing fresh ideas to the board!

Ray Barnsbury

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The music is much better because of new technology

That makes absolutely no sense.

And I'll take the Imperial March over Augie's any day.

[Luke Skywalker 1,798]

It would be fit to compare Augies with ewok celebration (ewokese).

Im not sure which one i would prefer...

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I think jwfangirl was joking. I hope...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You never know with chicks, that's the big problem.

[JWfangirl1992 18]

Chicks...exuse me?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Oh, ignore him. Look at his post count, he doesn't get out much.

[Damo 0]

The music is much better because of new technology

That makes absolutely no sense.

And I'll take the Imperial March over Augie's any day.

I think she mean't the sound quality of the recording these days and onwards is better then recording of the music from the past.

[dooku77 0]

The great Maestro is like a fine wine, he continues to improve with age, I love just about everything he's written, with exception to Sleepers and Sabrina, the two scores I could never get into. When I listen to him especially the controverisal Aotc and Minority Report scores I can easily hear his old Lost in Space roots in there, almost everything he writes has an innate jazzy groove to the rhythm if you listen close, for example the last two minutes of trk 1 of ROTS, which were of course cut from the film, the man truly has never let us down, it just seems some of his recent scores take a little more work to get into, truly I think they're just somewhat more musically sophisticated, this is truthfully a tough poll, I guess we'll think a little different with this year's last two scores from him.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

the man truly has never let us down,

*cough* The Patriot *cough*

[Morlock 11]

the man truly has never let us down,

*cough* The Patriot *cough*

Which is the right score for it's film, and has a melody that'd fit in in the best of scores.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You better not be talking about the main theme?

That family/love theme is good but it's all the score has got going for it.

[Morlock 11]

The love theme, yes. The score is right for the film. It's like Far and Away in that in the score clearly mirrors flaws in the film (though, of course, Far and Away is a far, far, far better score).

'The Team America March' from Team America: World Police by Harry Gregson-Williams

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Far & Away's problem is the lack of a strong romantic theme during the films more intimate moments.

[Morlock 11]

Yeah, that and it being awfully overblown. I wish Williams would get a chance to do a real Irish score.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You would just complain that it sounded to Scandinavian....

[Morlock 11]

Hey, I know Norwegian music when I hears it, and the Rohan theme ain't it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

How do you mean, what do you know about norgwegian music?

Oh wait, you have Greatest Hits from Abba.