Steven Spielberg once said "Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe." This was spoken as Spielberg awarded Williams the 44th American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, making Williams the first person outside the directing or acting fields to receive the award.
There's no better man to sum up John Williams' own career than the director who's worked with the legendary composer on 28 films. John Williams is the most prolific film composer of all time, winning 25 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards and four Golden Globes across a career that began in 1954. John Williams has been nominated for an impressive 52 Academy Awards, by far the most of any composer.
10 Raiders Of The Lost Ark Is The Perfect Action-Adventure Soundtrack
Even people who haven't seen Raiders Of The Lost Ark know the tune of the "Raiders March". One of William's greatest attributes is creating catchy themes the audience can remember and hum after seeing his films, and "Raiders March" is as catchy as they come. Another incredible track from the film, "Marion's Theme" showcases underrated part of Williams' career as a composer.
Along with creating the music, film composers also decide where the music goes in each film. Williams chooses to hold off on using "Marion's Theme" until later in the film when Indiana Jones thinks Marion has been killed. The score adds solid emotional depth to an already great scene.
9 Superman Soars Behind Williams Epic Score
When talking about the soundtrack of any superhero film, they are almost always compared to the score for Richard Donner's Superman. Williams earned two Grammys for the score and established what a great superhero soundtrack should be.
The "Main Title March" fit the Man of Steel perfectly and made audiences believe in the hero of Metropolis. The main theme was what everyone remembered from the film, but the love theme for Clark and Lois was the true heart of Superman and transformed this soundtrack from good to great.
8 Dinosaurs Rule The Earth Behind Williams' Brilliant Jurassic Park Score
With revolutionary CGI and animatronics at work, Jurassic Park was already destined to wow audiences across the world before John Williams wrote his score. The legendary composer worked his magic yet again with a score that truly encapsulated wonder and awe audiences felt when they saw the film for the first time.
John Hammond's memorable comment, "Welcome to Jurassic Park" as the main theme swells was an outstanding mixture that led to one of the best scenes in the entire franchise. As whimsical as the main theme was, there were great tension-building pieces throughout the film, especially when the Velociraptors were on-screen.
7 Williams Brought The Magic In The Sorcerer's Stone
The composer for three of the eight Harry Potter films, John Williams was the perfect choice to bring the magic of Hogwarts to life, and he didn't disappoint. His work on Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone was yet another testament to his ability to craft a catchy and memorable tune, and "Hedwig's Theme" became one of the most recognizable pieces of music from the last 20 years.
John Williams' ability to create music which highlights the wonder of the characters in the film is on display throughout Harry Potter. Williams left his mark on the series, and "Hedwig's Theme" became the theme for Harry Potter.
6 The Score For The Revenge Of The Sith Adds So Much Weight To The Final Prequel
The Star Wars Prequels have received their fair share of criticism, with a lot of that being directed at the script written by George Lucas. Williams took a story that left something to be desired and crafted an epic soundtrack perfectly suited for, what was, the finale of the Skywalker story.
John Williams built off of his two excellent soundtracks from The Phantom Menace and The Attack Of The Clones and served up another memorable musical offering. "Battle Of Heroes", "Anakin's Betrayal" and "Anakin's Dark Deeds" were all perfect additions to Williams' collection of Star Wars Music.
5 Saving Private Ryan Has One Of The Best War Movie Scores Of All Time
The score for Saving Private Ryan is unique when compared to other action films because, rather than fill action sequences with epic orchestral music, John Williams leaves the music behind and allows the hard-hitting action to run almost completely unopposed.
The famous scene on Omaha beach is completely absent of music, which thrusts the audience right into the scene and adds so much realism to the film. Williams instead focuses on the tragedy of war and the many men who lost their lives with tracks like "Hymn To The Fallen", a perfect piece to sum up the emotional impact of the film.
4 The Jaws Theme Is A Simple, But Perfect Score That Terrified Audiences Everywhere
Arguably John Williams' most simple score, the main theme of 1975's Jaws comes from an alternating pattern of F and F-sharp. While it's relatively basic, Williams utilizes these notes in such a way that the theme builds tension with every second. The opening scene of the film is iconic, but it's not the same without Williams' score.
The shark, which is rarely seen throughout the film, is elevated to a sort of mythical level thanks to Williams' work. The main theme is iconic on its own, but Williams' other pieces, such as "Quint's Tale", are great additions to the soundtrack — earning Williams an Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy in 1975.
3 Empire Strikes Back Set The Standard For Star Wars Music
When George Lucas started working on The Empire Strikes back, he knew he would need a near-perfect follow-up after the blockbuster hit: Star Wars: A New Hope. John Williams knew that too, and while the score for A New Hope was as iconic as any film score ever made, Williams truly improved in the sequel.
"The Imperial March" became synonymous with Star Wars and the character Darth Vader, and "Yoda's Theme" was a brilliant introduction to one of the franchise's most beloved characters. The rest of the soundtrack matched the brilliance of the film, with "Asteroid Field" standing out as an underrated gem.
2 Six Awards And 40 Years Later, The Score For E.T. Is Exceptional
When Steven Spielberg and John Williams collaborated, magic happened. Williams struggled with the timing of the music E.T., especially since the final chase sequence was 15 minutes long. Spielberg told Williams to compose the music as he saw fit and then the visionary director edited the film around Williams' music.
E.T.'s escape scene is a superb moment and the music beautifully fits. The entire album is 71 minutes long, one of William's longest works, and it is filled with brilliant pieces such as "Toys" and the easter egg of Yoda's theme in the "Magic Of Halloween" track.
1 Williams' Score For Schindler's List Is Heartbreaking
John Williams thought he wasn’t ready to compose a film like Schindler’s List, but the truth was, the world was not ready for what the masterful composer would create. With a film like Schindler's List, which dealt with the brutality and cruelty of the Holocaust, it was hard to imagine that any score could truly add to an already heart-wrenching story, but Williams did exactly that.
The sound Williams created was unique compared to his previous work, and the use of the violin throughout the film was a brilliant choice. The main theme easily became his best, but "Remembrances" was just as brilliant, bringing to life the most somber work of Williams' legendary career.