There aren’t many people in the world of film that are household names, at least outside of actors. Your average person can maybe name one or two directors and even fewer writers. There’s one name outside of the obvious categories, though, that plenty of people would recognize.
John Williams is one of the most famous composers of the 20th century, period, and certainly in the world of film. Music by John Williams tells the composer’s story and is well worth watching if you’ve got a Disney+ subscription. Featuring interviews with collaborators, experts, and famous fans, the film is worth watching for many reasons, three of which we delve into below.
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You’ll be amazed by how many scores he wrote
Even if you feel like you understand the scope and breadth of Williams’ career, you’re likely to be shocked by just how many film scores he has written. Even outside of his most iconic work, there are dozens of compositions over more than 50 years that bear his name.
No composer has been more prolific in the history of Hollywood, so much so that you could name a dozen memorable scores from him and leave out another dozen that are just as good. He truly is a seismic figure, and the documentary conveys that beautifully.
John Williams and Steven Spielberg are genuinely charming
One of the reasons Williams has been so successful over the course of his career is that, when they were both still fairly young, he teamed up with Steven Spielberg. Of course, the same is true of Spielberg. These two men owe their careers to one another, and this documentary gives us a chance to see how their friendship has developed over the years.
These are two geniuses who are among the best to ever do what they do, and they seem to have an intuitive understanding of how to work together. Spielberg is far from Williams’ only collaborator, but he’s undoubtedly the most important.
You’ll start to wonder whether the movies he scored would even be good without him
One of the best things Music by John Williams does is shows you what some of his movies would look like without his scores. It’s a tactic that helps you appreciate just how crucial his music is. You’ll also start to wonder whether many of his most famous movies would be any good without his involvement.
Would Star Wars work without that score? Would Indiana Jones feel as epic as it does, or Schindler’s List as emotional as it does? Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about those what ifs. We’ve got dozens of incredible Williams scores, and as Music by John Williams makes clear, Hollywood is better for them.
Music by John Williams is streaming on Disney+.
