After hearing Michael Giacchino's apt impersonation of the composer in Super 8 two weeks ago, I felt compelled to revisit the his works and dedicate this week's top ten list to his finest film scores.
10. Jurassic Park (1993)
As Dr. Grant reminds us, dinosaurs aren't monsters, they're animals. And what magnificent animals too. Williams brings the grandeur so as not to completely demonize Jurassic Park's awe-inspiring beasts.
9. Superman (1978)
For this late 70s template of the now ubiquitous superhero movie, Williams delivered a catchy score as super as the man it defines, nicely capturing the colourful tone of the comic books.
8. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
This low-key departure from his traditionally bombastic scores allowed Williams to revisit his jazz roots and add to the sneaky fun of one of Steven Spielberg's more underrated films.
7. Schindler's List (1993)
Some criticize Williams for telegraphing emotion with his often sweeping strings, but none can accuse him of that with this one. He tones it back and places emphasis on violin soloist Itzhak Perlman to gorgeous and heartrending effect.
6. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Some sequels rely too heavily on music from the first movie, but Williams' Empire score included a slew of new themes – just as rich as is work on A New Hope – while still layering in the familiar ones.
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Williams' whimsical minor key compositions, as well as his liberal use of bells, xylophones, and other chimey instruments, nicely captured the wondrously askew world of magic.
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
While an incontestably strong adventure film in its own right, Indiana Jones always harboured a sly wink to the camera, audible as well in the old-school romanticism of Williams' boisterous theme.
3. Jaws (1977)
The one song anyone can sit down in front of a piano and play by ear, it may be one of Williams' least melodic yet most effective scores ever. You only have to hear two notes to be put immediately on edge.
2. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Dissenters of Williams often point to this as the most shamelessly heart-tugging thing he ever wrote. Cynics! All of them! Not only does this score thrill, sadden, frighten, and elate, but it's also one of his more musically complicated (as in “tough to play!”) cinematic pieces.
1. Star Wars (1977)
I've already opined briefly on the brilliance of Williams' iconic Star Wars score (the greatest ever composed for a motion picture, if you ask me), but I could go on and on. Not unlike what he later did for Indiana Jones, Williams recaptures the essence of classic swashbucklers in robust fashion. But not content to be heard only as a romantic throwback, the music weaves itself into the fabric of the film's characters and themes, eventually becoming its own entity within the movie. The music has exceeded the glory of its own influences has become almost more iconic than Star Wars itself!
