Disney has released the trailer for the upcoming Music by John Williams documentary that offers a long-overdue focus on the legendary composer! Check it out!
In the world of movie soundtrack composers, there are two categories: John Williams and everyone else. His early works showed his skills, such as The Towering Inferno, Valley of the Dolls, The Cowboys, and Fiddler on the Roof, which won him his first Oscar. It was in 1974 that Williams first worked with director Steven Spielberg on The Sugarland Express, beginning an amazing partnership.
A year later, they combined forces on Jaws, the mega-blockbuster hit that earned Williams a second Oscar and launched him to fame. Since then, Williams has crafted some of the most iconic movie music of all time: Star Wars, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Superman, Home Alone and the first three Harry Potter films.
Williams can boast over 100 soundtracks with 26 Grammys, five Oscars, three Emmy awards, four Golden Globes, and more. He’s the oldest person nominated for an Oscar, earning a nod for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at 91 years old. That's without mentioning how he's inspired so many great film composers who cite him as a key influence. Now, finally, he’s getting his due in this new Disney+ documentary.
Produced by Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Ron Howard (who just won an Emmy for his work on Jim Henson: Idea Man), the trailer opens with Williams creating his iconic Jaws score and how it impacted the film. We see a pack of great directors and other composers paying tribute to him, such as JJ Abrams, James Mangold, Alan Silvestri, Chris Martin, and George Lucas, in a rare screen appearance.
We’ll see how he put together those now famous scores as well as his personal life and how he feels becoming this living legend. Williams is known for a humble demeanor and letting his music speak for him more so putting the spotlight on him is great.
"Music By John Williams offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture."
The documentary will celebrate not just Williams’ life and career but his overall impact. It’s impossible to imagine movies without his scores given how many composers he’s influenced and this documentary should be the long-overdue celebration of one of the greatest to ever pick up a baton.
Music By John Williams premieres on Disney+ on Friday, November 1.