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[Williams] One, two, three.
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[♪ orchestra music playing]
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When I first met Johnny...
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I thought, "Oh, he's too nice of a guy
to written such genius music."
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[Abrams]
It is a magical ability that he has.
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You hear his music for the first time
and you can't forget it.
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More people around the planet love him,
even if they don't realize it.
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[Kennedy] I mean, how many composers
can you hear just the beginning
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and you instantly know what movie that is?
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His music for me is so comforting.
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I know... I know immediately that it's John.
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This is... [chuckles]
...John's effect on people.
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[Marsalis] When you hear the music
and say, "Oh, yeah. He's that dude.
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Like Michael Jordan was that dude.
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And Bach was that dude.
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And John Williams is just that dude.
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He's inescapable.
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He is the solution so many times.
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[MacFarlane] John's music connects
with his audience on such a primal level.
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It seems like these themes
have been with us forever.
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At one point he sat down
and figured them out
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and now they're just part
of our collective psyches.
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But he's more than just a composer.
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He's just a brilliant guy
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who really understands the relationship
between pictures and sound.
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He's the perfect marriage
between old classics and modern pop.
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He's both to me.
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He's an incredible musical scholar
of every style that exists.
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How does he do it?
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The winner is John Williams
for Fiddler on the Roof.
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John Williams for Jaws.
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John Williams for Star Wars.
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John Williams for E.T.
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John Williams for Schindler's List.
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[Howard] He's always
in a process of discovery.
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It starts with what he experiences,
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watching a film
and then going to the piano and writing.
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The music comes from the sky
and envelops him.
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It's the purest form of art I've ever
experienced from any human being.
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- [♪ piano playing]
- [chattering]
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[Bouzereau] Real good lick.
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{\an8}This-This is one of my pianos.
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{\an8}And this one was at Fox with me
for 25 years.
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The first thing I played for Steven
on this piano was this...
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- [chuckles]
- [♪ playing theme from Jaws]
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And I played that for him and he said,
"What is that? What are you gonna do..."
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[laughing]
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[Bouzereau] What about the five notes
of Close Encounters?
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Five... Uh, this one.
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[♪ piano playing]
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This piano... I played everything.
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E.T. for him and all of it.
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So that is the history
of this little darling.
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[laughs]
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[Spielberg] It sounds like
the wedding march.
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- [stammering]
- But we got married years ago.
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- I know.
- [laughs]
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It's true.
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{\an8}- Oh, stranger. I'm so happy to see you.
- [stammering]
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{\an8}- I'm crashing Johnny's moment here.
- It's my bar mitzvah.
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Your bar mitzvah.
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- How are you?
- I'm fine.
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- Happy New Year. Happy New Year.
- And to you, baby.
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[Martin] What's interesting to me about
John Williams and Steven Spielberg is
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{\an8}when they're together they are a band.
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{\an8}And bands are great.
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When they're together they're greater even
than the sum of their incredible parts.
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The music and the image
are equally important.
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One is elevated by the other
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and if you took either away,
it wouldn't be what it is.
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By the time I actually got my first job
directing my first feature,
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I probably had already collected
500 soundtrack albums.
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And I was one of those fanboys
of motion picture scores.
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[Spielberg]
But in the '60s and the early '70s,
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motion picture scores were becoming
this magnificent anachronism.
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In other words, an orchestral score
was no longer preferred.
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They got music of the era.
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It was a scary time
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because I really thought it was the end
of that great era of orchestral scores.
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And I was not going to let that era end
on my watch with my movies.
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[Spielberg]
I had fallen in love with a score
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from a movie called The Reivers.
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And I made a promise to myself
that if I ever get a first feature,
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whoever wrote the score,
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a man named John Williams,
who I assumed was English,
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was going to be my composer
if he would agree.
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[horse whinnies, grunts]
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[Spielberg] After that I heard
The Cowboys, which John also wrote,
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and at that point
I was even more determined.
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{\an8}And so I asked John
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{\an8}if he would write the score
for my first movie, The Sugarland Express.
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{\an8}And John liked the script enough
to have lunch with me.
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[Williams] I adored him
from the beginning.
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He was very young.
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And I was already 40, you know.
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A grizzled veteran
from years of-of toil in Hollywood.
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[Spielberg] He was an elegant man.
Always has been.
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But very friendly, very warm.
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He looked a bit like William Shakespeare.
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He had the red hair
and he had a little bit of a red beard.
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And beautiful hands.
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I remember... I just remember his hands.
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Within five minutes I realized
that from a historical point of view,
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he knew more about film music than I did.
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[Spielberg] To prove how much
I loved film music,
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I think I probably hummed
the first two minutes
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of the Alex North opening main titles
from Spartacus,
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one of my favorite scores.
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So I think John was either
impressed by that or acted like he was.
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And thought I was some kind of a nut.
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And then I-I went to see
his film, Sugarland Express.
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{\an8}Friend, you wanna give that back?
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You got no idea
what's gonna happen to you.
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And I thought, "My, God. I mean, this kid
is really a great filmmaker."
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[Spielberg] And so he said yes.
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{\an8}And Johnny created an intimacy
with one harmonica
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{\an8}that really brought the film to a place
I never imagined it going.
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{\an8}[♪ harmonica playing]
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{\an8}Johnny deferred the main theme
and a lot of the real evocative feeling
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{\an8}through Toots Thielemans,
the famous harmonica player.
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The second John finished
scoring Sugarland,
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I simply intended to use him
on every movie I ever would make.
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{\an8}When it comes to this question
of originality in film music
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{\an8}the composers are actually really often
in a bind
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because they come on the job
and there's a temp track
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which is pre-existing pieces
of music, songs,
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bits and pieces of old film scores that
the director and editors have laid down
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in order to assemble the rough cut
of the picture.
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It's a bane for composers
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{\an8}because the minute we listen
to a temp track
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{\an8}a lot of creative doors close.
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[Ross] Very often the director
will have fallen in love
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with the pieces that they've grabbed
and put on the soundtrack.
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And so they'll be wanting something
just like that.
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And the composer will be expected
to replicate the sort of collage
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of other people's music.
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For Jaws, I had this kind of esoteric idea
of what the score should be.
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{\an8}And I had temped the picture
with, actually, John's own score
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{\an8}from Bob Altman's Images.
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[Spielberg] And John called me
after he saw the rough cut of Jaws
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and he was laughing about my temp music.
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Well, that was the strangest thing
because I... [chuckles]
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This score of Images was all effects
and shrieks and frightening sounds.
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Jaws seems to me
a kind of nautical adventure.
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He said, "Oh, no."
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He said "Sweetie...
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- [chuckles]
- ...this is a pirate movie."
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This is like... Gets you right here
in your kishkes.
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And he said, "Don't worry,
I'm going to come up with something."
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So, a week or two went by
and I went over to his house
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and he was at his big Steinway piano.
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And I was expecting something
just tremendously complex.
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And it's almost like "Chopsticks."
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He just used a couple of fingers.
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And he went... [♪ imitates Jaws theme]
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I'm looking around.
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[♪ imitates Jaws theme]
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[Williams] Think about
being completely alone in a dark place
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where you can't really see anything.
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It's completely quiet.
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And the first thing you hear is...
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[♪ imitates Jaws theme]
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You feel that something dangerous
is coming your way.
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Just from these low notes
in an atmosphere where they don't belong.
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At first I thought he was joking.
[chuckles]
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Everyone asks me, "What does
Steven Spielberg think...
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[stammers] What were his thoughts
when he first heard that?"
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What were your really true thoughts?
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- Did you think I was an idiot?
- No. No, not an idiot at all.
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I thought, "Oh, my God. We're not
gonna have an orchestra.
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We're gonna have a piano and...
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And Johnny's gonna just do
a couple of things on the lower...
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- on the lower register."
- Why didn't you say no?
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'Cause you kept saying,
"Listen to it again."
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- Okay.
- You said, "Listen to it again."
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And I start to... I started to see
the brilliance of what you had done.
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{\an8}- This should... This should be soft, Steven.
- [Spielberg] Yeah, I know.
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This is already too big, you know?
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[Spielberg] And I had a shark
that didn't work, remember?
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And I didn't have any idea that John
was gonna come along
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and give me the shark that didn't work
in music.
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So, his musical shark worked a lot better
than my mechanical shark.
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{\an8}Even though its two notes,
this is a theme.
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One thing a theme brilliantly can do
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is it can keep a character on-screen
when they're not visibly on-screen.
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[MacFarlane] The question
that I've asked repeatedly is,
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"How does he do it?"
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{\an8}What is this divine spark?
Where does it come from?
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[Williams] I was called "Johnny"
because it was my father's name
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so I was sort of "Johnny Jr." so to speak.
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My father was a drummer
and a percussionist.
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And my mother was very musical.
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She was a girl of the '20s.
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That means that
she could play the ukulele.
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[chuckles]
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She had been a dancer
when she was very young.
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{\an8}My father was playing
in a theater in Boston.
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She was dancing in the show
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and musicians very often would meet
a singer or a dancer that they work with.
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They formed some kind of relationship
and married in 1929
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when she was 20 years old
and he was about 25.
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[Williams] I was born
on February 8th, 1932
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in Flushing, Queens, New York
at the Flushing Hospital.
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I had a sister and two brothers.
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Both of the boys were musicians.
Still with us and working.
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And my sister, who has passed,
was a piano teacher her whole life.
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And when we were younger,
she played much better than I did.
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We were pretty much compelled
to play the piano.
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00:13:01,113 --> 00:13:03,073
My father thought
we should all play the piano.
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And my practicing had to be done
in proportion to playing baseball.
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00:13:09,330 --> 00:13:10,747
If I played baseball for an hour,
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I must have to practice piano
for half an hour.
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[♪ jazz playing from radio]
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[Williams] In those days,
the radio was the source of news
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00:13:20,633 --> 00:13:22,467
and entertainment.
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We had no television.
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And my father was working
in radio studio orchestras.
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So I knew he would go to work,
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and at 8:00 that night,
I would hear him on the radio.
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- [radio static]
- [radio announcer] Your Hit Parade.
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00:13:35,731 --> 00:13:37,774
[♪ jazz music playing]
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[Williams] They played with Benny Goodman
and Tommy Dorsey's orchestra
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00:13:40,736 --> 00:13:44,531
and I was very proud of his participation
in all of this.
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00:13:44,532 --> 00:13:47,575
'Cause I was very interested in listening
to see if I could hear the drum.
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00:13:47,576 --> 00:13:49,869
[♪ upbeat jazz music playing]
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00:13:49,870 --> 00:13:52,330
And so it was an extra kind of way
of listening.
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00:13:52,331 --> 00:13:55,041
As I began to listen
to the instrumentation
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00:13:55,042 --> 00:13:59,087
of bands and orchestras,
I became very interested in the trombone.
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My father said, "You can have a trombone
if you continue with your piano lessons."
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Music was so much a part of the family
233
00:14:05,636 --> 00:14:08,304
and the family's professional life
234
00:14:08,305 --> 00:14:11,474
that I never really had
any other aspirations
235
00:14:11,475 --> 00:14:13,393
that I can confess to.
236
00:14:13,394 --> 00:14:15,728
My parents' friends were all musicians
237
00:14:15,729 --> 00:14:18,815
and that's what I thought you did
when you're an adult.
238
00:14:18,816 --> 00:14:20,693
When you grew up,
you played music somewhere.
239
00:14:27,992 --> 00:14:31,703
Our family moves to California
when I was 15 years old.
240
00:14:31,704 --> 00:14:34,290
And I was a high school student
at that time.
241
00:14:34,832 --> 00:14:37,417
And I went to North Hollywood High School.
242
00:14:37,418 --> 00:14:40,503
I had been playing piano
since I was very young
243
00:14:40,504 --> 00:14:43,381
and distracted by the trombone
for a couple of years.
244
00:14:43,382 --> 00:14:45,633
And my father said, "You have to stop
the trombone.
245
00:14:45,634 --> 00:14:48,344
You gotta concentrate full-time
on the piano."
246
00:14:48,345 --> 00:14:50,347
And I had a lot of catching up to do.
247
00:14:53,601 --> 00:14:55,476
So I worked so hard.
248
00:14:55,477 --> 00:14:58,730
I used to practice five, six hours a day,
and the weekend all day long,
249
00:14:58,731 --> 00:15:01,442
to the point where my mother thought
I was gonna die from doing this.
250
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,653
You can't call it an education.
251
00:15:05,654 --> 00:15:09,157
It's more of a training.
Almost like an athletic training
252
00:15:09,158 --> 00:15:11,200
to be able to do what you have to do
253
00:15:11,201 --> 00:15:13,662
to accomplish a professional job
at some level.
254
00:15:14,747 --> 00:15:19,375
And that was the time that I began
to pay more attention to movies.
255
00:15:19,376 --> 00:15:22,420
And I gradually began
to listen to the scores
256
00:15:22,421 --> 00:15:25,632
because my father was working
in the studios in Hollywood now.
257
00:15:25,633 --> 00:15:28,092
And I would go with him
to witness what they were doing
258
00:15:28,093 --> 00:15:30,387
and seeing these people
making music for movies.
259
00:15:33,307 --> 00:15:37,895
{\an8}What comes to mind most quickly
is Leonard Bernstein, On the Waterfront.
260
00:15:39,146 --> 00:15:42,690
My father recorded on that score
with Bernstein but there were many.
261
00:15:42,691 --> 00:15:45,778
Also at that time, he used to bring
conductors' scores home for me.
262
00:15:47,112 --> 00:15:50,032
And I began to think
that I could also do that.
263
00:15:53,077 --> 00:15:55,078
By that time, when I was in high school,
264
00:15:55,079 --> 00:15:58,831
I was able to write for instruments
for our student orchestra.
265
00:15:58,832 --> 00:16:01,834
One of the students
had written a musical play with piano
266
00:16:01,835 --> 00:16:04,128
so I orchestrated his musical's songs
267
00:16:04,129 --> 00:16:06,255
and conducted the student orchestra.
268
00:16:06,256 --> 00:16:08,800
So, I think I learned by doing.
269
00:16:08,801 --> 00:16:10,051
By practicing.
270
00:16:10,052 --> 00:16:13,680
And a lot of self-teaching, I have to say.
271
00:16:13,681 --> 00:16:18,310
My nose was in harmony, counterpoint
orchestration books for decades.
272
00:16:21,188 --> 00:16:23,690
I had four years of service
in the Air Force,
273
00:16:23,691 --> 00:16:27,318
and I was stationed for a period
in St. John's, Newfoundland
274
00:16:27,319 --> 00:16:29,738
in the Northeast Air Command Band.
275
00:16:31,365 --> 00:16:33,074
At the end of the Second World War,
276
00:16:33,075 --> 00:16:36,828
the Canadian government
invited people in the film business
277
00:16:36,829 --> 00:16:39,623
to come and establish film companies
in Canada.
278
00:16:40,749 --> 00:16:44,711
So Studio Hamburg from Germany
brought their crew and their equipment
279
00:16:44,712 --> 00:16:45,837
to St. John's.
280
00:16:45,838 --> 00:16:48,548
And they wanted to make
a documentary film travelogue
281
00:16:48,549 --> 00:16:51,217
of the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
282
00:16:51,218 --> 00:16:53,928
And they made this film, this little film,
You Are Welcome,
283
00:16:53,929 --> 00:16:55,431
and they had no music for it.
284
00:16:59,059 --> 00:17:01,061
And somehow they called me.
285
00:17:02,771 --> 00:17:04,147
I'd never scored a film.
286
00:17:04,148 --> 00:17:06,733
And they said, "Do you think
you can write music for this film?"
287
00:17:06,734 --> 00:17:08,819
And I said, "Sure I can." [chuckles]
288
00:17:09,945 --> 00:17:14,657
So, I went to the library in St. John's
and got a book of Newfoundland folk songs.
289
00:17:14,658 --> 00:17:16,952
And, well, I could make
this little thing out of.
290
00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:21,165
And so that's the history
of how it happened.
291
00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:26,210
I cannot tell you that as a young man
in my early twenties
292
00:17:26,211 --> 00:17:29,298
I intended to do anything else
professionally but play the piano.
293
00:17:29,923 --> 00:17:32,425
The fact that I ended up
composing music professionally,
294
00:17:32,426 --> 00:17:33,926
and particularly for film,
295
00:17:33,927 --> 00:17:36,305
was a series of fortuitous accidents.
296
00:17:39,308 --> 00:17:41,477
I was infatuated with jazz.
297
00:17:42,019 --> 00:17:45,271
I loved the jazz that I would hear
on the radio and wanted to try to play it,
298
00:17:45,272 --> 00:17:48,067
{\an8}which I did as a young adult
and even as a young professional.
299
00:17:48,650 --> 00:17:51,069
{\an8}I could never claim as a player
300
00:17:51,070 --> 00:17:54,113
{\an8}to be a major league jazz player
like Oscar Peterson
301
00:17:54,114 --> 00:17:56,032
or Teddy Wilson or Art Tatum.
302
00:17:56,033 --> 00:17:58,659
But I was... [stammers] ...fair,
I guess you could say.
303
00:17:58,660 --> 00:17:59,995
But I love writing it.
304
00:18:04,208 --> 00:18:06,834
[Lucas] When I was younger,
I went through a phase in high school,
305
00:18:06,835 --> 00:18:10,463
{\an8}and a few years afterwards,
of being very much into jazz.
306
00:18:10,464 --> 00:18:14,050
So I just knew him as a jazz musician,
you know, as a pianist.
307
00:18:14,051 --> 00:18:17,011
You listen to what he wrote in his 20s,
308
00:18:17,012 --> 00:18:18,888
there's that album, Rhythm in Motion...
309
00:18:18,889 --> 00:18:20,515
[♪ upbeat swing jazz playing]
310
00:18:20,516 --> 00:18:22,642
...that he put together
when he had his jazz band.
311
00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:23,976
And it's fantastic.
312
00:18:23,977 --> 00:18:27,438
There are composers much, much older today
who couldn't even touch it.
313
00:18:27,439 --> 00:18:30,149
It's easy to forget
that he started out as a jazz guy.
314
00:18:30,150 --> 00:18:35,238
You know, not what you might expect
if you kind of come to him in 1977
315
00:18:35,239 --> 00:18:38,242
as the composer of Star Wars
and Close Encounters.
316
00:18:41,203 --> 00:18:42,787
{\an8}[Marsalis] But it's hard
to imagine someone
317
00:18:42,788 --> 00:18:45,248
{\an8}writing a piece like the Cantina scene
318
00:18:45,249 --> 00:18:47,875
{\an8}while knowing absolutely nothing
about jazz.
319
00:18:47,876 --> 00:18:50,336
{\an8}I've heard really bad attempts
at that kind of stuff
320
00:18:50,337 --> 00:18:54,299
{\an8}and it comes across
as a clichéd affectation at best.
321
00:18:55,676 --> 00:18:58,470
But it was always like,
"Yeah, this is... this is hip."
322
00:18:59,471 --> 00:19:01,723
That brings me to Catch Me If You Can.
323
00:19:03,267 --> 00:19:05,309
{\an8}When I heard that, it was jazz.
324
00:19:05,310 --> 00:19:07,437
I mean, this cat's killing it, man.
It was just great.
325
00:19:08,355 --> 00:19:12,358
I sat through the movie
and then I wrote his office an email
326
00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,947
and said, "Please implore Maestro Williams
to turn this into a saxophone concerto."
327
00:19:17,489 --> 00:19:22,368
And a few days later, I got a message back
saying, "Thank you for your interest.
328
00:19:22,369 --> 00:19:23,619
It's already in the works
329
00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:25,997
and it'll be available
within the next six weeks."
330
00:19:25,998 --> 00:19:27,206
[chuckles]
331
00:19:27,207 --> 00:19:29,459
So, I was very excited about that.
332
00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:42,805
[Williams] I was never a movie buff,
or a movie fan, then as now.
333
00:19:42,806 --> 00:19:44,765
I don't go to the movies.
Very, very rarely.
334
00:19:44,766 --> 00:19:47,977
But my father played
in all of these studio orchestras
335
00:19:47,978 --> 00:19:51,063
at Columbia and MGM, 20th Century Fox,
and so on.
336
00:19:51,064 --> 00:19:54,108
So, the fact that musicians
would find work in the studios
337
00:19:54,109 --> 00:19:58,112
meant I became interested in film music
for a job.
338
00:19:58,113 --> 00:20:00,865
I went to Columbia Pictures
and played for Morris Stoloff,
339
00:20:00,866 --> 00:20:02,491
who was the music director of the studio.
340
00:20:02,492 --> 00:20:05,037
And he hired me to play piano
in the orchestra.
341
00:20:05,746 --> 00:20:08,956
I played in that orchestra for two years
working nearly every day.
342
00:20:08,957 --> 00:20:11,209
And later I went over to 20th Century Fox
343
00:20:11,210 --> 00:20:14,795
and played for Alfred Newman on a number
of occasions there and at Paramount.
344
00:20:14,796 --> 00:20:18,466
Played for Bernard Herrmann
and Franz Waxman and Henry Mancini
345
00:20:18,467 --> 00:20:20,427
in the more jazz, sort of, kind of vein.
346
00:20:21,011 --> 00:20:23,013
That piano signature he does
in Peter Gunn.
347
00:20:30,020 --> 00:20:33,231
{\an8}Where he's banging away
and he's playing really hard.
348
00:20:33,232 --> 00:20:37,027
{\an8}That, to me, is kind of the foundation
of jazz funk.
349
00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:43,115
{\an8}[Williams] I got so busy.
350
00:20:43,116 --> 00:20:45,369
{\an8}I was playing everyday
in a studio somewhere.
351
00:20:51,833 --> 00:20:54,585
{\an8}But in the process of playing piano
in these orchestras,
352
00:20:54,586 --> 00:20:56,796
some of these older colleagues
would occasionally say to me,
353
00:20:56,797 --> 00:20:58,507
"Can you orchestrate something
for next week?"
354
00:21:03,762 --> 00:21:06,514
The next thing that happened was
I had orchestrated a few cues
355
00:21:06,515 --> 00:21:09,684
and somebody said, "Do you mind
conducting for the next half hour?"
356
00:21:09,685 --> 00:21:12,896
With the temerity of youth, I said,
"Of course I can conduct. I will do that."
357
00:21:13,814 --> 00:21:17,149
Finally said to my wife,
"I think I'll just compose if I can."
358
00:21:17,150 --> 00:21:21,153
And before I realized it, I was so busy
writing in television and film
359
00:21:21,154 --> 00:21:22,905
that I said to my wife,
360
00:21:22,906 --> 00:21:24,991
"I can't keep spending these hours
in the orchestra.
361
00:21:24,992 --> 00:21:27,368
I have to stop playing and write."
362
00:21:27,369 --> 00:21:30,371
And actually make a little bit more money
that way.
363
00:21:30,372 --> 00:21:33,333
I had three children,
had to think about practical aspects.
364
00:21:34,584 --> 00:21:39,839
{\an8}My earliest memory of my father
was we had a corduroy rug
365
00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,049
{\an8}in small room in our home.
366
00:21:42,050 --> 00:21:43,759
On the rug was a piano
367
00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,681
and so he would play there
in this little room with the funny rug.
368
00:21:53,103 --> 00:21:57,148
My mother was Barbara Ruick,
and she was an actress and a singer.
369
00:21:57,149 --> 00:22:00,568
{\an8}She played Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel.
370
00:22:00,569 --> 00:22:06,450
{\an8}♪ Then I'll kiss him so he'll know ♪
371
00:22:07,534 --> 00:22:11,620
I have two brothers
who are younger than me, Mark and Joe.
372
00:22:11,621 --> 00:22:13,080
They're both musicians.
373
00:22:13,081 --> 00:22:16,042
Joe is the lead singer for the band Toto
374
00:22:16,043 --> 00:22:17,376
and Mark is a drummer
375
00:22:17,377 --> 00:22:19,253
and has played
with Crosby, Stills, and Nash
376
00:22:19,254 --> 00:22:21,547
and Air Supply and Tina Turner.
377
00:22:21,548 --> 00:22:24,091
My parents were very glamorous
378
00:22:24,092 --> 00:22:26,177
and they went out a lot.
379
00:22:26,178 --> 00:22:28,054
They threw parties.
380
00:22:28,055 --> 00:22:30,723
We also always had a nice Christmas.
381
00:22:30,724 --> 00:22:31,975
Christmas was lovely.
382
00:22:33,435 --> 00:22:36,730
I remember that my father
played a lot of show tunes.
383
00:22:37,647 --> 00:22:41,567
He and my mother would rehearse
and have fun together and play songs.
384
00:22:41,568 --> 00:22:45,322
And we were able to entertain each other
and make each other laugh
385
00:22:46,281 --> 00:22:48,075
and have so much fun together.
386
00:22:50,911 --> 00:22:53,789
[Williams] So I found myself
writing television shows every week.
387
00:22:55,791 --> 00:22:59,960
I had several wonderful years
where I had one hour anthologies.
388
00:22:59,961 --> 00:23:03,006
Chrysler... Bob Hope Theatre
and Alcoa Theatre.
389
00:23:03,548 --> 00:23:05,925
And one week it's a western,
the next week it's a comedy,
390
00:23:05,926 --> 00:23:07,802
the next week it's some drama.
391
00:23:07,803 --> 00:23:10,179
Every possible thing you can imagine
392
00:23:10,180 --> 00:23:12,973
done by directors who went on
to do feature films.
393
00:23:12,974 --> 00:23:16,144
Syd Pollack and Dick Donner
and Robert Altman.
394
00:23:16,895 --> 00:23:18,270
He mostly worked at Fox,
395
00:23:18,271 --> 00:23:20,606
but he would work at home a lot
on the weekends.
396
00:23:20,607 --> 00:23:22,943
And he was always scribbling away.
397
00:23:24,528 --> 00:23:30,408
One time he was writing
and I wrote him a note saying,
398
00:23:30,409 --> 00:23:32,994
"You gotta come out and see me
and attend to this."
399
00:23:33,537 --> 00:23:39,209
And I pushed it under the door
and that made him mad. [laughs]
400
00:23:39,835 --> 00:23:43,671
[Williams] In the '60s, I worked
at the studios more than I did at home
401
00:23:43,672 --> 00:23:45,089
for a very practical reason.
402
00:23:45,090 --> 00:23:46,632
My children were very young
403
00:23:46,633 --> 00:23:49,635
and there was a lot of noise
and distraction around the house.
404
00:23:49,636 --> 00:23:54,348
And hard to achieve the kind of isolation
and solitude you need to be composing.
405
00:23:54,349 --> 00:23:55,808
So, I'd come in to Universal
406
00:23:55,809 --> 00:23:58,394
or go to Fox Studios,
where I worked for a long time,
407
00:23:58,395 --> 00:24:03,191
not as an employee but just as a sort of
man who came to dinner and stayed.
408
00:24:05,277 --> 00:24:09,280
{\an8}The fact that the same man
wrote the score for Star Wars
409
00:24:09,281 --> 00:24:13,492
{\an8}and also wrote music for Gilligan's Island
410
00:24:13,493 --> 00:24:16,829
gives you his vast
and seemingly limitless range.
411
00:24:16,830 --> 00:24:18,414
{\an8}You get that pole!
412
00:24:18,415 --> 00:24:19,583
{\an8}Aye, aye, sir.
413
00:24:23,795 --> 00:24:25,004
How about this one, Skipper?
414
00:24:25,005 --> 00:24:26,630
Perfect. Now get it in here!
415
00:24:26,631 --> 00:24:27,966
On the double.
416
00:24:32,471 --> 00:24:35,639
[Jenny] We were in Hawaii
on a family vacation
417
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,266
and he got a ukulele.
418
00:24:37,267 --> 00:24:41,228
And his assignment was he was supposed
to write a new theme for Lost in Space.
419
00:24:41,229 --> 00:24:44,649
So he wrote the theme for the TV show
on the ukulele.
420
00:24:50,780 --> 00:24:54,742
These were opportunities to work for,
in this case, 20th Century Fox,
421
00:24:54,743 --> 00:24:57,203
where I formed a friendship
with Lionel Newman.
422
00:24:57,204 --> 00:25:00,539
And if I hadn't made the step
into television,
423
00:25:00,540 --> 00:25:04,044
I wouldn't have had the opportunity later
to do feature films.
424
00:25:07,797 --> 00:25:10,132
{\an8}[Spielberg] How much did they pay you,
John? What does it say there?
425
00:25:10,133 --> 00:25:12,009
{\an8}- [person laughs]
- $12,500.
426
00:25:12,010 --> 00:25:14,094
{\an8}[Spielberg] Ooh, for a week? [laughs]
427
00:25:14,095 --> 00:25:17,265
- [person laughing]
- For ten weeks! Oh, no.
428
00:25:18,934 --> 00:25:21,310
[Williams]
I did a lot of comedies at one point,
429
00:25:21,311 --> 00:25:23,647
and I really felt, ugh,
I don't want to do another comedy.
430
00:25:24,981 --> 00:25:27,149
An older colleague of mine called me
431
00:25:27,150 --> 00:25:30,569
and he said, "John, if you're going to be
composing music for film,
432
00:25:30,570 --> 00:25:32,696
when they're going to put
your name on the film,
433
00:25:32,697 --> 00:25:35,449
and it can't be Johnny.
That's a fine name for a juvenile person
434
00:25:35,450 --> 00:25:38,827
but you have to change your name.
You have to be John Williams."
435
00:25:38,828 --> 00:25:40,955
So I-I actually... I thought he was right.
436
00:25:40,956 --> 00:25:43,666
{\an8}♪ If I were a rich man ♪
437
00:25:43,667 --> 00:25:48,004
{\an8}♪ Ya ba dibba dibba
Dibba dibba dibba dibba dum ♪
438
00:25:48,838 --> 00:25:52,299
♪ All day long I'd biddy biddy bum ♪
439
00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:54,635
♪ If I were a wealthy man ♪
440
00:25:54,636 --> 00:25:55,553
♪ I... ♪
441
00:25:55,554 --> 00:25:59,056
[Williams] The first really
major budget films were musicals,
442
00:25:59,057 --> 00:26:01,267
{\an8}in which case,
I was arranger, orchestrator,
443
00:26:01,268 --> 00:26:02,768
{\an8}but also music director and conductor.
444
00:26:02,769 --> 00:26:07,565
We needed to have choral tracks, children
tracks, orchestra tracks of all kinds.
445
00:26:07,566 --> 00:26:10,818
And every word of the vocals had to be
understood, even with a chorus.
446
00:26:10,819 --> 00:26:14,281
♪ Tradition, tradition! ♪
447
00:26:15,991 --> 00:26:17,616
♪ Tradition! ♪
448
00:26:17,617 --> 00:26:19,868
So, in the manufacture of this thing,
449
00:26:19,869 --> 00:26:22,454
the mixing of all these sounds,
the editing and cutting
450
00:26:22,455 --> 00:26:26,375
is an education of its own
and an enormous experience for me.
451
00:26:26,376 --> 00:26:29,044
Not especially as a composer,
but as-as someone...
452
00:26:29,045 --> 00:26:32,507
As-as a craftsman working
in the process of making films.
453
00:26:37,012 --> 00:26:38,262
Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
454
00:26:38,263 --> 00:26:41,015
{\an8}Initially, the score
was written by André Previn,
455
00:26:41,016 --> 00:26:44,977
{\an8}but unhappiness emerged
between André and the producer.
456
00:26:44,978 --> 00:26:49,607
{\an8}So Leslie Bricusse was engaged
to do the score, both lyrics and music.
457
00:26:49,608 --> 00:26:54,778
But André Previn was something of a mentor
and was very encouraging to me.
458
00:26:54,779 --> 00:26:56,989
He didn't think
I should stay in Hollywood.
459
00:26:56,990 --> 00:27:00,492
He said, "John, you want to write
your own music: concertos, symphonies.
460
00:27:00,493 --> 00:27:03,622
Don't waste your time
on so-called 'commercial work'."
461
00:27:04,497 --> 00:27:06,373
Frankly, I thought if I had his talent,
462
00:27:06,374 --> 00:27:08,834
perhaps I would leave
the movies and write symphonies.
463
00:27:08,835 --> 00:27:12,797
But I didn't lose myself in Hollywood.
I found myself.
464
00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:16,800
{\an8}[Abrams] That's the thing about
John Williams.
465
00:27:16,801 --> 00:27:19,595
{\an8}As good as the material he's getting,
he always makes it better.
466
00:27:19,596 --> 00:27:21,764
He always finds a way
to tap into the essence
467
00:27:21,765 --> 00:27:25,392
of what makes it moving,
or meaningful, or resonant.
468
00:27:25,393 --> 00:27:28,020
{\an8}Even when it was
a classic '70s disaster film
469
00:27:28,021 --> 00:27:30,148
{\an8}like Poseidon Adventure or Earthquake.
470
00:27:34,402 --> 00:27:36,612
[Newman] One of my earliest memories
of John on the podium
471
00:27:36,613 --> 00:27:40,074
was seeing him conduct Poseidon Adventure
and The Towering Inferno,
472
00:27:40,075 --> 00:27:43,160
and you could come in and
you'd be right next to the bass players
473
00:27:43,161 --> 00:27:46,831
and there would be John and I...
and I think his classic black turtleneck.
474
00:27:48,500 --> 00:27:50,751
And he would conduct and I would
kind of sit quietly
475
00:27:50,752 --> 00:27:54,047
with some degree of intimidation
and watch this all go down.
476
00:27:55,674 --> 00:27:58,300
{\an8}[Williams] Irwin Allen was a wonderfully
flamboyant character.
477
00:27:58,301 --> 00:28:01,387
{\an8}He was wonderful with
the mixing of the sound called dubbing,
478
00:28:01,388 --> 00:28:04,223
where the sound effects and dialogue
and music is all put together,
479
00:28:04,224 --> 00:28:06,850
and he always insisted everything
be louder.
480
00:28:06,851 --> 00:28:09,020
[chuckles] Just simply, make it louder.
481
00:28:14,317 --> 00:28:16,820
I've done all this
using a pencil and paper
482
00:28:17,445 --> 00:28:19,739
and I still use them
and I haven't changed.
483
00:28:20,323 --> 00:28:22,991
I've actually been so busy in the years
that I've been working here
484
00:28:22,992 --> 00:28:26,704
that I haven't had time to retool
and learn the electronic systems,
485
00:28:26,705 --> 00:28:29,373
which I think probably go a little faster.
486
00:28:29,374 --> 00:28:31,126
If you wanna write this...
487
00:28:32,335 --> 00:28:35,755
it's nine or ten notes.
I have to write them like this.
488
00:28:36,339 --> 00:28:37,382
And if it's...
489
00:28:40,552 --> 00:28:42,761
That's a lot of notes.
490
00:28:42,762 --> 00:28:45,598
And in the computer, you push a button
and then you can see it.
491
00:28:46,349 --> 00:28:47,851
I have to write all those little things.
492
00:28:48,435 --> 00:28:53,148
So, I'm probably taking a lot more time to
do things than my younger colleagues do.
493
00:28:54,941 --> 00:28:58,402
A lot of times I write music,
I'll fill up the paper with notes
494
00:28:58,403 --> 00:29:00,195
and come back
the next morning and look at it.
495
00:29:00,196 --> 00:29:03,532
[stutters] And it is as though
someone else had written it.
496
00:29:03,533 --> 00:29:05,951
I look at that and say, "I couldn't
possibly have written all that.
497
00:29:05,952 --> 00:29:09,205
Certainly not yesterday.
There wouldn't have been enough time."
498
00:29:10,582 --> 00:29:14,918
[Gruska] He's somebody who
learned his skills painstakingly,
499
00:29:14,919 --> 00:29:18,756
{\an8}and now he lives in a time
where you can conjure music
500
00:29:18,757 --> 00:29:20,675
{\an8}from a prompt with A.I.
501
00:29:21,551 --> 00:29:26,597
And I think people should see somebody
who has worked alone in a room
502
00:29:26,598 --> 00:29:29,349
for 60-plus years.
503
00:29:29,350 --> 00:29:32,770
There's a lot of sacrifices.
There's been some pain in his life.
504
00:29:32,771 --> 00:29:36,107
And so, when you pass
a certain point, he gets quiet.
505
00:29:37,192 --> 00:29:41,237
And I think that he expresses himself
through music.
506
00:29:57,629 --> 00:30:00,214
[Jenny] My mother was away
in Reno, Nevada,
507
00:30:00,215 --> 00:30:03,927
doing a small part in a film called
California Split.
508
00:30:04,636 --> 00:30:07,095
{\an8}- Old Blue out of chute number two.
- Old Blue?
509
00:30:07,096 --> 00:30:08,806
{\an8}Old Blue out of chute number two.
510
00:30:08,807 --> 00:30:10,098
{\an8}- That's the truth.
- No. [laughs]
511
00:30:10,099 --> 00:30:12,559
{\an8}We received a phone call
from Kathryn Altman
512
00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,313
{\an8}saying, "You need
to have your father call me."
513
00:30:16,189 --> 00:30:18,232
So I wait in the house
for about an hour or so,
514
00:30:18,233 --> 00:30:20,985
and he comes home and I say,
"I think something's going on with Mom."
515
00:30:24,405 --> 00:30:29,076
[Williams] It was an unbelievable event.
A perfectly healthy, gorgeous young woman
516
00:30:29,077 --> 00:30:32,831
suddenly gone from an aneurysm
that we couldn't have predicted.
517
00:30:33,414 --> 00:30:36,834
That was a profound event in my life,
obviously, my wife,
518
00:30:36,835 --> 00:30:41,798
but also the mother of my three children.
And she was only 41 years old.
519
00:30:43,675 --> 00:30:47,302
[Jenny] My dad had to get on a plane and
go up there and take care of everything.
520
00:30:47,303 --> 00:30:49,222
And I was left at home with my brothers,
521
00:30:49,806 --> 00:30:54,059
which would kind of turn into a role for
me for the next... Well, forever, really.
522
00:30:54,060 --> 00:30:55,270
But it started around then.
523
00:30:56,729 --> 00:31:00,732
[Williams] I was suddenly in my early 40s
with three teenage children to deal with.
524
00:31:00,733 --> 00:31:03,403
It was a very tough situation,
525
00:31:04,904 --> 00:31:06,906
sometimes very difficult to talk about.
526
00:31:10,618 --> 00:31:15,330
[Jenny] It was devastating.
He had no experience, really,
527
00:31:15,331 --> 00:31:17,083
being very hands-on.
528
00:31:18,668 --> 00:31:21,628
I had been used to
taking care of my brothers
529
00:31:21,629 --> 00:31:23,840
and I went into that role very easily.
530
00:31:24,424 --> 00:31:28,136
And we have a very special relationship,
the three of us.
531
00:31:30,889 --> 00:31:32,682
And so, I didn't work for a long time.
532
00:31:33,349 --> 00:31:37,979
I just didn't want to deal with films
and stories and characters and so on.
533
00:31:38,730 --> 00:31:42,358
Right after she died, he actually
wrote a violin concerto for her.
534
00:31:47,780 --> 00:31:50,073
[Williams] Her father was a violinist.
She loved the violin.
535
00:31:50,074 --> 00:31:52,492
She always wanted me
to write something for her.
536
00:31:52,493 --> 00:31:54,787
Of course, I never did until she passed.
537
00:31:58,499 --> 00:31:59,750
[Jenny] Prior to my mom's death,
538
00:31:59,751 --> 00:32:03,378
it may be that my father,
although a brilliant composer,
539
00:32:03,379 --> 00:32:05,088
was more of a journeyman.
540
00:32:05,089 --> 00:32:08,634
But then after she died, there was
some kind of feeling that he had,
541
00:32:08,635 --> 00:32:09,969
that she was by his side.
542
00:32:13,514 --> 00:32:15,558
I felt like she was helping me,
543
00:32:16,225 --> 00:32:18,645
which is a funny kind of feeling
that I had.
544
00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:20,855
And I still have it.
545
00:32:21,981 --> 00:32:27,319
And I think in some way, I grew up
artistically or gained some kind of energy
546
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,698
or penetrated what I was doing
a little more deeply.
547
00:32:32,659 --> 00:32:36,453
The busiest, most successful
period of my life in film
548
00:32:36,454 --> 00:32:38,623
started immediately thereafter
549
00:32:40,249 --> 00:32:43,044
when I was asked
to do a film called Star Wars.
550
00:32:46,547 --> 00:32:49,967
At the same time, I was asked
to do a film called Bridge Too Far.
551
00:32:49,968 --> 00:32:52,886
{\an8}I said to Lionel Newman,
the music director,
552
00:32:52,887 --> 00:32:55,430
{\an8}"I think I'd rather do A Bridge Too Far,
553
00:32:55,431 --> 00:32:57,224
because it has all the movie stars in it
554
00:32:57,225 --> 00:33:01,728
and it seems like I don't know anything
about George Lucas or his film Star Wars."
555
00:33:01,729 --> 00:33:05,023
I said, "I'm looking for somebody
that can do classical music."
556
00:33:05,024 --> 00:33:09,653
{\an8}The old Korngold, Newman,
old fashioned scores for films
557
00:33:09,654 --> 00:33:11,196
{\an8}during the '30s and '40s.
558
00:33:11,197 --> 00:33:14,157
And Steven said, "I got just the guy
for you, John Williams."
559
00:33:14,158 --> 00:33:16,493
I said, "Well, isn't he a jazz pianist?"
560
00:33:16,494 --> 00:33:19,038
And he said,
"No, no, he does great scores."
561
00:33:20,373 --> 00:33:23,000
[Williams] So Steven, of course,
who I've just done Jaws with,
562
00:33:23,001 --> 00:33:25,043
said, "You need to meet this guy,
George Lucas,"
563
00:33:25,044 --> 00:33:26,628
who I'd never heard of.
564
00:33:26,629 --> 00:33:29,631
I didn't know American Graffiti.
My fault, not his.
565
00:33:29,632 --> 00:33:33,427
So I met George
and we talked about music a little bit.
566
00:33:33,428 --> 00:33:34,929
He's very young to me.
567
00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,514
[Lucas] We hit it off right away.
568
00:33:37,515 --> 00:33:39,766
He's a gentleman
and an easy guy to get along with.
569
00:33:39,767 --> 00:33:42,853
And he was also
extremely knowledgeable about music.
570
00:33:42,854 --> 00:33:45,940
And he was extremely knowledgeable
about symphonic scores.
571
00:33:47,191 --> 00:33:49,443
[Williams] I talked to Steven
the next day and he said,
572
00:33:49,444 --> 00:33:50,902
"John, you should do Star Wars.
573
00:33:50,903 --> 00:33:53,447
Do Star Wars, that's the thing you should...
really have some fun with it.
574
00:33:53,448 --> 00:33:57,159
Don't worry about A Bridge Too Far.
That's just commercial.
575
00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:59,620
This is going to be something
really good." I said, "Okay."
576
00:34:01,205 --> 00:34:03,291
So he convinced me to do it.
577
00:34:04,083 --> 00:34:05,460
But it didn't take much pushing.
578
00:34:10,173 --> 00:34:14,843
I think the whole project was imbued
with a sense of something very special.
579
00:34:14,844 --> 00:34:17,722
I think everybody knew
that George was doing something
580
00:34:18,514 --> 00:34:22,809
a little kooky, a little off-kilter.
It was like nothing else we really had.
581
00:34:22,810 --> 00:34:26,229
We've had space films before,
but nothing had
582
00:34:26,230 --> 00:34:29,901
quite the imagination
and the spark that this had.
583
00:34:34,030 --> 00:34:36,364
{\an8}[Hirsch] We worked for several days
going through the film
584
00:34:36,365 --> 00:34:39,117
{\an8}and deciding where to introduce
the music, where to take it out,
585
00:34:39,118 --> 00:34:44,290
{\an8}or talk about the temp cue that we used,
like The Planets by Gustav Holst,
586
00:34:44,916 --> 00:34:48,251
{\an8}the final movement of Dvorák's
New World Symphony.
587
00:34:48,252 --> 00:34:53,216
{\an8}Bits of music from The Rite of Spring
and Max Steiner's score to King Kong.
588
00:34:53,841 --> 00:34:56,468
Sometimes John, he endorsed our choices
589
00:34:56,469 --> 00:35:00,014
and sometimes he had an idea
that improved the idea.
590
00:35:01,474 --> 00:35:04,684
You do what you have to do to put
the pieces of a puzzle together
591
00:35:04,685 --> 00:35:06,186
and that's what it was like.
592
00:35:06,187 --> 00:35:08,146
{\an8}[Lucas] We had talked about
Peter and the Wolf
593
00:35:08,147 --> 00:35:11,191
{\an8}and some of those older symphonic pieces,
594
00:35:11,192 --> 00:35:14,986
'cause I wanted to have each character
have their own theme.
595
00:35:14,987 --> 00:35:19,200
So that when we go from one character
to another, the theme goes with you.
596
00:35:26,833 --> 00:35:29,292
[Williams] The sketches in the scores
for Star Wars
597
00:35:29,293 --> 00:35:32,712
are the most disjointed things
you could imagine
598
00:35:32,713 --> 00:35:34,756
because there were so many changes.
599
00:35:34,757 --> 00:35:36,299
This was a minute and a half.
600
00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:38,385
The next day,
it was a minute and 45 seconds.
601
00:35:38,386 --> 00:35:40,095
The next day it was out of the film.
602
00:35:40,096 --> 00:35:42,764
And the late Ken Wannberg,
who was my music editor,
603
00:35:42,765 --> 00:35:45,643
{\an8}drove me crazy with changes everyday.
604
00:35:46,435 --> 00:35:49,271
{\an8}Kenny called up in a panic.
605
00:35:49,272 --> 00:35:50,897
He said... [stammers]
606
00:35:50,898 --> 00:35:54,067
"You can't... [stammers] There are
a million changes." I said, "Yes, I know."
607
00:35:54,068 --> 00:35:57,071
And he said, "John's written
all this music already." I said, "I know."
608
00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,407
[Williams] I worked for
quite a number of weeks,
609
00:36:00,408 --> 00:36:04,161
never knowing what to do
for the beginning of the film.
610
00:36:04,162 --> 00:36:07,289
I think the very last thing I wrote was
the opening fanfare
611
00:36:07,290 --> 00:36:09,709
and the brass march theme.
612
00:36:11,335 --> 00:36:13,587
[Lucas]
First time I heard parts of it was,
613
00:36:13,588 --> 00:36:15,548
Johnny played it for me on the piano.
614
00:36:16,132 --> 00:36:17,591
Which is... pfft.
615
00:36:17,592 --> 00:36:23,096
You know, all it is, is, uh,
a rough piano rendition of the themes.
616
00:36:23,097 --> 00:36:28,101
And so you have to say, "Well, I guess
I don't know, but it sounds good to me."
617
00:36:28,102 --> 00:36:30,979
But it's not-- Doesn't have any of
the energy or the emotion
618
00:36:30,980 --> 00:36:33,107
or anything that when you have
a full orchestra playing it.
619
00:36:33,900 --> 00:36:36,985
[Williams] We decided that we needed
to have a symphony orchestra to do this,
620
00:36:36,986 --> 00:36:39,070
which I never had before in a film.
621
00:36:39,071 --> 00:36:42,575
And Lionel Newman said that we'll hire
the London Symphony Orchestra.
622
00:36:43,242 --> 00:36:47,787
What a turn-on. What a blast.
What an exciting turn of events.
623
00:36:47,788 --> 00:36:49,289
We would go over to London,
624
00:36:49,290 --> 00:36:53,168
hire this world-class orchestra
to realize my score and perform it.
625
00:36:53,169 --> 00:36:55,545
- [Williams] 157.
- [crew member coughs]
626
00:36:55,546 --> 00:36:57,340
[producer] Standby, please.
Gentlemen, here we go.
627
00:36:58,799 --> 00:37:01,177
[Lucas] It's hard to describe
unless you've been through it.
628
00:37:01,928 --> 00:37:04,137
[Williams] All right, here it is, gents.
[shushes] Settle down.
629
00:37:04,138 --> 00:37:08,059
But it's, uh--
It's sort of like having a baby.
630
00:37:09,143 --> 00:37:12,939
That is the only way I can really describe
hearing the score for the first time.
631
00:37:13,564 --> 00:37:16,066
And for me, I hadn't heard it
with an orchestra or anything.
632
00:37:16,067 --> 00:37:18,903
And I hadn't heard it with the picture.
633
00:37:19,654 --> 00:37:21,489
You know, I trusted John,
I trusted Steven,
634
00:37:22,323 --> 00:37:25,701
but there's always that moment
where they play the first cue...
635
00:37:28,246 --> 00:37:30,164
and you're terrified it's not gonna work.
636
00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:38,172
[♪ "Star Wars (Main Theme)" playing]
637
00:37:47,265 --> 00:37:52,936
{\an8}I was like a lot of people who really got
blasted by him in the first ten seconds.
638
00:37:52,937 --> 00:37:55,231
And then you're wondering,
"Well, who is this?"
639
00:37:56,148 --> 00:37:59,651
[Mangold] That's part of the audaciousness
of the original Star Wars score.
640
00:37:59,652 --> 00:38:02,779
{\an8}That loud anthem opening.
641
00:38:02,780 --> 00:38:06,908
{\an8}The most famous opening
probably in movie history and music
642
00:38:06,909 --> 00:38:10,036
is a tribute to the power of orchestra.
643
00:38:10,037 --> 00:38:12,123
[♪ "Star Wars (Main Theme)" continues]
644
00:38:19,630 --> 00:38:22,299
[Williams] Nobody had any idea
that it would be the kind of,
645
00:38:22,300 --> 00:38:24,301
beyond a hit, it was a phenomenon.
646
00:38:24,302 --> 00:38:25,761
It's become-- It's still with us.
647
00:38:26,512 --> 00:38:28,805
When the time came
to make the soundtrack album,
648
00:38:28,806 --> 00:38:32,893
the record company said, "We have
so much music, let's have a double disc."
649
00:38:35,229 --> 00:38:37,689
That recording was
enormously popular with people,
650
00:38:37,690 --> 00:38:41,693
many of whom probably never bought
a soundtrack album before
651
00:38:41,694 --> 00:38:46,031
or gone to a concert and heard music
from a symphony orchestra before.
652
00:38:46,032 --> 00:38:49,075
[Abrams] Back in the day, you couldn't
rewatch a movie whenever you wanted.
653
00:38:49,076 --> 00:38:50,785
So, I remember as a kid,
654
00:38:50,786 --> 00:38:53,621
I would put on the soundtracks
and stare at the album cover
655
00:38:53,622 --> 00:38:56,834
and just listen to the scores
and play the movie in my head.
656
00:39:01,964 --> 00:39:04,174
Star Wars was the double album.
657
00:39:04,175 --> 00:39:10,139
I would listen to the album and just stare
at the logo of the Star Wars album cover.
658
00:39:10,765 --> 00:39:15,978
The feeling was that it was so important,
so epic in scope and scale
659
00:39:17,813 --> 00:39:20,358
that it transports you
to a different place.
660
00:39:37,291 --> 00:39:42,545
{\an8}I can't really think of anything
in film music that's been like Star Wars.
661
00:39:42,546 --> 00:39:46,675
Talk about leitmotifs
and the way he uses them.
662
00:39:48,594 --> 00:39:51,472
Leitmotifs just means, basically, themes.
663
00:40:07,113 --> 00:40:12,034
In Star Wars universe, just John composed,
like, 80 or 90 themes or something.
664
00:40:13,869 --> 00:40:16,163
[Lucas] I like the one
that we call "The Force".
665
00:40:17,498 --> 00:40:19,374
[♪ vocalizing]
666
00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:21,419
[roars]
667
00:40:21,961 --> 00:40:26,464
When the motifs come back, they remind you
of who you were 40 years before,
668
00:40:26,465 --> 00:40:28,883
not just who the characters were
in the previous movies.
669
00:40:28,884 --> 00:40:31,053
[♪ "Princess Leia's Theme" playing]
670
00:40:34,849 --> 00:40:37,934
So it really gets under the skin
in the most amazing way.
671
00:40:37,935 --> 00:40:43,482
And it all works because he found such
a memorable group of themes to work with.
672
00:40:44,650 --> 00:40:46,484
Every once in a while
there'd be a cue and I'd say,
673
00:40:46,485 --> 00:40:47,987
"Well, that's not
what I had in mind here."
674
00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:00,248
[Lucas] I said,
"I really want it to be more like this."
675
00:41:00,249 --> 00:41:01,916
And he would say, "Okay.
676
00:41:01,917 --> 00:41:05,337
I'm gonna write this tonight
and I'll come back tomorrow with it."
677
00:41:06,505 --> 00:41:09,382
I've been with a few composers
who just simply said,
678
00:41:09,383 --> 00:41:10,800
"Well, that's not what I want."
679
00:41:10,801 --> 00:41:12,677
They sort of insist it be their way.
680
00:41:12,678 --> 00:41:14,472
And then you would bump heads.
681
00:41:15,890 --> 00:41:17,683
I never bumped heads with Johnny.
682
00:41:18,309 --> 00:41:20,311
{\an8}He was a prince the whole time.
683
00:41:26,817 --> 00:41:30,654
I truly believe that the soundtrack
is half of the movie.
684
00:41:31,447 --> 00:41:34,783
Star Wars basically would not be
Star Wars without Johnny Williams' music.
685
00:41:35,618 --> 00:41:37,577
[Williams] People would
come into my office and say,
686
00:41:37,578 --> 00:41:40,497
{\an8}"Did you know that there are crowds
around the block seeing Star Wars?"
687
00:41:40,498 --> 00:41:42,665
{\an8}I said, "That's wonderful.
I'm glad to hear it."
688
00:41:42,666 --> 00:41:45,126
I didn't experience that at all.
689
00:41:45,127 --> 00:41:47,962
I was so completely occupied with
what was in front of me.
690
00:41:47,963 --> 00:41:49,839
The minute we finished Star Wars,
691
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:52,968
{\an8}I started working on
Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
692
00:42:00,142 --> 00:42:05,021
[Williams] Okay. That's just fine.
Orchestra downbeat of seven tenuto.
693
00:42:05,022 --> 00:42:08,441
Six will be... [♪ vocalizing]
694
00:42:08,442 --> 00:42:10,109
[Bouzereau] You got two notes for Jaws.
695
00:42:10,110 --> 00:42:12,362
But then you got five notes
for Close Encounters.
696
00:42:12,363 --> 00:42:14,489
Well, we were making progress. We were--
697
00:42:14,490 --> 00:42:16,950
So by the time we did Raiders,
there were like a hundred notes.
698
00:42:16,951 --> 00:42:18,284
- Yes, that's right.
- [laughs]
699
00:42:18,285 --> 00:42:22,288
Actually, Close Encounters was an opera.
It was a beautiful opera.
700
00:42:22,289 --> 00:42:25,750
What I was thinking when I played,
first played it for you, I thought,
701
00:42:25,751 --> 00:42:27,627
"This is the end of our relationship."
702
00:42:27,628 --> 00:42:29,046
- [laughs] Oh, no!
- [laughs]
703
00:42:54,905 --> 00:42:57,282
[Ross] Close Encounters.
Everything is in that score.
704
00:42:57,283 --> 00:43:03,289
The whole spectrum of 20th century music
from very avant-garde, very dissonant...
705
00:43:08,168 --> 00:43:10,587
and very extreme sounds.
706
00:43:10,588 --> 00:43:12,464
{\an8}[Williams] One, two, three...
707
00:43:14,174 --> 00:43:15,551
{\an8}[♪ choir harmonizing]
708
00:43:21,932 --> 00:43:26,728
To the most basic,
memorable five note theme,
709
00:43:26,729 --> 00:43:28,479
uh, that is heard over and over again.
710
00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:31,107
- [people chattering]
- [♪ whistling melody]
711
00:43:31,108 --> 00:43:33,193
[♪ melody playing]
712
00:43:36,905 --> 00:43:41,159
Oh, this is--
This could be interesting to you.
713
00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:43,995
Each one of these is five notes,
I believe.
714
00:43:43,996 --> 00:43:46,205
Here's a whole group of them.
715
00:43:46,206 --> 00:43:47,625
Some marked.
716
00:43:48,208 --> 00:43:50,001
This is the one we use.
717
00:43:50,002 --> 00:43:52,754
[♪ vocalizes] Right here.
718
00:43:52,755 --> 00:43:58,551
And Steven and I just circled it,
having gone through all these trial runs.
719
00:43:58,552 --> 00:44:00,304
I mean, five notes could be...
720
00:44:02,473 --> 00:44:04,600
very nice. [chuckles]
721
00:44:06,393 --> 00:44:09,021
Anything. But why this?
722
00:44:17,905 --> 00:44:21,115
There is, I think,
something spiritual about that.
723
00:44:21,116 --> 00:44:22,409
If this were...
724
00:44:26,664 --> 00:44:28,373
it's finished, okay?
725
00:44:28,374 --> 00:44:29,750
It's a sentence, a period.
726
00:44:30,376 --> 00:44:31,543
If I do this...
727
00:44:34,254 --> 00:44:37,423
That is like a conjunctive sentence
or a phrase
728
00:44:37,424 --> 00:44:40,968
that ends with and, if, or but.
729
00:44:40,969 --> 00:44:43,388
So it's, "This is a nice movie and..."
730
00:44:43,389 --> 00:44:44,514
That's the "and".
731
00:44:44,515 --> 00:44:47,141
Because-- Because the note in music,
there are two of them.
732
00:44:47,142 --> 00:44:51,604
This is the fifth of that always goes
"sol, do", as every child knows.
733
00:44:51,605 --> 00:44:54,065
And the other one is this one, "ti, do".
734
00:44:54,066 --> 00:44:58,070
So those are the two things that make--
If I stop a phrase there.
735
00:44:58,946 --> 00:45:01,322
You have to wait for that, don't you?
736
00:45:01,323 --> 00:45:05,535
It's creating an expectation
with the fifth degree of the scale.
737
00:45:05,536 --> 00:45:09,415
Which in that context is like "but".
738
00:45:10,457 --> 00:45:12,542
"I love Laurent, but..."
739
00:45:12,543 --> 00:45:14,752
[laughing] You know?
740
00:45:14,753 --> 00:45:16,754
[Bouzereau] But he's asked me
too many questions.
741
00:45:16,755 --> 00:45:18,339
He asked me endless questions.
742
00:45:18,340 --> 00:45:20,259
[Spielberg] Are you happy it fixed, John?
743
00:45:20,968 --> 00:45:23,804
I hope so, but there's still
something wrong with bar 35.
744
00:45:24,304 --> 00:45:26,305
- [♪ whistling]
- [Spielberg] There's that.
745
00:45:26,306 --> 00:45:29,350
[Bouzereau] What was the hardest thing
you've ever had to write, you think?
746
00:45:29,351 --> 00:45:32,812
Oh, I think the last section of
Close Encounters.
747
00:45:32,813 --> 00:45:35,773
All of the lights, and, you know,
how to do that exactly.
748
00:45:35,774 --> 00:45:39,194
[♪ uptempo orchestra music playing]
749
00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:51,080
[Spielberg] Wow.
750
00:45:51,081 --> 00:45:55,835
{\an8}So this is the original Close Encounters
material out of the deep Sony archive.
751
00:45:55,836 --> 00:45:57,253
Look at some of this here.
752
00:45:57,254 --> 00:45:59,839
- [Spielberg] Oh, my God. Look at all...
- [Williams] Yeah.
753
00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:01,925
- [Spielberg] Geez.
- [people chattering]
754
00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:05,095
Oh, my goodness.
755
00:46:06,638 --> 00:46:09,390
I remember calling my father one day
when I started to work on that,
756
00:46:09,391 --> 00:46:12,226
and I said to him, "Dad, I don't--
I haven't got a note in me.
757
00:46:12,227 --> 00:46:15,021
I don't know what to do with
this picture." I just had done Star Wars.
758
00:46:15,022 --> 00:46:16,898
It was... million notes.
759
00:46:16,899 --> 00:46:19,066
And he just said as
any good father would say,
760
00:46:19,067 --> 00:46:20,902
"Well, just keep working on it,
you'll be fine.
761
00:46:20,903 --> 00:46:23,404
- What are you doing for dinner?"
- [Spielberg laughs] Right.
762
00:46:23,405 --> 00:46:25,406
And it was certainly a great challenge.
763
00:46:25,407 --> 00:46:28,493
It was a leap up orchestrally
and conducting
764
00:46:28,494 --> 00:46:29,995
and every other way for me.
765
00:46:31,955 --> 00:46:35,250
So, that is Close Encounters.
766
00:46:37,544 --> 00:46:39,086
{\an8}John, in one year,
767
00:46:39,087 --> 00:46:42,507
{\an8}turned out the scores to Star Wars,
Close Encounters,
768
00:46:42,508 --> 00:46:44,133
{\an8}and a picture called Black Sunday.
769
00:46:44,134 --> 00:46:47,178
Each of those scores
is tremendously complicated
770
00:46:47,179 --> 00:46:48,679
and brilliant in their own way.
771
00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:50,432
And very different one from the other.
772
00:46:51,016 --> 00:46:54,477
It's really an extraordinary thing
to think that one composer
773
00:46:54,478 --> 00:46:56,604
would deliver all that
in the space of one year.
774
00:46:56,605 --> 00:46:59,065
[Abrams] It's a little bit like
when you're talking about The Beatles.
775
00:46:59,066 --> 00:47:03,319
Like, any one song from The Beatles
would be any other band's greatest thing
776
00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:05,822
and they would live off that forever.
John is like that.
777
00:47:05,823 --> 00:47:08,324
Any one of his scores arguably
778
00:47:08,325 --> 00:47:11,411
would be any other composer's
accomplishment of a lifetime.
779
00:47:17,751 --> 00:47:22,255
People ask me how my life was changed
by the sudden success of Star Wars,
780
00:47:22,256 --> 00:47:24,549
and I have to say
that I received a call saying,
781
00:47:24,550 --> 00:47:29,720
"You have to come to the Anaheim Stadium
which has 60,000 people or more there.
782
00:47:29,721 --> 00:47:34,058
And Zubin Mehta is going to do a concert
of your music, Star Wars music,
783
00:47:34,059 --> 00:47:37,103
with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
at the stadium."
784
00:47:37,104 --> 00:47:38,312
A short time after that,
785
00:47:38,313 --> 00:47:40,439
the management
of the Los Angeles Philharmonic says,
786
00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:43,777
"We want you to come and conduct
at the Hollywood Bowl Star Wars music."
787
00:47:44,361 --> 00:47:47,572
{\an8}So the biggest change in my life
that was the result of Star Wars
788
00:47:47,573 --> 00:47:50,408
{\an8}was I was suddenly asked
to be a guest conductor,
789
00:47:50,409 --> 00:47:52,618
here and there with famous orchestras.
790
00:47:52,619 --> 00:47:56,790
And it gave birth to a whole
other dimension in my musical life.
791
00:47:59,793 --> 00:48:02,003
- Ladies and gentlemen.
- [people applauding]
792
00:48:02,004 --> 00:48:03,505
Good afternoon, everyone.
793
00:48:04,047 --> 00:48:06,424
- This is our new Pops.
- [chuckles]
794
00:48:06,425 --> 00:48:10,761
{\an8}Seiji Ozawa was the music director
of the Boston Symphony for 29 years.
795
00:48:10,762 --> 00:48:15,975
{\an8}And he was the one that appointed me
conductor of the Pops in 1980.
796
00:48:15,976 --> 00:48:21,439
{\an8}The Boston Pops is moving from The
Stars and Stripes Forever to Star Wars.
797
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:22,815
{\an8}The orchestra announced today
798
00:48:22,816 --> 00:48:26,152
that 47-year-old composer-conductor
John Williams,
799
00:48:26,153 --> 00:48:28,237
who wrote the theme for Star Wars,
800
00:48:28,238 --> 00:48:31,324
will replace the late Arthur Fiedler
as conductor of the Pops.
801
00:48:31,325 --> 00:48:34,619
[Newman] It was Lionel who really
encouraged him to conduct with the Pops.
802
00:48:34,620 --> 00:48:36,871
And maybe it was because
John always wanted to conduct
803
00:48:36,872 --> 00:48:39,708
and being somewhat shy,
probably needed a push.
804
00:48:41,293 --> 00:48:44,837
{\an8}I'm sure a lot of people ask
who could possibly follow Arthur Fiedler,
805
00:48:44,838 --> 00:48:49,175
who was such an incredible presence
in everybody's mind with... with this music.
806
00:48:49,176 --> 00:48:51,636
[Newman] But I don't think
it was always an easy go.
807
00:48:51,637 --> 00:48:56,975
I think Boston musicians were critical
of entertainment music or wary of it.
808
00:48:57,684 --> 00:48:59,810
[Newman] The orchestras
hated playing film music.
809
00:48:59,811 --> 00:49:01,229
They just thought it was crap.
810
00:49:02,397 --> 00:49:05,608
[Williams] In my experience,
when I went to Boston in 1980,
811
00:49:05,609 --> 00:49:08,361
there was an overlap of older memberships
in the orchestra
812
00:49:08,362 --> 00:49:12,114
that still had that lack of appreciation
and resistance
813
00:49:12,115 --> 00:49:15,576
to that kind of repertoire
where they were very disapproving.
814
00:49:15,577 --> 00:49:17,996
To the extent that I thought that
that was unprofessional.
815
00:49:18,705 --> 00:49:22,333
{\an8}[reporter] A long simmering dispute over
the behavior of the Boston Pops Orchestra
816
00:49:22,334 --> 00:49:24,168
broke into public view today
817
00:49:24,169 --> 00:49:27,130
with the announcement
of conductor John Williams' resignation.
818
00:49:27,923 --> 00:49:29,674
The final straw, according to observers,
819
00:49:29,675 --> 00:49:33,010
was the orchestra's unruly behavior
during a rehearsal yesterday.
820
00:49:33,011 --> 00:49:36,639
Players reportedly hissed
at Williams' musical selections
821
00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:39,183
and didn't pay attention
during the run-through.
822
00:49:39,184 --> 00:49:41,727
BSO general manager Thomas Morris
said today
823
00:49:41,728 --> 00:49:44,940
he accepted Williams' resignation
with deep regret.
824
00:49:46,274 --> 00:49:49,485
[Williams] The episode, where I had
a resignation at one point,
825
00:49:49,486 --> 00:49:51,112
was the result of conversations with them
826
00:49:51,113 --> 00:49:55,075
about their attitudes
and about their manner of expressing it.
827
00:49:55,617 --> 00:49:58,996
I think film music was looked at by...
certainly by concert musicians
828
00:49:59,913 --> 00:50:00,913
as a bastard art.
829
00:50:00,914 --> 00:50:02,373
As a low art.
830
00:50:02,374 --> 00:50:08,379
{\an8}Growing up I was always troubled
with why there are so many walls
831
00:50:08,380 --> 00:50:11,632
between the different parts of music.
832
00:50:11,633 --> 00:50:17,013
Whether it's film music, concert music,
or baroque music or contemporary music.
833
00:50:17,014 --> 00:50:22,894
But John has made it his business
to actually encompass all of that.
834
00:50:24,104 --> 00:50:29,400
[Silvestri] He has,
if not erased that dividing line,
835
00:50:29,401 --> 00:50:32,403
he has made it so blurry,
836
00:50:32,404 --> 00:50:34,989
I don't think anyone knows
where it is anymore.
837
00:50:34,990 --> 00:50:36,490
It goes back to Duke Ellington,
838
00:50:36,491 --> 00:50:40,244
who said, "There's only two types
of music, good music and bad music."
839
00:50:40,245 --> 00:50:45,250
And I think John has been a...
a leading light in that happening.
840
00:50:46,835 --> 00:50:50,421
[Williams] I think certainly a seated
orchestra that are tenured correctly
841
00:50:50,422 --> 00:50:52,716
have a voice in the repertoire
that they play.
842
00:50:53,383 --> 00:50:56,802
But also should not resist,
to a certain extent,
843
00:50:56,803 --> 00:51:00,891
the creative ideas that a new or different
conductor might want to bring to them.
844
00:51:01,892 --> 00:51:03,893
An orchestra is a human family.
845
00:51:03,894 --> 00:51:06,772
It's a community effort.
846
00:51:07,397 --> 00:51:09,857
{\an8}[reporter 2] The search for a new
Boston Pops conductor is over
847
00:51:09,858 --> 00:51:12,736
{\an8}now that John Williams agrees
to come back to the job.
848
00:51:13,779 --> 00:51:17,031
Williams resigned,
citing artistic and creative differences.
849
00:51:17,032 --> 00:51:18,825
But apparently, they have been resolved.
850
00:51:19,659 --> 00:51:23,037
Williams said, "I've only the greatest
admiration and genuine affection
851
00:51:23,038 --> 00:51:25,290
for the orchestra and its members."
852
00:51:28,877 --> 00:51:34,048
[Williams] Going from Hollywood studios
to Boston was very, very satisfying
853
00:51:34,049 --> 00:51:37,593
in the sense that in Hollywood
there's no audiences of film
854
00:51:37,594 --> 00:51:41,348
when we're working in a clinical
studio setup, if you'd like.
855
00:51:43,266 --> 00:51:46,519
Whereas going to Boston Pops
there's an orchestra, there's an audience.
856
00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:47,978
The music is brought to life.
857
00:51:47,979 --> 00:51:49,396
- People applaud.
- [applauding]
858
00:51:49,397 --> 00:51:52,775
And for the wounded ego
of a Hollywood composer
859
00:51:52,776 --> 00:51:55,236
who never sees an audience
to get some applause,
860
00:51:55,237 --> 00:51:58,781
it's lovely to go to Boston
and have a marvelous audience there.
861
00:51:58,782 --> 00:51:59,990
[applauding]
862
00:51:59,991 --> 00:52:03,327
Most of the rest of the classical world
has come around to the idea that,
863
00:52:03,328 --> 00:52:06,914
yes, this is a brilliant
and original composer.
864
00:52:06,915 --> 00:52:09,834
Someone who has also done
an incredible service
865
00:52:09,835 --> 00:52:12,629
in terms of supporting orchestras.
866
00:52:13,255 --> 00:52:16,841
And anyone who looks down on film music
now at this stage of history
867
00:52:16,842 --> 00:52:19,678
I think is just not thinking seriously.
868
00:52:26,184 --> 00:52:31,148
When I was a little boy, Superman cartoon
was very popular in the newspapers
869
00:52:32,065 --> 00:52:33,817
and I used to read it all the time.
870
00:52:38,572 --> 00:52:42,158
So, the idea of writing that theme
with the cape and all the things,
871
00:52:42,159 --> 00:52:43,869
I loved doing that.
872
00:52:44,870 --> 00:52:45,954
What the hell is that?
873
00:52:47,747 --> 00:52:49,790
- [yells]
- Easy, miss. I've got you.
874
00:52:49,791 --> 00:52:51,667
[stammers] You've got me?
875
00:52:51,668 --> 00:52:53,002
Who's got you?
876
00:52:53,003 --> 00:52:55,171
[Williams] I love Chris and Margot.
877
00:52:55,172 --> 00:52:56,881
They flew together. That love scene.
878
00:52:56,882 --> 00:52:59,258
I mean, I couldn't wait
to get my hands on that
879
00:52:59,259 --> 00:53:02,971
and make a... [stammers]
...an ascending thematic piece.
880
00:53:10,937 --> 00:53:14,440
{\an8}I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude
to John Williams.
881
00:53:14,441 --> 00:53:18,652
{\an8}Without his music, Superman's powers
are greatly diminished.
882
00:53:18,653 --> 00:53:20,196
[laughs]
883
00:53:20,197 --> 00:53:23,782
Believe me, if you try to fly
without that theme...
884
00:53:23,783 --> 00:53:25,367
- [audience laughs]
- ...you go nowhere.
885
00:53:25,368 --> 00:53:27,787
One step, two steps,
and... [whistles] ...down.
886
00:53:32,584 --> 00:53:36,504
{\an8}There's a lyricism to Johnny's music.
887
00:53:38,173 --> 00:53:44,721
{\an8}For example, he has so much fun
writing themes for Harrison.
888
00:53:46,097 --> 00:53:48,807
[Williams] Harrison Ford has this ability
to do the most dramatic scenes
889
00:53:48,808 --> 00:53:52,102
with this slight tongue in his cheek
or twinkle in his eye.
890
00:53:52,103 --> 00:53:53,520
I'm going after that truck.
891
00:53:53,521 --> 00:53:56,357
- How?
- I don't know. I'm making this up as I go.
892
00:53:56,358 --> 00:53:58,984
That gives John a lot to write for.
893
00:53:58,985 --> 00:54:00,779
Hyah, hyah!
894
00:54:08,495 --> 00:54:13,791
{\an8}John Williams and I go way back, 'cause
my dad and he were in the army together.
895
00:54:13,792 --> 00:54:15,292
In the army band together.
896
00:54:15,293 --> 00:54:18,128
My dad played guitar
and Johnny played piano.
897
00:54:18,129 --> 00:54:20,214
And Johnny was always over at our house.
898
00:54:20,215 --> 00:54:23,175
So, I'd known John Williams
since I was a kid.
899
00:54:23,176 --> 00:54:26,512
But to get to work with him on a movie,
900
00:54:26,513 --> 00:54:30,225
that was just one of the most
wonderful moments of my life.
901
00:54:31,685 --> 00:54:34,395
[Spielberg] On Raiders of the Lost Ark,
Johnny did the score in London
902
00:54:34,396 --> 00:54:36,189
with the London Symphony Orchestra.
903
00:54:38,942 --> 00:54:41,194
The music was pulse pounding.
904
00:54:47,784 --> 00:54:49,452
The nuance of the score.
905
00:54:50,578 --> 00:54:53,164
The music details the smallest things.
906
00:54:53,665 --> 00:54:57,209
Johnny was scoring individual snakes
during the Well of the Souls sequence.
907
00:54:57,210 --> 00:55:00,087
He was putting little decorations
on different snakes that were
908
00:55:00,088 --> 00:55:04,342
making quick moves or hooding
or rearing back or striking.
909
00:55:06,094 --> 00:55:09,722
He wanted something very Hollywood,
very romantic for "Marion's Theme"
910
00:55:09,723 --> 00:55:13,268
because he said, "I think the music
could really make them even closer."
911
00:55:14,311 --> 00:55:18,147
She wasn't there that much,
except she was a central character.
912
00:55:18,148 --> 00:55:20,065
So we had to give her a cue
913
00:55:20,066 --> 00:55:23,862
that would remind you
of all the things that she embodied.
914
00:55:25,530 --> 00:55:28,324
[Spielberg] His theme for Marion
was so beautiful
915
00:55:28,325 --> 00:55:31,744
and it's so evocative
of those old Hollywood scores,
916
00:55:31,745 --> 00:55:37,000
like from Franz Waxman,
and Miklós Rósza, and David Raksin.
917
00:55:38,543 --> 00:55:41,128
And even on the sequels,
he keeps the standard themes in there
918
00:55:41,129 --> 00:55:44,549
to remind people
that it's still about Indiana Jones.
919
00:55:45,842 --> 00:55:50,096
{\an8}But he finds a whole new way
of telling the story musically each time.
920
00:55:53,183 --> 00:55:55,852
- [screams]
- Duck!
921
00:55:56,436 --> 00:55:57,771
{\an8}So, we're at the Oscars,
922
00:55:59,272 --> 00:56:02,524
and John Williams
was sitting right behind Steven.
923
00:56:02,525 --> 00:56:04,360
And I saw John and I freaked out
924
00:56:04,361 --> 00:56:07,196
'cause I haven't seen him, you know,
since Temple of Doom.
925
00:56:07,197 --> 00:56:09,406
So I gave him a hug
and Steven was so excited.
926
00:56:09,407 --> 00:56:13,202
He says, "Ke, do you remember
that you have a Short Round theme?"
927
00:56:13,203 --> 00:56:16,163
And I said, "Of course I do."
I mean, how many actors can say that
928
00:56:16,164 --> 00:56:20,502
they have a theme composed
by the legendary John Williams?
929
00:56:27,926 --> 00:56:32,679
And then we both started
humming, simultaneously, that theme.
930
00:56:32,680 --> 00:56:35,308
[♪ humming "Short Round's Theme"]
931
00:56:37,268 --> 00:56:39,020
It's great. It's such a great theme.
932
00:56:42,816 --> 00:56:46,193
[Spielberg] The greatest way to
demonstrate how much energy and emotion
933
00:56:46,194 --> 00:56:50,406
John's scores can give a sequence,
play it absolutely with no music at all.
934
00:56:50,407 --> 00:56:51,991
Just sound effects and dialogue.
935
00:56:52,700 --> 00:56:54,493
[growls]
936
00:56:54,494 --> 00:56:57,788
And then go back and do
the whole scene again with all the cues.
937
00:56:57,789 --> 00:56:59,499
{\an8}[♪ "Indy's Very First Adventure" playing]
938
00:57:08,633 --> 00:57:12,011
And you'll recognize
the absolute value of film music.
939
00:57:15,265 --> 00:57:16,765
[film crew] Marker.
940
00:57:16,766 --> 00:57:18,601
{\an8}This movie is a tiny epic.
941
00:57:19,144 --> 00:57:23,439
{\an8}And, uh... And I think John's score will be
very suitable to that, uh, description.
942
00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:26,775
{\an8}Okay, it would be nice
if we didn't hear anything until...
943
00:57:26,776 --> 00:57:28,026
{\an8}[Henry Thomas] We have to go now--
944
00:57:28,027 --> 00:57:29,528
{\an8}"We have to go now, E.T."
945
00:57:29,529 --> 00:57:30,530
Okay.
946
00:57:31,281 --> 00:57:33,782
And that's right after,
"We have to go now, E.T."
947
00:57:33,783 --> 00:57:35,535
Is where it comes back in again.
948
00:57:36,244 --> 00:57:38,996
- Give me a timing for the end of the line.
- Yeah.
949
00:57:38,997 --> 00:57:40,414
The deer looks up and turns.
950
00:57:40,415 --> 00:57:41,957
- And if something could...
- Mm-hmm.
951
00:57:41,958 --> 00:57:43,293
...just catch the deer.
952
00:57:44,127 --> 00:57:45,544
- Maybe that harp again.
- That harp again.
953
00:57:45,545 --> 00:57:47,212
- I love that harp.
- Yeah. Yeah, the harp again.
954
00:57:47,213 --> 00:57:49,923
[Spielberg] I look forward
to every time John says,
955
00:57:49,924 --> 00:57:51,717
"I have sketches to play for you."
956
00:57:51,718 --> 00:57:53,927
I cannot wait for that day.
957
00:57:53,928 --> 00:57:59,558
I'm never nervous. I'm never thinking
it's not going to measure up to my hopes.
958
00:57:59,559 --> 00:58:02,436
[stammers] This is Michael on his bike.
959
00:58:02,437 --> 00:58:04,813
- Racing to find E.T. in the forest.
- Racing to find E.T. in the forest.
960
00:58:04,814 --> 00:58:08,150
- [Spielberg] Elliot's come home alone.
- It's-It's played off of this figure.
961
00:58:08,151 --> 00:58:10,360
[♪ piano playing]
962
00:58:10,361 --> 00:58:13,572
And we eventually get into
this key with this one.
963
00:58:13,573 --> 00:58:15,617
[♪ both humming]
964
00:58:24,250 --> 00:58:27,211
There is a consistency
in our collaboration
965
00:58:27,212 --> 00:58:32,007
where he always sees the film
in the same way,
966
00:58:32,008 --> 00:58:35,010
but in a way,
after he does music for my movie,
967
00:58:35,011 --> 00:58:37,804
I start to see my movie in his way.
968
00:58:37,805 --> 00:58:40,850
{\an8}I see my movie the way he sees my film.
969
00:58:46,606 --> 00:58:50,067
[E.T.] Home. Home. Home.
970
00:58:50,068 --> 00:58:52,737
Home. Home. Home.
971
00:58:53,988 --> 00:58:57,157
"Yoda's Theme" is a...
is a sweet surprise. It is.
972
00:58:57,158 --> 00:58:58,951
Is anybody gonna get it?
973
00:58:58,952 --> 00:59:00,160
About 200 million people.
974
00:59:00,161 --> 00:59:01,579
- Really?
- [laughs]
975
00:59:06,125 --> 00:59:07,960
One twenty-five.
976
00:59:07,961 --> 00:59:11,213
Oboes and instruments that play...
[♪ humming]
977
00:59:11,214 --> 00:59:13,757
Accent two and three please.
978
00:59:13,758 --> 00:59:15,343
So we have more rhythm.
979
00:59:15,843 --> 00:59:17,636
Try to concentrate.
980
00:59:17,637 --> 00:59:20,639
Don't be... Try not to be
disturbed by Steven's...
981
00:59:20,640 --> 00:59:22,182
[laughing]
982
00:59:22,183 --> 00:59:23,142
...filming.
983
00:59:23,643 --> 00:59:24,893
[indistinct]
984
00:59:24,894 --> 00:59:27,688
- [chattering]
- [chuckles]
985
00:59:27,689 --> 00:59:29,565
No, it's just weird.
986
00:59:29,566 --> 00:59:32,609
It's like having a camera
in your bathroom.
987
00:59:32,610 --> 00:59:37,282
You know, when you're
taking a shower, you know?
988
00:59:38,950 --> 00:59:40,535
I'm glad I'm dressed.
989
00:59:41,327 --> 00:59:42,579
Beginning please with mutes.
990
00:59:50,169 --> 00:59:54,674
I played violin on E.T., and I'm just
hiding out in the back of the violins.
991
00:59:55,508 --> 01:00:00,095
So I'm sitting in the back playing,
but I'm listening and watching,
992
01:00:00,096 --> 01:00:03,474
which was, I cannot tell you
how thrilling that was.
993
01:00:06,728 --> 01:00:09,730
There is an extended harp melody in E.T.
994
01:00:09,731 --> 01:00:12,900
that is indicative
of E.T.'s connection with Elliot.
995
01:00:17,739 --> 01:00:22,410
The harpist's name was Dorothy Remsen,
and I remember John working with her.
996
01:00:26,331 --> 01:00:30,710
[Williams] Dorothy,
in the trill beat... [♪ humming]
997
01:00:31,836 --> 01:00:33,795
Can you...
Can you finish the trill that way?
998
01:00:33,796 --> 01:00:36,341
You know what I mean? [♪ humming]
999
01:00:36,924 --> 01:00:39,426
If I can leave out
the trill in the left hand.
1000
01:00:39,427 --> 01:00:40,510
- [Williams] Sure.
- All right.
1001
01:00:40,511 --> 01:00:43,805
And there was a great session
pianist player named Ralph Grierson,
1002
01:00:43,806 --> 01:00:46,601
- who John used all the time.
- ...to the left, Ralph.
1003
01:00:48,186 --> 01:00:50,354
Second to last measure, two quarter notes.
1004
01:00:50,355 --> 01:00:51,564
[♪ humming]
1005
01:00:52,565 --> 01:00:57,319
And the end title for E.T.
is this big flowing thing.
1006
01:00:57,320 --> 01:00:59,529
And he gave Ralph this
1007
01:00:59,530 --> 01:01:02,742
and he let him practice it for four days
before he played it.
1008
01:01:13,753 --> 01:01:18,883
E.T., I think, was the first movie I ever
saw in the cinema, in the movie theater.
1009
01:01:19,676 --> 01:01:21,468
I'm from a band called Coldplay.
1010
01:01:21,469 --> 01:01:24,805
And on our tour at the moment,
we are coming on stage
1011
01:01:24,806 --> 01:01:29,477
or in fact, through the audience
to the stage, to the sound of E.T.
1012
01:01:34,774 --> 01:01:37,859
For me, going on stage for a concert,
1013
01:01:37,860 --> 01:01:40,404
I wanted something that
had the feeling of flight.
1014
01:01:40,405 --> 01:01:43,865
And so I was thinking about
Elliot riding his BMX.
1015
01:01:43,866 --> 01:01:47,828
So I wrote to John and Steven
to ask if we could use E.T.
1016
01:01:47,829 --> 01:01:49,413
And they said yes.
1017
01:01:49,414 --> 01:01:50,580
[♪ E.T. theme playing]
1018
01:01:50,581 --> 01:01:54,251
It just makes me feel, uh, excited.
1019
01:01:54,252 --> 01:01:58,296
That's also 'cause I've come on stage
to it many times now.
1020
01:01:58,297 --> 01:02:03,009
Every piece that he does, to me,
has a sort of whole family of melodies.
1021
01:02:03,010 --> 01:02:05,471
Okay, here we come.
Back to the main theme. Here we go.
1022
01:02:15,398 --> 01:02:16,357
Perfect.
1023
01:02:40,715 --> 01:02:42,300
{\an8}[Williams] This is Tanglewood.
1024
01:02:44,719 --> 01:02:46,345
Tanglewood is many things.
1025
01:02:47,180 --> 01:02:49,348
It's an educational institution.
1026
01:02:50,558 --> 01:02:54,352
It offers a unique opportunity
to the best students to come.
1027
01:02:54,353 --> 01:02:57,523
It's a concert venue
for the Boston Symphony.
1028
01:02:59,275 --> 01:03:01,110
And it's an inspiring landscape.
1029
01:03:03,488 --> 01:03:08,034
In the whole history
of American musical life, this is Mecca.
1030
01:03:08,951 --> 01:03:11,995
This is where the best students
come to study.
1031
01:03:11,996 --> 01:03:15,374
They are able to perform with the greatest
conductors who come and visit.
1032
01:03:20,546 --> 01:03:23,089
The schedules of film had been good.
1033
01:03:23,090 --> 01:03:26,510
Because we usually just work in a very
busy part of the year in the spring.
1034
01:03:26,511 --> 01:03:27,803
And you may have a summer off,
1035
01:03:27,804 --> 01:03:30,305
because of release schedules of the film.
1036
01:03:30,306 --> 01:03:32,766
And suddenly there's three weeks
where you're not working
1037
01:03:32,767 --> 01:03:34,644
and you have time to do something.
1038
01:03:35,186 --> 01:03:37,563
So that's worked out very well.
1039
01:03:39,148 --> 01:03:43,026
Every year I've been here since 1980,
which is 43 years.
1040
01:03:43,027 --> 01:03:44,487
It's part of my life.
1041
01:03:45,530 --> 01:03:48,240
I come now, I do maybe
two concerts a year at the most.
1042
01:03:48,241 --> 01:03:51,452
I used to do more
when I was conducting the Boston Pops.
1043
01:03:53,037 --> 01:03:54,372
It's energizing.
1044
01:03:58,793 --> 01:04:01,044
[Dudamel] John is an amazing conductor.
1045
01:04:01,045 --> 01:04:05,131
{\an8}He really connects
with the soul of the orchestra
1046
01:04:05,132 --> 01:04:08,386
{\an8}because... [stammers]
...that knowledge that he has.
1047
01:04:16,227 --> 01:04:18,979
The main theme of, uh, Jurassic Park
1048
01:04:18,980 --> 01:04:24,277
was one of the pieces
that make me a musician.
1049
01:04:25,736 --> 01:04:29,574
You know, I remember I went to the theater
with a friend of mine.
1050
01:04:30,324 --> 01:04:36,246
I saw, I don't remember, ten times
I went to listen to them, to see the film.
1051
01:04:36,247 --> 01:04:38,039
Beautiful. It was amazing.
1052
01:04:38,040 --> 01:04:39,667
But to listen to that music.
1053
01:04:40,835 --> 01:04:42,460
{\an8}I've heard so many people say this.
1054
01:04:42,461 --> 01:04:46,840
{\an8}I remember the theater, the time of day
when I saw Jurassic Park.
1055
01:04:46,841 --> 01:04:48,926
And I heard those trumpets play.
1056
01:04:54,765 --> 01:04:58,143
[Hooten] I just remember
coming out of that theater juiced.
1057
01:04:58,144 --> 01:05:00,646
Just excited to play my instrument.
1058
01:05:05,943 --> 01:05:10,155
John really wanted to put the dinosaurs
where they belonged,
1059
01:05:10,156 --> 01:05:12,616
with that same kind of, sort of,
1060
01:05:12,617 --> 01:05:15,076
admiration and respect
that little kids have
1061
01:05:15,077 --> 01:05:17,245
when they go through
a natural history museum
1062
01:05:17,246 --> 01:05:21,875
and they see the relics of this era,
of this Jurassic or later Cretaceous era.
1063
01:05:21,876 --> 01:05:24,921
And they... they're in awe
of just the bones.
1064
01:05:32,136 --> 01:05:35,138
I think that John scored this movie
with the heart of a child
1065
01:05:35,139 --> 01:05:39,685
that knew how to create a sense of wonder
about these amazing, magnificent animals.
1066
01:05:44,440 --> 01:05:47,442
{\an8}So many times we'd--
We talk about John Williams
1067
01:05:47,443 --> 01:05:50,695
{\an8}we talk about scores
that are 180s of each other.
1068
01:05:50,696 --> 01:05:53,907
And films that are 180s.
So they have the year of Jurassic Park
1069
01:05:53,908 --> 01:05:56,160
and Schindler's List
by the same filmmaker.
1070
01:05:56,702 --> 01:05:58,662
That is the best example of that.
1071
01:05:58,663 --> 01:06:01,791
There is a sense of wonder in that
Schindler's List score,
1072
01:06:02,541 --> 01:06:06,087
but a kind of a baleful wonder,
how can humanity be this?
1073
01:06:09,757 --> 01:06:12,343
[Williams] I was... had been working on
Schindler's List at Tanglewood,
1074
01:06:12,843 --> 01:06:14,720
I think in the summer of that year...
1075
01:06:17,390 --> 01:06:20,558
and Steven was shooting
in Poland somewhere.
1076
01:06:20,559 --> 01:06:22,811
[Spielberg] I had to have the winter
to shoot in Kraków, Poland.
1077
01:06:22,812 --> 01:06:27,107
So for the first time, I missed
Johnny's scoring session to Jurassic Park.
1078
01:06:27,108 --> 01:06:31,153
That's how... that's how the films
overlapped so completely.
1079
01:06:32,571 --> 01:06:36,199
{\an8}[Williams] The contrast in styles
couldn't have been more welcome to me.
1080
01:06:36,200 --> 01:06:37,284
I loved it.
1081
01:06:37,868 --> 01:06:40,746
[Spielberg] I wasn't thinking musically
when I made the film.
1082
01:06:41,455 --> 01:06:43,623
I didn't put temporary music in
1083
01:06:43,624 --> 01:06:47,335
to make suggestions to Johnny
about how I felt about certain scenes.
1084
01:06:47,336 --> 01:06:49,630
I just focused on telling the story.
1085
01:06:50,172 --> 01:06:52,717
And then I showed the film to John.
1086
01:06:53,676 --> 01:06:56,137
The list is an absolute good.
1087
01:06:58,180 --> 01:07:00,641
The list is life.
1088
01:07:01,350 --> 01:07:05,729
My immediate reaction to the film was
so staggering. I mean, I couldn't speak.
1089
01:07:05,730 --> 01:07:08,858
I was just too overwhelmed.
I was almost, well, weeping.
1090
01:07:09,442 --> 01:07:11,985
And I went outside and
walked around the building a little bit
1091
01:07:11,986 --> 01:07:14,446
and came back, and five minutes later
and said to Steven,
1092
01:07:14,447 --> 01:07:17,199
attempting to start the meeting
to discuss the music,
1093
01:07:18,075 --> 01:07:21,245
I said, "Steven, this a great, great film.
1094
01:07:21,746 --> 01:07:24,623
And you need a better composer
than I am to do this score."
1095
01:07:25,207 --> 01:07:28,209
And he said,
"I know, but they're all dead."
1096
01:07:28,210 --> 01:07:29,462
[audience, Williams laughing]
1097
01:07:36,927 --> 01:07:39,472
Fortunately for me and Steven's tenacity,
1098
01:07:40,347 --> 01:07:42,308
I had to stay with it
and do the best I could.
1099
01:07:42,975 --> 01:07:45,852
But I truly felt that way.
I thought this film is beyond
1100
01:07:45,853 --> 01:07:48,230
almost anything anyone could create
1101
01:07:49,190 --> 01:07:52,068
that would be worthy
of what the film is telling us
1102
01:07:52,735 --> 01:07:55,780
and the history of
what the film was revealing to us.
1103
01:07:57,573 --> 01:07:59,657
[Spielberg] One of the greatest
experiences I ever had with John,
1104
01:07:59,658 --> 01:08:02,744
and certainly the most emotional
experience I've ever had with him,
1105
01:08:02,745 --> 01:08:06,248
is when he was up in the Berkshires
composing Schindler's List,
1106
01:08:06,999 --> 01:08:08,666
and he asked me and Kate to come up
1107
01:08:08,667 --> 01:08:11,170
and hear the sketches
on the piano for the first time.
1108
01:08:12,588 --> 01:08:14,380
{\an8}Johnny always sits down at the piano
and says,
1109
01:08:14,381 --> 01:08:17,509
{\an8}"Now I don't play piano very well,
so don't expect much,
1110
01:08:17,510 --> 01:08:19,636
but I'm going to try to pick this out."
1111
01:08:19,637 --> 01:08:21,555
And of course,
he's a beautiful piano player.
1112
01:08:22,264 --> 01:08:25,643
And he had the music.
It was handwritten up on the piano,
1113
01:08:26,268 --> 01:08:30,022
and we're standing at the piano.
And he starts.
1114
01:08:30,689 --> 01:08:34,610
[♪ piano playing]
1115
01:08:45,121 --> 01:08:45,996
Yeah.
1116
01:08:47,289 --> 01:08:48,415
I'll never forget it.
1117
01:08:52,336 --> 01:08:57,550
I cannot remember a time
where I was so emotionally devastated
1118
01:08:58,342 --> 01:09:04,139
by these very simple, melodic,
soulful, anguished sketches
1119
01:09:04,140 --> 01:09:06,766
he was performing for Kate and I
on the piano.
1120
01:09:06,767 --> 01:09:09,770
Johnny hadn't gotten five notes out
where Kate began crying.
1121
01:09:10,396 --> 01:09:14,691
Nine notes later, I was crying,
and then... [chuckles] ...Johnny was crying
1122
01:09:14,692 --> 01:09:16,734
and playing at the same time.
1123
01:09:16,735 --> 01:09:17,987
It was a mitzvah.
1124
01:09:18,487 --> 01:09:22,741
He had honored that story
of the Shoah through music.
1125
01:09:24,118 --> 01:09:26,452
[Williams] I knew Itzhak Perlman,
the violinist,
1126
01:09:26,453 --> 01:09:28,496
for a couple of decades, I guess.
1127
01:09:28,497 --> 01:09:32,125
And the minute Steven and I realized
we needed a violinist, I just said,
1128
01:09:32,126 --> 01:09:36,379
"We should get the best one right now
that's playing is Itzhak Perlman."
1129
01:09:36,380 --> 01:09:39,841
The ironic thing was
that Itzhak, for many years,
1130
01:09:39,842 --> 01:09:43,720
I would see him at concerts here and there
and he would always say to me,
1131
01:09:43,721 --> 01:09:47,098
"John, when are you going to give me
a film with a violin solo?"
1132
01:09:47,099 --> 01:09:50,435
I said, "I will, it'll come, Itzhak.
One day we'll have it."
1133
01:09:50,436 --> 01:09:52,896
And finally, I called him up
about Schindler's List.
1134
01:09:52,897 --> 01:09:56,358
I said, "Itzhak, I have a movie for you.
Finally found one."
1135
01:09:56,942 --> 01:09:59,110
And I said, "Let me think about it."
1136
01:09:59,111 --> 01:10:03,781
{\an8}So, then... [chuckles] ...then I told my wife,
Toby, and I said to her,
1137
01:10:03,782 --> 01:10:07,285
{\an8}"Toby, this was John Williams, and
he was..." And I told her about this story.
1138
01:10:07,286 --> 01:10:09,245
And I told him
that I was gonna think about it.
1139
01:10:09,246 --> 01:10:13,459
Then she said, "You told him
that you were gonna think about it?
1140
01:10:14,210 --> 01:10:17,837
A film score by John Williams,
a movie by Steven Spielberg,
1141
01:10:17,838 --> 01:10:21,425
and you're gonna be involved and you
told them you were gonna think about it?"
1142
01:10:22,009 --> 01:10:25,762
So the next day, I think I called him up
and I said, "Okay, I'll do it." [laughs]
1143
01:10:25,763 --> 01:10:28,807
And boy, was I happy
that-that I said "Yes."
1144
01:10:42,988 --> 01:10:46,950
All I can tell you is that
I can go all over the world,
1145
01:10:46,951 --> 01:10:51,579
and the only thing that people
ask specifically from me,
1146
01:10:51,580 --> 01:10:54,749
is "Can you play the theme
from Schindler's List?"
1147
01:10:54,750 --> 01:10:58,504
Everybody just gets so moved
by that theme.
1148
01:11:14,144 --> 01:11:16,939
[audience applauding]
1149
01:11:26,365 --> 01:11:29,200
{\an8}[Howard] The first time that I worked
with John on Far and Away,
1150
01:11:29,201 --> 01:11:31,953
{\an8}I said, "Why does music work
the way it works?"
1151
01:11:31,954 --> 01:11:33,538
[chuckles] He said, "I don't really know."
1152
01:11:33,539 --> 01:11:36,624
He said, "There are a lot of theories
and one I kinda subscribe to
1153
01:11:36,625 --> 01:11:39,043
that it gets back to primal sounds."
1154
01:11:39,044 --> 01:11:44,549
That in our origin story as human beings,
sounds meant a great deal to us.
1155
01:11:44,550 --> 01:11:47,343
They could bring us peace
and a sense of serenity
1156
01:11:47,344 --> 01:11:51,723
or they could alert us to danger
and the need to run.
1157
01:11:51,724 --> 01:11:53,975
Percussion could be an earthquake.
1158
01:11:53,976 --> 01:11:56,270
It could be rocks tumbling down.
1159
01:11:57,187 --> 01:12:01,358
Birds could signal
a sense of romance in the air.
1160
01:12:02,609 --> 01:12:06,904
And here's an artist who understands,
in the most nuanced terms,
1161
01:12:06,905 --> 01:12:09,533
how to support a story through music.
1162
01:12:10,909 --> 01:12:15,080
[Mangold] He is the greatest champion
of orchestral music in the world
1163
01:12:16,373 --> 01:12:21,045
because his scores reawaken in us
the beauty of the orchestra.
1164
01:12:24,882 --> 01:12:27,884
{\an8}This is, of course,
also a great gift to us musicians.
1165
01:12:27,885 --> 01:12:30,220
{\an8}That he is one of the few,
1166
01:12:31,013 --> 01:12:34,640
one of the last composers who uses
a big symphonic orchestra.
1167
01:12:34,641 --> 01:12:37,810
And there is a huge difference,
if you have humans play,
1168
01:12:37,811 --> 01:12:41,898
and not the synthesizer, which can
make up for a group of string players.
1169
01:12:41,899 --> 01:12:45,902
But just also acknowledging
the craft of the musicians,
1170
01:12:45,903 --> 01:12:50,282
and the need of that craft
to be preserved for generations to come.
1171
01:12:53,952 --> 01:12:56,913
The thing that I'm really proud of is
we have not, in our career,
1172
01:12:56,914 --> 01:12:58,707
gone to electronic music.
1173
01:13:00,292 --> 01:13:03,211
We value the orchestra,
we value the individual players
1174
01:13:03,212 --> 01:13:04,754
and what Johnny's written for them.
1175
01:13:04,755 --> 01:13:06,506
He hasn't brought in the synthesizer.
1176
01:13:06,507 --> 01:13:10,134
There's been a couple of occasions
where a synth has been an adjunct
1177
01:13:10,135 --> 01:13:13,680
{\an8}to a full orchestral score,
like in Munich, for instance.
1178
01:13:18,977 --> 01:13:20,770
So many filmmakers
and so many contemporaries of mine
1179
01:13:20,771 --> 01:13:22,147
have gone all electronics.
1180
01:13:23,690 --> 01:13:26,443
But I love that,
that we're staying true to orchestras.
1181
01:13:27,027 --> 01:13:30,696
[Williams] The electronic compilation
of things doesn't have a moment,
1182
01:13:30,697 --> 01:13:32,782
a performance moment of creativity.
1183
01:13:32,783 --> 01:13:36,328
But in an orchestra,
we make four takes of every scene.
1184
01:13:37,454 --> 01:13:39,997
Each one is different.
Every performance is different.
1185
01:13:39,998 --> 01:13:44,670
And that particular take has some life
or some blood in its veins.
1186
01:13:48,340 --> 01:13:52,468
He is forcing the modern audience
to contend with the orchestra.
1187
01:13:52,469 --> 01:13:56,764
Because he is making
those instrumentalists play faster,
1188
01:13:56,765 --> 01:13:59,684
harder, quicker, more dynamically
1189
01:13:59,685 --> 01:14:02,145
than you've ever heard before
in some of his scores.
1190
01:14:02,146 --> 01:14:04,064
- Okay, good.
- [Spielberg] Good, yep.
1191
01:14:04,648 --> 01:14:05,606
Next one.
1192
01:14:05,607 --> 01:14:08,025
And he has a true love of the orchestra,
1193
01:14:08,026 --> 01:14:10,736
and a true love of-of that kind of
nonverbal communication it is
1194
01:14:10,737 --> 01:14:13,906
to raise your arms and to say,
"Oh, everyone downbeat."
1195
01:14:13,907 --> 01:14:16,826
And then to get something back.
I mean, that is a thrilling thing.
1196
01:14:16,827 --> 01:14:19,454
You can really see the...
You know, the smile creep over John's face
1197
01:14:19,455 --> 01:14:21,373
when-when he conducts an orchestra.
1198
01:14:21,874 --> 01:14:25,751
This piece, ladies and gentlemen...
[stammers] ...it can't be too polite.
1199
01:14:25,752 --> 01:14:27,128
It is vulgar.
1200
01:14:27,129 --> 01:14:29,922
[orchestra laughs]
1201
01:14:29,923 --> 01:14:31,883
So, trombones will be ready for that.
1202
01:14:31,884 --> 01:14:35,052
I'll give you the biggest
one-two ever in the world.
1203
01:14:35,053 --> 01:14:36,804
[audience applauds]
1204
01:14:36,805 --> 01:14:40,808
[Mutter] It's unique how happy people are...
[chuckles] ...around him.
1205
01:14:40,809 --> 01:14:43,812
[laughs] How happy orchestras are,
you know?
1206
01:14:44,313 --> 01:14:45,771
You see John is coming onstage.
1207
01:14:45,772 --> 01:14:49,066
There's immediate awe because
we have such great memories of his music
1208
01:14:49,067 --> 01:14:52,196
that we are like children
in a candy store, you know?
1209
01:14:57,576 --> 01:15:01,829
When The Force Awakens came out,
it's not like John changed his style.
1210
01:15:01,830 --> 01:15:05,876
He didn't. He-He wrote the same way
he would have written in the '70s.
1211
01:15:10,964 --> 01:15:13,467
- And then you have...
- [♪ playing "Rey's Theme"]
1212
01:15:21,391 --> 01:15:23,936
[Abrams] He's never lost
the honest curiosity.
1213
01:15:24,436 --> 01:15:30,066
He somehow is able to tap into this
unbelievably resonant emotional truth,
1214
01:15:30,067 --> 01:15:33,361
but then he's confident enough
to be vulnerable
1215
01:15:33,362 --> 01:15:35,446
and then to ask,
"Is that all right? What do you think?"
1216
01:15:35,447 --> 01:15:38,909
[stammers] He's literally asking you,
do you think this is okay?
1217
01:15:39,409 --> 01:15:42,912
And it makes me laugh, because when
John Williams plays you a piece of music
1218
01:15:42,913 --> 01:15:46,542
that he's written, and he asks you
if it's okay, there is one answer.
1219
01:15:54,841 --> 01:15:57,927
Audiences are still there for it.
That's the incredible thing.
1220
01:15:57,928 --> 01:16:01,722
So it makes you wonder, like, why
aren't we hearing more thematic scores?
1221
01:16:01,723 --> 01:16:05,977
Why aren't we hearing scores that
burst off the screen the way John's do?
1222
01:16:05,978 --> 01:16:08,063
The audiences are clearly hungry for it.
1223
01:16:09,022 --> 01:16:10,357
So why isn't there more of it?
1224
01:16:16,196 --> 01:16:18,991
It's a difficult time right now in music
1225
01:16:19,575 --> 01:16:25,496
because, in my sensibility, the orchestra
is an instrument to deliver music.
1226
01:16:25,497 --> 01:16:29,917
And so, music as I understand it,
in terms of the great literature
1227
01:16:29,918 --> 01:16:32,754
that we've had in the last
three or 400 years of music,
1228
01:16:33,380 --> 01:16:34,922
you could almost say it's dying.
1229
01:16:34,923 --> 01:16:39,135
Young composers, they want to work in
electronics and spatial effects and so on.
1230
01:16:39,136 --> 01:16:41,304
Bless them, they do fantastic work
1231
01:16:41,305 --> 01:16:45,224
and I would love to be around another
50 years to see what they're doing.
1232
01:16:45,225 --> 01:16:50,605
But are we going to have another
Brahms or another Wagner in the theater?
1233
01:16:50,606 --> 01:16:55,402
Right now, the way things are going,
as we see the art of music developing,
1234
01:16:56,361 --> 01:16:59,364
it's a time for questions,
a time for wondering.
1235
01:17:01,992 --> 01:17:05,453
{\an8}There's another side of John,
which is his great concert music.
1236
01:17:05,454 --> 01:17:08,664
{\an8}This is not the kind
of blockbuster Hollywood themes
1237
01:17:08,665 --> 01:17:10,750
that you would hear in the movie theaters.
1238
01:17:10,751 --> 01:17:16,214
These are more abstract,
more refined, more searching music.
1239
01:17:23,597 --> 01:17:26,474
[Gruska] His movie scores
are so cohesive, so concise,
1240
01:17:26,475 --> 01:17:31,062
and his concert music is...
To me, is actually more fragmented
1241
01:17:31,063 --> 01:17:35,275
and separate from time,
and a linear quality.
1242
01:17:38,278 --> 01:17:41,782
{\an8}His concert music,
that's probably a huge outlet for him.
1243
01:17:42,991 --> 01:17:47,329
{\an8}He can explore the atonal
and the textural.
1244
01:17:49,081 --> 01:17:51,833
It's really revealing another side of him.
1245
01:17:53,251 --> 01:17:57,713
Writing for films, I'm limited. I can only
do what the subject will allow me to do.
1246
01:17:57,714 --> 01:18:01,551
I can't go crazy for eight minutes
with brass... I'd like to, but I can't.
1247
01:18:09,601 --> 01:18:12,228
{\an8}For our student orchestra at
North Hollywood High School
1248
01:18:12,229 --> 01:18:13,396
{\an8}here in California,
1249
01:18:13,397 --> 01:18:15,148
I played the bassoon.
1250
01:18:15,899 --> 01:18:18,819
Friend of mine, Harold...
Late Harold Hansen tried to teach me,
1251
01:18:19,319 --> 01:18:21,904
and I got good enough where I could play
in a band rehearsal or two,
1252
01:18:21,905 --> 01:18:23,949
second bassoon, a little bit.
1253
01:18:24,449 --> 01:18:27,993
But who would imagine, like, 40 years
later, I would write a bassoon concerto
1254
01:18:27,994 --> 01:18:29,329
for the New York Philharmonic?
1255
01:18:29,996 --> 01:18:31,539
But that was the connection, you know,
1256
01:18:31,540 --> 01:18:34,166
my trying to play it
and loving the instrument,
1257
01:18:34,167 --> 01:18:38,170
and then having an opportunity to write it
for one of the world's greatest players,
1258
01:18:38,171 --> 01:18:39,464
Judith Leclair.
1259
01:18:41,508 --> 01:18:44,845
Anne-Sophie Mutter
has gotten music from him.
1260
01:18:49,975 --> 01:18:51,977
Yo-Yo has played his music.
1261
01:18:57,023 --> 01:18:59,192
These pieces, they're challenging.
1262
01:18:59,776 --> 01:19:02,195
His command of their instrument
1263
01:19:02,988 --> 01:19:04,156
is overwhelming.
1264
01:19:11,663 --> 01:19:13,664
[Williams] "The Elegy
for Cello and Orchestra,"
1265
01:19:13,665 --> 01:19:15,958
we recorded together many years ago.
1266
01:19:15,959 --> 01:19:19,588
Every time I present it
to another cellist,
1267
01:19:20,172 --> 01:19:23,549
I say, "Have you heard Yo-Yo's recording?"
1268
01:19:23,550 --> 01:19:25,718
And they all say, "Yes. Oh, my God."
1269
01:19:25,719 --> 01:19:29,013
Like they couldn't possibly equal
what the master has done with it.
1270
01:19:29,014 --> 01:19:31,892
- So don't blame me.
- [both laugh]
1271
01:19:32,601 --> 01:19:33,602
That's wonderful.
1272
01:19:35,687 --> 01:19:38,773
{\an8}I get worried
when he's not working. [laughs]
1273
01:19:38,774 --> 01:19:41,901
He must work. [stammers]
He's somebody that just loves it,
1274
01:19:41,902 --> 01:19:44,153
and does it and has such a good time.
1275
01:19:44,154 --> 01:19:45,488
The most important thing
1276
01:19:45,489 --> 01:19:49,034
about my relationship
with my father right now is golf.
1277
01:19:49,785 --> 01:19:52,077
So what's your favorite thing about golf?
1278
01:19:52,078 --> 01:19:53,538
- The golf?
- [Jenny] Yeah.
1279
01:19:54,456 --> 01:19:57,542
- My favorite thing about golf is walking.
- [Jenny] Ah.
1280
01:19:58,418 --> 01:20:02,130
Play golf is really the wrong verb.
I don't play it, I destroy it.
1281
01:20:02,631 --> 01:20:04,341
I never really played very well,
1282
01:20:05,008 --> 01:20:08,302
and I usually go late in the afternoon
when the real players have finished,
1283
01:20:08,303 --> 01:20:12,390
and it's quiet, and I could contemplate
the real, true beauty of the place.
1284
01:20:13,266 --> 01:20:16,436
It's a beautiful way to spend
a few hours together with your dad.
1285
01:20:17,604 --> 01:20:21,816
If I can do that a couple times every week
for as long as he wants to be around,
1286
01:20:21,817 --> 01:20:24,319
I'm a very, very happy camper.
1287
01:20:25,237 --> 01:20:28,365
Oh! It's a mean game.
1288
01:20:30,784 --> 01:20:33,452
There are so many great moments,
moments that he's composed,
1289
01:20:33,453 --> 01:20:35,955
that remind us about how movies thrill us.
1290
01:20:35,956 --> 01:20:38,457
And how movies reach to the child in us.
1291
01:20:38,458 --> 01:20:42,295
He's done more of those moments
than any other living composer.
1292
01:20:42,879 --> 01:20:46,257
But he's also done so many other kinds
of moments that are more than that,
1293
01:20:46,258 --> 01:20:48,259
{\an8}that are more nuanced than that,
1294
01:20:48,260 --> 01:20:50,094
{\an8}that are more powerful than that,
1295
01:20:50,095 --> 01:20:52,722
{\an8}that are more dynamic than that,
that are more gripping than that.
1296
01:21:03,859 --> 01:21:06,735
John Williams is extraordinarily flexible
1297
01:21:06,736 --> 01:21:10,281
and is just sort of master
of so many different musical languages,
1298
01:21:10,282 --> 01:21:13,743
{\an8}especially the weightier
historical movies.
1299
01:21:26,631 --> 01:21:30,677
{\an8}[Williams] As a fan of history,
my mind runs quickly to Steven's films,
1300
01:21:31,928 --> 01:21:35,682
and to Oliver Stone,
and films that I've done with him...
1301
01:21:38,518 --> 01:21:40,436
{\an8}like Born on the Fourth of July.
1302
01:21:40,437 --> 01:21:44,399
{\an8}The subject of the Vietnam War
was so personal to him,
1303
01:21:47,235 --> 01:21:52,198
{\an8}but I think one felt a-a profound,
uh, message in his work.
1304
01:21:57,037 --> 01:21:58,455
{\an8}And certainly in JFK.
1305
01:22:00,165 --> 01:22:03,292
JFK is a fantastic example of doing,
1306
01:22:03,293 --> 01:22:07,130
to a certain extent,
the music before the film was done.
1307
01:22:08,089 --> 01:22:10,716
Oliver said to me,
"Write three pieces of music.
1308
01:22:10,717 --> 01:22:14,386
I won't show you any film. I'll just
show you the film of this reaction,
1309
01:22:14,387 --> 01:22:18,558
that reaction, and that reaction.
And then you do freely your pieces."
1310
01:22:21,394 --> 01:22:23,979
And in the end, I think what he did
was cut together
1311
01:22:23,980 --> 01:22:27,566
these various things and use the music
from each one of them to a certain degree.
1312
01:22:27,567 --> 01:22:32,655
Uh, that was a unique opportunity for me
to approach something historical...
1313
01:22:32,656 --> 01:22:37,535
[stammers] ...in an attempt to dramatize it
in a way that Oliver is-is famous for.
1314
01:22:44,626 --> 01:22:46,669
[Spielberg] I love the kind of
1315
01:22:46,670 --> 01:22:50,756
noble sobriety of
Saving Private Ryan and Lincoln.
1316
01:22:50,757 --> 01:22:54,927
You know, those beautiful American themes,
those really, really, beautiful
1317
01:22:54,928 --> 01:22:58,514
feelings that you... That instill all of us
with a great sense of
1318
01:22:58,515 --> 01:23:00,892
belonging to a great country
and patriotism.
1319
01:23:07,148 --> 01:23:10,359
Saving Private Ryan is one of
the greatest World War II films,
1320
01:23:10,360 --> 01:23:12,070
if not the greatest of all.
1321
01:23:13,780 --> 01:23:16,992
The first 15 minutes of that film are so...
1322
01:23:17,742 --> 01:23:20,077
beyond description, so extraordinary,
1323
01:23:20,078 --> 01:23:21,955
it certainly didn't need any music.
1324
01:23:24,624 --> 01:23:28,293
[Spielberg] John feels that the absence
is as important as the inclusion of music.
1325
01:23:28,294 --> 01:23:31,463
So we have these spotting sessions
where we try something
1326
01:23:31,464 --> 01:23:34,216
and we say, "Maybe music here,
maybe not music here."
1327
01:23:34,217 --> 01:23:36,344
We decided, of course,
early on to have no music
1328
01:23:37,429 --> 01:23:39,264
for the invasion of Normandy.
1329
01:23:43,184 --> 01:23:47,397
The music would only come in when we see
the body of Sean Ryan on the beach.
1330
01:23:59,659 --> 01:24:01,952
And we end the film with
"Hymn to the Fallen"
1331
01:24:01,953 --> 01:24:06,206
{\an8}which was done with the
Boston Symphony Tanglewood Chorus.
1332
01:24:06,207 --> 01:24:07,833
Tom Hanks was there.
1333
01:24:07,834 --> 01:24:10,544
Very exciting for the orchestra
because he sat up in the balcony.
1334
01:24:10,545 --> 01:24:14,423
You know, we were on stage... [chuckles]
...and they were all looking up there
1335
01:24:14,424 --> 01:24:17,844
and I said, "You can't be... [chuckles]
You have to look at the music." [laughs]
1336
01:24:26,144 --> 01:24:29,938
[Spielberg] Musically,
it honors all of the veterans,
1337
01:24:29,939 --> 01:24:31,565
both today and yesterday.
1338
01:24:31,566 --> 01:24:34,359
And-and I think what you did musically
is such a great honor
1339
01:24:34,360 --> 01:24:38,072
and that's why the military is always
asking if they could play...
1340
01:24:38,073 --> 01:24:39,282
Perform this score.
1341
01:24:40,784 --> 01:24:43,160
This is one of the most requested scores
1342
01:24:43,161 --> 01:24:45,537
throughout our entire
United States Military,
1343
01:24:45,538 --> 01:24:49,041
because it has the deepest reverence
and respect for those
1344
01:24:49,042 --> 01:24:52,420
who have laid their lives upon
the altar of freedom.
1345
01:24:59,219 --> 01:25:02,221
{\an8}John's capable of scoring
any genre of film
1346
01:25:02,222 --> 01:25:05,307
{\an8}whether it's Saving Private Ryan
or Home Alone.
1347
01:25:05,308 --> 01:25:08,853
{\an8}I made my family disappear.
1348
01:25:09,729 --> 01:25:13,066
[Columbus] We were shooting Home Alone,
and we had already hired another composer,
1349
01:25:13,817 --> 01:25:18,737
and we got into post-production, found out
the composer was no longer available.
1350
01:25:18,738 --> 01:25:21,198
{\an8}We got a call from John's agent,
1351
01:25:21,199 --> 01:25:23,575
{\an8}who said, "I'd like to show it
to my client, John Williams."
1352
01:25:23,576 --> 01:25:26,329
And I almost literally dropped the phone.
1353
01:25:26,996 --> 01:25:28,164
I was stunned.
1354
01:25:29,457 --> 01:25:31,291
I loved it.
I thought the film was wonderful.
1355
01:25:31,292 --> 01:25:32,668
The little boy was fabulous,
1356
01:25:32,669 --> 01:25:37,841
I thought, wonderful opportunity for
Christmas textures, and flutes and bells.
1357
01:25:44,097 --> 01:25:47,892
[Columbus] We decided to preview the film
utilizing John's score.
1358
01:25:48,393 --> 01:25:51,813
That preview was the best preview
we had had up until that point.
1359
01:25:52,772 --> 01:25:55,942
The film tested 500% better
than it did the first time.
1360
01:26:00,822 --> 01:26:03,950
He's reaching out from the screen
and pulling the audience into the film.
1361
01:26:07,120 --> 01:26:09,204
[Williams] When Chris asked me to do
Harry Potter,
1362
01:26:09,205 --> 01:26:10,832
I was very, very happy to do it.
1363
01:26:19,215 --> 01:26:20,883
Wonderful opportunity for music.
1364
01:26:20,884 --> 01:26:23,051
{\an8}It was about children, magic and so on.
1365
01:26:23,052 --> 01:26:24,971
Children and magic equals music.
1366
01:26:26,181 --> 01:26:27,890
When I agreed to do Harry Potter,
1367
01:26:27,891 --> 01:26:30,893
I was called first
to do some music for a trailer.
1368
01:26:30,894 --> 01:26:32,896
{\an8}And they asked me to do something magical.
1369
01:26:33,479 --> 01:26:37,691
{\an8}I understood what it was
but I hadn't seen a single frame of film.
1370
01:26:37,692 --> 01:26:40,068
And so, I wrote the theme,
which is "Hedwig's Theme."
1371
01:26:40,069 --> 01:26:42,029
[♪ humming "Hedwig's Theme"]
1372
01:26:42,030 --> 01:26:45,700
I have to confess to you,
the easiest thing in the world to write.
1373
01:26:46,284 --> 01:26:49,244
[Columbus] I went into where he
was composing, into his office,
1374
01:26:49,245 --> 01:26:51,455
and he said, "Would you like to hear
the main theme?"
1375
01:26:51,456 --> 01:26:54,708
And I said, "Of course, yeah."
So he played...
1376
01:26:54,709 --> 01:27:00,088
[♪ humming "Hedwig's Theme"]
1377
01:27:00,089 --> 01:27:02,549
So he's-he's adding that darkness, right?
1378
01:27:02,550 --> 01:27:06,637
He gets you with that lovely,
beautiful theme and then it gets dark,
1379
01:27:06,638 --> 01:27:09,140
within seconds.
How brilliant is that? [chuckles]
1380
01:27:10,475 --> 01:27:13,143
We knew when we got into
the world of Potter
1381
01:27:13,144 --> 01:27:17,272
{\an8}that each film was going to get
subsequently darker and darker and darker.
1382
01:27:17,273 --> 01:27:19,942
{\an8}Your scar is legend,
1383
01:27:19,943 --> 01:27:22,110
as of course was the wizard
who gave it to you.
1384
01:27:22,111 --> 01:27:24,738
John and I discussed that for a long time,
1385
01:27:24,739 --> 01:27:27,742
and his score for the second
Harry Potter film, Chamber of Secrets,
1386
01:27:28,284 --> 01:27:33,247
is the beginning of what will happen
for the next seven films.
1387
01:27:33,248 --> 01:27:36,834
{\an8}Expecto Patronum!
1388
01:27:39,796 --> 01:27:44,299
I have to say that I-I've never been
entirely comfortable with doing sequels.
1389
01:27:44,300 --> 01:27:46,677
I would rather have done a fresh story
1390
01:27:46,678 --> 01:27:49,639
with a fresh opportunity
for a fresh score.
1391
01:27:50,223 --> 01:27:54,434
But Star Wars, for example,
and Indiana Jones particularly,
1392
01:27:54,435 --> 01:27:56,853
I just felt that I didn't want
some other composer,
1393
01:27:56,854 --> 01:27:59,106
very frankly, to come in and change that.
1394
01:27:59,107 --> 01:28:01,817
That it was something that I would...
If I could do it,
1395
01:28:01,818 --> 01:28:04,319
t-to preserve the integrity of that piece,
1396
01:28:04,320 --> 01:28:06,781
if I could have the time and energy
to do all that,
1397
01:28:07,282 --> 01:28:09,783
particularly in the case of Star Wars
where I did the first nine.
1398
01:28:09,784 --> 01:28:13,870
We finally got to Harry Potter, and those
films were so wonderful and so difficult,
1399
01:28:13,871 --> 01:28:15,580
I think I did three of them.
1400
01:28:15,581 --> 01:28:17,416
I couldn't possibly have done...
1401
01:28:17,417 --> 01:28:19,376
How many did they make, eight?
Something like that.
1402
01:28:19,377 --> 01:28:22,504
I would love to have been able to do it
for just all those reasons.
1403
01:28:22,505 --> 01:28:24,966
Other people came along,
did them very well.
1404
01:28:25,550 --> 01:28:28,802
So, when I could do the sequels,
I tried to do them.
1405
01:28:28,803 --> 01:28:32,472
But I was... I use the word jealous,
of keeping the integrity
1406
01:28:32,473 --> 01:28:34,641
of what I've already done.
1407
01:28:34,642 --> 01:28:37,519
Not that I thought that it was
so precious or so timeless
1408
01:28:37,520 --> 01:28:39,813
that it couldn't be touched
by another composer.
1409
01:28:39,814 --> 01:28:43,483
But I felt that if I could keep it
consistent with my own work,
1410
01:28:43,484 --> 01:28:44,902
that would be the best thing to do.
1411
01:28:45,695 --> 01:28:47,946
[Lucas] I'm not sure I would have done
Episodes I, II and III
1412
01:28:47,947 --> 01:28:50,532
if I couldn't have gotten Johnny
to do the music for it.
1413
01:28:50,533 --> 01:28:53,703
You know, 'cause he was such
an integral part of the creative process.
1414
01:28:55,330 --> 01:28:58,040
By the '90s, he'd become
kind of a brand name.
1415
01:28:58,041 --> 01:29:00,168
[♪ Indiana Jones theme playing]
1416
01:29:07,091 --> 01:29:10,178
[♪ "Imperial March" playing]
1417
01:29:11,971 --> 01:29:14,349
{\an8}[♪ humming "Indy's Very First Adventure"]
1418
01:29:18,102 --> 01:29:20,897
It's in most people's DNA,
a lot of his stuff.
1419
01:29:22,857 --> 01:29:25,317
{\an8}[Mitchell] Just when you think you've
exhausted it all, there he is.
1420
01:29:25,318 --> 01:29:27,195
Oh, it's the theme for NBC News.
1421
01:29:29,655 --> 01:29:33,575
For John, it wasn't enough
just to write the great blockbusters.
1422
01:29:33,576 --> 01:29:37,580
He wanted to have a variety of work.
And you think of the Olympics.
1423
01:29:42,668 --> 01:29:45,670
{\an8}I remember watching the Olympics
as a young child...
1424
01:29:45,671 --> 01:29:47,172
{\an8}and noticing the music
1425
01:29:47,173 --> 01:29:49,175
{\an8}and how amazing it was.
1426
01:29:51,427 --> 01:29:52,552
[Williams] They called me and said,
1427
01:29:52,553 --> 01:29:55,681
"John, will you write a piece
for the opening of the Olympics?"
1428
01:29:58,601 --> 01:30:02,562
I loved all the pageantry of it
and the heraldic aspect
1429
01:30:02,563 --> 01:30:06,234
of what the athletes do
and how inspiring they are.
1430
01:30:06,859 --> 01:30:09,237
And then I've done
three or four of them since.
1431
01:30:10,696 --> 01:30:14,158
I think that, in a strange way,
he's kind of the biggest pop star ever.
1432
01:30:19,414 --> 01:30:25,044
{\an8}Today is actually my 45th year
at the Hollywood Bowl.
1433
01:30:25,920 --> 01:30:27,171
Forty-five years.
1434
01:30:27,797 --> 01:30:29,799
I started there in 1978.
1435
01:30:30,550 --> 01:30:32,927
And I'm... [laughs] ...still here with it!
1436
01:30:35,388 --> 01:30:38,975
At first, I was very shy about it,
I guess I can say.
1437
01:30:39,892 --> 01:30:42,561
I said to the management of
the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
1438
01:30:42,562 --> 01:30:44,312
"You don't need me, you have Zubin Mehta,
1439
01:30:44,313 --> 01:30:46,731
he's the greatest conductor in the world.
Why do you want..."
1440
01:30:46,732 --> 01:30:48,984
"But no, the audience wants you to do it."
1441
01:30:48,985 --> 01:30:51,570
[Williams] Hey! Gustavo. Simpatico.
1442
01:30:51,571 --> 01:30:53,029
[both chuckle]
1443
01:30:53,030 --> 01:30:55,657
I don't think that would have happened
without Star Wars,
1444
01:30:55,658 --> 01:30:59,286
which established this practice,
now worldwide,
1445
01:30:59,287 --> 01:31:01,204
of people doing concerts of film music.
1446
01:31:01,205 --> 01:31:04,332
Not just my music,
but current film composers and past ones.
1447
01:31:04,333 --> 01:31:06,001
[Bouzereau] Lightsaber.
1448
01:31:06,002 --> 01:31:08,044
Wonderful. Oh, they're not too heavy.
1449
01:31:08,045 --> 01:31:09,671
- No, it's good.
- It's good.
1450
01:31:09,672 --> 01:31:10,672
[lightsabers buzz]
1451
01:31:10,673 --> 01:31:12,382
- Oh, that's cool!
- Like so.
1452
01:31:12,383 --> 01:31:15,760
- [♪ humming "Imperial March"]
- [chuckles]
1453
01:31:15,761 --> 01:31:17,387
This is Bing Wang.
1454
01:31:17,388 --> 01:31:20,682
She'll be soloist tonight.
Most fantastic violinist.
1455
01:31:20,683 --> 01:31:23,101
- I am so excited...
- [laughs]
1456
01:31:23,102 --> 01:31:25,897
...to perform with Maestro John Williams.
1457
01:31:26,772 --> 01:31:28,107
These are the victims.
1458
01:31:29,650 --> 01:31:31,110
This is the magic stick.
1459
01:31:33,571 --> 01:31:34,572
That's it!
1460
01:31:35,072 --> 01:31:36,449
[laughs]
1461
01:31:37,700 --> 01:31:38,784
So.
1462
01:31:40,119 --> 01:31:42,830
{\an8}[MacFarlane] He's the only one
who can do what he can do.
1463
01:31:43,873 --> 01:31:47,792
I mean, how many composers do you know
who write so classically
1464
01:31:47,793 --> 01:31:49,086
and yet are so popular?
1465
01:31:51,214 --> 01:31:53,674
[Newman] None of this
would have been possible without John.
1466
01:31:54,675 --> 01:31:58,471
It's amazing. I mean, it's 17,000 people.
1467
01:32:01,557 --> 01:32:03,099
So this is the white jacket.
1468
01:32:03,100 --> 01:32:06,437
And I put it on.
These are my work clothes.
1469
01:32:07,188 --> 01:32:09,941
[chuckles] This is... This is
what I do my hammering with.
1470
01:32:10,441 --> 01:32:11,567
That's the way.
1471
01:32:12,068 --> 01:32:14,778
[MacFarlane] Anyone who's been to see
John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl
1472
01:32:14,779 --> 01:32:16,154
performing his scores
1473
01:32:16,155 --> 01:32:18,281
recognizes that
what you're effectively seeing
1474
01:32:18,282 --> 01:32:19,825
is a classical orchestra.
1475
01:32:22,161 --> 01:32:24,704
And yet the audience cheers
like it's The Beatles.
1476
01:32:24,705 --> 01:32:27,875
[audience cheering, applauding]
1477
01:32:35,883 --> 01:32:38,969
You know, these aren't musical elitists
who go to these shows,
1478
01:32:38,970 --> 01:32:41,889
these are everyday folks
who just want to hear great music.
1479
01:32:49,647 --> 01:32:53,733
The music of John connects
many generations, you know...
1480
01:32:53,734 --> 01:32:56,737
[stammers] ...and that is something
that is beautiful.
1481
01:32:57,655 --> 01:33:00,490
[chuckles] I mean, there's ages
from young to old.
1482
01:33:00,491 --> 01:33:03,995
You know, you look back and you just
see nothing but lightsabers.
1483
01:33:05,454 --> 01:33:06,956
And everyone loves the music.
1484
01:33:08,833 --> 01:33:11,710
To be surrounded by thousands of people
1485
01:33:11,711 --> 01:33:15,880
who are waving lightsabers and
celebrating this man and what he has done.
1486
01:33:15,881 --> 01:33:19,885
It's such a beautiful and obviously
well-deserved thing to see every time.
1487
01:33:21,220 --> 01:33:26,976
The atmosphere, it goes beyond
what we think about a regular concert.
1488
01:33:28,436 --> 01:33:33,399
The people, they went crazy,
was like a rock concert.
1489
01:33:42,867 --> 01:33:45,577
[Williams] The thing about
"The Imperial March" and the lightsabers,
1490
01:33:45,578 --> 01:33:48,455
it's something that has evolved
over the years, you know.
1491
01:33:48,456 --> 01:33:51,207
Used to have two or three in the audience,
you know, many years ago,
1492
01:33:51,208 --> 01:33:52,626
and then a few hundred.
1493
01:33:52,627 --> 01:33:54,836
Now we have, I don't know,
how many thousand out there.
1494
01:33:54,837 --> 01:33:56,088
It's fantastic.
1495
01:33:59,342 --> 01:34:02,010
[Dudamel] They know John.
They know John's music.
1496
01:34:02,011 --> 01:34:04,137
And it was an explosion.
1497
01:34:04,138 --> 01:34:06,140
An explosion of happiness.
1498
01:34:09,518 --> 01:34:11,812
[audience applauding]
1499
01:34:30,373 --> 01:34:33,167
- That was fun, hey?
- That was fantastic.
1500
01:34:33,834 --> 01:34:36,420
It works. It works! [laughs]
1501
01:34:39,674 --> 01:34:42,593
[Williams] I've been
impossibly lucky in life.
1502
01:34:45,012 --> 01:34:46,638
I have remarried, yes.
1503
01:34:46,639 --> 01:34:48,515
To Samantha Williams.
1504
01:34:48,516 --> 01:34:49,767
She's wonderful.
1505
01:34:51,394 --> 01:34:53,270
I met her 50 years ago.
1506
01:34:54,105 --> 01:34:56,691
And we've been together
through a lot of wonderful things.
1507
01:34:58,109 --> 01:35:00,361
And I'm deeply grateful.
1508
01:35:01,362 --> 01:35:03,239
[indistinct chatter]
1509
01:35:03,906 --> 01:35:07,201
There are so many things
that have given me great honor.
1510
01:35:12,331 --> 01:35:16,209
The Oscars are a mark of achievement
in most people's minds,
1511
01:35:16,210 --> 01:35:20,089
and I have enjoyed and very proud
of the ones that I have received.
1512
01:35:21,674 --> 01:35:23,509
I've had 54 nominations.
1513
01:35:24,635 --> 01:35:27,721
And I have to express
a great bit of gratitude
1514
01:35:27,722 --> 01:35:29,764
to the music branch of the Academy,
1515
01:35:29,765 --> 01:35:32,518
which is really recognition
from your peers.
1516
01:35:33,227 --> 01:35:34,437
Thank you.
1517
01:35:39,066 --> 01:35:41,109
The main reason I think it's
important to celebrate him
1518
01:35:41,110 --> 01:35:44,822
is just to say thank you
for that amount of joy.
1519
01:35:46,490 --> 01:35:50,285
To make something that brings joy
everywhere it goes
1520
01:35:50,286 --> 01:35:52,954
is rare and precious.
1521
01:35:52,955 --> 01:35:57,293
And nobody has a worse day
from hearing some of his music.
1522
01:36:00,212 --> 01:36:03,840
John Williams has
that great ear for music.
1523
01:36:03,841 --> 01:36:08,344
And he writes what he hears,
more so than writing what he knows.
1524
01:36:08,345 --> 01:36:12,433
And I think that's why it's so powerful
and it will always endure.
1525
01:36:13,350 --> 01:36:16,102
[Kennedy] The minute
John raises his baton,
1526
01:36:16,103 --> 01:36:19,607
and plays the first theme,
you just go oh, my God,
1527
01:36:20,107 --> 01:36:21,649
here's another one.
1528
01:36:21,650 --> 01:36:23,277
Every single time.
1529
01:36:25,154 --> 01:36:28,865
He has this unbelievable superpower
1530
01:36:28,866 --> 01:36:33,662
of being able to create melodies that
you will hear for the first time,
1531
01:36:34,413 --> 01:36:36,206
and feel like it was inevitable.
1532
01:36:36,207 --> 01:36:37,917
And you can't forget it.
1533
01:36:39,585 --> 01:36:41,252
[MacFarlane] As long as
there is orchestral music,
1534
01:36:41,253 --> 01:36:44,589
you're gonna see orchestras that devote
entire evenings to his music.
1535
01:36:44,590 --> 01:36:48,219
Just as they would with
Beethoven or Gershwin or Mozart.
1536
01:36:49,929 --> 01:36:52,514
When I'm making a movie, especially
when I'm making a really tough film,
1537
01:36:52,515 --> 01:36:55,726
it's a tough production, I think about,
well, someday this will end,
1538
01:36:56,310 --> 01:36:58,520
and I'll be able to sit down,
just in front of the orchestra
1539
01:36:58,521 --> 01:36:59,814
and behind the podium.
1540
01:37:00,773 --> 01:37:02,732
And for six or eight days,
1541
01:37:02,733 --> 01:37:06,486
listen to fabulous new compositions
by John Williams.
1542
01:37:06,487 --> 01:37:08,989
It's what I look forward to
on every single movie.
1543
01:37:18,249 --> 01:37:21,794
{\an8}I've never asked Johnny, "Could I conduct
his orchestra?" Never once.
1544
01:37:22,586 --> 01:37:26,674
But I would like to take
the baton today in your honor,
1545
01:37:27,591 --> 01:37:31,261
and if everybody would direct
their attention to the marquee.
1546
01:37:31,262 --> 01:37:32,638
Mazel tov.
1547
01:37:49,196 --> 01:37:52,992
First time I came to this studio
was in 1940,
1548
01:37:53,868 --> 01:37:56,704
when my father brought me here
to show me the stage.
1549
01:37:57,454 --> 01:38:00,207
And I went on to... Say, I was about
nine or ten years old,
1550
01:38:00,708 --> 01:38:04,587
and I looked around at the room
and I thought to myself,
1551
01:38:05,212 --> 01:38:07,339
"Someday this will all be mine."
1552
01:38:11,969 --> 01:38:13,888
It's finally come to be!
1553
01:38:23,522 --> 01:38:25,690
My life and career has been so diverse,
1554
01:38:25,691 --> 01:38:29,820
going from comedies, to space,
to more or less so-called serious work.
1555
01:38:30,613 --> 01:38:33,281
In the end, what I'm completely happy with
1556
01:38:33,282 --> 01:38:35,659
is the finale of the Cello Concerto.
1557
01:38:38,746 --> 01:38:42,541
Or completely happy with second movement
of the First Violin Concerto.
1558
01:38:45,544 --> 01:38:47,087
But not the whole piece! [chuckles]
1559
01:38:48,756 --> 01:38:52,133
Some of the themes in
Star Wars, like "Yoda's Theme"
1560
01:38:52,134 --> 01:38:54,469
for example, I think is especially good.
1561
01:38:54,470 --> 01:38:57,640
The way the intervals go,
it's original, it's very simple.
1562
01:38:59,558 --> 01:39:04,605
There are parts of E.T., I think the
"Over The Moon" theme is especially good.
1563
01:39:06,357 --> 01:39:10,069
So that's the closest thing I can come
to saying, "This thing describes me."
1564
01:39:11,028 --> 01:39:13,322
I think all the things I mentioned
do describe me,
1565
01:39:14,031 --> 01:39:15,157
but not completely.
1566
01:39:18,702 --> 01:39:22,956
The various stages of my career
of piano playing and arranging
1567
01:39:22,957 --> 01:39:25,416
and orchestrating and television and film,
1568
01:39:25,417 --> 01:39:28,587
I have to say it was a progression
that was unplanned.
1569
01:39:30,589 --> 01:39:33,383
I had a few setbacks,
but I was very, very lucky,
1570
01:39:33,384 --> 01:39:37,179
especially after meeting Steven Spielberg,
probably the luckiest day of my life.
1571
01:39:40,724 --> 01:39:42,809
People say, "How do you do so much work?"
1572
01:39:42,810 --> 01:39:47,231
I was busy all the time,
but I was filled with the love of music,
1573
01:39:48,315 --> 01:39:51,610
and the pleasure of doing it
with great musicians, great orchestras.
1574
01:39:53,737 --> 01:39:57,157
I couldn't write fast enough
to bring them something to play.
1575
01:40:03,163 --> 01:40:05,249
Music for a musician is like breathing.
1576
01:40:06,709 --> 01:40:10,170
It supports us,
sustains us, gives us energy.
1577
01:40:12,089 --> 01:40:14,091
I write every morning, something.
1578
01:40:15,342 --> 01:40:17,593
You can imagine writing all these notes,
1579
01:40:17,594 --> 01:40:21,556
and then having the opportunity to get up
in front of an orchestra and conduct it,
1580
01:40:21,557 --> 01:40:25,019
and hear it all brought to life,
what you've put on the page.
1581
01:40:25,978 --> 01:40:27,479
That's a thrilling thing.
1582
01:40:31,608 --> 01:40:33,402
Music is enough for a lifetime,
1583
01:40:34,945 --> 01:40:37,448
but a lifetime is not enough for music.
1584
01:40:40,492 --> 01:40:41,827
[♪ "Flight to Neverland" playing]
1585
01:42:43,365 --> 01:42:45,033
[♪ "Yoda's Theme" playing]