Best John WIlliams Composition[s]

Another thing about Williams' more famous scores is that they blend seamlessly into medley, which is often played over the closing titles, and truly feel like one, broad composition. A real testament to the symbiosis he creates between the films and his scores, at least on the better films. The end credit medley foe ESB is majestic and magnanimous. ESB was a giant leap from ANH in just about every way, and the score is no exception. In fact, it was the end part of this medley that was used for the second TPM trailer.

Awel, look into Carter Burwell as well. He has done nearly all of the Coen Bros. pictures, as well as some very nice arrangements on their current release, the Man Who Wasn't There. He also scored Being John Malcovich, a film I didn't particularly like, but I liked the music.

 

You can't simply lump all of the SW scores together, otherwise I would have voted for ESB, hands down. But since you did lump them together, I have to say Hook, a brilliant work of JW's.

BTW, I, too, love the Superman score.

 

As a whole, the Star Wars films definetly get my vote. They are so rich, powerful, and brilliant all around. And most of all, memorable.


The Indy scores are a close second, as far as overall goes. Especially Raiders.

But, if I had to vote for his best and most brilliant MAIN THEME, tied with Star Wars would have to be Superman. Oh man, is that theme brilliant. Just the sheer scope of that whole piece. The jaw dropping thing about that theme is that it runs for about 6 minutes. Especially when you start counting the VERY beginning of it where you see the little boy open up the "action comic" book, which is the softest part of that theme. I just love how it builds until it starts going full blast, and then once it kicks into high gear around the time you see Christopher Reeve's name on screen wooshing by, the song just keeps doing all kinds of brilliant things as it changes, turns romantic a little, builds back up, becomes bold, and races along like nothing you have ever heard before.

The dissadvantage that the Star Wars theme has to that one is that its just so short compared to it, because it is accompanied by only a quick opening text scroll that sets up the film But, note for note, Star Wars is just as brilliant.

 

just love all of his work

 

All-time highest grossing movies in the U.S. that John Williams composed for (in the top 66):

2. Star Wars: A New Hope
3. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
4. E.T.
5. Jurassic Park
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
9. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
13. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
14. Home Alone
16. Jaws
22. Raiders of the Lost Ark
27: The Lost World: Jurassic Park
32: Saving Private Ryan
42: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
55: Jurassic Park III
56: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
63: Home Alone 2: Lost In New York

16 of the top 66 films were composed by John Williams. That's about 1 in every 4 of the top 66 highest grossing movies ever!
(For some reason, MovieWeb does the top 66. Don't ask my why.)

 

Definitely the Star Wars score because it's the most powerfull score. And everyone on the world knows the famous opening theme, I think.

 

And no one's mentioned ET (apart from the post with the list of high-grossing films)