Monday, February 10, 2025

“MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS”

THE STORY – Follows the life of legendary composer John Williams.

THE CAST – John Williams

THE TEAM – Laurent Bouzereau (Director/Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 96 Minutes


More than sixty years after his debut, John Williams’ music remains as recognizable as ever. Even if casual movie fans can’t name any other composer, they will likely know Williams’ name. From the fanfare of “Star Wars” to the tense strings of “Jaws” and even Sunday Night Football and the Olympics, Williams has provided the soundtrack to America in the 20th Century and beyond. As ubiquitous as his music is, few know much more about the man himself. Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary “Music By John Williams” takes audiences through his life and career, reminiscing about the man who has shaped the sound of movies for decades. While the documentary stays fairly surface-level, this magical journey gives audiences the joy of hearing his beautiful compositions yet again while telling his life story.

For decades, Bouzereau has directed behind-the-scenes documentaries for films by Steven Spielberg and others. Like many a making-of featurette, “Music By John Williams” often feels more promotional than a true exploration of the man himself. Even so, a standard journey through Williams’ life and music is still entertaining.

The documentary does give us a peek behind the curtain into Williams’ life and collaborations. While most modern movie lovers know his career after his explosion in popularity in the 1970s, tales of his early years as “Johnny Williams,” pianist and jazz musician, are less well-known. “Music By John Williams” showcases the impressive and oft-forgotten range of the composer’s career. From scoring episodes of “Gilligan’s Island,” the theme from “Lost in Space,” and a jazz album “Rhythm in Motion,” to his more well-known film scores, Williams’ career has taken him in so many different directions. In response to musicians who think he should’ve taken a more “prestigious path, Williams says, “I didn’t lose myself in Hollywood. I found myself.”

Of course, Williams’ long-running collaborations with Spielberg are among his most impressive. Hearing the two banter about how these scores came to life is an absolute joy. Throughout the documentary, Spielberg recollects his first reactions to many of these iconic musical moments, often with a tear in his eye at the thought of it. None of us were there, but these stories conjure up our own memories of watching Elliot and E.T. ride that bike across the sky or seeing the brontosaurus wandering through Jurassic Park for the first time. What the documentary lacks in-depth, it makes up for in emotional recollection.

There are precious few moments in which we get insight into Williams’ process. The film shows him discussing his hesitation to learn the new digital systems that can speed up the process of composing music. Instead, he still writes every note by hand with pen and paper. In many ways, that feels just right for a legendary composer. Outside of that, the film only briefly glimpses at how he developed some of his most recognizable music.

Similarly, his personal life is only explored to a small degree. Williams talks about his late first wife and the challenges of raising his teenagers after she passed away. His daughter shares a few memories here and there of growing up with Williams as a dad. Just as the film seems like it might dig a bit deeper or hit on an unexpected aspect of his life, it veers back. The documentary prefers to zoom out a bit more and just show us the music.

Perhaps that’s enough for now. Williams’ timeless music can transport us in just a few notes, and the documentary amplifies that effect through interviews with collaborators, fellow composers, and scenes from his films. There are countless moments of surprise at films I’d forgotten he composed or never knew he was involved with. “Music By John Williams” is full of the joy that Williams has always brought to the movies, so how could audiences not smile when celebrating the life and achievements of one cinema’s all-time great artists and contributors?

THE RECAP

THE GOOD - The exploration of John Williams's life and music reminds us why he's the greatest film composer of all time. It allows us to hear his experience, history, and the collaborations that allowed his music to thrive. If nothing else, it gives audiences the joy of hearing his magnificent compositions yet again, reliving the emotions, big and small, that come with it.

THE BAD - While there are moments of depth explored Williams' personal life, it stays fairly surface-level. We see a wonderful portrait of Williams' work but not necessarily a deeper picture of the man himself.

THE OSCAR PROSPECTS - Best Documentary Feature

THE FINAL SCORE - 7/10

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

Previous article
Next article
Daniel Howat
Daniel Howathttps://nextbestpicture.com
Movie and awards season obsessed. Hollywood Critics Association Member.

Related Articles

Stay Connected

101,150FollowersFollow
101,150FollowersFollow
9,315FansLike
9,315FansLike
4,686FollowersFollow
4,686FollowersFollow

Latest Reviews

<b>THE GOOD - </b>The exploration of John Williams's life and music reminds us why he's the greatest film composer of all time. It allows us to hear his experience, history, and the collaborations that allowed his music to thrive. If nothing else, it gives audiences the joy of hearing his magnificent compositions yet again, reliving the emotions, big and small, that come with it.<br><br> <b>THE BAD - </b>While there are moments of depth explored Williams' personal life, it stays fairly surface-level. We see a wonderful portrait of Williams' work but not necessarily a deeper picture of the man himself.<br><br> <b>THE OSCAR PROSPECTS - </b><a href="/oscar-predictions-best-documentary-feature/">Best Documentary Feature</a><br><br> <b>THE FINAL SCORE - </b>7/10<br><br>"MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS"