AFI FEST 2024: MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS

As a kid, I was officially a maestro nerd obsessed with Ray Conniff, Arthur Fiedler, Leonard Bernstein and of course John Williams, who peppered my childhood with music which  swelled my heart a million times over the decades.

Directed by Award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author Laurent Bouzereau, Music by John Williams is an emotionally joyous journey with one of the greatest composers of our time. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar® nominations and five wins, this documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture.

Where does this devine spark and insatiable musical curiosity stem from? Born and raised in New York and moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1948, his love of music was fostered by his Mom and Dad. However, as an adult, a chance meeting with Steven Spielberg (who was a fanboy of of film scores) led Williams to George Lucas resulting in one of the most recognizable film scores of all time for Star Wars.  This film establishes a signature trademark style of composing where themes are created for characters in each film he orchestrates, in addition to spending hours handwriting it all and doing four completely different orchestrated passes as part of his process. Absolutely astounding for someone who very rarely goes to the movies and spends his spare time playing golf with his daughter.

Two of my favorite annual summer events at The Hollywood Bowl are Maestro of the Movies and Black Movie Soundtrack night, where select iconic films are curated and played live by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 17,000 people. It is a testament to the legacy John Williams has created when it comes to music in cinema.

Becoming privy to the BTS world of composers and the process infiltrated to collaborate with filmmakers, as well as, the community of orchestral musicians is fascinating to behold from a man whose mantra is “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”

Music by John Williams provides viewers with a whole new appreciation for the cinematic orchestral process and for a man who has literally been sprinkled with fairy dust to entertain and inspire many generations for decades to come.