Music By John Williams Premieres in Hollywood
As the documentary was unveiled this week, friends and family reflected on the maestro and his impact on generations of film fans.
For those who know John Williams best, the brilliant composer behind some of the most enduring cinematic themes of the last half century is a strikingly humble musician, a gifted dancer, or “just dad.”
Friends and family gathered in Hollywood this week for the world premiere of Music By John Williams from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries. Offering an insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer, the documentary served as the opening night of the 38th edition of AFI FEST presented by Canva.
“First and foremost, he is my very dear friend,” said Steven Spielberg, who worked with Williams on countless films including Jaws (1975) and Jurassic Park (1993) and co-produced the documentary on Williams’ life. “It’s just been the greatest creative partnership I’ve ever had with a single human being in my entire career. It was hard to get John to agree to allow us to tell the story of his life and career, because John would always say, ‘Well, who would be interested in me?’ I just want [fans] to understand that it wasn’t a magician that gave us themes that we’ve carried with us generationally. It was a beautiful human person.”
Director and executive producer Laurent Bouzereau was inspired to pursue the documentary film as Williams turned 90 in 2022, a milestone moment for the Academy Award-winning composer. “I first met him 30 years ago when Steven Spielberg got me started doing documentary filmmaking and he immediately made me feel comfortable,” Bouzereau recalled. “They’re very similar in their passion and in their art. I think they speak their specific language and that’s very exciting for someone like me, who is basically just a fan and got to live the dream by making this film.”
Director J.J. Abrams and Williams collaborated on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and later Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), a partnership that introduced Star Wars to a new generation. “Whether you know his music or you didn’t realize you know his music — and I think that those are the only two categories that exist — seeing this story, how he works, the compassion and heart that he has, the way he shares that with the orchestra, is so incredible,” Abrams said. “There’s nothing about him and what he does that doesn’t blow my mind. He’s just unreal. And it’s great to get a peek behind the curtain [and get] a sense of the man behind these incredible scores.” For Abrams, Williams brings a stunning humility to every film. “He’s the most humble person,” Abrams continued. “It’s as if he hasn’t read his own resumé. He’s just so good, but talks to you as if he’s just starting.”
Ron Howard, who is also a producer on the documentary, recalled working with Williams and seeing that vulnerability firsthand. “[I remember] sitting down in his studio at his house and him being anxious and nervous,” Howard told Lucasfilm.com. “Here he is, this Oscar-winning genius of a composer, and yet when he’s working on your film, he’s almost tentative and shy about sharing those first cues. And he’s a great musician!” Listening to the piano notes stripped bare — no horn section, no moving image, or accompanying track — Howard could easily see how the music would envelope future audiences. “He beautifully plays these themes without any orchestra, nothing else going on, just him. And you can begin to understand how it’s going to transport you.”
Fellow conductor Gustavo Dudamel first had that transformative experience listening to a Williams score in the movie theater as a child, but has since gone on to become close with his idol. “One of the most important, beautiful gifts that I have received is his friendship,” Dudamel said. “We have danced at a lot of parties. He’s a great dancer! We have a great time talking about books. He’s a lover of Don Quixote. When he invited me to conduct the main title theme from Star Wars, he wrote a piece that wasn’t there the night before because they needed a little bit more music. I was amazed. But for him, it was so natural.”
Dudamel’s personal favorite cue is Leia’s Theme, a gentle piece that accompanies the Princess of Alderaan when she appears on-screen throughout two Star Wars trilogies. When he conducted it live in Barcelona last summer, he was struck by the waves of emotion he felt from the audience. “It was beautiful because we ended with that music where people were laughing, crying, screaming,” he said. “This is the power of the music. It’s not only to see and listen and watch, it’s for people to express themselves.”
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who also serve as producers on the documentary, first worked with Williams on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Spielberg’s Harrison Ford-led Indiana Jones film that started the franchise. “We have so many special memories. I think every single time we walk onto that scoring stage, you can’t believe what you’re about to hear,” Kennedy said before Marshall broke into the “Raiders March” on the red carpet. “The experience of sitting there with a hundred-piece orchestra and there’s four or five of us that get to witness that, there’s nothing more exciting.”
But Kennedy is conscious of the hard work that goes into every composition. “There are moments where I know he is struggling with something. I always found it interesting to watch John love the movie, but feel that he hadn’t quite found what it needed. And I think we both witnessed times where he’s gone in and he’s actually orchestrated a melody several different ways. He’s highlighted horns, he’s highlighted strings, he’s highlighted percussion. You get to experience finding it with him. I think that’s pretty amazing.”
For Jenny Williams, her father’s genius meant listening to the first notes of his earliest work emanating from behind the closed door of his home studio while growing up. Before he became the most recognizable composer of our time, he was a musician writing themes for TV series like Gilligan’s Island (1964-67). “My dad worked at home a lot before it was fashionable and we were told ‘Dad is working, so just make sure you keep quiet around the house,’” she recalled. “So we used to pass little notes under the door to communicate and he would open the door and say hi.” While most fans rattle off Williams’ most high-profile cinematic achievements as their favorite compositions in his repertoire, she especially appreciates his concertos.
Is being the daughter of John Williams a little like being the child of one of the Beatles? She laughed at the question.
“Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes it’s like that. But he’s just dad.”
Watch Music by John Williams on Disney+ on November 1.
