he is composed some of the most iconic
orchestral movie scores ever welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten film
scores by John Williams
for this list we’re looking at John
Williams career as a Hollywood film
composer and are choosing the scores we
feel are the most iconic memorable and
which add to the film’s in which they
appear however we have decided to
exclude films like Fiddler on the Roof
because although he won an Oscar for it
Williams was the arranger and not the
composer of that score a fiddler on the
roof number 10 Empire of the Sun if the
first entry on our list is of such
admirable quality you know that this is
a list filled with serious contenders
Empire of the Sun follows a young
Christian Bale on his journey from rich
expat to Japanese prisoner of war during
the Second World War
William score creates an oral landscape
that matches the horrors of war and
captivity in a way that no listener can
ever forget the brilliant score earned
him not only a well-deserved Oscar
Golden Globe and Grammy nominations but
also won him the BAFTA just one in a
long list of awards
number nine Close Encounters of the
Third Kind area on the heels of his
Grammy and Academy award-winning work on
jaws and Star Wars Williams was tapped
by Steven Spielberg once again to bring
to screen a sense of mystery and
wonderment associated with the unknown
where my everyone has made Warren stay
out of the area similar to his work on
jaws Williams focused on a five tone
theme that ran throughout even
functioning as a plot point within the
movie itself
not only did these notes communicate
with alien life-forms
they became ingrained in popular
consciousness as well as seems to be a
running theme on this list
Williams earned yet another Academy
Award nomination for Close Encounters
but unfortunately he lost to himself in
Star Wars
number eight Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone
after a relative dry spell Williams was
able to stretch his fantasy score
muscles once again for our next entry
this boy will be famous there won’t be a
child in that battle who doesn’t know
his name given the opportunity to take
the music in any direction he wished
Williams crafted a score that set off
the characters quests and Quidditch
perfectly
and his magnificently eerie piece
referred to as Hedwig’s theme became
synonymous with the entire Harry Potter
universe books and films alike
critics seem to think so too as it was
also nominated for an Oscar think about
it who else could have crafted a fantasy
score that would include the perfect
theme for the entire Harry Potter
franchise number seven Superman who do
you call when you need a monumental
score filled with heroism do you even
have to ask
Williams take on our favorite Kryptonian
matched the mood of the film conveying
the theatrical and in some ways
cartoonish feel of heroic deeds instead
of being too serious easy miss I’ve got
you you you’ve got me who’s got you
fun fact veteran Hollywood composer
Jerry Goldsmith was originally in charge
of the score but Williams took the
position due to scheduling conflicts
that worked out well for everyone as
Williams nabbed another Oscar nomination
for his work number six Schindler’s List
one I’m a musician
what if you don’t your name for some of
it I hear your name goes in at least
insecure trucks have your tissues ready
this time around with the help of
director Steven Spielberg Williams uses
his music to depict the sheer tragedy
and loss suffered during the Holocaust
some days this is all going to end
unlike the majority of his other works
Schindler’s List is a much more intimate
score with famed violinist Itzhak
Perlman performing some of the
melancholy music Williams delicate work
on the soundtrack adds to the feeling of
dread that accompanies one of the
world’s darkest periods in history
this emotion invoking score allowed
Williams to bring home his fifth Oscar
because let’s face it Williams is a
magician with music
number five Raiders of the Lost Ark
our next entry is arguably the mother of
all adventure film themes
this score provides another example of
Williams expertise in invoking
excitement most notably through his
Raiders March which would eventually
become synonymous with all of Indies
adventures beyond that Williams is also
able to add just the right amount of
horror when needed
later be regarded as one of Williams
masterpieces this scores snagged the
composer another Oscar nomination now
it’s time to go on an adventure with dr.
Jones
three number four ET the
extra-terrestrial for his next trick
Williams will warm your hearts with this
marvelously uplifting score he’s keeping
hood with his work on ET he wanted to
portray a sense of innocence showcasing
audiences exactly how wide his ranges
and the results blew everyone away
he also proved he has a sense of humor
by including a snippet of Yoda’s theme
from The Empire Strikes Back in the film
when et runs into a child dressed as the
green Jedi
rightfully earning its place as a John
Williams concert staple this is by far
the most enchanting of his scores so
much so that et obtained Williams his
fourth Oscar win he just can’t stop
winning Oscars Kenny
number three Jurassic Park there’s a
kind of sore
there’s a reason Williams as the go-to
guy when it comes to fantastical and
magical themes he inspires us and makes
us feel awe and excitement through his
music which is exactly what he
accomplishes in Jurassic Park
dr. grant my idea dr. Satcher welcome to
Jurassic Park Williams music increases
the sense of amazement we feel when
traveling to Isla Nublar and when we
first see the dinosaurs on-screen
at the same time he doesn’t neglect to
amp up the intensity and fear when the
Tyrannosaurus Rex attacks
William knows exactly what we were
supposed to feel and we happily follow
along
number two jaws
quiet we hear an Oscar went coming
widely considered by fans and critics
alike to be one of Williams most
impressive pieces Williams – no tuba
theme made multitudes of people scared
to venture back into the water again the
score as a whole is incredibly well done
moving the plot along with mounting
tension and primordial dread as
evidenced by such tracks as out to sea
and sea attack number one but it’s the
main theme that proved exactly what
Williams is capable of guys okay over
there
need to build some suspense take note
from John Williams before we orchestrate
our final pick here are a few honorable
mentions
number one Star Wars Episode four a new
hope
this shouldn’t have been a surprise
the combined talents of composer John
Williams and director George Lucas take
us to worlds we couldn’t possibly dream
up
Williams blows us right out of the gate
with the epic opening theme but all of
it from lurching around to the seedy Mos
Eisley cantina to the ending ceremony is
amazing
throughout Williams portrays a sense of
familiarity while exposing us to new
lands and this isn’t just our ruling as
many critics list the Star Wars score as
the best score ever composed so do you
agree with our list you’re meddling in
things that ought not to be meddled in
what’s your choice for John Williams
best score
for more on inspiring top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
Oh
orchestral movie scores ever welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten film
scores by John Williams
for this list we’re looking at John
Williams career as a Hollywood film
composer and are choosing the scores we
feel are the most iconic memorable and
which add to the film’s in which they
appear however we have decided to
exclude films like Fiddler on the Roof
because although he won an Oscar for it
Williams was the arranger and not the
composer of that score a fiddler on the
roof number 10 Empire of the Sun if the
first entry on our list is of such
admirable quality you know that this is
a list filled with serious contenders
Empire of the Sun follows a young
Christian Bale on his journey from rich
expat to Japanese prisoner of war during
the Second World War
William score creates an oral landscape
that matches the horrors of war and
captivity in a way that no listener can
ever forget the brilliant score earned
him not only a well-deserved Oscar
Golden Globe and Grammy nominations but
also won him the BAFTA just one in a
long list of awards
number nine Close Encounters of the
Third Kind area on the heels of his
Grammy and Academy award-winning work on
jaws and Star Wars Williams was tapped
by Steven Spielberg once again to bring
to screen a sense of mystery and
wonderment associated with the unknown
where my everyone has made Warren stay
out of the area similar to his work on
jaws Williams focused on a five tone
theme that ran throughout even
functioning as a plot point within the
movie itself
not only did these notes communicate
with alien life-forms
they became ingrained in popular
consciousness as well as seems to be a
running theme on this list
Williams earned yet another Academy
Award nomination for Close Encounters
but unfortunately he lost to himself in
Star Wars
number eight Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone
after a relative dry spell Williams was
able to stretch his fantasy score
muscles once again for our next entry
this boy will be famous there won’t be a
child in that battle who doesn’t know
his name given the opportunity to take
the music in any direction he wished
Williams crafted a score that set off
the characters quests and Quidditch
perfectly
and his magnificently eerie piece
referred to as Hedwig’s theme became
synonymous with the entire Harry Potter
universe books and films alike
critics seem to think so too as it was
also nominated for an Oscar think about
it who else could have crafted a fantasy
score that would include the perfect
theme for the entire Harry Potter
franchise number seven Superman who do
you call when you need a monumental
score filled with heroism do you even
have to ask
Williams take on our favorite Kryptonian
matched the mood of the film conveying
the theatrical and in some ways
cartoonish feel of heroic deeds instead
of being too serious easy miss I’ve got
you you you’ve got me who’s got you
fun fact veteran Hollywood composer
Jerry Goldsmith was originally in charge
of the score but Williams took the
position due to scheduling conflicts
that worked out well for everyone as
Williams nabbed another Oscar nomination
for his work number six Schindler’s List
one I’m a musician
what if you don’t your name for some of
it I hear your name goes in at least
insecure trucks have your tissues ready
this time around with the help of
director Steven Spielberg Williams uses
his music to depict the sheer tragedy
and loss suffered during the Holocaust
some days this is all going to end
unlike the majority of his other works
Schindler’s List is a much more intimate
score with famed violinist Itzhak
Perlman performing some of the
melancholy music Williams delicate work
on the soundtrack adds to the feeling of
dread that accompanies one of the
world’s darkest periods in history
this emotion invoking score allowed
Williams to bring home his fifth Oscar
because let’s face it Williams is a
magician with music
number five Raiders of the Lost Ark
our next entry is arguably the mother of
all adventure film themes
this score provides another example of
Williams expertise in invoking
excitement most notably through his
Raiders March which would eventually
become synonymous with all of Indies
adventures beyond that Williams is also
able to add just the right amount of
horror when needed
later be regarded as one of Williams
masterpieces this scores snagged the
composer another Oscar nomination now
it’s time to go on an adventure with dr.
Jones
three number four ET the
extra-terrestrial for his next trick
Williams will warm your hearts with this
marvelously uplifting score he’s keeping
hood with his work on ET he wanted to
portray a sense of innocence showcasing
audiences exactly how wide his ranges
and the results blew everyone away
he also proved he has a sense of humor
by including a snippet of Yoda’s theme
from The Empire Strikes Back in the film
when et runs into a child dressed as the
green Jedi
rightfully earning its place as a John
Williams concert staple this is by far
the most enchanting of his scores so
much so that et obtained Williams his
fourth Oscar win he just can’t stop
winning Oscars Kenny
number three Jurassic Park there’s a
kind of sore
there’s a reason Williams as the go-to
guy when it comes to fantastical and
magical themes he inspires us and makes
us feel awe and excitement through his
music which is exactly what he
accomplishes in Jurassic Park
dr. grant my idea dr. Satcher welcome to
Jurassic Park Williams music increases
the sense of amazement we feel when
traveling to Isla Nublar and when we
first see the dinosaurs on-screen
at the same time he doesn’t neglect to
amp up the intensity and fear when the
Tyrannosaurus Rex attacks
William knows exactly what we were
supposed to feel and we happily follow
along
number two jaws
quiet we hear an Oscar went coming
widely considered by fans and critics
alike to be one of Williams most
impressive pieces Williams – no tuba
theme made multitudes of people scared
to venture back into the water again the
score as a whole is incredibly well done
moving the plot along with mounting
tension and primordial dread as
evidenced by such tracks as out to sea
and sea attack number one but it’s the
main theme that proved exactly what
Williams is capable of guys okay over
there
need to build some suspense take note
from John Williams before we orchestrate
our final pick here are a few honorable
mentions
number one Star Wars Episode four a new
hope
this shouldn’t have been a surprise
the combined talents of composer John
Williams and director George Lucas take
us to worlds we couldn’t possibly dream
up
Williams blows us right out of the gate
with the epic opening theme but all of
it from lurching around to the seedy Mos
Eisley cantina to the ending ceremony is
amazing
throughout Williams portrays a sense of
familiarity while exposing us to new
lands and this isn’t just our ruling as
many critics list the Star Wars score as
the best score ever composed so do you
agree with our list you’re meddling in
things that ought not to be meddled in
what’s your choice for John Williams
best score
for more on inspiring top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
Oh
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