At the risk of unleashing hot-takes and causing controversy,John Williamsis a very good composer, his music always fits the movies he’s composing for, and his film scores are memorable.In actuality, though, praising John Williams is about the easiest thing to do when it comes to discussing/critiquing film, because he seemingly never misses. Not only does he refuse to miss, but he usually fulfills his role within the making of a film perfectly, sometimes elevating the entire movie or even overshadowing other parts of it, because his music is just that good.
With close to six decades spent composing film scores, and a staggering 54 Academy Award nominations (his five total wins feels a bit low, really), what’s more likely to cause controversy while discussing Williams’ accomplishments is not being able to list everything. Among the following, there will be some upsetting omissions, but the ranking below intends to showcase his versatility as well as his knack for crafting unforgettable compositions. Taking into account both how well the score fits with the movie and how memorable it might be on its own, the following intends to highlight the most outstanding scores of John Williams’ outstanding body of work.
25’War Horse' (2011)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Get used to seeing the nameSteven Spielberg, because he’s easily the director John Williams has worked with most frequently. The two work together so well that it’s rare for Williams to compose a score for a Spielberg film and not receive at least an Oscar nomination for it. To call some of these scores iconic would be an understatement, but those that are “merely” very good shouldn’t be ignored entirely.
Case in point, the score forWar Horseis very good, and it’s an overall solid film that doesn’t quiterank among Spielberg’s best war moviessimply because he’s made a bunch of other great ones. But honestly,the sweeping and appropriately moving score forWar Horsemight well be better than most of the film’s other elements, with Williams bringing his A-game to a not-quite-A-level Spielberg film (again, his standards are high; it’s still good).
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24’Catch Me If You Can' (2002)
2002 was a good year forLeonardo DiCaprio, especially when it came to the actor breaking away from the sorts of roles that had made him a heartthrob in the late 1990s. He collaborated with Martin Scorsese forthe first time inGangs of New York, and then also worked with Spielberg onCatch Me If You Can, which was additionally one of two high-profile 2002 movies Spielberg directed and John Williams scored (more on the other one later).
The music forCatch Me If You Cansometimes has that typical Williams feel (like on the track “Father and Son”) but sometimes gets a little less conventional, and even jazzy, as heard on the title track/main theme.It’s a pretty energetic and overall breezy Steven Spielberg film, and John Williams – as always – was able to match that tone with his music.
Catch Me If You Can
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23’JFK' (1991)
Director: Oliver Stone
What’s this, a movie that wasn’t directed by Steven Spielberg? Honestly, if John Williams had only ever worked with Spielberg, he’d still have many memorable scores to his name, and would remain one of the most beloved composers in film history.But he’s worked with plenty of other directors, too, and usually turns in equally great work for them, as seen withJFK, which isn’t the only time Williams has done the music for anOliver Stonemovie.
Adense, long, dizzying, and thrilling historical film(that plays fast and loose with history sometimes),JFKexplores one of the most infamous and impactful events of the 20th century in the U.S.: the assassination of PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. Williams’ score instantly sets the tone, with the prologue sounding solemn and some of his music later matching the tension and frenzy of the narrative.
New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there’s more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.
22’Empire of the Sun' (1987)
Empire of the Sunis another war movie directed by Steven Spielberg that saw John Williams taking on composing duties. It’s based on a semi-autobiographical novel byJ. G. Ballard, meaning it captures things witha strong level of authenticity and historical accuracy, which naturally makes the story – about a young boy living as a prisoner of war during World War II – all the more harrowing.
Much of the score isthe usual John Williams orchestral greatness, but things stand out a little more on some tracks, thanks to the use of The Ambrosian Junior Choir(which also fits in with the whole narrative being about a young boy’s experience with war). It’s not the only music by John Williams to use vocals by any means, but that touch works extra well here, ensuringEmpire of the Sun’sscore stands as one of the composer’s more underrated efforts.
Empire of the Sun
21’Born on the Fourth of July' (1989)
A couple of years beforeJFK, Oliver Stone’sBorn on the Fourth of Julyalso benefited from a typically strong John Williams score.This raw and emotionally tense biopiccentered onRon Kovic, a man who became paralyzed while serving in the Vietnam War, and later became a political activist and figure of the anti-war movement, as his experiences made him understandably feel like his country betrayed him.
Born on the Fourth of Julywasan early showcasefor Tom Cruise’srange, and was similarly significant for continuing to show just how well Williams could score war films (and not just those fought among the stars).The film also contains plenty of non-Williams songs, but his compositions – when heard – are incredibly powerful, and drive home the high-intensity emotions conveyed by the rest of the movie; notably, its acting, writing, and expectedly passionate direction from Stone.
Born on the Fourth of July
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20’Hook' (1991)
There’s a certain quality to many of the scores John Williams has composed for quite a few family-friendly movies that’s hard to put into words. “Whimsical” runs the risk of sounding juvenile, but there is also something bubbly and undeniably fun-sounding about the jauntier parts of these scores. They’re also a little bittersweet, such a sensation maybe being felt because they don’t tug on the heartstrings as aggressively as other films that target adult viewers more, or because hearing such music can be nostalgic for anyone who watched these family films when they were younger.
Anyway, waffling aside,Hookisone of those hard-to-describe John Williams scores, and it has that sort of magical touch plenty of scores he’s done for family films have. The movie as a whole is also good, if a little messy (and not as consistent as Williams’ work for it), but the story of an adultPeter Panreturning to Neverland has its moments for sure, andthe cast is also seriously impressive.
19’Minority Report' (2002)
Going from thinking aboutHookto thinking aboutMinority Reportshows the versatility of both Steven Spielberg and John Williams as masters of their respective crafts. One is a goofy and sentimental family/fantasy movie, and the other isa rather intense and thrilling sci-fi moviethat also asks difficult questions surrounding law, justice, and the extent authorities can/should go to when preventing crimes from happening.
It’s a movie that takes some confronting ideas and difficult questions and breaks them down in a way that’s approachable, not to mention entertaining and consistently exciting.Spielberg was lucky, as always, to have Williams there to help in pulling off this balancing act, because his score helps in keeping the momentum going constantly.Minority Reportmight not have as many memorable motifs or melodies as some other scores by the composer, but it’s exceedingly effective at complementing the visuals and overall narrative.
Minority Report
18’Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017)
Director: Rian Johnson
WhileStar Wars: The Last Jedimight be among themore divisive sequels in theStar Warsseries, to say the least, John Williams’ score is probably one part of the movie most can agree is very strong. People are passionate about the series as a whole, so that means it’s understandable why debates happen among viewers, but John Williams has been a consistent presence throughout all nine of theSkywalker Sagamovies; of the nine, six have received Academy Award nominations (with one win).
The Last Jediwas one of those nominees, and it deserved it, because the score here does a masterful job of building upon some of the themes established inThe Force Awakens, making themfeel even grander while continually blending them with new takes on recognizable themes from the older movies. The film overall is a strange and sometimes tonally messy one (for better or worse; your mileage may vary), but Williams’ score doesn’t hit a wrong note (pun intended), from the remarkable track “Main Title and Escape” at the film’s opening to “Finale,” the track heard… well, at the end of the film, duh.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
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17’The Fabelmans' (2022)
The Fabelmansis almost a biographical film, with Steven Spielberg recalling aspects of his childhood and family life when he was younger, working them into a story that also recounts how he himself became passionate about filmmaking. The wonders and hardships of childhood have shown up in plenty of other Spielberg films,givingThe Fabelmansa feeling reminiscent of other, older films by the director; though here, the subtext is closer to text.
John Williams also returns to some of his older sounds here, in a way. The score forThe Fabelmansisn’t derivative or boring, but it is somewhat familiar in a manner that suits the film, which looks back in time, sometimes fondly, and sometimes with brutal honesty. The approaches taken by both Spielberg and Williams worked wonders, thankfully, becauseThe Fabelmansis up there with thebest movies released during the 2020s so far.
The Fabelmans
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16’Saving Private Ryan' (1998)
With some of the aforementioned Spielberg + Williams movies, it’s been the case that the score by the latter has sometimes equaled or even surpassed the overall filmmaking of the former. This might not be the case forSaving Private Ryan, though, which istypically considered one of the best films- if not the best film - Spielberg’s ever made, while the score for it is still very good, but maybe not one of Williams’ absolute best.
This might be by design, though, because the score here is largely understated, so as not to distract too greatly from the other more in-your-face and impactful scenes in the film (especially the opening, depicting the U.S. army’s landing at Omaha Beach). However, the music is still a strong accompaniment when needed, and the quietly triumphant yet solemn track “Hymn to the Fallen” is an undeniable standout.
