“Music is half the film.”
That certainly is the case for Star Wars. Having viewed early cuts of the film, Lucas and Co. had great concern over editing problems and overall lack of pizzazz that the film desperately needed. They were over-budget and hadn't made the release date given to them by 20th Century Fox.
Enter John Williams.
Enter John Williams.
Fresh from winning an Academy Award for his JAWS score, Williams was hired to bring the full Star Wars experience to life. Having worked on numerous films before, John was recommended by a close friend Steven Spielberg to help Lucas out with his film. In a time where disco was king, the traditional score of Williams was a gamble for the success needed to have this film not to be an utter failure. Williams' undertones and thematic flare brought Star Wars to the level greatness and squashed the notion to use a disco-themed score.
We all know what happened next, and Williams went on to receive a second Academy Award for his work. Aside from the next two films [and later the prequel trilogy] John has scored some of the biggest titles around; Superman, Jurassic Park, E.T., Schindler's List, the Indiana Jones movies are just a few of his long credited discography.
Along with the work of ILM, the editors, and the crew at Elstree, John Williams was crucial in forging one of the greatest occurrences in cinematic history.
Along with the work of ILM, the editors, and the crew at Elstree, John Williams was crucial in forging one of the greatest occurrences in cinematic history.
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