"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." So says legendary composer John Williams in the first trailer for the aptly titled Music By John Williams, Disney+'s upcoming soup-to-nuts documentary on the musical maestro produced by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Ron Howard. And we're pretty sure we can all agree that John Williams' music alone — stunning symphonic compositions on such iconic works as Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and even the Olympics — has proven more than enough for several generations' lifetimes, which makes the prospect of a doc dedicated to the life and times of the man himself all the more exciting. Check out that trailer below:
Opening with an experiment in which Williams' longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg underlines the power of a movie score by showing us a scene from Jaws both with and without Williams' iconic two-note piano ostinato, this arguably long overdue Williams love-in — which we are very much here for — looks to boast a wealth of talking heads and archival material in its sweep of the composer's seven decade spanning career. Among the contributors glimpsed in this new trailer are Spielberg, Howard, Kennedy, and Williams themselves, as well as JJ Abrams, James Mangold, Alan Silvestri, Chris Martin (yes, that one!), and in a rare screen appearance, Star Wars' creator himself, George Lucas. The standout contributor though, of course, is Williams' own music, which fills the trailer with wall-to-wall orchestral bangers from across his illustrious career.
Here's the movie's official logline: “Music By John Williams offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy wins, the 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.”
Music By John Williams hits Disney+ on 1 November. In the meantime, music by John Williams hits our ears every single day in the office. Alexa, play 'Duel Of The Fates'!