Wednesday 21 June 2023

John Williams on scoring Indiana Jones



Lucasfilm has dropped a featurette featuring music maestro John Williams' incredible body of work scoring the Indiana Jones franchise for over four decades.



Whilst director Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark) isn't returning for the fifth instalment in the franchise created by George Lucas (Star Wars), Williams is back to compose the music for the man in the hat played by Harrison Ford.

“His music gave such detail to every single heart-stopping moment, and bonded all of these films together and gave these films a musical identity,” says Spielberg in the featurette. Adds Williams: “I’ve been fortunate enough to be associated with the films for quite a long time and to, with each film, add more to the collection of musical material.”

Williams made a surprise appearance at the US premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny alongside Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy and director James Mangold. He conducted an orchestral set to the delight of the assembled audience.

“We have a tradition with Indiana Jones which is that Indy has his music in all the various moves that he has, and his action scenes and comedy, and so many modes, the music is always there,” Williams told the audience.

“The other part of the tradition,” Williams added, “Is that we usually have a theme for the heroine or leading lady. In this film, we have Phoebe Waller-Bridge. You’ll see the most brilliant duet between Harrison and Phoebe as they do their wonderful witty dialogue and action and comedy and jeopardy.”

Williams continued, “Phoebe will be represented musically by a lyrical piece, reminiscent of the ’40s and ’50s and old Hollywood… This is ‘Helena’s Theme.’ It’s all about Phoebe, not all parts of her, but a lot of it.”

Will Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny be a legacy sequel comparable to stablemate Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Fans (myself included) will find out on 30th June.

Are you looking forward to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? Let me know in the comments below.

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