Another WAR OF THE WORLDS Mystery

[mkaroly]

The score for Minority Report had much stronger melodic lines in the action than WOTW, pretty easy to remember, also the theme was pretty nice and strong... here it is all kept very functional. If Andy didnt like MR, he will probably hate this. I like it, though the days of a score like Indy II or such by Williams are long gone...

I didn't "hate" Williams' score for Minority Report at all. I liked it a great deal in the film, I just didn't think it was especially memorable or worth hearing away from the film. It's just my personal taste (let me put it this way -- I've owned the CD since the movie came out and don't recall putting it into the player to hear it since).

I disagree though the days of Williams writing a great score are gone. His first two HARRY POTTER scores, EPISODE III, even THE PATRIOT (quite underrated with some stirring themes) are very strong scores. I think the problem is Spielberg's embracement of his "adult" side, and Williams' scores becoming these non-thematic and less emotional works as a result. Look at CATCH ME IF YOU CAN -- a solid score by Williams, but like the film, it's almost too restrained and low-key for its own good. It's as if Spielberg is simply afraid to let emotion boil over, and is holding it in check...quite honestly I'd love to see Williams work with some other directors and break out of the sequel cycle (too many Harry Potters and six Star Wars films will do that!) in addition to continuing his collaboration with Spielberg....and especially see him score some smaller, character-driven projects as well. You can only score so many genre films before you run out of ideas...even for Johnny T.

I'd throw ANGELA'S ASHES and HARRY POTTER III in there as well- the HPIII score is very thematically rich and works better that the previous two in my opinion. I'd definitely like to see him score "some smaller, character driven projects" as well. No one else may like them, but I love scores like THE RIVER and STANLEY & IRIS. I also liked THE PATRIOT.

[AndyDursin]

No one else may like them, but I love scores like THE RIVER and STANLEY & IRIS.

I do too Michael. STANLEY & IRIS is a beautiful score -- only 28 minutes long as memory serves, but a gorgeous and lyrical, low-key work, yet infused with broad melodic strokes...I'd love to see Williams get back to doing some kind of scoring along those lines.

Like I said, I don't think anyone can keep cranking out large-scale genre scores and not suffer an eventual downturn -- even Williams. As much as I've regarded scores like MINORITY REPORT, they're not of a caliber like his earlier classics.