The John Towner Williams Homepage: 2002 second Quarter

For Always on video. Maestro Conducting...The Boston Pops Concert 28th July, 2002

Are you a Boston Pops freak? Do you like collecting gems? so, what are you waiting for???

New presentation and new web hosting (courtesy by Andreas Westphal), it's possible some sections don't work fine, don't worry, I'll try to fix it as soon as it's possible, if you have any advice or suggestion, please email me. thanks in advance.

In Spain, Madrid, five or six months ago was inaugurated a new Thematic Park, Warner Movie Park. You won't believe me if I tell you this park looks like 5 or 6 years old, incredible but true (visitors destroying the park??? where's the maintenance service or the security service???) . And do forget losing your time waiting under the sun to see the live shows...they're horrible, only one exception, the night show, this is a wonderful and highly recommended show, the rest is dull and shameful. This is only my opinion!!.(This is a Six Flags & Warner Bros park) I love the rollescoasters!!!. In Spain, Port Aventura remains as the best Thematic Park, but we're still waiting that Universal/Vivendi introduce new movie attraction (T2-3D, Back to the future, Backdraft, Jurassic Park....), it's time to begin!!! don't you think???

Minority Report: the movie is perfect.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! I'm the only one who thinks (I'm odd??) Mr Spielberg is paying a little homage to a short movie called Troops when using the song "bad boys...what you gonna do..." (before the arachnid scene) and showing an image with the word COPS?!

And please, somebody can explain me what does it mean when Kaminski and Spielberg repeat again a similar photographic effect used in SPR (do you remember that scene when Caporal Upham shoots the nazi officer???!) and now again in Minority report when Collin Farrell and Tom Cruise fight???.

The Fury/Romancing the Stone/Predator/Commando/Magic (only 4 can be real!!!!....Horner? who's Horner?)

That's right, it's not a John Williams gem, but it's an absolute GEM...one of the most amazing dvd's I had the pleasure to see and listen to

Lurene Tuttle, Barbara Ruyck's mother was also an actress, if you want to meet her, just catch your Pycho dvd and she'll be there.

I remember years ago reading an interesting interview with Mr Atlman published in Film Comment talking about his film California Split and telling a funny anecdote regarding Brabara Ruyck and Barbara London, unfortunately I didn't find the magazine.

"John Williams: Jedi Maestro, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones Soundtrack Radio Special." 73 minutes. Radio shows part 1 & 2 equal 58:19 plus includes "Across the Stars" dialogue/SFX edit. Also includes George Lucas clips. Now at Ebay

This is the fifth time this item appears at Ebay. Once Sony cancelled it. I know two people who got this very rare item hehehehe

Want to see something funny to avoid auction cancellations at Ebay??? check this

Minority Report: The Original Motion Picture Score ØØØØØ This is my Score after listening twice, now need to see the movie and soon!!. Unfortunately this movie won't be released in Catalonia till October 4Th. Fortunately in UK will be released next July....we'll see what I'm going to do....

"John Williams has done a masterful job in his musical presentation of Minority Report. The plot and story find their roots in the combination of American film noir and the classic "whodunit" mysteries that were so popular in the era of Humphrey Bogart and filmmaker John Huston. John Williams and I have often marveled at the way Bernard Herrmann was able to contribute so much musical suspense to an Alfred Hitchcock picture. So in that tradition of mystery, suspense and film noir, John has fashioned a fast-paced, yet dark portrait of America in the year 2054 when the murder of one human being by another can foretold through the miraculous gifts of three precognitives. Unlike our other collaborations, John's score for Minority Report is not lush with melody; it is nonetheless brilliant in its complexity and forceful in its rhythms. It is the kind of music that will start in your spine and eventually find its way to your heart in the section titled "Sean's Theme." If most of John's scores for my films have been in color, I think of this score as his first one in black and white. But as in most of John's music quite often you don't need the pictures to understand the musical story that John is telling you. After all, John Williams is the greatest musical storyteller the world of movies has ever known."
Steven Spielberg

Magnificent Reviews: Why US film critics only talk about Janusz Kaminski? and Williams?

Listen to Mr Ebert & Roeper talking about Minority Report (also including dialogues and music)

If "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Blade Runner" advanced the most provocatively elaborated visions of the near-future for their respective generations, then surely "Minority Report" offers the most persuasively detailed portrait modern Hollywood has created of what the United States may look like 50 years hence. Steven Spielberg's latest foray into sci-fi territory is also his darkest and most socially relevant, as it outfits a straight-ahead man-on-the-run film noir yarn with extraordinary technological postulations as well as a genuinely thoughtful investigation of the suddenly pertinent subject of thwarting anticipated crime before it happens. This outstanding 20th Century Fox/DreamWorks co-venture may be a shade too serious and contemplative to completely enchant the thrill-seeking masses, while simultaneously seeming too mainstream-minded and genre-bound to be entirely embraced by highbrows. But the film's success is in line with what American films historically have done best, which is to excitingly tell a strong story with high style and just enough substance. Combined draw of Tom Cruise, Spielberg and sci-fi subject obviously creates outsized B.O. expectations, but fact that pic is pitched considerably over the heads of the lowest common denominator will likely keep enough kids away to make this a commercial extra-base hit rather than a home run.

Dominated by the grainy, blueish, heavily desaturated cinematography of Janusz Kaminski, pic has a virtually seamless look in which many layers of visual elements have been superbly combined.

"Minority Report" is the most troubling kind of speculative fiction. There is much to absorb here, almost too much for a single viewing, which probably means the kind of repeat business on which boxoffice bonanzas are built"

"One of John Williams' subtlest scores in years, somewhat reminiscent of the work Bernard Herrmann did for Hitchcock, brings a certain amount of tension without his usual lush orchestrations. Longtime Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski's desaturated color pulls all the disparate worlds -- the scruffy streets, cold and gleaming interiors, magnetic highways and the womblike Pre-Cog Chamber -- into a dark, unified whole."

"Should knock the socks off anyone who enjoyed Spielberg's "A.I."" FRESH (9/10)

Scott Frank............................Screenplay and cameo, Brother-in-law of director Phil Joanou,don't you remember this guy directing time ago some episodes of Amazing Stories (still waiting for a dvd release)

ET on dvd!! three different releases, for me only two, why a pan & scan???? you don't know why I hate so pan&scan invention!!??

source Ain't It Cool News : MINORITY REPORT. Did you enjoy A.I???....then you're a lucky guy.

Just got the chance to sit down and spool of some thoughts on Spielberg's new baby. I was luck enough to catch a screening of Minority Report yesterday and had to let you and the rest know just how good it is.

First off, let me preface this report by saying that I enjoyed A.I. This may write me off immediately by many people, but on the whole, I enjoyed it. I admired it's look and while bogged down a bit in places by sentimentality, I thought it to be a bold move by an older, wiser director wanting to branch out.

As far as the acting in the film, Cruise gives a performance that sparkles on may levels. He is driven, ambitious, angry, and compassionate in his motives. Playing both the hunter and the hunted, Cruise keeps you involved every step of the way. Also, in a welcome return, Max von Sydow is electric in his performance as the head of the Precrime division. Honestly, both actors are top notch. Another bright spot of the movie is the eerie, haunting performance given by Samantha Morton as one of the precogs that let the law see into the future.

Back to Spielberg. The look of this film is fantastic. By combining excellent art direction and daring cinematography, Spielberg has given a glimpse of the future that both wonderous and very real. This future lives and breathes. Every gadget works and serves a purpose. Every gimmick both wows and propels the story. Alex McDowell and Januscz Kaminski both deserve to be recognized when award season comes about.

To sum it up, Minority Report is a winner. Those alienated by A.I. are bound to think differently about this film. And those who embraced it, will relish Minority Report even more. Spielberg has hit a home run.

The same frame....is it the same movie? of course not. John Carpenter's Vampires

Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," the second highest-grossing movie not yet released on DVD, will come home again on Oct. 22, but only for a brief visit.

Universal Studios Home Video will reintroduce the alien creature to homevideo audiences in both his bigscreen incarnations (original and re-release) in a Limited DVD Collector's Edition ($22.95) for 10 weeks only before the title goes on moratorium indefinitely. It is the first Universal video to get a limited release.

USHV president Craig Kornblau said he expects the title to be one of the top-selling DVDs of a very crowded fourth quarter.

Most requested

"This has been our most requested title routinely," he said.

The only title bigger than "E.T." that has yet to be released on DVD is the first "Star Wars" theatrical release. George Lucas has said he will likely not release any of the first three Star Wars movies on DVD until he completes work on the sixth film.

The double-disc Limited Edition "E.T." DVD features 10 hours of extras. Spielberg appears in original featurettes describing all facets of the production of the original 1982 theatrical release and the updated 20th anni theatrical release earlier this year.

Another unique element is the isolated track of John Williams' score, which he updated for the re-release, and video of him conducting a 100-piece orchestra at this year's premiere, complete with a four-minute overture and light show.

The DVD release will cap U's 18-month marketing campaign that geared up around its theatrical re-release last March and incorporated its theme parks. "We put the whole company behind it," Kornblau said. "We're kicking out all cylinders on this."

USHV will plug the release with a multimillion-dollar ad campaign backed by its promotional partners Wendy's, Kodak and Toyota. An Ultimate Collector's Gift Set ($69.98) includes a CD soundtrack, script from the original film and a collectible senitype.

(Jennifer Netherby is a reporter for Daily Variety sister publication Video Business.)

Another video....this time, the excellent performance of Fiddler on the Roof , again, at The Bowl. Enjoy it!!

New video: American Journey at the Bowl (4'30")/The complete score is only available on cd at Amazon.

Coming soon on cd Minority Report, you can place your order now at Amazon (this is the first time that Mr. Spielberg joins Fox as Director and I had the chance to see -from outside- the three stages that Mr. Spielberg used to shoot this long-awaited new masterpiece at FOX Studio.Century City, in front of the Nakatomi-die hard- Tower, so thanks to Chris)

Another rare and hard to find cd I recently found in Japan and now it's out of stock, sorry. ARK SOUNDTRACK SQUARE

Rachel Worby will be coming back to Barcelona to conduct three concerts performing classics themes composed by The Maestro John Williams

New videos: John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl playing Star Wars, Schindler's List and A.I. (Windows Media Player)

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones....better forget it!!! just one request Mr Lucas...don't direct again!!!, you only have to produce your ideas, another one has to write them and finally, Mr Williams has to decide where the music has to be...NOT YOU!!!! (I think Mr Williams is telling everybody that he's not seen the movie because he prefers not to show his angry....he's a jedi master hehehehe

Mr Bernstein and wife spent and shared their time with some "movie music lovers" in Barcelona...

John Williams: New and interesting release of The Trumpet Concert composed by The Maestro and brilliantly performed by Arturo Sandoval _also including a new recording of Essay for Strings_ Order it at denouementrecords

The hero is back...but on a dvd bootleg. Unfortunately sound quality is very poor, just a fake 5.1, and image quality is quite bad (at least it's a 2:35.1), so Mr. Lucas don't dealy so these editions. My recommendation....Wait!!!!

MINORITY REPORT	TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX	$130,059,611	$88,401,588	$218,461,199
STAR WARS: EPISODE .II ATTACK CLONES	TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX	$300,082,553	$324,124,609	$624,207,162