The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey
TV & Film:Film History
Technically, John Williams' follow-up to "None But the Brave" is a war film, as it deals with the U.S.-Soviet animosities during the Cold War, but it really is nothing more than pure slapstick comedy that stoops low but still strives to aim high. "John Goldfarb Please Come Home" takes the real-life incident of Francis Gary Powers crashing his U2 plane and makes lowbrow comedy out of it. What results is a low point in Shirley MacLaine's movie career, but a great effort by John Williams in his 10th film. The music in this film relies heavily on arranging the orchestra to create a Middle Eastern flavor, with some 60s punk sprinkled on top. Williams uses many musical styles throughout the film, from a quiet love theme to Keystone Kops-style antics. A major milestone of the film concerns the title song, which marks the first song co-written by Williams to appear in a theatrical film. Host Jeff Commings analyzes Williams' contributions to the film, and the court battle that nearly derailed the film's release.
Episode 54 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Episode 53 - The Empire Strikes Back
Episode 52 - 1941
Episode 51 - Dracula
Episode 50 - Superman
Episode 49 - Jaws 2
Episode 48 - The Fury
Episode 47 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Episode 46 - Star Wars
Episode 45 - Black Sunday
Episode 44 - Midway
Episode 43 - The Missouri Breaks
Episode 42 - Family Plot
Episode 41 - Jaws
Episode 40 - The Eiger Sanction
Episode 39 - The Towering Inferno
Episode 38 - Earthquake
Episode 37 - The Sugarland Express
Episode 36 - Conrack
Episode 35 - Cinderella Liberty
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