Episode 78 - Nixon

The 1995 film "Nixon" was the third and final collaboration between director Oliver Stone and composer John Williams. The film presents a fractured story of Nixon's rise from humble beginnings in California to the presidency. That uneven presentation likely hampered Williams' ability to paint -- musically speaking -- on the canvas Stone presented him. The film features strong themes, from the main theme on Tim Morrison's trumpet to the mournful family theme on strings. Host Jeff Commings doesn't shy away from talking about the obvious connection one of the themes has with "The Imperial March" and how it symbolizes Nixon's strength at his highest points politically. Some of the best musical moments were not used in the film, including music for Nixon's misdeeds and for his older brother's death, and those are presented to let you figure if they deserved to be featured in the film.