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Music by John Williams

Play trailer 2:24 Poster for Music by John Williams PG Released Nov 1, 2024 1h 45m Documentary Biography Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 48 Reviews 97% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar® nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams' countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture. The film features interviews with artists and filmmakers whose lives have been touched by his timeless music.
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Music by John Williams

Music by John Williams

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Critics Consensus

A warm retrospective on a modern master, this documentary is a symphonic treat for anyone who loves music in the movies -- or just plain great music.

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Critics Reviews

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Keith Watson Daily Telegraph (UK) ... A feelgood study of a man remarkably spry at 92 and blessed with a cupboard refreshingly free of skeletons. Rated: 3/5 Nov 4, 2024 Full Review Nick Schager The Daily Beast There may be no cinematic artist more deserving of a lionizing documentary than Williams, and that’s precisely what he receives from "Music by John Williams." Nov 2, 2024 Full Review David Ehrlich IndieWire “How does he do it?,” someone asks. “Music by John Williams” doesn’t have the slightest idea. This long and indulgent doc is content to let us bask in the mystery of it all. Rated: B- Nov 1, 2024 Full Review Rachel Ho Exclaim! Documentaries like 'Music by John Williams' can easily venture into sycophantic fawning, and arguably this one does just that — but I think collectively we can all agree, that such fawning is deserved and, in this case, encouraged. May 14, 2025 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy One of 2024's 20 best. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 5, 2025 Full Review Rachel Wagner rachelsreviews.net This is definitely a must watch for any movie fan. Jan 5, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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BRENDEN J Music by John Williams was fantastic movie! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Daniel B Well done documentary Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/12/25 Full Review Audience Member If you are a film score geek like me, this one is for you. ENLIGHTENING - INSPIRING - LOW-ENERGY - EDUCATIONAL Every movie you've seen scored by John Williams will flash before your eyes. It is a look behind the curtain into his career, but it doesn't push the boundaries of his story or the genre. This is a safe film. What about the struggles he faced to create all of his incredible music? We're only given a glimpse at the loss of his wife, and how that affected him... but that's it. This fine documentary lacks energy. It needs to be the sketchbook for a feature film about his life - what Maestro should have been. Music By John Williams feels classic, in both an ordinary and beautiful way. It was a bit frustrating because Williams is anything BUT ordinary... perhaps it's just the film format here. A biopic of Williams would be legendary. I'm fascinated by the scope of footage they have spanning his entire scoring career. It could be daunting to pull together so much history, but Bouzereau does so with finesse. Worth a watch... but it could have been so much more. In the end, this feels more like a film you'd watch in a lecture hall in film school when there's a free day in the professor's class schedule. There's nothing wrong with that. It just is what it is. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/08/25 Full Review Audience Member An incredible documentary that brings together Williams' entire career and highlights its impact on people with wildly different perspectives...not to mention it caused me to start rewatching Spielberg's entire filmography. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/25 Full Review Will G A fantastic composer! He did great music for many George Lucas and Steven Spielberg movies. He also composed music for “Harry Potter” and “Home Alone”. He is also very talented on the piano. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/25 Full Review Kyle M A documentary worthy of its subject’s incredibly talented caliber integrity that expresses knowledgeable passion behind iconic scores – some pleasantly emphasized, utterly covered in respecting cherished expectations, whilst fulfilling in layering the story onto the household name. (A-) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/05/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar® nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams' countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture. The film features interviews with artists and filmmakers whose lives have been touched by his timeless music.
Director
Laurent Bouzereau
Producer
Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Steven Spielberg, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Distributor
Disney+
Production Co
Lucasfilm, Amblin Documentaries, Imagine Documentaries
Rating
PG (Some Violence|Smoking|Brief Language)
Genre
Documentary, Biography, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 1, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2024
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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