Well, I saw Jurassic World last night. It was one of my most-anticipated movies of the year and one of the most evocative thing to me is STILL John Williams’ score. It’s one of my top 10 favorite scores from this legendary composer, out of a long list of phenomenal work. The score played within the first 15 minutes of the film and I immediately felt nostalgic about the first Jurassic Park movie that opened in 1993. That was 22 years ago and boy the score still felt as fresh and powerful as ever. I’ll save my thoughts about the new movie for my review but since I’ve been humming this score all day today, I thought I’d highlight it on today’s music break!
Apparently Williams began writing the Jurassic Park score at the film at the end of February of 1993, and it was conducted a month later (per Wiki). WOW! Can’t imagine it only took him a month to come up with something so iconic and legendary. Even just hearing a few notes, the score is immediately recognizable and so evocative that it REALLY takes you to Isla Nublar in Central America.
There’s a sense of adventure that’s simply intoxicating in the score. That chopper scene on the way to the island is full of excitement and hope, completely unsuspecting of the danger in store for them once they get there. There’s a slight ominous tone in the score below, but only briefly, as then the music swells up again with that iconic theme that makes you even more excited to see those dinosaurs!
This gentle and sublimely gorgeous score is not as popular as the main theme, but I absolutely love it. It fits the gentle nature of the largest known dinosaur, the Brachiosaurus.
Per Wiki, similar with another Steven Spielberg film he scored, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Williams felt he needed to write “pieces that would convey a sense of ‘awe’ and fascination” given it dealt with the “overwhelming happiness and excitement” that would emerge from seeing live dinosaurs.
I’m glad they still use this iconic score for the new film. I can’t imagine topping this masterful work.
Hope you enjoy this Music Break. Do you love this score as much as I do?
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I absolutely love this score! I can listen to it anytime, anywhere. It says something when I can envision the scene each piece of music goes with. I didn’t realize Williams composed the score in such a short amount of time. That’s amazing!
Right on Drew! Yeah it’s VERY evocative indeed, love that about John Williams’ work. I did not know about the trivia that he composed it in just a month until today. That’s phenomenal, that guy is a genius obviously!
Hi Ruth! I can’t WAIT to see this. Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favorites and holds huge nostalgia for me. My brothers and I would watch and re-watch this movie. The score is absolutely incredible, so it’s nice to know they’ve played on it a bit in Jurassic World.
Fun little fact, I went on a helicopter tour in Kauai and they brought us to THE waterfall used in the film and even played the main score for added effect. Talk about major goosebumps! If you ever go, I would highly recommend the tour.
So excited to see this!
Ahah, funny you mentioned the Kauai tour, yes I’ve been there too: https://flixchatter.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/jurassicparkfalls1.jpg?w=660 I mentioned that in my recap from a few years ago http://wp.me/pxXPC-6ih Seeing the *Jurassic Park* Falls was definitely a highlight of our trip!
Hope you enjoy Jurassic World, just keep you expectation low 😉
This score is brilliant; another timeless classic by Williams alongside so many other Spielberg pictures.
Hi Mark! It’s brilliant indeed, definitely ranks high in my fave scores of all time. It’s got the perfect sound of excitement as well as melancholy.
Love it, love him. On Pandora, I have a movie scores channel and I get to listen to this frequently. The trailer didn’t seem like anything original, just a hodge-podge. I am looking forward to your review. I hope it lives up to the hype!
Williams is a true legend in his field isn’t he? LOVE so many of his stuff. Well unfortunately JW is a let down compared to the original. Some people say ‘oh it’s at least better than Jurassic Park 3’ which can’t be a good sign, ahah.
Sigh. That’s too bad.
Yeah I know. It’s more of a popcorn spectacle flick but didn’t have much of the wit/heart as the original.
I don’t think Williams has ever done a bad theme yet and yes I love JURASSIC PARK score too. It seems all of the big films he composed always bring me back to my younger years of watching movies. I can’t believe it’s been 22 years since the first movie came out, still remember like it’s yesterday when I saw it in a theater.
I’ll wait until I win free passes to go see Jurassic World, my expectations is very low.
Yeah I couldn’t believe it’s been over 2 decades. Some of the scenes are still fresh in my mind and JP will remain timeless I think.
Well, good that you keep your expectation low, then you won’t be disappointed (or as disappointed as others) 😉
Jurassic Park’s score is so classic. I’m looking forward to revisiting it in Jurassic World, and I really hope the film lives up to my expectations 🙂
Hi Courtney! Well I can tell you for sure that the score does not disappoint in the new film… it’s still as evocative as ever. Can’t say the same about the film itself though.
Great post! I love this score too, Ruth. How can ya not? 😉
That’s right Josh, how can you not 😀
You really cannot beat John Williams 😀
You can’t indeed, his score is still the best thing about Jurassic World!
I’d have to mark the film down if they didn’t use that score 😀
I remember first watching this film at my grandparents’ house in England 15ish years ago. This is the kind of score that immediately transports me right back to the moment I watched it. That’s powerful stuff. Great trivia about how long it took Williams to compose it. Incredible.
I’m constantly amazed how evocative this score is, on top of being so sublimely beautiful. It’s nuts how it only took Williams a month to work on it, clearly the man is a genius!
Agreed – even just a few notes still strike me with awe.
Pingback: JUNE Viewing Recap + Movie of the Month |
Pingback: 41 favorite cinematic things to celebrate my b’day