Composing Greatness: #16. John Williams - "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)

Scene from E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: John Williams

Entry: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Music, Original Score

Did He Win: Yes

Other Nominees:

-Gandhi (Ravi Shankar)
-An Officer and a Gentleman (Jack Nitzsche)
-Poltergeist (Jerry Goldsmith)
-Sophie's Choice (Marvin Hamlisch)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 17

Oscar Wins: 4

Acceptance Speech

Track List

1. "Three Million Light Years From Home"
2. "Abandoned and Pursued"
3. "E.T. and Me"
4. "E.T.'s Halloween"
5. "Flying"
6. "E.T. Phone Home"
7. "Over the Moon"
8. "Adventure on Earth"

*NOTE: Listen to score here. 

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

Theme Exploration:

"Flying"

I'm unsure if this qualifies as the theme, as it isn't even the first track that the iconic melody plays on. However, it's pretty  much what we think of when we talk about E.T. It's possibly the most accomplished tune in John Williams' entire career, especially when it comes to Steven Spielberg movies. The majesty of those strings makes you feel like you're flying over the moon. You feel at awe. This is when Williams transitioned from being a great composer to an almost perfect one. It's not that everything he did was perfect, but you could hear the raw horror-inspired elements on his previous nominations. Here, he's become classical and found the magic that we all think of him for. If this isn't one of his greatest achievements, then I don't know what is. 

Interesting Standout
"Over the Moon"

The score manages to go in every direction at a certain point. However, what interests me more is that this is one of the few that feels lead by a piano. It's not a traditional type of piano either. It's a breezy piano that plays like a wave or a harp. You get lulled into its beauty, and you find John Williams working his magic. While he has made staring into space a lot of things into the past, this is probably the one that is almost too comforting. How could someone not look into the stars and think that the world is a great place. That piano does wonders, and the way that the melody builds is also quite an achievement. 

Best Moment
"Adventure on Earth"

It does seem like a cop out to suggest that the best track is a medley of everything from the movie. However, it's also where the magic of John Williams shines brightest. He doesn't just write great melodies. He also makes them so intricate that the transitions are almost harmonious in unexpected ways. This track runs the gamut of every theme on the album, and it does so in ways that capture how far he's come as a composer. He's polished away the rough edges in favor of something more triumphant and classical. He isn't just borrowing from one composer here. I hear traces of Wizard of Oz in those horns. I hear dreamlike melodies in those strings. Everything is present here, and you can't help but recognize why this got him another Oscar. It's so brilliantly constructed and is essentially, yes, movie magic.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:

Yes

I may have a controversial view, but I think that this may be Williams' most assured score to date. He has created several scores that all have some focus on space. As much as I like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, there's still some rough edges in there that reflect a composer with raw energy. Here, he's balanced his Bernard Herrmann obsession with elements that come from more classical composers like Max Steiner. It feels romantic as well as majestic, and you can't help but feel transported just by playing the music. If nothing else, this score deserves an extra Oscar for making kids want to ride bikes. It's just so good.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Win?

Yes

As I have just mentioned, I think that this may be the most John Williams score that he's produced. While Jaws could be seen as more iconic, I still think it was manic and reflective of his earlier years. Here, he has given up his rough edges to better a central style that pops with life. I'm sure that scary side will come back in time, but this is where he transcends contemporary composer status and enters the pantheon. The fact that he created a lot of his most memorable work in less than 10 years is astounding. The fact that we can still hum those tunes is even more of a testament. It'll be awhile before he wins again, but at least he shows that he's a man of many talents and that you can't stop him from trying something new and interesting.

Up Next: Yes, Giorgio (1982) for Best Music, Original Song

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by John Williams.

1. "Flying"- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 
2. "The Raiders March" - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
3. "Main Theme (Theme From 'Jaws')" - Jaws (1975)
4. "Theme From 'Superman'" - Jaws (1978) 
5. "Prologue/Tradition" - Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
6. "Main Title and Mountain Visions" - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
7. "Main Title/The Ice Planet/Hoth" - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
8. "Main Title" - The Towering Inferno (1974)
9. "Main Title/Rebel Blockade/Runner Medley" - Star Wars (1977)
10. "Wednesday Special (Main Theme)" - Cinderella Liberty (1973)
11. "Main Title/First Introduction/The Winton Flyer" - The Reivers (1969)
12. "River Song"- Tom Sawyer (1973)
13. "Where Did My Childhood Go?" - Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
14. "Theme from 'Valley of the Dolls'"/"Theme from 'Valley of the Dolls' - Reprise" - Valley of the Dolls (1967)
15. "Opening Titles" - The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
16. "In Search of Unicorns" - Images (1972)

Best Song

A ranking of all Oscar-nominated songs composed by John Williams.

1. "Nice to Be Around" - Cinderella Liberty (1973)

Best Winner

A ranking of all winners composed by John Williams.

1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) for Best Music, Original Score
2. Jaws (1975) for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
3. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) for Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score
4. Star Wars (1977) for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score