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One of the most renowned film composers in history, John Williams has surprisingly conveyed a profound ambivalence towards the visual art form that has earned him worldwide recognition. Despite crafting some of the most iconic scores in cinematic history over a remarkable 60-year career, the 93-year-old maestro has now disclosed that he never esteemed film music highly.

In a conversation with author Tim Grieving for The Guardian, Williams shared his insights, including his assessment of the genre, stating, “I never had a great fondness for film music.”

Williams, who has won five Academy Awards and received 50 Oscar nominations, remarked that much of film music lacks depth, adding, “Film music, no matter how good it may be – and it often isn’t, except for perhaps an eight-minute segment here and there.” He further commented, “I simply believe the music isn’t present.”
According to Williams, a significant portion of the public's appreciation for movie scores is rooted in nostalgia rather than musical quality. He also critiqued the typical structure of film compositions, labeling them as “ephemeral” and “fragmentary,” stating, “until someone reconstructs it, it isn’t something we can even regard as a concert piece.”
Notably, Williams’ scores for Jaws, Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, E.T., Superman, Harry Potter, Home Alone, and Saving Private Ryan are widely regarded as masterpieces, many of which are instantly recognizable and frequently performed in concert venues globally.
His latest original film score was for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023, a project he initially hinted might be his final one, before later clarifying that he would continue to compose.
One of the reasons Williams’ scores are often so esteemed is due to the inspiration they draw from romantic and classical composers such as Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

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