John Williams Music Quotes in Spielberg Films
Contents
1941 (1979)
- Composer Quoted: Traditional Irish tune
- Piece: "The Rakes of Mallow"
- Context: Used during the USO dance brawl scene. The jitterbug ends with Wally being punched by Stretch, setting off a conflict that erupts into a donnybrook. Spielberg was fond of the tune because of its use by Victor Young in John Ford's The Quiet Man, a film and score later referenced in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Composer Quoted: Richard Farrelly
- Piece: "The Isle of Innisfree"
- Context: Heard during the scene that parallels John Wayne's kiss in The Quiet Man, which E.T. sees on TV, with Elliott's kiss at school. The lyrics, not heard in the film, express the longing of an Irish emigrant for his native land, paralleling E.T.'s longing for home.
- Composer Quoted: John Williams
- Piece: "Yoda's Theme" from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- Context: Quoted during the Halloween sequence when Elliott sees a child dressed as Yoda.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- Composer Quoted: Cole Porter
- Piece: "Anything Goes"
- Context: Used in the opening musical number performed by Willie Scott at Club Obi Wan.
Schindler's List (1993)
- Composer Quoted: Traditional Jewish melodies
- Piece: Various traditional Jewish songs, including "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (Jerusalem of Gold)
- Context: Quoted to evoke the cultural and historical context of the film.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- Composer Quoted: Johannes Brahms
- Piece: "Academic Festival Overture"
- Context: Quoted during the campus chase scene, adding a playful and ironic touch.
The Fabelmans (2022)
- Composer Quoted: John Williams
- Piece: "Out to Sea" from Jaws
- Context: The cue from "The Journey Begins" at 0:22 in The Fabelmans sounds like a quote from "Out to Sea" from the Jaws soundtrack at 1:16. This playful and jaunty part of the Jaws score serves as a self-referential nod to Spielberg's own career and adds a lighthearted touch to the scene.
