By Andrew Sanford | News | December 18, 2024 |
Header Image Source: DC
John Williams has an incredible ability to capture the soul of a character or film through music. His use of leitmotifs are often as recognizable as the characters themselves. People know Darth Vader just as well as they know the Imperial March. If you see Indiana Jones, it’s hard not to hear his theme in your head. Despite many iterations in the decades since, seeing Superman fly conjures Williams’ classic score.
The Superman theme is incredible. It practically yells Superman at you as it plays. My alarm clock was a Superman symbol that blasted the theme (VERY loudly) for years, and it honestly made it easier for me to get up. Once I realized it was also waking up other people at my theater conservatory I had to get rid of it, but the enthusiasm still stands! Superman’s theme is exciting and nostalgic and has yet to be imitated or bettered.
Bettering it would be difficult. Taste in music is inherently subjective, so there’s a chance people who weren’t born in the ’70s have their own favorite Superman theme (the one for Bruce Timm’s animated show is quite good). It also doesn’t help that scores are not done the same anymore (at least not consistently). Themes and motifs are used less in favor of … background music. There are plenty of talented composers making Hollywood music. There just seems to be less focus on making them characters all their own.
Music became a big topic of discussion when it was announced that James Gunn would be making a Superman film. The writer/director is well known for having needle drops in his movies. He even goes beyond that, having the excellent song “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass be integral to the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. However, he’s made it clear that they will be used less in his new film in favor of a new score by John Murphy, who has worked with Gunn previously.
“There’s nods to Williams, and then also John Murphy’s created this incredibly beautiful score,” Gunn told Comicbook.com. “But the one thing is, it is a score — it’s not a soundtrack. So, it’s not about the songs. There’s a few songs in it, and of course I chose those songs beforehand, but it isn’t like any of my previous movies, really … The score is what drives it. It’s a much, much more of a score film.” Makes a lot of sense to me!
Yes, Gunn used nods to Williams’ score in recent promotion for the film. It would be silly not to, especially given the aspect of Superman’s legacy, which Gunn is playing to. What wouldn’t make sense is just forcing the old score on a new Superman like a certain hack abuser did when he took the reigns of the Justice League movie with … let’s call them “concepts of a plan.” No, Gunn looks to break new ground, and I am here for it.
