You probably know that the drama film The Fabelmans is an extremely personal story told by director Steven Spielberg. Based on his own life, the movie centers around an aspiring filmmaker called Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) who’s growing up in post-World War II Arizona. But one thing you might not know is that the movie also serves as a celebration for one of Hollywood’s most fruitful partnerships.
In a new featurette from The Fabelmans, Spielberg comes front and center to praise the work of legendary composer John Williams. A five-time Academy Award winner (and 52-time nominee!), Williams has composed the score for many film industry masterpieces and set the tone for beloved franchises like Star Wars, Superman, and Indiana Jones. The fact that The Fabelmans is Williams’ final work before retiring brings the story full circle, as he teams up with the filmmaker who started out beside him.
In the video, Williams reminisces about the very first piece of music he played for Spielberg: The Jaws theme, which today is instantly recognizable. Williams also recalls the famous five-note tune that is an important part of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (another Spielberg movie), and reveals that every music he wrote was played on the same piano for Spielberg – and there’s video evidence to support that!
