Schindler’s List

• Schindler’s List (1993) was directed by Stephen Spielberg.¹
  • Fun fact: In the same year (1993) Spielberg and Williams also collaborated on Jurassic Park. 
• When John Williams first saw a cut of Schindler’s List, he told Spielberg, “Steven, you need a better composer for this.” Spielberg replied, “You’re right. But they’re all dead.”²
  • That’s how Spielberg recalls the exchange. Williams’ version (same idea, just slightly different words) can be found here. 

“I give him images and John finds the emotions for each one. Whenever I write a picture and John writes the score for how he sees my picture, it turns out we always see the same movie. We have the same emotional image.”

Steven Spielberg, on John Williams³

1. Palmer, Christopher, and Martin Marks. “Williams, John.” Grove Music Online (January 31, 2020), accessed May 27, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-3000000229.
2. Rebecca Keegan, “John Williams and Steven Spielberg mark 40 years of collaboration,” The Los Angeles Times (January 8, 2012), accessed May 27, 2021, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-jan-08-la-ca-john-williams-20120108-story.html.
3. aleb Daniloff and Robin Berghaus, “Williams Surprises Spielberg,” BU Today (2009), accessed May 27, 2021, https://www.bu.edu/articles/2009/williams-surprises-spielberg/.