JFK Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1992)

John Williams' score for the polemical 1992 film, plus a few additional tracks not by Williams. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score, it lost to the score of Beauty and the Beast. Trying to pick the best Williams movie score is like trying to pick a favorite Beatles album, so I won't even bother trying, but this would certainly be in the discussion should I ever choose to have such a debate.

If you're looking for a full analysis of the soundtrack, you won't find it here, but you might like this entry from jwfan.com.

The music bears a strong resemblance to Williams' score for Catch Me If You Can, another oft-overlooked Williams soundtrack.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 18 tracks, 65 minutes. To be honest, I could listen to the first five tracks and be done because all the themes are present in those 18 minutes of music, particularly the haunting snare drum lines and solo trumpet melody. Things really go sideways at track 7, the 1930 standard On The Sunny Side Of The Street by Sidney Bechet. The instrumental take isn't bad, just out of place. Same goes for Tony Bennett's Maybe September, Ode To Buckwheat by Brent Lewis, and the excellent El Watusi by Ray Barretto. Also included is the first movement of a Mozart Horn Concerto. However, I'll just program my player to play only Williams tracks from here on as the other tracks just break up the continuity of the album.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I'm a complete sucker for JFK conspiracy theories, have visited the fascinating Sixth Floor Museum several times, and try to drive through Dealey Plaza when I'm in Dallas.

View from the grassy knoll, July 26, 2002

Earlier this year, I took advantage of a trip to Ft. Worth to stop by Lee Harvey Oswald's hard-to-find grave. Told ya I was a complete sucker.

April 27, 2016
The grave marker on the right is for Nick Beef. Read the story here.

Despite the controversy surrounding the movie, I try to make time to watch my Blu-Ray copy of the film every year around the end of November. This year while watching, I wondered why I didn't have a copy of this captivating soundtrack. A few clicks later and here we are.

Previously revisited for the blog:
John Williams - By Request (1987)