Two weeks before America went to the polls and the night after the last rather bad-tempered presidential debate, the annual Al Smith Dinner, at which tradition maintains election candidate should give a light-hearted and self-depractory address to the assembled politicos, was held in New York. In the democratic canditate's brilliantly written and as always eloquently delivered speech he addressed the oft-asked question “Who is Barack Obama?”:
Contrary to rumours you may have heard, he joked, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the planet earth.
The rest of course was history: America voted and superman won.
Now the transition team have announced the programme of entertainments for Obama's inauguration on January 20th which includes musical selections from the US Marine Band, Aretha Franklin and the San Francisco Boys and Girls Chorus. For movie fans at least, the most eye-catching feature of the day will be the piece of music played by legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman along with pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill, to be delivered immediately before the president-elect takes the oath of office. The piece they play will be composed and arranged by Hollywood’s most successful and famous composer, the one-and-only, five-time-Academy-Award-winning legend John Williams.
But what if any musical cues will the composer take from his own movies?
Williams first made a name for himself writing the tunes for 70s disaster movies such as The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. We now know his work as almost always portentous, but the president-to-be might find the foreboding theme (click above to listen) from Paul Newman and Steve McQueen’s classic about a burning building lacking those qualities of hope that Obama claims his presidency is all about.
But Williams need to despair, there are plenty more options. The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back (click above) was the next piece to cross my mind, but on a little further reflection I think you'll agree that it isn't at all suited to Obama's call for change. Indeed it would be a much tighter fit for the historic images that many hope we'll one day see, when Bush (the Emperor) and Cheney (Darth Vader) take the long walk to prison after their conviction for war crimes.
There's always the famous theme from Home Alone (click above) whichwould be a suitably celebratory, chirpy overture for what is bound to be a memorable day.
But let's not stop there. It should also be remembered that Williams has already done presidential for the score of Oliver Stone’s JFK (sorry, no clip - but believe us it would work a treat) though while it undoubtedly ticks all the boxes for an inauguration - militaristic: check; patriotic: check; dignified but emotional: check - it could also come across as being in tremendously bad taste to intentionally recall the tragedy that befell Jack Kennedy - the last truly great hope of America - less than three years into his first term.
When all’s said and done, and though it might be arrogant, conceited and pompous we’d have to urge Mr Williams to take his lead from the president-elect himself. Let's have something as heroic and romantic as the Obama and his story; a triumphant march filled with sufficient doubt as to suggest an endearing sense of humanity; a theme that conveys both optimism and struggle.
In fact, come to think of it, Mr Williams, Maestro, we implore you: don't get clever, don't get smart, don't get cocky and don't show off; all we need is a four-piece rehash of your 1978 Superman theme (click below) - that is, unless any Screenrushers have got a better suggestion?
SL
