John Williams is recognised as having revived the classical style of Hollywood film music, exemplified in the work of composers such as Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Alfred Newman, and Franz Waxman. Classic Hollywood film music drew from the dialect of late-nineteenth century, and from the works of composers such as Wagner. With his scores for movies such as Star Wars, Williams – inspired by composers such as Wagner - reintroduced this music to suit the needs of the contemporary Hollywood Blockbuster movies launching a trend in neo-classical film music.
This dissertation looks at the style of classical Hollywood film music, how it was influenced by music of the late nineteenth century, its revival through the compositions of John Williams focussing on his score for Star Wars (1977), and the influence of nineteenth century composers such as Richard Wagner, had on Williams’s work.