I remember first seeing the film on VHS; my parents got it for me, and I think I was five or six years old. I was captivated. What also really impacted me was the Maestro’s score. In particular, the entire 19 minute sword fight sequence really struck a chord in me. Some of the greatest swashbuckling music ever created. I was incredibly excited when the Maestro, Mike Matessino and La La Land Records released the three-CD set showcasing the entire score and more in 2023. It is incredible to have all the music.
Peter flying away from the lost boys as he says “Thank you for believing”, the quiet that follows, and the celestial children’s choir the creeps in as we see a (very plastic leaf) blow onto the sleeping Moira was probably my first encounter with bittersweet and melancholy emotions as a four year old. I was so sad to see the adventure end! But now as a parent, the story brings different pangs to my heart. It’s the perfect gooey melding of remembering what it’s like to be a kid and heartache and joys of being an adult and a parent. “I’m a Daddy!” 🥲
Also, shout out to the foreboding“low below” male chorus when Granny Wendy shows Peter the illustration in the book. “Don’t you know who are…?” A Spine-tingling moment that entrenched itself in my brain. I was thrilled to have it officially released on the expansion.
Ohhh Tim. Just beautiful. As my son puts it “I’m not crying, I just have watery eyes….”. Fatherhood as my proudest achievement means the movie feels like a piece of advice to every father on the need for balance in their lives. As for the score - oh how so many blissful hours of trying to work out every last brass stab and horn glissando and “boom-tish” within “The Ultimate War”…actually wore out on my first cd copy. So many memories flooding back - and it’s only at 5! Keep going …we’ll all be right here waiting for the next pod and position 4 through to position 1
I saw Hook in the theater at 9 years old, and while I couldn't articulate exactly what was going at the time, I walked away with the impression that the movie was MORE than a lot of the other takes on Peter Pan, and kid movies in general. I loved it for years but kind of fell off from watching it, and then I encountered the internet and the criticisms of it in Spielberg's oeuvre, so I avoided rewatching it to save my childhood joy. That didn't stop me from listening to the soundtrack, which was always one of my favorite John Williams scores, and that was kind of my substitute for reliving it.
It wasn't until the new 3-CD soundtrack release that I rewatched the movie so that I could properly line up the full expansion. It is very much children's theater, as you say, and the cinematography feels unusually cramped at times given how wonderful and expansive those sets are, but I was pleased to find that the movie still worked for me and offered joy. Sure, it might not be the most sophisticated of Spielberg's stuff (I recently watched A.I. for the first time after reading your book and was surprised to find it brought me to tears), but it's so much FUN, and the serious moments and themes feel sincere. I was worried for years for nothing!
Thanks for sharing! And I'm sorry you missed out on re-watching Hook all these years because of its reputation. I feel like the act of watching it almost annually has really deepened my relationship with it. But I'm glad you had a good experience with it recently!
Hook is one of my favorite scores and along with Far and Away, in my opinion two of the most egregious snubs from the Academy, not even nominated! (Yes, the song was nominated, but come on!) I know John frequently jokes about all the Oscars he's lost, but I'm curious if he ever brought up any specifics on which ones hurt the most?
I'm not so sure that he doesn't care. I don't recall that he ever missed an Oscars ceremony when nominated. He has received a multitude of awards and honors and attends every one of those ceremonies as well. I think much like any artist, he thrives on being honored. I remember increased ads for the score of Memoirs of a Geisha prior to the ceremony, which makes me think he really wanted to win that one. And despite citing scheduling conflicts, I suspect losing the Oscar for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (which he poured himself into) caused him to abandon further Potter movies.
He's a very gracious and game player, and I'm sure on *some* level the nominations and the wins mean something to him. But I don't think he really cares that much about the outcome. Trust me, I see the composers who care *way too much* about getting nominated, and it's night and day.
It's great that you're so passionate about a movie that means that much to you - we all have them (I could bore a group with why "Under Fire" is one of the 10 best movies of the 1980s, not even considering the classic Jerry Goldsmith score). Hook doesn't work for me the same way as it does for you - perhaps because I saw it when I was 23, perhaps because, well....it just doesn't. But I love watching film lovers defend the material they adore. I just re-watched Barry Lyndon for the umpteenth time, which is a weird one for me, because while I admire it, I don't actually like it much - I find in inert and boring (while beautiful) for most of its run time. On the other hand, I love watching Martin Scorsese talk about it (and I wish I saw it through his eyes!). What that kind of enthusiasm proves it that movies move movie lovers (don't say that five times fast) because they reach our emotions - as noted by your conversation with Chris McQuarrie last week - and its true for each of us in our own individual ways. Hook is a movie I've had on every home video format because I love the visuals and choreography, love the London sequences (which I was fascinated to hear on a different podcast that Mike Matessino finds the part of the movie that doesn't work - to each their own), love particular moments, and absolutely ADORE the score. It will never be my top 10.....but I'm so glad it is for you, and that you shared all the reasons why.
I remember first seeing the film on VHS; my parents got it for me, and I think I was five or six years old. I was captivated. What also really impacted me was the Maestro’s score. In particular, the entire 19 minute sword fight sequence really struck a chord in me. Some of the greatest swashbuckling music ever created. I was incredibly excited when the Maestro, Mike Matessino and La La Land Records released the three-CD set showcasing the entire score and more in 2023. It is incredible to have all the music.
I love that entire swordfight. I love every inch of this score!
Peter flying away from the lost boys as he says “Thank you for believing”, the quiet that follows, and the celestial children’s choir the creeps in as we see a (very plastic leaf) blow onto the sleeping Moira was probably my first encounter with bittersweet and melancholy emotions as a four year old. I was so sad to see the adventure end! But now as a parent, the story brings different pangs to my heart. It’s the perfect gooey melding of remembering what it’s like to be a kid and heartache and joys of being an adult and a parent. “I’m a Daddy!” 🥲
Also, shout out to the foreboding“low below” male chorus when Granny Wendy shows Peter the illustration in the book. “Don’t you know who are…?” A Spine-tingling moment that entrenched itself in my brain. I was thrilled to have it officially released on the expansion.
I absolutely love both of those moments in the film/score. In fact, I could probably write an essay about 50 distinct moments in this thing...
Ohhh Tim. Just beautiful. As my son puts it “I’m not crying, I just have watery eyes….”. Fatherhood as my proudest achievement means the movie feels like a piece of advice to every father on the need for balance in their lives. As for the score - oh how so many blissful hours of trying to work out every last brass stab and horn glissando and “boom-tish” within “The Ultimate War”…actually wore out on my first cd copy. So many memories flooding back - and it’s only at 5! Keep going …we’ll all be right here waiting for the next pod and position 4 through to position 1
Thanks Lee. It means a lot to me that people are listening to and reading all of this—watery eyes or no!
I saw Hook in the theater at 9 years old, and while I couldn't articulate exactly what was going at the time, I walked away with the impression that the movie was MORE than a lot of the other takes on Peter Pan, and kid movies in general. I loved it for years but kind of fell off from watching it, and then I encountered the internet and the criticisms of it in Spielberg's oeuvre, so I avoided rewatching it to save my childhood joy. That didn't stop me from listening to the soundtrack, which was always one of my favorite John Williams scores, and that was kind of my substitute for reliving it.
It wasn't until the new 3-CD soundtrack release that I rewatched the movie so that I could properly line up the full expansion. It is very much children's theater, as you say, and the cinematography feels unusually cramped at times given how wonderful and expansive those sets are, but I was pleased to find that the movie still worked for me and offered joy. Sure, it might not be the most sophisticated of Spielberg's stuff (I recently watched A.I. for the first time after reading your book and was surprised to find it brought me to tears), but it's so much FUN, and the serious moments and themes feel sincere. I was worried for years for nothing!
Thanks for sharing! And I'm sorry you missed out on re-watching Hook all these years because of its reputation. I feel like the act of watching it almost annually has really deepened my relationship with it. But I'm glad you had a good experience with it recently!
Hook is one of my favorite scores and along with Far and Away, in my opinion two of the most egregious snubs from the Academy, not even nominated! (Yes, the song was nominated, but come on!) I know John frequently jokes about all the Oscars he's lost, but I'm curious if he ever brought up any specifics on which ones hurt the most?
No, he would likely never say a score not getting nominated ever bothered him. I truly don't think he cares about that.
I'm not so sure that he doesn't care. I don't recall that he ever missed an Oscars ceremony when nominated. He has received a multitude of awards and honors and attends every one of those ceremonies as well. I think much like any artist, he thrives on being honored. I remember increased ads for the score of Memoirs of a Geisha prior to the ceremony, which makes me think he really wanted to win that one. And despite citing scheduling conflicts, I suspect losing the Oscar for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (which he poured himself into) caused him to abandon further Potter movies.
He's a very gracious and game player, and I'm sure on *some* level the nominations and the wins mean something to him. But I don't think he really cares that much about the outcome. Trust me, I see the composers who care *way too much* about getting nominated, and it's night and day.
One of my favorite scores of all time.
Your treatment here brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you!
Those “holy moments” you describe honestly move me to tears every time.
I have to admit that Hook is my favourite score of all time. I wish that Spielberg took it with Williams music and songs to Broadway.
It's sturdy enough for the stage, for sure, but I do think something magic would have been lost in translation.
It's great that you're so passionate about a movie that means that much to you - we all have them (I could bore a group with why "Under Fire" is one of the 10 best movies of the 1980s, not even considering the classic Jerry Goldsmith score). Hook doesn't work for me the same way as it does for you - perhaps because I saw it when I was 23, perhaps because, well....it just doesn't. But I love watching film lovers defend the material they adore. I just re-watched Barry Lyndon for the umpteenth time, which is a weird one for me, because while I admire it, I don't actually like it much - I find in inert and boring (while beautiful) for most of its run time. On the other hand, I love watching Martin Scorsese talk about it (and I wish I saw it through his eyes!). What that kind of enthusiasm proves it that movies move movie lovers (don't say that five times fast) because they reach our emotions - as noted by your conversation with Chris McQuarrie last week - and its true for each of us in our own individual ways. Hook is a movie I've had on every home video format because I love the visuals and choreography, love the London sequences (which I was fascinated to hear on a different podcast that Mike Matessino finds the part of the movie that doesn't work - to each their own), love particular moments, and absolutely ADORE the score. It will never be my top 10.....but I'm so glad it is for you, and that you shared all the reasons why.