Off into the Sunset: John Williams’ ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’

For the trilogy capper of the Indiana Jones franchise, my favorite film of the franchise, Williams wrote a more mature and quieter score than its predecessors, but with no less attention to detail and thematic variation. In this episode, I break down the different variations of the “Father/Son Theme”, representing the rekindling relationship between Indy and his father — the heart of the movie. I also discuss the Lutheran hymn-like new melodies for the Holy Grail and the Grail Knights, as well as the martial theme for the Nazis.