Matt Zoller Seitz is a fantastic reporter, critic, and essayist about all things film and pop culture—from his TV recaps of The Sopranos, Deadwood, and Mad Men; to books on Wes Anderson and Oliver Stone; to his interviews and long-form tributes to actors at Vulture; to his video essays on cinema history. I’ve been drawn to his byline for years—he’s a spectacular writer with keen insights—and I knew he’d make for a great dialogue about Spielberg/Williams.
We approached that subject obliquely, by way of Oliver Stone and John Williams, whose collaboration I know Matt has examined quite closely as the author of The Oliver Stone Experience and someone who has interviewed Stone many times—and who also hosted a series of screenings of Stone’s films, in Dallas, in 2024. How does the Stone/Williams collaboration differ from the Spielberg/Williams project—or does it?
In this episode, Matt talks about his deep appreciation for Born on the Fourth of July and JFK, but also the Star Wars prequels and Ready Player One… and so much more. (I also snuck in a few rarities from my interview archive, and attempted to make the scoring of the A.I. finale more sad… using John’s own music.)
Follow Matt on Bluesky, and make sure you check out his independent arts bookstore.
Behind the Moon is a reader-supported publication. To access the entire archive and bonus content (and to support my work), consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.