“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”: Behind the Scenes with J.J. Abrams and John Williams

On this week's podcast:

In a special program, we devote the entire podcast to the opening of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

J.J. Abrams, the director, producer and co-writer of the film, is one of the most powerful figures in the entertainment industry. He is the founder and president of Bad Robot Productions, and he was the creative force behind such hit television shows as “Lost,” “Alias,” and “Fringe.” On the big screen, he breathed new life into the “Mission: Impossible” and “Star Trek” franchises. He joins us to talk about his experiences on the latest installment in the “Star Wars” saga.

Composer John Williams is the musical force behind The Force. He has, of course, scored every installment of the “Star Wars” saga – a lifetime achievement in itself – going back to 1977, but he’s also written the music for such Hollywood mega-hits as “Jaws,” “Superman”, the Indiana Jones and Harry Potter movies, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “Jurassic Park,” among many others, winning five Academy Awards, 17 Grammys and two Emmys along the way.