One of the fixtures of John Williams' writing for action sequences is a striking melodic motif, first heard clearly in the cue "Ludlow's Demise" from Jurassic Park 2.
It is characterized by sawing strings in multiple octaves, playing a single pitch repeatedly, followed by by a brief climbing motion and descent by leap back to the tonic. A likely inspiration for this kind of hectic string writing is Prokofiev's Scythian Suite, though this influence grows more muted as Williams increasingly cites and varies his own writing.
The "Ludlow Motif" is flexible, able to adjust metrically, tonally, and even thematically to differing dramatic contexts. (Note, for example, overlaying of leitmotifs in Indiana Jones 4 and Star Wars 8 examples)
