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I'm loathe to criticise a film I haven't seen yet. But as a general rule, I don't think shoehorned references to art, music, literature or antiquity (e.g. Ozymandius) makes a film any more intellectual. In fact it's an easy way to make something pseudo intellectual, because you're not doing the work yourself. Intellectual pretensions don't make a film intellectual. I also don't think merely raising religious questions makes a film "deep". In the case of Prometheus, for example, nothing in that film makes a reasonable person question the nature of humanity's origins, and it certainly would not cause any person of faith to question their own beliefs....or even think about them. It's just a sci-fi concept (a well worn one at that), and little more. And as BB pointed out, without a strong, compelling story from which the concepts flow naturally and believably, none of it means anything. The Matrix raised a lot of interesting, though provoking questions without beating you over the head w/them, while still managing to be entertaining. That's one reason it's a classic (like Blade Runner) that works, while its muddled, messy sequels, which contain a LOT more philosophy, don't. Another example is how the first two seasons of BSG worked so well...because they raised a lot of questions about humanity while still being incredibly compelling TV. The latter two seasons, not so much. The religious, and philosophising was all still there, but the story lost its way. So maybe Covenant works...I don't know. But if it works, it's because it has a good script, strong characters and compelling story & visuals. Not because of any religious or philosophical undercurrent it might have. If you have to go on about how "thought provoking" and "intelligent" a film which otherwise isn't very good is, then its already failed.

Right, that's all we're saying is that Lockhart was just following Williams's notes for the suite. If it's jarring, blame JW! The idea for the suite is to always start with March of the Resistance, Rey's Theme, and Scherzo for X-Wings in order. Then Williams leaves two options: either play the full "Jedi Steps & Finale" as heard in the film, or play the extended "Jedi Steps" arrangement in which case it's recommended to skip the film version of "Jedi Steps" with Force Theme and instead blast right into the classic end credits as Lockhart did on the compilation. Additionally there are two options to end the finale, regardless of which Jedi Steps you choose -- there's the quieter film version with "Luke's Theme" on celesta, or the bigger, brassier ending as heard here:

Well, Bridge of Spies has to be mentioned.

Yeah but if you are doing the TFA suite at the end of a full concert then it makes sense to finish with the End Credits!

Précisément!

The performances are really great and vibrant. While its terrific to hear Stargazers for the first time but I still prefer the OST version of ET & Me. The Towering Inferno and The Patriot are quite wonderful and for me the show stealers. Dracula and Midway material are also very enjoyable. This is a great compilation cd and kudos to Lockhart for doing a great album.

Here's the recording session cue list for anyone interested. I have the official cue names for all of the cues, but some of the tags (e.g. '1m1') are missing, so I had to guess where some of them go. Source cues are included. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1m01 He's Here For Us 1m02 A Long Ride Ahead 1m03 Wobani Imperial Labor Camp ?m04 There's Spies Everywhere ?m05 The Detention of Jyn Erso ?m06 Jyn's Interrogation ?m07 Trust Goes Both Ways ?m08 Reunion at Saw's Hideout ?m09 When Has Become Now ?m10 Jyn's Memories of Childhood 2m11 Mission to Jedha Pt. 1 2m12 Mission to Jedha Pt. 2 2m13 Hearts Of Kyber 2m14b Jedha City Ambush ?m?? Let Them Pass In Peace Pt. 1 ?m?? Let Them Pass In Peace Pt. 2 3m20 Today Of All Days 3m21 Star-Dust 3m22 An Imperial Test Of Power ?m23 Apologies Are In Order ?m24 Imperial Departure 4m25 Approach to Eadu 4m26 No Trust Among Rebels 4m27 Jyn's Path is Clear 4m28 Confrontation of Eadu ?m29 Krennic's Aspirations 5m30 Rebellions Are Built On Hope 5m31 A Rebel Change of Heart 5m32 Rogue One 5m33 Cargo Shuttle SW-608 5m34 Good Luck Little Sister 5m35 What Brings You To Scarif? 5m36 Are We Blind? 6m37 Scrambling the Rebel Fleet 6m38 AT-ACT Assault 6m39 Finding a Way Through 6m40 Project Star-Dust 6m41 Entering the Imperial Archives 6m42 Get That Beach Under Control 6m43 The Master Switch 7m44 We Have To Press The Attack 7m45a Scarif Antenna Allignment Pt. 1 7m45b Scarif Antenna Allignment Pt. 2 7m46 Your Father Would Be Proud 7m? Hope 7m50 End Credits -SUITES- Jyn Erso & Hope Suite The Imperial Suite Guardians of the Whills Suite -SOURCE MUSIC- A Game of Dejarik Kafrene Temple Music The Bazaars of Jedha The Jedha Khamseen The Jedha Sirocco The Whills Temple Chant -UNKNOWN- News from the Ashes No Friends Of The Empire

Wow! Did not see this one coming! I remember for over a decade Jim Henson's Studios had tried to make a sequel film called "The Power Of The Dark Crystal" that I believe was meant to take place many years after the events of the film where the crystal gets shattered yet again, making the time of turmoil start all over again. I was never a big fan of the concept of the sequel though; it felt way too much like a quasi-remake (sort of like how many modern reboots are). However, this is a prequel. Not only that, but a prequel series. If there is one thing any fan of the film can attest to, it's that the world the film explored seemed so vast and interesting that it definitely was more interesting than the story itself. There was so much more to explore of the world the film set up, so the perfect way to do that is to have a series (or even just a mini-series; not certain which this will be). Having it also as a prequel makes more sense, because it was that world that was set up before the events of the film took place that most fans want to see. The world after the conflict is over would just be something far less compelling and foreign, unless they took that lackluster approach of the sequel. So, even without knowing a thing about the premise of this, just knowing that it is a prequel series is enough to let the imagination soar with just how much we can finally further explore in the world that we all know and remember. The other obvious highlight of the brief teaser trailer is the quick glimpses of the NEW ANIMATRONICS being made for the series! Despite the quick glimpses of incomplete creatures, they already looked perfect for the world! And then of course there's that final shot of footage of a Skeksi... wow. It looked perfect! Likely just a test shot, but even so, just to see one again, after all this time, as part of a new series... Of course, the most obvious question now is... who will do the music score? Will they be able to get Trevor Jones back? I know he basically retired, but I think of all the projects to get him to come back, it would definitely be this one. And if not him, who else could do it? Should his old theme(s) still return, regardless? UPDATE: Hensen Press Release: https://www.henson.com/press-releases/2017/press-release-2017-05-18.php

Ha, that's me!

@Sharky think I found what we might have been thinking of: http://rejectedfilmscores.150m.com/list.html So yeah Found the link in this old thread on a Bond forum (hey, same Sharky? )

I wonder if it would work better to begin with the Force Theme instead.

So.... we're back to where we started. In terms of listening experience, it's not very pleasant to go straight from the end of the full 'Jedi Steps" to the end credits beginning of "Finale."

Did someone suggest it doesn't? I don't think that's what the note suggests. EDIT: I see @mrbellamy already cleared things up, so my entire post here is basically void.

Doesn't the Gerhardt Empire album have a clean opening to the credits?

According to the notes on the Tadlow re-recording, Williams just orchestrated the song.

See, that's what I'm talking about. Don't tell me how "intelligent" and though provoking a film is if it can't even get the basics of story telling and character building right. You have to start with that. If you don't have believable people acting in a believable way, and not merely as functions of the plot, then nothing else works. And there's nothing that turns me off a film more than characters who act without motivation, or in a stupid fashion, simply to service the plot.

Amen. Seriously, with the excess of sausage factory, cardboard cutout garbage released by Hollywood these days, it's so damn refreshing seeing an (admittedly flawed) ambitious sci-fi film that poses more questions than it answers and explores more themes than like, say, none at all.

In ALIEN: COVENANT, some of the most interesting ideas do. Not only 'story basics', but visual details.

I personally don't mind the Ewoks much. I think they add to the nostalgic, if at times hokey, charm of the original trilogy.

Ambition is overrated. Basic stuff like telling a story compellingly with richly drawn characters is preferred. Grand intellectual themes should flow naturally as subtext from these story basics. My Spielberg worship is shining through

At least Scott tried. Sometimes, films that are failures can be some of the most compelling films around. Anyway, I'd rather have Scott's flawed AU, than all this regurgitated-every-six-months, MCU death-rattle shit.

Yeah. And it will probably get worse before it gets better. TV is where storytelling and character building occurs these days. But maybe that's the inevitable evolution...that big theatre screen is spectacle, so film will be more spectacle than story. Glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity.

Am I the only one who doesn't give a single tinker's cuss, if an Ewok gets killed? I just don't care. I didn't give a fuck, in 1983, and I don't give a fuck in 2017, so there! Sweep, they weren't AT-ATs, they were AT-STs (but I take your point). In fact, where was the Walker? Was it in the shop, that afternoon?

Nick, sadly, your last sentence sums up the whole discussion; the state of modern cinema. Today, cinema is: MCU, DCU, SWU, KK/GU, X-MEN U, any other fucking U you care to mention, live-action remakes, and the fag-end of all these "gross-out", Amy Schumer vehicles. What's left, when all the money has gone on that crap? Once upon a time, our Ridley could choose his projects, and make them, with confidence, and originality. Nowadays, like most, if not all, directors, he is, simply, working for the man. If the man says "we want to see Matt Damon on Mars, thank you very much", then Scott puts Matt Damon on Mars, and art gets well and truly buggered. It's not Scott's fault; he's simply adapting to modern cinematic tastes. That he's lasted this long, is a miracle in itself.

Agreed on all counts, but when ROTJ gets it right (the battle for Endor), it really gets it right. The problem is, nobody actually cares about what their doing. The cast looks so bored. Steef's right; where is that spark between Leia, and Han? Where is the determination within Luke, to turn the most evil man in the universe (who, by the way, just happens to be his dad!), back to the light side? The film is missing both motivation, and a sense of purpose. It's easy to pour scorn on ROTJ, especially after the previous two films, but, as threequels go, it's still a fun ride, which might just have the best STAR WARS score, of all. I revisit this score far more than any other SW music, especially CD two - BROTHER/SISTER, FATHER/SON onwards; breathtaking.

Hey, I can agree wholeheartedly with you after all. I've been wanting Spielberg to ditch Kaminski for a very long time. As longterm collaborators go, he's no Michael Kahn, or that other guy whatshisface... John Williams.

#Scott/Fassbender2021!

Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, by Michael Tavera.

I guess because Williams intended two options for concert performance: 1: to end with having the film version of Jedi Steps segue into Finale or 2: end with Jedi Steps concert version (or just play Jedi Steps Concert Version as a single without the rest of the suite.

I love the way the full Jedi Steps arrangement ends, but yeah it's very jarring to go straight to the Finale without any transitional material.

Oh man that brings back memories!

towering Inferno has the movie Finale at the end.Cool I really like the extended version of Men of the Yorktown March

Watching Raiders of the Lost Ark tonight. It strikes me now that one reason I don't think a modern Spielberg Indy film could work is Janusz Kaminski. He's a brilliant artist but his florid, maximalist style just doesn't fit with Indiana Jones. I'm so in love with Slocombe's visual style in the original trilogy, the way those films look have the muted, rich tones of the best 1950s technicolor. Just gorgeous. Crystal Skull was so garish in comparison and it didn't work.

The Wind Rises Sad, but inspiring at the same time. Loved it.

Yes let's all watch the Star Wars movies again and then retrospectively critique them, we never do that!

As in me? Nothing out of the ordinary: ESB. However, if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, at the moment I would put the concert suite from BFG on a short list of my favorite standalone pieces Williams has ever composed. As for TLW, the raw, primal energy of the soundtrack is unmatched in Williams' oeuvre, though I would not put the work near the top.

Oh my god, I just read the post by @Selina Kyle above mine. Karol

The Proposition is good, with a Nick Cave soundtrack I quite liked.

Shouldn't that be "dinorama"?

It was a shit band. Gabriel's solo albums put it to shame.

If I'm a member of the Church of the Lost world and I die, are there virgins, or just dinosaurs? Is there wonder and awe in Lost World heaven, or just running and screaming? How hard is it for the angels in Lost World heaven to play "The Compys Dine" on the harp? And is everything in Lost World heaven run by CD-ROM? Are donations to TCOTLW tax-deductible? Does JPIII run on an endless loop in Lost World heaven? (oh wait...that's Lost World hell).

Medal of Honor: Frontline by Michael Giacchino: Still remains one of the composer's best scores with just right balance between dramatic heft and fun action writing with interesting orchestrations and catchy thematic base.

I don't know if you're joking but I think you'd find more people know him for the band, Soundgarden, than anything else. It's the only reason he's known at all....

Home Alone 2 because of this scene

Don't make that face at me

My John Williams CDs.