nicholas 1 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Unbelievably, I have never heard "Return of the Jedi", although I own all the other Star Wars scores. I cannot really account for this omission.The other day I bought my young nephew a Star Wars compilation album by the Utah Symphony, recorded back in 1982 or thereabouts, and I was really taken with the Jedi music, particularly the haunting Luke and Leia.And yet people tend to relegate "Return of the Jedi" to third place amongst the first three scores - perhaps this has influenced me against it.What are its good points and its bad points?Also, what version should I buy? I don't necessarily want every scrap of music composed for the film, just something that does the score justice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 It's my least favourite Star Wars score, but still well worth having!I'd get the 1997 2-CD special edition - since it's identitcal to the current in-print release, not too expensive, and has excellent liner notes (unlike the current version).If you don't want the complete score, you could try this, an excellent re-recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Well the RCA 2 disc Special Edition is one to get because it has pretty much everything minus some of Jabba's souce music, Lapki Nek and the original Ewok Celeberation, plus it's probably the easiest to find.The only bad things about it is the sound quality and Jedi Rock which is one of the dumbest things about the Special Edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futuremartymcfly 0 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 yes, ROTJ is the weakest of the three original star wars scores, but look at what your comparing it too, LOl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 As a JW fan it is not of a question wether you should buy this score or not.It has some of the best cues Williams ever wrote.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Agreed, but the score as a whole is (to me) a bit disappointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crichton 4 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 The first disc (speaking of the SE here) has some great (Sail Barge Assault- both versions, The Emperor Arrives, Yoda's Death, Shuttle Tydiruim Approaches Endor) and weaker points (most of the Jabba and Endor cues). But the second disc, especially the last 45 minutes or so, is so brilliant it's beyond words, and more than makes up for any supposed limitations in the first half. Get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 It's probably my all time JW favorite score. I love all the Jabba's Palace Underscore, which is wonderfully evocative and atmospheric, it contains a plethora of moments, like The Emperor Arrives, The Emperor's Throne Room, Into the Trap, the Dark Side Beckons, Light of the Force, plus it contains what is IMHO the best action music JW has ever written (the whole Battle of Endor sequence). The sound quality is not perfect, but if there is a JW you should get, it's this one. Anyway, it's the only OT score to include all the major themes, and all of them are given powerful renditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixers 0 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 It's a great score, but next to ESB and ANH, it's not as good. The RoTJ score at first can be a little boring, but once it gets to the Sail Barge Assault, it gets more interesting from there. My favorite in particular was the second version of The Tie Fighter Attack from ANH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent B 337 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Return Of The Jedi is definitely a good score. All though as others have pointed out the 97' Special Edition version of the score the mixing sounds pretty horrible for the most part. Some of us have taken the correct mixes from the 4-disc Anthology set and the 97' Special Edition to make the score sound a lot better. I know I have done that and in my opinion it does sound a lot better...especially for the Battle Of Endor cues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 I'm really surprised people don't like Jedi that much.It is a wonderful score and thesound quality is more than ok for my ear.Mr. Williams have brought the action music to the level , nobody ever will reach(including himself).This art of action music is that ,he will be remembered.And what he gave us in the Final Duel?,some male choir humming:the moststunning scene in the history of the film/filmmusic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,714 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 ROTJ is a great score. Besides the whole plethora of themes in his use Williams also created the wonderful Emperor's theme and the sweeping Luke and Leia to name the two most prominent new themes. The action material is strong, the dramatic cues are top notch and the finale is simply awe inspiring. Emperor's Death is one of the most dramatic Williams cues ever. A great score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orrakul 0 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 It's a great score - don't assess its excellence in comparison to Star Wars or ESB. Listen to it on its own merits, and I'm sure that you'll appreciate how good it is. If you're just going to buy just 1 version, I agree that you'd be better off getting the 1997 2 CD version of the score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,042 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Buy it. Now. Seriously.I agree that in some areas, ROTJ's score is a little deficient. But there are some truly wonderful cues, all of which can be heard on the '97 release. For most Williams fans, this should be a no-brainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixers 0 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 It's a great score - don't assess its excellence in comparison to Star Wars or ESB. Listen to it on its own merits, and I'm sure that you'll appreciate how good it is. If you're just going to buy just 1 version, I agree that you'd be better off getting the 1997 2 CD version of the score.I've listened to it alone, and it is excellent. But I still can't help comparing it to his other excellent scores (i.e, ESB )ESB is just too damn good.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 ROTJ is the best score of the star wars saga.Inside it is the best cue of the saga, dark side beckons.And if you should have only a OT SW score, it should be this. It contains all of the themes.The only bad thing is inferior sound quality for SW standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 And if you should have only a OT SW score, it should be this. It contains all of the themes.It does not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Apart from the Imperial theme? (to take nothing away from that theme, I think it's very good...) Are there any others not there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Oh yes its missing the crappy imperial motif.It contains all the main themes though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 The Jawa music.The Droid ThemeBoba Fett's motif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 All motifs and no main themes as i stated in my correct answer.It contains an evolved droid motif, i think.And the jawa music is similar to the ewok parade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 What is wrong in the sound quality of ROTJ?. For my ear it's way muchbetter than in ANH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 It contains an evolved droid motif, i think.No, it very clearly does not.And the jawa music is similar to the ewok parade...Only if you are a tonedeaf, an idiot or a great fan of the Pirates Of The Caribean score. (in which case you are a tonedeaf idiot) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 i dont care much about it, but still i think ANH sounds better.there are more talented listeners here that can shed light to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 As Manuel said, I still think it is the best Star Wars score. It will raise the hairs of your neck.Romão, who doesn't understand how can anyone call the Jabba's Palace tracks boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 The Jawa music.The Droid ThemeBoba Fett's motif.Also missing:Call of the Dark Side motif from ESBDeath Star motifLando's theme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 all minor motifs...And yes just get into conversation a motif that was just noticed this year... (darkside from ESB) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 The Death Star motif is in Return of the Jedi. Track 8, cd 2, 1.50 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 all minor motifs...And yes just get into conversation a motif that was just noticed this year... (darkside from ESB) I've known it for several years.I just never mentioned it. The Death Star motif is in Return of the Jedi. Track 8, cd 2, 1.50 minutes.Ah yes, you're right. My mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deimos 0 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Death Star motifDeath Star motif is there (on The Battle of Endor III, when the Imperial Cruiser hits the DS)Edited (too late ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana_Fett 0 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 The variation of the DS motif in ANH seems to play it in 5 notes, whereas ROTJ plays it in its usual 4. I wonder if this was supposed to be the DS motif or just a thing a composer does for action cues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego 21 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 All motifs and no main themes as i stated in my correct answer.It contains an evolved droid motif, i think.And the jawa music is similar to the ewok parade...What would you consider an evolved droid motif?? The only part that sounds remotely similar to the droid theme is the music when the droids are heading to Jabba's palace and it doesn't sound too much like the droid theme to my ears. Is there any other cue where you can hear this evolved droid motif??I've always wondered why Williams sometimes just abandon his themes, I think the droid motif would have worked well in the other movies, for example in TPM when the droids first meet each other, although I kinda hear a similiar orchestration in most scenes involving the droids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,795 Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 It has the same feeling...And i always thought that in the battle of endor when R2 gos to the blastdoors or some similar scene the ESB motif was played. But i coulnt find it when i wanted to check it...Only if you are a tonedeaf, an idiot or a great fan of the Pirates Of The Caribean score. (in which case you are a tonedeaf idiot)Oh my, i slipped this. Im really hurt. I cant believe someone can think i remotely like POTC score. Im almost tonedeaf anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego 21 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I think I found the part you're talking about, is in Battle of Endor I at about 6:15, it does kinda sound like the droid motif although I'm not sure it's intentional, but it's indeed an interesting find Luke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 What's going on in the film at 6:15? If it involves the droids, then the quote of their motif is very likely to be intentional. One of my favorite things about RotJ is the liberal use of previous themes in subtle ways. Of course, the Throne Room theme is a good example of this, but one might also cite Leia's theme or, it seems, the droid motif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crichton 4 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 Yeah, I'm contstantly amazed at how many statements of Leia's Theme there are in Jedi, especially "action" statements, that just appear and disappear before you even realize what it was. Same thing with the Death Star motif, even if it only has two statements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgaFlippinMan 7 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 I still can't hear the Throne Room in Fleet Enters Hyperspace.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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