The Force Awakens The Force Awakens SCORE Discussion (Film Spoilers Allowed)

[nightscape94 965]

This is an in-film discussion thread, we don't really need spoiler tags.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Just to make sure nobody who wants to read about the music as heard in the film gets spoiled in any way. I mean, it's totally possible some people are interested in reading the comments here, not willing to read any spoilers at the same time.

[Damien F 1,742]

The music was great, but there were some moments that were awkward. I don't blame Williams, but Abrams' poor direction and editing. A prime example is the last scene. Except for the awkward transition into the end credits (just like in Revenge of the Sith!), the music is glorious. In the film, however,

the scene is Luke in Highlander just standing there awkwardly while Rey holds the lightsaber out awkwardly for what seemed like 5 minutes...it was silly

I agree with that very last helicopter shot. It should have ended on Luke's face.

[artguy360 1,842]

Rey's theme is used very effectively in the film but there were a few moments where I felt the version of Rey's theme was a little too busy and fast. I had a similar issue with some scenes in War Horse where the theme seemed to be too fast paced and rhythmic for what was being shown on screen. Only in a few places in this movie though.

[Jay 37,268]

I noticed that too.

[tedfud 38]

saw the movie. I like the darker and softer moments of the score. The action stuff was a bit meh for me. I can't help wishing for an asteroid chase or battle of hoth . He seems much happier these days riffing on a couple of notes ...bland ones too....and the odd stab from the brass, whereas I am sure in these bits he was tonally far more adventurous before. But the good sections where very very good. He still has a great flair for melody and the simple great hook. Love Rey's stuff...simple but very effective....and the force theme when it arrived at the crucial moments remind us of how good a composer he is........I wonder weather the current crop will get a taste for this style of scoring or will we be back to i VI III VII within a few weeks...!

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[Henry B 50]

One thing I loved about this score is that we've finally gotten Luke's theme back. That was one of the biggest disappointments of Episodes II and III: that we hardly heard the main theme of the saga. It felt odd to open and close the films with material that was totally alien to the rest of the score. (Sure, it does make a couple appearances in Episode III, one of them deleted from the film, buuuuuut...)

Yes, the theme isn't really Luke's anymore, and isn't that okay? He's a world apart from the character we met in the original film, so maybe he deserves some new music (perhaps, like you guys have said, that tune from "The Jedi Steps.") I always thought that the "main theme" designation was more appropriate than "Luke's theme," and it is indeed a main theme in this film.

In the same vein, I'm also fine with the fact that the Rebel Fanfare is now the Falcon Fanfare. The Resistance is a little bit different from the Rebellion, so it's appropriate that they have new music.

[Jay 37,268]

I would have preferred Han's Theme to be used for the Falcon than the Rebel Fanfare, personally.

[leeallen01 2,133]

I think the old stuff was poorly integrated and just wrongly placed in the film. Luke's theme for when Han enters the cockpit of the Falcon...silly. the Force theme was overused. Basically every single time the force was used or mentioned it was 'insert mournful horn rendition of force theme here.' Also they had a great opportunity to use the Falcon fanfare from 'Asteroid field' during the Jakku escape. Instead the rebel fanfare was used multiple times which felt forced.

[Henry B 50]

I would have preferred Han's Theme to be used for the Falcon than the Rebel Fanfare, personally.

Yeah, true, it would have been nice to hear that theme get more of a workout. I don't think it would have fit the escape from Jakku scene at all, though, since Han isn't present.

[Jay 37,268]

But his ship was!

[Henry B 50]

Maybe my issue is that the theme is so romantic. The reveal of the Falcon is a light hearted, surprising moment, and I don't think a broad, dramatic melody would have fit. (Okay, so don't use it then, but place "Han and Leia" later on in the scene during the chase through the ship ruins? Fine, fine, perhaps.)

[Jay 37,268]

Luke's Theme as he entered the cockpit was odd

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I would have preferred Han's Theme to be used for the Falcon than the Rebel Fanfare, personally.

Han doesn't have a theme.

[nightscape94 965]

I assumed they were talking about the Han/Leia theme which also doesn't make sense.

[Trumpeteer 302]

I saw the movie about 12 hours ago, and after getting a good sleep and rethinking things, here is my comment on the score in the film.

It ranks seventh among the seven Star Wars scores. There is no main theme that instantly gives you the chills that we got from the other six films, and that saddened me. Once the film was done, I might have thought the score had been written in the vein of "Chamber of Secrets," in that Williams wrote general themes and someone else filled in gaps with musical noise. Seeing JW get sole composing credit was kind of shocking to me, unless that was conractually required.

As for the movie itself, it had great energy. The new actors were great. I liked the plot, even if it seemed a bit familiar as it went along. The ending needed more of a punch to get us pumped for the next film. I know every final scene in the SW films is dialogue-free, but I wanted "you-know-who" to say SOMETHING!

[Jay 37,268]

JW definitely wrote all of it all by himself

Except for the cantina source music.

[artguy360 1,842]

Some cues are greatly enhanced for me after having seen the film. In particular I'm thinking of the track titled The Starkiller. It's a nice string piece on the album but once you see the film it makes total sense why JW and JJ went with this very stirring but kind of unidentifiable strings. It doesn't really have a strong melody on it's own, but it leaves a great impression in the movie.

[nightscape94 965]

Some cues are greatly enhanced for me after having seen the film. In particular I'm thinking of the track titled The Starkiller. It's a nice string piece on the album but once you see the film it makes total sense why JW and JJ went with this very stirring but kind of unidentifiable strings.

It's a very striking musical moment in the film based on what's happening. Great choice.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[mrbellamy 6,270]

As for the movie itself, it had great energy. The new actors were great. I liked the plot, even if it seemed a bit familiar as it went along. The ending needed more of a punch to get us pumped for the next film. I know every final scene in the SW films is dialogue-free, but I wanted "you-know-who" to say SOMETHING!

I think she should have at least actually handed him the lightsaber. Or they should have approached each other. Or something. The staring contest while standing still went on way too long. Poorly judged final moments, but the journey up the steps and the actual reveal was marvelous.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That was a beautiful closing shot! Movie logic applies

[fommes 153]

One thing I loved about this score is that we've finally gotten Luke's theme back. That was one of the biggest disappointments of Episodes II and III: that we hardly heard the main theme of the saga. It felt odd to open and close the films with material that was totally alien to the rest of the score. (Sure, it does make a couple appearances in Episode III, one of them deleted from the film, buuuuuut...)

Yes, the theme isn't really Luke's anymore, and isn't that okay? He's a world apart from the character we met in the original film, so maybe he deserves some new music (perhaps, like you guys have said, that tune from "The Jedi Steps.") I always thought that the "main theme" designation was more appropriate than "Luke's theme," and it is indeed a main theme in this film.

He really puts Luke's theme through a workout in the Scherzo à la the Raiders March in the end credits of Crystal Skull. I think the variation on this album is more successful.

[Damien F 1,742]

I think I noticed an interesting piece of repeated music during two seamingly unrelated scenes.. In the first track, the music that plays at 6:03 - 6:12 accompanies the shot of the ship carrying Poe traveling towards the larger ship (a nice little musical moment btw). I'm pretty sure that melody is played again in an unreleased cue just after the resistance command orders Poe to commence their attack on the starkiller base in the third act

I'm not 100% certain but during my second viewing I was paying attention to that melody at the start to double check it is on the album, so I had it in my head so I'm pretty sure it is the case. I'd have to see it again to be certain now that I know what scene to look out for.

EDIT: I've heard that scene again and I've confirmed that as Poe says "Roger base. Red squad, blue squad take my lead", we hear that melody from track one. It is played at a faster tempo so it isn't tracked. I wonder what was Williams' thinking here?

[mrbellamy 6,270]

That was a beautiful closing shot! Movie logic applies

I agree that it's very much a "movie moment" to have them just standing there, which doesn't bother me, but I think maybe JJ didn't go to the wide shot soon enough for me. I just feel like the emphasis on their faces and Luke's intensity got to be a little weird, whereas if they had split the difference with the wide shot then maybe it wouldn't have felt that way. It's a minor quibble.

[KK 3,307]

The shot lasted too long, and then was made more silly with the helicopter circling around them.

But yeah, it's a minor quibble really.

[leeallen01 2,133]

Does anyone know the big heroic flourish that happened sometimes I think with Poe and Finn in action. I believe it may have happened in that wonderful single shot of Poe kicking ass in his fighter. I haven't heard the score yet, just seen the film twice.

[Damien F 1,742]

I do like that Abrams continues the Star Wars tradition of a dialog-free final sequence. The last line of dialog was Leia saying "May the Force be with you".

Does anyone know the big heroic flourish that happened sometimes I think with Poe and Finn in action. I believe it may have happened in that wonderful single shot of Poe kicking ass in his fighter. I haven't heard the score yet, just seen the film twice.

Yes, it appears in I Can Fly Anything and the end credits. That moment of Poe in the fighter is scored with that theme but the cue isn't on the OST. It is by far the best unreleased cue.

[leeallen01 2,133]

Thanks! It was moments like that which made me think "now THIS is Star Wars."

Was that Poe's theme then, or has Poe got a different theme or not at all?

[mrbellamy 6,270]

Yeah, I loved that fanfare. It's like a Poe/Finn bro theme.

[leeallen01 2,133]

Williams MUST return for Ep.8. I wasn't overwhelmed with the score for Ep.7 but am still yet to hear it on the album (I will be tomorrow all morning) but things like that are why he must return.

I'm all for giving other composers an opportunity, and I'm happy and excited to hear Desplat's score, but only Williams should touch the Episodes.

[King Mark 3,624]

I think the score worked well in the film, it was loud all the time at least

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

At least? You don't like this music?

[KK 3,307]

The flute solo at the beginning of "The Scavenger" against that picturesque opening shot with Rey in the desert was a beautiful moment.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The music wasn't loud enough in my theater.

[nightscape94 965]

At least? You don't like this music?

I think he's saying he was glad it was mixed loud and not buried in special effects. Which is a good thing!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I saw the movie about 12 hours ago, and after getting a good sleep and rethinking things, here is my comment on the score in the film.

It ranks seventh among the seven Star Wars scores. There is no main theme that instantly gives you the chills that we got from the other six films, and that saddened me. Once the film was done, I might have thought the score had been written in the vein of "Chamber of Secrets," in that Williams wrote general themes and someone else filled in gaps with musical noise. Seeing JW get sole composing credit was kind of shocking to me, unless that was conractually required.

It was co-composed with his son.

The flute solo at the beginning of "The Scavenger" against that picturesque opening shot with Rey in the desert was a beautiful moment.

I think that shot didn't appear in the final film.

[Damien F 1,742]

Yes it did. It cuts from a close up of Rey drinking water to that shot and then back to the close up again.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

OK, my bad.

[KK 3,307]

Do you even remember the film Alvar?!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I doubt he actually saw it!

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I've just gotten back from the film, and, honestly, I thought the score worked excellently in the film. What I saw as perhaps flaws before now seem more like deliberate choices Williams made to reflect the film's frantic pacing. I thought Rey's theme was extremely well developed, and Kylo Ren's main motif was well developed and used often enough to leave an impact. March of the Resistance was kick ass in the film, much better than hearing it on album. A lot of people in the audience sat through the credits to hear the score.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Return Home quote was kinda awkward.

[artguy360 1,842]

I've just gotten back from the film, and, honestly, I thought the score worked excellently in the film. What I saw as perhaps flaws before now seem more like deliberate choices Williams made to reflect the film's frantic pacing. I thought Rey's theme was extremely well developed, and Kylo Ren's main motif was well developed and used often enough to leave an impact. March of the Resistance was kick ass in the film, much better than hearing it on album. A lot of people in the audience sat through the credits to hear the score.

Yes, I definitely agree with this after seeing the movie yesterday and re-listening to the album today. In particular the action scenes explain why the action music is written the way it is, whether that is good or bad.

[Faleel 5,326]

Checking the film, Rey Meets BB-8 from 0:00-1:09 is in the finale of the film, placed in between 2:05 of Farewell and The Trip

[aviazn 273]

I think I noticed an interesting piece of repeated music during two seamingly unrelated scenes.. In the first track, the music that plays at 6:03 - 6:12 accompanies the shot of the ship carrying Poe traveling towards the larger ship (a nice little musical moment btw). I'm pretty sure that melody is played again in an unreleased cue just after the resistance command orders Poe to commence their attack on the starkiller base in the third act

I'm not 100% certain but during my second viewing I was paying attention to that melody at the start to double check it is on the album, so I had it in my head so I'm pretty sure it is the case. I'd have to see it again to be certain now that I know what scene to look out for.

EDIT: I've heard that scene again and I've confirmed that as Poe says "Roger base. Red squad, blue squad take my lead", we hear that melody from track one. It is played at a faster tempo so it isn't tracked. I wonder what was Williams' thinking here?

I think people have mentioned this as a potential First Order theme. If so, it's weirdly underdeveloped in the score, but at least that matches the movie. Who the hell are these guys anyway?

Edit: just realized that the kickass action motif at 0:33 of I Can Fly Anything is basically a variation of this motif with an added note.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Really like the bouncy brass music that plays when we finally see Luke.

While Han and Leia, the Falcon etc were all welcomed with familiar themes Williams deliberately does not do that here. Instead using a brass figure that acknowledges the importance of that moment, but adds mystery, instead of familiarity.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Do you even remember the film Alvar?!

I doubt he actually saw it!

Oh, shut it, you too! Especially you Stiff, who were wrong about the shot with Poe and Finn looking at each other intensely being in the film!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That wasnt the shot I was talking about!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Sure...