John Williams confirms he's scoring Star Wars Episode VIII at Tanglewood Film Night

[Incanus 5,713]

41 minutes ago, TheWhiteRider said:

No, Kennedy is likely the ultimate power on these films.  There is a vision, and whoever is directing, whoever is composing, is beholden to that vision.  No need to aggrandize Williams' role.  That only serves to cheapen his real legacy.

I kind of like the image of Williams holding the director in his claws of iron with the poor man desperately trying to wriggle himself out and failing miserably. Unlimited power!!!!

[crumbs 14,301]

1 hour ago, Incanus said:

I kind of like the image of Williams holding the director in his claws of iron with the poor man desperately trying to wriggle himself out and failing miserably. Unlimited power!!!!

 

Should we start referring to the Maestro as Emperor Williams at this point?

[TownerFan 4,983]

The film is still more than a year before it'll be released, so there is still plenty of time to go, especially considering these kind of movies nowadays are tinkered literally until moments they roll into theaters.

 

It's great to know Williams is on board so early and that he will start working on it soon. I don't know if the post-production template will be similar to the one used in TFA, but it's likely Williams will start working with almost-completed scenes the moment they're available. He probably wants to see as much of the full film as he can to get a fuller sense of the overall dramatic arc, instead of seeing it in 30 mins chunks.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

Meanwhile at John's house...

 

 

[Tom 4,639]

9 hours ago, TheWhiteRider said:

No, Kennedy is likely the ultimate power on these films.  There is a vision, and whoever is directing, whoever is composing, is beholden to that vision.  No need to aggrandize Williams' role.  That only serves to cheapen his real legacy.

I am not aggrandizing anything and how a comment by a nobody on the internet could cheapen JW's legacy is beyond me. 

 

Typically directors have a say, and usually the final say, in who composes music for their films.  In the case of the new trilogy that simply is not the case.  It is Williams choice to take or leave the assignment.  Thus, there is a real factual difference in the relationship between director and composer versus the vast majority of other films. 

 

As for being beholden to a vision, you are right, but the deeper point is that Williams created the musical part of that vision in the first place, which is why the above relationship is what it is. 

 

Obviously, any of these directors are going to prefer Williams as their first choice either way. 

[crumbs 14,301]

I have it on very good authority that Williams has already started research on a new theme for Rey.

 

He's been trawling through his old Doris Day VHS collection for weeks, desperately seeking the same musical stimulation that inspired some of his most memorable 80's melodies.

[Will 2,215]

On 8/13/2016 at 11:57 PM, Cerebral Cortex said:

One exciting takeaway from Williams scoring Episode VIII is that it shows that his commitment to this trilogy extends beyond just scoring the first movie. He wasn't just trying to get the trilogy off on the right foot musically with Episode VII and then say farewell to the saga, but rather he intends to score all three films if he's able to; a very exciting prospect. 

 

Well, in announcing Williams would score TFA Kathleen Kennedy did say, "I had breakfast with someone very important to the Star Wars family on Friday and he has committed to being involved in the next three films, and that is Mr John Williams." (http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/john-williams-score-star-wars-episodes-vii-ix/)

 

So we've known that from the beginning Williams wanted to do all three, if he could. 

[Alex 2,833]

Kathleen Kennedy: "So do you want to do all three?"

JW: "Well I..."

Kathleen Kennedy: "That settles it. HE'S SCORING ALL THREE EVERYONE"

[Bespin 8,480]

9 hours ago, crumbs said:

I have it on very good authority that Williams has already started research on a new theme for Rey.

 

He's been trawling through his old Doris Day VHS collection for weeks, desperately seeking the same musical stimulation that inspired some of his most memorable 80's melodies.

 

Doris Day is clearly inspiring JW.

 

[TownerFan 4,983]

14 hours ago, Will said:

 

Well, in announcing Williams would score TFA Kathleen Kennedy did say, "I had breakfast with someone very important to the Star Wars family on Friday and he has committed to being involved in the next three films, and that is Mr John Williams." (http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/john-williams-score-star-wars-episodes-vii-ix/)

 

So we've known that from the beginning Williams wanted to do all three, if he could. 

 

I think his involvement was never in question, especially since the moment he expressed a clear interest. It's mostly a matter of time, health and energy required. Producing such scores is a massive task and we must always remember JW is doing all by himself. He doesn't have a team working with him, aside from the usual collaborators like music editors and orchestrators/copyists. This is something very rare in today's film scoring environment.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That's right. Health was/is really the only significant factor that would force him to not score these.

[TownerFan 4,983]

In all honesty, back when Episode VII was announced right after Disney acquired LFL, I thought Williams wouldn't score any of the new films. Much like George Lucas did with JJ Abrams, I thought he would have let a younger colleague to step in his place and continuing his legacy. I was pretty much convinced he already said and done everything about Star Wars music. Back in 2011, when asked by a BBC journalist if he'd ever thought repurposing Star Wars music into a proper symphony, he said "I think it's better to leave Star Wars alone" or something like that, revealing he truly didn't expect to write Star Wars music anymore and felt it was a closed chapter. That being said, he clearly feels attached to it nonetheless and probably he also feels entitled to be the one doing it while he's still kickin' around. Like he said many times, he feels like he's continuing writing a letter, picking up after the last paragraph where he left. We know how much he feels that way about his work in general and he truly feels he can improve or do better than the last time.

[Quintus 5,399]

I bet Blumenkohl is still disgusted that Williams continues to refuse to step aside for Giacchino on Star Wars. 

 

 

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On 8/18/2016 at 9:11 PM, Quintus said:

I bet Blumenkohl is still disgusted that Williams continues to refuse to step aside for Giacchino on Star Wars. 

 

The reference to not wanting anyone else writing music for Daisy was clearly a veiled threat to Kennedy if she let Giacchino finish the Episode trilogy. I'm sure it's the only reason Williams signed on.

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Is Daisy that great?

[Faleel 5,340]

Williams seems to think so.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Drax doesn't like her, she's too manly looking.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

She certainly became an instant movie star with Episode VII. And that was not guaranteed. Just ask Hayden Christensen.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

18 hours ago, Stefancos said:

Drax doesn't like her, she's too manly looking.

 

Outside her SW character, she's a cutie. But in the movie, I'm like "hey that bloke's a shiela!"

[nightscape94 965]

On Sunday, October 02, 2016 at 7:22 AM, Disco Stu said:

Just ask Hayden Christensen.

 

Dude never had a chance.  Quality of film goes a long way for an actor to be looked upon favorably.  Hayden was playing a shitty character who had to deliver terrible dialogue in an overall shitty and terrible movie.

[crocodile 7,984]

I actually feel kinda sorry for him.

 

Karol

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I sorta do, but at the same time, McGregor and Portman's careers are both going strong so at least some of it is probably down to unadventurous choices on his part. No question he would be more easily typecast but I suspect there are a few filmmakers who still admire him in Life as a House and Shattered Glass and would be willing to put him in something good. He did get cast by Doug Liman but apparently not in a good film.

 

I think he gets too much shit from fans, though, but I also hesitate to blame Lucas entirely for those performances. 

[Alex 2,833]

There's only so much an actor can do with dialogue like "I don't like sand"

[Tom 4,639]

2 minutes ago, alextrombone94 said:

There's only so much an actor can do with dialogue like "I don't like sand"

why cherry-pick from the worst lines to make the point?  There are plenty of perfectly well-written lines that he simply did not deliver in a convincing fashion. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Well-written lines?

 

 

[mrbellamy 6,272]

Lol well-written is a stretch  but there are some, let's say more "straightforward" dialogue that are among his worst moments. "What have I done?" or "I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire."

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Stop it! The memories!

[mrbellamy 6,272]

[crumbs 14,301]

So it's been 3 months since Johnson started editing and Williams mentioned seeing a first cut of VIII. What do people think -- has he seen the first cut yet or is he preoccupied writing Ready Player One currently (which is surely in first cut form already given how fast Spielberg and Kahn edit)?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Spielberg tried to get RPO's score recorded before leaving to shoot Edgardo in Italy.

[Will 2,215]

4 minutes ago, crumbs said:

So it's been 3 months since Johnson started editing and Williams mentioned seeing a first cut of VIII. What do people think -- has he seen the first cut yet or is he preoccupied writing Ready Player One currently (which is surely in first cut form already given how fast Spielberg and Kahn edit)?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Spielberg tried to get RPO's score recorded before leaving to shoot Edgardo in Italy.

 

What I'm worried about is the Kobe thing! I was so looking forward to it and we haven't heard anything!

[crumbs 14,301]

Just now, Will said:

 

What I'm worried about is the Kobe thing! I was so looking forward to it and we haven't heard anything!

 

He's been replaced by Michael Giacchino, after Kobe heard a cue from Rogue One.

[Will 2,215]

Just now, crumbs said:

 

He's been replaced by Michael Giacchino, after Kobe heard a cue from Rogue One.

 

 

I'm actually worried though if the project's been cancelled altogether. Literally no news whatsoever since the initial announcement in May. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Maybe they're delaying it until Williams has time to score it? 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Maybe Spielberg decided to adapt that short animated movie into a full-length feature film after he saw the workprint, and Williams is just waiting for him to shoot it before recording any music.

[bollemanneke 3,337]

About Hayden Christensen... I actually started appreciating his performance a while ago. For me the key is to asusme that he's mentally unstable from the start. If you keep that in mind while listening to the 'freedom/justice' bit and 'the women and the children', it actually works as long as you keep reminding yourself he's brainwashed and insane. I don't know if that theory holds up at all if you see his performance though.

[Wojo 2,453]

Hey, if you have to be blind to enjoy Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the Blu-rays should be bundled with the Basic Instinct ice pick. 

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

This thread should be retitled! I saw "John Williams Confirms He's..." and assumed the next word would be dead!

[bollemanneke 3,337]

I'm sure someone else would confirm that.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

4 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

I'm sure someone else would confirm that.

Gia would. .. barely being able to control his glee.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bastard!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

He'd be the one who murdered him!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bastard!

[Bilbo 3,709]

"The Maestro is dead. Long live the Maestro!" He'd claim as he struggled into one of John's turtlenecks.