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John Powell's SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (2018) - Deluxe Edition 2020 / Intrada 2-CD edition October 31, 2023


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Just now, Fal said:

I was thinking the same thing! perhaps it sounds kind of like the Cross motif from TLC?

Yes, that's it! For a moment I thought it was something from Williams' demo. But then, I realised it is indeed a variation on the L3-37's theme.

 

Karol

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There are some other bits that remind me of JW themes, for example there is that Tuba solo in L3 & The Falcon that kind of reminded me of Devils Dance from Eastwick.

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4:54 might as well be the first few bars of the Grail theme from TLC.

 

 

(I know it's just a rising 4th but it's played so similarly!)

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Well, I think L3's theme in Mine Mission is a clear callback to March of the Resistance. But the quieter statements of the theme remind me of something else, but I can't figure out what (and is not The Grail Theme)

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Apologies if this was discussed before, but does anyone know exactly what is on screen when that martial-action setting of the '77 Vader/Imperial theme plays in "Train Heist"?

 

At first I thought it might be the guard droids that come out of the facility, but narratively that wouldn't come until the next track?

 

 

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Just now, Disco Stu said:

Apologies if this was discussed before, but does anyone know exactly what is on screen when that martial-action setting of the '77 Vader/Imperial theme plays in "Train Heist"?

 

At first I thought it might be the guard droids that come out of the facility, but narratively that wouldn't come until the next track?

 

 

 

It's for when the furry troopers start stepping out on top of their carriage.

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6 minutes ago, Holko said:

 

It's for when the furry troopers start stepping out on top of their carriage.

 

Ah yes!  The magnetic boot dudes.  I forgot about them.  Thanks!

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4 minutes ago, Demodex said:

So can anyone tell me where in the film the track "Flying With Chewbacca" takes place?  Thanks. 

 

I'm pretty sure it's when Han and Chewie break out of the pit/prison and then run, cuffed to each other, to catch the gang before they leave.  Then the second half is when they're getting to know each other on the way to the train heist planet.

 

 

If I'm wrong, someone correct me!

 

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The more romantic second half follows the first half, underscoring when they are leaning over the edge of the ship and Han remarks he needs a better name than Chewbacca. It’s almost dialed out in the film

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25 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

The more romantic second half follows the first half, underscoring when they are leaning over the edge of the ship and Han remarks he needs a better name than Chewbacca. It’s almost dialed out in the film

I heard it fine, and it's a wretched shame you weren't so fortunate in your theatre.

 

Would it be grossly inaccurate to express I find Powell has more common with Horner than he does Williams or Zimmer? Just a vibe I've always gotten, especially from this and Ferdinand. I'm not sure how to describe what similar sensibilities I hear, just hope this suggestion doesn't sound too absurd.

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27 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

BTW @Taikomochi I love the new avatar.  CMBYN was my #1 movie of 2017 and definitely would've won best picture if I was picking!  At least James Ivory won.

 

Thanks!  Tbh I’m surprised it won even that. It was unquestionably the best film of last year imo, leagues above Shape of Water, but I don’t think it is accessible enough for the Academy’s tastes.  I’ll take the deserved Ivory win.

 

 

10 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

I heard it fine, and it's a wretched shame you weren't so fortunate in your theatre.

 

Would it be grossly inaccurate to express I find Powell has more common with Horner than he does Williams or Zimmer? Just a vibe I've always gotten, especially from this and Ferdinand. I'm not sure how to describe what similar sensibilities I hear, just hope this suggestion doesn't sound too absurd.

 

I hear all kinds of composer influences in this score. One I haven’t heard mentioned is Thomas Newman, who I think influenced greatly the gambling sequences with their striking combination of textures.

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21 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

 

Thanks!  Tbh I’m surprised it won even that. It was unquestionably the best film of last year imo, leagues above Shape of Water, but I don’t think it is accessible enough for the Academy’s tastes.  I’ll take the deserved Ivory win.

 

Of the movies nominated, here's how they fell for me.

 

Top Tier

CMBYN

Darkest Hour

 

Middle Tier

The Post

Get Out

Phantom Thread

 

Bottom Tier

Three Billboards

The Shape of Water

 

No Tier Because It Bored Me Beyond Words

Dunkirk

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25 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

 

 One I haven’t heard mentioned is Thomas Newman, who I think influenced greatly the gambling sequences with their striking combination of textures.

Ha! I knew I wasn't completely crazy for thinking of Finding Nemo with that opening to "Is This Seat Taken"!

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It’s sort of underrated just how influential T. Newman is today in all the scrambling to lay every thing good or bad about film music now at Zimmer’s feet

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20 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

Of the movies nominated, here's how they fell for me.

 

Top Tier

CMBYN

Darkest Hour

 

Middle Tier

The Post

Get Out

Phantom Thread

 

Bottom Tier

Three Billboards

The Shape of Water

 

No Tier Because It Bored Me Beyond Words

Dunkirk

 

Darkest Hour didn't resonate with me very strongly, but didn't help that there was an elderly gentleman sitting behind me in my screening who kept answering the phone to telemarketers!

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Just now, Taikomochi said:

 

Darkest Hour didn't resonate with me very strongly, but didn't help that there was an elderly gentleman sitting behind me in my screening who kept answering the phone to telemarketers!

 

I thought it was wonderful how Wright managed to give the film this feeling of unstoppable dread.  Like a German invasion was the sword of Damocles always hanging just over the frame.  It was an excellent example of carefully calibrated tone.

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I thought it leaned a little too much into the Oscar-baity biopic tropes, but I agree with you and think Wright is a fabulously talented director.  Wish we'd get more from him.  I even really liked his Anna Karenina.

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14 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

It’s sort of underrated just how influential T. Newman is today in all the scrambling to lay every thing good or bad about film music now at Zimmer’s feet

 

It's true, in a sense Newman was doing a similar thing first albeit in a more airy and transparent way. 

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1 hour ago, Taikomochi said:

The more romantic second half follows the first half, underscoring when they are leaning over the edge of the ship and Han remarks he needs a better name than Chewbacca. It’s almost dialed out in the film

 

I don't remember much of this part of the movie. And yeah, the sound mix in my theater sucked. 

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https://moviemusicuk.us/2018/05/29/solo-john-powell/

 

Nice review by Jon Broxton. However, pretty sure he mistakenly refers to Chewie's theme at the end of "Flying with Chewbacca" as being *Han's* theme, and he also says the ANH Imperial motif is from ESB. And he says “Mine Mission” begins with the love theme in brass, when it doesn’t...

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Break Out has some nice callbacks to The Asteroid Field and this awesome portion from ANH amped-up (in Inner City I believe):

 

@Taikomochi I definitely hear a bit of Newman in Is This Seat Taken.

 

I think I hear bits of Desplat in 5:40 of Break Out.

 

 

Also, this sounds extraordinarily like Williams, something from TFA (The Resistance or Bombing Run?):

3:48 - 3:52

 

possibly here at 0:52?

 

 

But I should clarify, it seems like a Williams-ism and all over those scores...

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Enfys Nest/the marauders have two motifs, I think we can say. One more quick stinger for when they appear (Marauders Arrive/L3&Falcon/Savareen Standoff)

 

 

and a more long-lined action theme (Marauders Arrive/The Good Guy).

They of course share similar orchestrations, and the progressions are definitely related, but they're different enough in their shape and use that I separate them.

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On 25/5/2018 at 8:23 PM, Sharky said:

 

It's the Chris Clemmensen Cult of the Melody. Film music fans who place an unreasonably high premium on hummable thematic material (and by extension its author/s) at the expense of other considerations, like texture/orchestration, harmony, diegetic role, rhythm, form,  development of said thematic material.

 

I feel like I've been saying this for years (without being able to parse it using technical language because I don't have a clue).

On 25/5/2018 at 7:49 PM, kaseykockroach said:

Why so, I ask curiously.

 

It's a reference to Lindsay Ellis' doc about The Hobbit, when she talks about The Fellowship of the Ring.

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On 27/5/2018 at 3:21 PM, kaseykockroach said:

Giacchino wrote Rose's theme, and Williams adapted it into the DNA of his score.

That explains why it’s not very good so

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6 hours ago, Arpy said:

 

 

 

I will add that I'm always reminded of that with this other bit in "Adventures of Han". Sort of interesting as that moment in TFA actually does score Han in action, even though it's also a reprisal of "I Can Fly Anything" 

 

 

Also speaking of Williamsy stuff in Solo, I wonder what the odds are that the end of "Dice and Roll" is actually a Williams-penned variation that just went unused for the suite. All the other variations that aren't directly lifted from "Adventures of Han," I can clearly hear Powell's voice, but this one seems a little suspicious to me...

 

 

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39 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

Also speaking of Williamsy stuff in Solo, I wonder what the odds are that the end of "Dice and Roll" is actually a Williams-penned variation that just went unused for the suite. All the other variations that aren't directly lifted from "Adventures of Han," I can clearly hear Powell's voice, but this one seems a little suspicious to me...

 

Definitely Williams.

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2 hours ago, Pellaeon said:

That one in Riding with Chewie sounds a hell of a lot like Poe’s Theme as usually rendered.

 

The trumpet calls on that one also remind me a little of the Force theme statement in "Farewell and the Trip".

 

Also speaking of great Han's theme statements in this score, I absolutely love Powell's string accompaniment on this one:

 

 

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From what I've heard of it (my friend is not the sit-through-the-credits type) it has unique or at least unreleased segments, so you'll have to wait for the home video release and rip it.

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It seemed to me I recognized it all from the OST (other than the “chump” and usual Luke and Rebellion business that usually begins a SW Finale).

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So just to clarify, the end credits is comprised of portions of:

 

Dice & Roll into Star Wars main theme

Reminiscence Therapy

Flying With Chewie

Lando’s Closet

Mine Mission

Corellia Chase

Flying With Chewie (again)

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37 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

Seems like a big waste that Williams’ arrangement wasn’t included in the credits

Take it up with the music editors, one of them (Nate Underkuffler) is a member of filmtracks

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