Jump to content

THE ADVENTURES OF HAN - 2018 John Williams theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story


Obi

Recommended Posts

Hope he incorporates subtle elements from "Han Solo and the Princess," such as that distinctive intervalic combination (i.e. re-mi-so-re.... re-ri-fi-ti,-do)

 

This would actually make a great little competition idea for JWFan. Come up with a Solo theme!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Prooves once and for all (as if there was any doubt) that Han DID NOT have a theme in the old scores. If he did, they would have used it since Disney is super committed to continuity.

 

2. Very underhand and Kennedy kinda clipped Powell's nuts with this right? Imagine telling someone You getting to score what is surely the biggest film in your career in the biggest brand franchise on Earth but you are not good enough to write the main theme? It is humiliating.

 

Surely Kennedy couldn't have done this with Gia or Desplat? 

 

3. Kennedy fired Desplat and the directors of Solo and Rogue One. So I think to avoid seeming very bloody minded she arrived at a deal with Powell. She might have said Your score is horeshit so I am getting you help. Agree or there's the door.

 

4. I think Williams will 100% write a concert suite which will be on the album and very publicized in marketing. I am thinking it will probably played as the first cue in the End Credits and some version of it will be adapted for the main title.

 

5. Hurray! A unexpected new Williams work to look forward too. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Woah, two of my favourite living film composers collaborating on a single movie, holy crap!

 

This is certainly interesting news. I was curious from the moment they announced Powell as the composer, when they pointed out that the music to the Han Solo movie will be "stylistically similar" to the Williams scores (or something like that), as if the audience needed encouragement that the score wouldn't be too different from what they're used to (because, actually, Powell has a very different style to Williams - Powell is much more pop-ish with his harmonic language*). Maybe that was a clue on their part that Williams would be contributing something...

 

*in his film scores, I should say

 

1 hour ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

 

I'll say this much: the music is catchy as hell, but the dancing gives me nausea. I think it's because the faces aren't animated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, TheUlyssesian said:

1. Prooves once and for all (as if there was any doubt) that Han DID NOT have a theme in the old scores. If he did, they would have used it since Disney is super committed to continuity.

 

Unless the new theme is a reworking of Han Solo and the Princess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

... Imagine telling someone You getting to score what is surely the biggest film in your career in the biggest brand franchise on Earth but you are not good enough to write the main theme? ...

5. Hurray! A unexpected new Williams work to look forward too. 

 

 

Agreed! JW is the spirit of Star Wars and is probably the only A list composer who can write a Golden Age theme. All the firings are evidence of how tricky this universe is to navigate. I like JP scores a lot, but JP,  Desplat or anyone else they might actually hire are probably going to write a more effective score with guidance from JW.
There are artists who can create in the Hollywood Romantic idiom, but they aren't in style...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

John Powell is at his best when working with a Williams. ;) When will Harry join the ride? The more, the merrier!

 

TRAITORS! I GAVE THEM EVERYTHING, THE FOOD OF MY TABLE, THE SHITTY PROJECTS, GHOSTING, EVERYTHING!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Muldoon said:

Well at least they can see it coming this time. God knows why they were so proud of TLJ.

I think they knew what they were doing.

They fully intended to shake things up with TLJ and they absolutely did.

Solo following so soon after is probably to calm things down again.

And then for the next 1.5 years, people will keep themselves busy comparing both.

By the time IX is in theaters, the shock of TLJ will have passed and the audience will be ready for more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Muldoon said:

 

Most of the audience will assume JW composed it all, just like they did with Rogue One. That is of course assuming they know who JW is in the first place.

 

Yep.  They won't know, and even if they knew they wouldn't care.

 

Though is great that we're finally getting theme for Han and Williams is composing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Muldoon said:

Well at least they can see it coming this time. God knows why they were so proud of TLJ.

 

God knows, and so do I: because the movie is fucking awesome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who's conflicted by this news? On one hand, great, anything new from Williams is great. On the other hand I was hoping to hear Powell's turn, but where he would write all of his own themes.

6 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

Music by John Powell Williams

Music by John John Williams Powell

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Arpy said:

Am I the only one who's conflicted by this news?

 

No.

 

33 minutes ago, Bryant Burnette said:

 

The day I think it "feels off" for John Williams to be writing a piece of Star Wars music is the day I retire from being a John Williams fan and/or a Star Wars fan.  And that is never going to happen.

 

The point is that since this is a spinoff, JW was never going to be involved in the score, just like Cappuccino was left to his own devices for Rogue.

 

The idea that out of the blue, Disney decides JW should write the main theme... it's good in that we get a new JW theme, but Powell's really good at writing memorable long-form themes too, and now he has to write a score using someone else's theme... like what he'd have come up with wouldn't be good enough. Meh.

 

Also opens the score up to the inevitable 'is JW's theme better than any of Powell's themes' debate?

 

Now if Zimmer were scoring and JW were asked to write a theme for him, that would be funny.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw Variety's headline on Twitter "‘Solo’ Locks In Key ‘Star Wars’ Veteran" with a photo of Harrison Ford. I thought Ford was returning to maybe bookend the film, definitely didn't expect JW to write a theme. 

 

I agree that this feels like a publicity stunt and doesn't bode well for the movie's quality. I was onboard with a movie showing how the Death Star plans were stolen, but a Hans Solo origins movie feels very misjudged. But who cares what the motivation was, we are getting new Williams Star Wars music!

 

Anyway, really looking forward to hear what Williams writes and how Powell incorporates it into the score. I really hope the OST has a Williams concert arrangement of the theme (I'm sure it will). The movie is released in May so he might even feature it in his concerts in the latter half of the year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, Arpy said:

Am I the only one who's conflicted by this news? On one hand, great, anything new from Williams is great. On the other hand I was hoping to hear Powell's turn, but where he would write all of his own themes.

Like I said in the other thread, I really don't think Powell requires any help whatsoever. He would do perfectly fine on his own.

But it makes sense to have Williams write a theme, since they want to keep the Williams influence and the story probably allows for very few, if any, existing Williams themes to be used.

 

So yes, I'm definitely conflicted here.

But massively pleasantly surprised at the same time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm hoping the theme incorporates some kind of harmonic twist that lends it a distinctive flavor. Williams' very best themes tend to do this, whether its the bII in the second phrase of the Indy theme, the bVII just before the phrase ending to Luke's theme, the major IV ending the first phrase of the Force theme, basically all of the E.T. and Elliott theme, etc. It would be nice if ti was something not too common so it becomes a kind of harmonic fingerprint for the theme (like a piquant I-III# or some kind of detour through some cool flat chords).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Damien F said:

I can imagine JW being overprotective of Star Wars and hovering over Powell while he is trying to compose the score: "So you are using my theme like THAT. No it's fine, really. I wouldn't do it, definitely not, no way. But I'm sure it'll sound fine. Are you sure you want to use that chord there, seems like an odd choice, but you go right ahead. What the hell is that note doing there!!. Give me the sheet music, I'll just tidy it up for you. No need to thank me."

 

Powell's left eye constantly twitching. 

 

 

:lol:

 

Or even with Ron Howard! "Oh, interesting choice you've made here Ron. I've never seen a scene done quite like this. Of course, George or Steven wouldn't have presumed to do it this way, but do what you think is right, you're the master."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, Damien F said:

I can imagine JW being overprotective of Star Wars and hovering over Powell while he is trying to compose the score: "So you are using my theme like THAT. No it's fine, really. I wouldn't do it, definitely not, no way. But I'm sure it'll sound fine. Are you sure you want to use that chord there, seems like an odd choice, but you go right ahead. What the hell is that note doing there!!. Give me the sheet music, I'll just tidy it up for you. No need to thank me."

 

Powell's left eye constantly twitching. 

 

 

Williams: Great cue Powell baby, you are exactly on the right path. How about you just orchestrate this cue for an electric guitar and drums. Then go present it to Kathleen. I am sure she will love it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Damien F said:

I saw Variety's headline on Twitter "‘Solo’ Locks In Key ‘Star Wars’ Veteran" with a photo of Harrison Ford. I thought Ford was returning to maybe bookend the film, 

I read a spoiler that mentioned he does indeed appear.  He is older and with a beard (not unlike Luke), and wins the day by playing an alto sax that causes an avalanche and smoothers the bad guys.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So... is Williams going to view a rough cut and provide a full orchestrated theme for Powell to work with? Or will it be akin to a rough piano sketch for Powell to infuse his own style more easily?

 

Either way, this sounds really promising. Powell does good work when he's using other people's themes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well it's exciting IF a true Williams arrangement appears on the OST

 

But it could only  be Williams writing a theme and Powell RCPing the shit out of it, making it sound like trailer music

 

Remember  Williams  wrote themes for Suiperman 4 but we don't have actual Williams arrangements for them, and they sound kinda shitty and incomplete the way Alexander Courage arranged them

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

But it makes sense to have Williams write a theme, since they want to keep the Williams influence and the story probably allows for very few, if any, existing Williams themes to be used.

 

Depending on what cameos get shoehorned in, we may get Jabba's theme and/or Boba Fett's motif. Probably one of the ANH stormtrooper/Imperial motifs too.

 

49 minutes ago, king mark said:

Remember  Williams  wrote themes for Suiperman 4 but we don't have actual Williams arrangements for them, and they sound kinda shitty and incomplete the way Alexander Courage arranged them

 

When listening to Courage's arrangements of JW's themes, shitty and incomplete are not descriptions that come to mind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.