The Force Awakens Episode VII Poll

[Nick1Ø66 8,330]

These comparisons to Star Trek and Hitchcock aren't really fair. Neither I'd those films have had one constant composer--major films in both have been scores by very different composers with very different sounds. Whereas for Star Wars, every major film has had JW (I don't count clone wars or the well more as a major film). Thi doesn't mean other composer shouldn't try, or even that thy wouldn't want to try. But it should make us more sympathetic to the "inevitable comparisons" argument. Any composer would get a lot of flak, regardless of how good their score is. He'll, JW got a lot of flack for an outstanding prequel trilogy scores (IMO, of course)!

I agree.

Also, JJ was brought on board as director when the writers had already been decided. I would assume (which is all I can really do) he's being bought on board on a machine that was already running. He's sure to have his say in many of the aspects and collaborators in the film. But I'm not sure his role will be much different of that of Kershner in ESB.

We can all be pretty certain that ILM will handle the special effects and Ben Burtt the sound effects (which doesn't seem to be any incovenient, as they both did the same in Star Trek). John Williams is another part of this equation. If he wants it, he'll do it

Back to the subject at hand...I pretty much agree with all of this....though my strong suspicion is that Abrams will have a considerable more amount of power than Kershner had. But that's just a guess. I certainly agree that the job is Williams if he wants it, and that Abrams probably would like to have him. Abrams clearly likes Gia, but he knows the fans will be watching and I believe he genuinely wants to make the best Star Wars picture he can. Having said, that, I don't think he'd be crushed if Williams said no and he had to go with Gia.

I didn't know Burtt did the sound effects for Star Trek, that's obviously good news, re: him continuing to work on Star Wars.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

I didn't know Burtt did the sound effects for Star Trek, that's obviously good news, re: him continuing to work on Star Wars.

Which raises the question, given how the music in Star Trek was mixed so loud, did Burtt or Lucas hide away John's [sadly butchered] music in AotC and RotS?

[Ollie 1,375]

Not if his ego gets in the way like it did on the prequels.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Not if his ego gets in the way like it did on the prequels.

Burtt's?

[Romão 2,473]

Ben Burtt probably has a much freer rein with Lucas than with JJ

[Nick1Ø66 8,330]

I didn't know Burtt did the sound effects for Star Trek, that's obviously good news, re: him continuing to work on Star Wars.

Which raises the question, given how the music in Star Trek was mixed so loud, did Burtt or Lucas hide away John's [sadly butchered] music in AotC and RotS?

Perhaps. Burtt did the sound mix for the OT DVD's, in which the sound effects infamously are mixed much higher, at the expense of the score, than any previous release. So who knows.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Ben Burtt probably has a much freer rein with Lucas than with JJ

I hadn't considered that. Very true. JJ [i am] is supposedly a control freak.

[Ollie 1,375]

Not if his ego gets in the way like it did on the prequels.

Burtt's?

Yes, you posted before I could get mine in.

[Uni 307]

I don't want to take the conversation back in the other direction. But I just have to say:

Yeah, I agree with most of this. When I see words like "indisputably" or "inarguably" I pretty much just pass it off as bluster and don't take it seriously, or take offence (partially because I recognise it as bluster, and partially because I'm guilty of that kind of bluster myself at times). I might say "The Empire Strikes back is clearly a better score than Jedi". It's pretty obvious this is just an opinion that I'm perhaps overstating with a bit of hyperbole, and I don't expect people to read much into it beyond how strongly I feel about the subject...I certainly don't expect they'd read it as a statement of fact, I'm obviously not a spokesperson for John Williams. It's obvious that it's not clear to many people that Empire is better than Jedi in fact. What I wouldn't do is take it a step further say "Empire is clearly better, and if you can't see that you're stupid/biased/tone deaf". That's where the problems start.

What probably annoys me more than it should, and likely brings out the most sarcastic in me, are people who think they're so clever that they try to pass off their opinion as having some kind of objective basis (whatever they want to make up) which makes it more valid than another's, and try to brow beat others into agreement. It's one thing to try to help inform someones opinion...e.g. if I say "I don't like the PT trilogy scores because the LSO didn't perform them"...telling me that I was wrong on this fact might help inform my opinion. But that's a little different than saying "You like (or don't like) X score because you don't understand music. Or you have a bias for John Williams. Or you don't appreciate X style of music". This tendency to try to assert that one opinion is inherently better than the other based on some kind of nebulous criteria that only makes sense to the one doing the brow beating is what I find kind of offensive around here. And the worst part is these people really do believe they have some kind of inherently superior understanding of the music, and that if the rest of us just weren't so stupid, or biased, or tone deaf, we'd see that and agree with them.

But such is the life of a genre forum. There it is.

Yes, yes, and yes. This is precisely what I was talking about (with more detailed examples).

- Uni

[Mr. K 12]

Not if his ego gets in the way like it did on the prequels.

Burtt's?

Yes, you posted before I could get mine in.

Absolutely. That's what happens when your sound designer is also the film editor. I remember on the TPM DVD bonus material, there was a moment when Ken Wannberg started raising hell because the SFX completely drowned out the score. JW doesn't have Wannberg to advocate for the score anymore, he's retired. Somebody needs to keep Burtt in check.

Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of TIE fighters screaming by blasting lasers- but I want to hear that Rebel Fanfare even more.

[Luke Skywalker 2,385]

yes! of course...but since it's Abrahms directing, if Williams doesnt do it, it is still a Win-Win situation for me, hehehe

[tedfud 39]

it will probably be a collaboration between Williams and Giacchino....just guessing.

t

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

yes! of course...but since it's Abrahms directing, if Williams doesnt do it, it is still a Win-Win situation for me, hehehe

At the end of the day, yes this is where I stand.

DARN! Either one of the best new blood composers will score it, or one of the best old blood composers will score it.

What a damn tragedy!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,025]

It would be nice if he did, but I don't think that he will, even if it was for The Mouse, and/or Kathleen Kennedy. Personally, I think that JW plans to retire, soon, although he has never spoken of it. Will he really want to be composing music in 2023, when he will be 91 years old? I don't think so. If he does, then fair play to him, but I can't see it. I'm not trying to be cynical, jut realistic.

Best to let another composer use his themes, and integrate them into new scores.

[indy4 160]

He has scoffed at the idea of retiring or stop writing music in several interviews

[filmmusic 3,270]

The only 2 genres of film I would Like JW to score that he hasn't done yet are:

- a 2d animation film (yes, i know he has done Tintin, but 3d doesn't have the magic of a 2d animation)

- a period romantic costume drama (eg. like Anna Karenina, Age of Innocence etc.)

hmmm... wait! Yes, he has done Jane Eyre. Well, stil would like to hear his contemporary take on something like that. (with higher production values than a TV movie)

Other than those, I don't need another Star Wars score, and certainly i don't need the film either..

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Other than those, I don't need another Star Wars score, and certainly i don't need the film either..

Thy soul screameth the opposite of what thee sayeth in this post.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Composers never retire, except John Barry.

[Mr. K 12]

Composers never retire, except John Barry.

It seems that way. Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein kept at it until they were nearly on their deathbed. JW entertained the idea of retiring in the mid-90's following Schindler's List but fortunately never did.

[indy4 160]

The only 2 genres of film I would Like JW to score that he hasn't done yet are:

- a 2d animation film (yes, i know he has done Tintin, but 3d doesn't have the magic of a 2d animation)

- a period romantic costume drama (eg. like Anna Karenina, Age of Innocence etc.)

hmmm... wait! Yes, he has done Jane Eyre. Well, stil would like to hear his contemporary take on something like that. (with higher production values than a TV movie)

Other than those, I don't need another Star Wars score, and certainly i don't need the film either..

I'd love to hear him give another shot at a musical, whether it's part of a 2d animation or not. Spielberg confirmed in 2011 that he still wants to make a musical--I wonder if he's waiting for JW to pass away, since JW has expressed reluctance at vocal scoring.

Composers never retire, except John Barry.

It seems that way. Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein kept at it until they were nearly on their deathbed. JW entertained the idea of retiring in the mid-90's following Schindler's List but fortunately never did.

I've heard this, and I'm wondering how news of this retirement spread? Did JW announce it, or was it just rumors from random sources, etc?

[filmmusic 3,270]

I'd love to hear him give another shot at a musical, whether it's part of a 2d animation or not. Spielberg confirmed in 2011 that he still wants to make a musical--I wonder if he's waiting for JW to pass away, since JW has expressed reluctance at vocal scoring.

r Wars score, and certainly i don't need the film either..

I've heard this, and I'm wondering how news of this retirement spread? Did JW announce it, or was it just rumors from random sources, etc?

n their deathbed. JW entertained the idea of retiring in the mid-90's following Schindler's List but fortunately never did.

That would be wonderful!!!

A 2d animation musical in the vein of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin etc..!!

[Ludwig 1,180]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel that whatever Disney comes up with for Episode VII, it will have to be very different from the prequels. What they really need is some good new characters. That will allow for some good new music to be written for them. And since we know what a tremendous tunesmith Williams is, I'd be very interested to hear what he comes up with. I think that's largely what allowed such masterpieces as Luke's theme, the Imperial March, and Parade of the Ewoks to emerge from his pen. So my vote is a sort of conditional yes.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,025]

Bottom line is: I don't really care. My "time" for Star Wars has long since passed, and I have moved onto other things. Let the next generation create its own sense of identity, and that includes its own sonic identity. My life will not change one ickle bit if JW says "no" to VII-IX, and, I suspect, will neither of yours...