Tom_Servo

I've been collecting and listening to movie music for over 40 years, this 2018 edition doesn't sound "loud and brickwalled" to me. And honestly, some Intrada editions, like their expanded edition of The Rocketeer had the quiet parts way too quiet that it's impossible to listen to when driving. I feel like sometimes their albums were only tested on Doug's big home stereo and not via car stereos and headphones. But back to RAMBO III, I'm happy that I can hear all of it clearly when driving!

Interesting! I think that the 2018 edition from Intrada is the best this score has ever sounded and seeing as how love all three Goldsmith/Rambo scores, I've purchased all previous releases.

In listening to a gorgeous cue like "Eternity" I'm just immediately brought to tears, due to the music itself and it's placement in the movie. I think 2025 will be the year when my top two new scores are both from Desplat!

Thanks so much, Jay! I will try to be more active here if possible!

So, I purchased my copy of this book prior to heading over to the discussion and book signing by Tim at Vroman's in Pasadena. On that particular evening, I listened to The Fury (original album version, not the film recording) on the drive over and so when I started leafing through the book, I landed on the chapter covering 1978 and wanted to read about that year of Williams scores. Well, I've simply continued from that point forward! I'm now up to Witches Of Eastwick and still loving this book. I missed reading about his days on the Irwin Allen TV shows so at some point I will loop back around! [Oh, and this is my first post here in many, many years. I was getting frustrated with the glitches and changes at the new FSM board and was compelled to start posting here again!]

I also ended up recently putting together a big SW compilation for a work-friend and his partner. I wrestled with the sequencing, but decided on a 2 CD set, one for episodes I-III and the other for IV-VI, and then grouped the tracks together by film. I had intially tried to mix up the tracks among the films, but I just did not like the flow. I also tend to stick with how Williams arranges the tracks, he just such a great sense of how to create a fantastic suite with good, focused beginning, middle and end. Here is what I ended up with: Disc One: THE PHANTOM MENACE 1. Main Title and Arrival at Naboo 2. Duel of the Fates 3. Anakin’s Theme 4. Panaka and The Queen’s Protectors 5. He Is The Chosen One 6. The Droid Invasion and The Appearance of Darth Maul ATTACK OF THE CLONES 7. Across The Stars 8. Return To Tatooine 9. The Arena (fading in on the snare drum roll at @ 2:40, so the track time is 5:47) REVENGE OF THE SITH 10. Anakin’s Betrayal 11. General Grievous 12. Birth of the Twins and Padme’s Destiny 13. Anakin’s Dark Deeds 14. Battle of the Heroes 15. The Immolation Scene 16. Finale from ATTACK OF THE CLONES (fading in on the solo soprano at @ 1:15, track time is 9:29) Total Time – 73:48 Disc Two: A NEW HOPE: 1. Main Title 2. The Desert and Robot Auction (2:51, from the Arista 4 CD box set) 3. Rescue of the Princess (also from the Arista box set, which mirrors the tracks from the original LP presentation, something I have mostly preferred) 4. Princess Leia’s Theme 5. The Battle of Yavin (from the SE release) THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 6. Yoda’s Theme 7. The Imperial March 8. The Battle In The Snow (from the Arista box set) 9. Yoda and The Force 10. Rescue from Cloud City (also from the Arista set, time 5:20) 11. The Asteroid Field RETURN OF THE JEDI (all from the Arista box set, as I do not own the Sony SE release) 12. Parade of the Ewoks 13. Luke and Leia 14. The Final Duel and Into the Death Star 15. The Emperor’s Death 16. The Forest Battle 17. Throne and Finale from A NEW HOPE Total Time – 72:02

I beg to differ about the concert, as my wife and I attended on the same night. I have seen Williams many times in concert and found that this time was very lackluster. The Cowboys is a piece that should gallop in its start and finish and this time it barely meandered. The orchestra fell out of synch often during CE3K. The ST:TMP rendition literally limped along, beginning hesitantly instead of boldly punching out of the gate. The Tribute to the Film Composer played fine during the Oscar telecast several years ago, but played live it feels like it was edited together by kids with ADD for MTV. 1941, Jaws and Harry Potter were fine and lively, thank goodness, Star Wars was mostly decent but still weak, while the encores were all terribly lethargic. And I lost count of how many bum notes the trumpets were guilty of during The Raiders March – embarrassing, and I live in Chicago and frequent the CSO! Was this the result of holiday fatigue or second-string players? Even Williams seemed tired and distracted up on the podium...

Great, insightful review Roald, thanks for taking the time! I have also been enjoying the tracks, though have not had the time yet to listen to them straight through - I need 70 uninterrupted minutes! Hey, does anyone know if there are higher quality versions available somewhere, something other than 128kps but perhaps 256?

Well, I currently reside in downtown Chicago, have since Oct 98, but before that was various places in North Carolina and then before that was Texas... and born in Oklahoma City to boot!

Well, there may be some confusion, as my name refers to a cool (as far as the movie and first series is concerned) Transformers character named Cyclonus and not the Battlestar Galactica villain the Cylons. I have seen some of the BG series and it is interesting, glad Ron Moore is having great success with it, but it has not grabbed me in an emotional context yet, which I know it has done for others....

If Stefan is an expert and you are too than we are ALL experts here! Works for me!

Stefan, I have been listening intently to Williams's music for 25 years now, have studied music theory in college, played various instruments and sang in musicals and choirs and can count myself as much an expert on his compositional "fingerprints" as you. I think I have earned the right to discuss this with you and others here.

Umm, say what? I own Diamond Head and SpaceCamp... so, I know Williams, and from the 100 seconds of Revenge of the Sith I've heard, I have hope that it's at least as good as The Phantom Menace. But I, for one, am holding my breath that, with all the thematic quotes towards the end of this score (which presumably are some of the highlights that we haven't yet heard), it will approach Return of the Jedi in quality, which is a 5-star thematic bonanza, whether or not it sits in the shadow of Empire. I'm sorry what I meant was that I have been listening to John Williams for 40 years, and I have heard pretty much all of it, and while the forum allows me to B&M about his crap stuff, I can look back over 40 years and remember all the good, as it happened, not many (if any) here can do that. nothing wrong with us, as the all time post leader of this forum, I'd say that Stefan has earned the right to say whatever he pleases, within the rules, you on the other hand are new, and haven't earned to right to be so presumptuous regarding Stefan's rights to do anything. Yeah, um, I don't think being a member here since Sept 2003 makes me that new, when Stefan started only in 2002. Sure, Stefan can say what he likes, I just think he enjoys being a Negative Nellie and pissing all over everyone's enthusiasm, for whatever sad, lonely reason he has. It ticked me off and I felt I had to say something cause I am sick and tired of the attitude presented. You have no right no judge whether I have EARNED the right or not.

What the hell is wrong is some people here? Let's just be honest and say that ROTS will disappoint those individuals who have decided to be disappointed by it, end of story. How dare you assume that it will disappoint us all. Did you ever think that there are those of us excited to hear it, but not ready to pronounce judgment? Are you going to play the Mr. Cynic game and just assume that Williams lied when he said he was proud and happy with his work with Lucas on this series? Whatever. The only Williams score that actually disappointed me was Presumed Innocent and even that had a nice end title cue. Williams did not suddenly lose his talent with ROTS, I think he poured all that he could into the music, which we will enjoy shortly. Why even start a topic with this header?

I assume it is possible, and perhaps he combined a few cues which initially had been included as individual tracks, such as "I Am The Senate"?