Henry B

Yeah, Silva.

It's kind of ironic that the ships in the original Battle of Yavin were made out of plastic.

Just new recordings.

Mm, Wookiees. But you know, we're finally going to get them in Episode III (one reason to look forward to it).

It is very nice. Instruments sound a little more "separated," it's not as fluid...

Even though that is my favorite rendition of the Sorceror's Stone Motif ever (remixed from "Meeting Tom Riddle"?), you're right. If it had only been used when Harry leaves Riddle's diary...man, that would've been powerful. But no... :?

But despite some great singles like "Fawkes the Phoenix" and "Dueling the Basilisk," The Chamber of Secrets has at least half an hour of reused music from The Sorceror's Stone and even a bit of "The Chase Through Coruscant" from Attack of the Clones. It's a thematic mess because of this recycled music. The Chamber of Secrets Theme shows up, what, twice in the film before its end credits performance? While the decision to change the Sorceror's Stone Motif into an all-around Evil Motif was a good one, I think it is too prominent; in some places the Chamber of Secrets Theme should have been used instead (particularly when McGonagall is explaining the Chamber). The Harry/Friends theme plays constantly, which simply makes its absence in the following film more jolting.

It doesn't really matter that "Did what? Good night," is an original line, it's still summarizes a large part of the book Dumbledore. I am concerned about what Gambon will do about Dumbledore in The Order of the Phoenix. That has got to be Dumbledore at his unfunniest (Harris wouldn't do much better, as Dumbledore in that book is as un-grandfatherly as he is unfunny).

Yeah, good idea. I expected reprises of all my favorite Harry Potter themes and consequently was terribly disappointed with the album. I've now come to appreciate it greatly, however.

The concert performance of "Han Solo and the Princess" is also available on the "40 Years of John Williams Music" album. I listen to it a lot; the melancholy cameo of Leia's Theme is wonderful, and the I major-VI flat minor-I major chord progression at the orchestral finale (before the final woodwinds segment) is surprising but very good.

You do have a point...I'm kind of annoyed at the useless Air Taxi and Flag Parade footage added to The Phantom Menace for its DVD release (then again, I'm equally pissed at the useless new footage in the Classic Trilogy, but not at most of the fixed effects).

Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. Very...mystical, just like the book. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but both the album and the music as heard in the film feels a bit disjointed; there's no "bridge" between each radically different piece of music. Attack of the Clones is incomplete and at times boring/uninspired, but it still has many great moments. :?

You'll notice I put in in quotation marks, but anyway, it's because the camera shakes, as if from the perspective of an unsteady clonetrooper (that's impossible, though, because the camera is many meters off of the ground).

To be fair, Attack of the Clones did feature some "realistic" camera movements during the Battle of Geonosis. EDIT: On the other hand, maybe I should put "camera" in quotes too, as that battle's all CGI, hence David Tattersall probably had little to do with it. :?

Wish I could picture Voldemort. Every time I read the books I just picture a white skull with red eyes. :?

I like Star Wars and Star Wars: A New Hope - Special Edition (we'll see about Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) about equally. I like the Special Edition for its improved special effects, I don't like it for the way some improvements don't fit in too well.

1:29-1:40. It's not the B Theme note-for-note, but there are strong similarities.

Why do people blame William Ross for the Chamber of Secrets fiasco, come to think of it? It's Williams' "fault" for giving Catch Me If You Can priority. Ross came up with some cool reworkings of Sorceror's Stone music, and he probably could have done more if he were given the job of "co-composer."

I love the rendition of the Main Theme in "Chasm Crossfire." It pretty much epitomizes the whole film. In The Empire Strikes Back, the Main Theme never seems to stick around for long, though the B Theme is curiously prominent in the opening track. In Return of the Jedi, you'll notice the Main Theme plays as Luke is turning himself in to Vader, then disappears until the very last moment of tension in the film: Luke's escape from the Death Star. GREAT use of leitmotif there. In The Phantom Menace the Main Theme is fleeting, and in Attack of the Clones...ugh. Impromptu summary of the Main Theme. Huh. No, wait, I have something of substance to say! Did anyone else notice the subtle use of the B Theme in "Anakin Is Free"?

Okay, the phrasing there was not great. What I really meant was that I listen to Star Wars (the series, not just the one film) MOST, but the aforementioned soundtracks are great as well.

They certainly will.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at the moment, but only the Star Wars soundtracks really stand the test of time.

I think Vader's going to be THE bad guy in Episode III.

As far as the films go, I like the performance of the Main Theme from Star Wars best. It seems to have a much more explosive opening. My favorite rendition of it anywhere is in Shadows of the Empire.

Well, Joe, you don't get that impression until The Order of the Phoenix... Sirius will probably tell them in that cave outside of Hogsmeade or in the fireplace.