Miz

I tend to find 'Swimming' to be brilliant, whereas a calming and very good track such as Jurassic Park Credits is average in comparison. I suppose I want the very best suggestions, not reams of generally quiet music. Great suggestions people! Almost, but it is night-time music, and as such it helps me to sleep. Infact, thinking about it, this is a very versatile track, because I listen to it very loud sometimes (for that flying effect yknow) but it can be soft and gentle when you want it to be. What could be better than actual falling asleep music?! Although I find this track too incoherent to help me fall asleep. It's a shame. Most pieces from the E.T. album are great tracks, but don't flow well enough to relax me. Maybe it's because they fire up my imagination so well! i prefer the concert pieces on the original album. Hence 'Over the Moon', and also 'E.T. and me'. A lovely, warming track.

I mean Ultimate here. Those tunes that are certain to relax and unwind you. I've just created a compilation minidisc of these tracks (in order of perfection here...) Swimming - WaterWorld Earth - Gladiator Night Skies - SoTE Austria - Band of Brothers Over the Moon - E.T. Goodbye and Godspeed - Deep Impact Any others that people can think of? They have to be brilliant, not average!

I went to that same one at The Barbican (where JW conducts the LSO...once every century). It was an ok exhibition, but it wasn't deep enough for my fanboy needs. The concept art and models from the OT were great, but didn't expand much on what I already knew. There was an animatronic Gran ('Three Eyes, anyone?) whcih you could puppeteer. How fun.

I think the most memorable would be at the end of Princess Leia's Theme. The climbing piano (I think it's a piano there) is a great ending to the piece. I also recall Yoda's Theme ending with some great ascending strings.

Absolutely. There hasn't been a more imaginative, emotianl, or overwhelmingly popular Speilberg/Williams collaboration before or since. Anyone who disagrees, be prepared for the debate of your life... MWAHAHAHA!

Although, switching on the radio today, I was extremely suprised to hear Adventures on Earth being performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra on Radio 2 (a mainstream BBC radio station in the UK). And the performance was excellent, differently paced than I was used to, but excellent nonetheless. If this is what it's like live, now I definately want to hear Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye in all its glory!

Adventures on Earth starts with the staccato bicycle chase fanfare we all know and love (which is a bit stretched, if you get my meaning), and moves into the chase itself. Instead of continuing as in the film, it moves into a string rendition of the bicycle/freedom theme, and then the normal E.T. theme, and then the abrupt halted-by-agents brass, which halt, for no reason, before the flying sequence music. Which isn't heard. Then it is all the same as 'Saying Goodbye', with accelerated climbing, 'crying' music (as I call it) and then with two fast E.T. themes (with audible and harp-like pianos), as opposed to one slow one. And finally, the rainbow trumpets are too fast, and don't sound right. So I'd rather have Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye, in concert, because you get to hear the tense beginning, the winding bicycle theme during the Escape in the van, then the correct version of the stunning Chase, including its climax, and the spine-tingling flying sequence (complete with orange sunset, if I have anything to do with it!), and then a correctly paced Saying Goodbye, as heard in the film, and making it a perfect concert experience. And that ending, oh, that ending, it needs to be done properly.

What's that?

I bought the CD straight after I saw the film, then got it home and realised it was an impulsive decision and a mistake. The album blended together to easily, I couldn't remember one track from another, it was all eerie strings and wailing women. The action track was good but lost its zazz after a few listenings. Then I saw the film again (as I make a point to once I've purchased a score) and listened to it in context. Then, after a few more listenings at home, I could identify, and appreciate, the subtle differences between each track. And I began to like the score much more. I enjoyed the heartbeat-like beginning, the PreCrime momentum, the excellent Spyders, the melancholically perfect Sean's theme, the thrilling chase, the disturbing Confrontation (preceded by a haunting rendition of Sean's theme), the tense climax, and lastly, the satisfying conclusion. Not a perfect score, I still like them more melodic, but this works in the film fine as it is. I give Johnny 7/10. Good work.

It's alright for you people in Cleveland!!! Check out my sig! And I've always maintained that JW should finish his concerts with the entire 15 minutes of Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye (maybe minus the 8.59-10.30 minutes which are a bit drawn out, and not even used in the film). The film version is superior to Adventures on Earth, and has a better ending, which is definately the most ultimate and brilliant ending to any piece of music ever.

It doesn't matter. It still makes it an overated score. John Williams can and has topped it many a time. I consider it absolutely ludicrous that someone could think the Titanic score is better than E.T. or ESB. Surely Willow has to be in everybodies' top five? I wish I had the Aliens one, it sounds as if it's great. Anyone think not? I need a balanced opinion before I purchase.

So what's the name of the next thread? "Why the bikes flew" "Why the shark is scary" "Why the bullwhip is so cool" "How you'll beleive a man can fly" "How they brought back dinosaurs" "How they predict murders"

Yeah, and thanks very much Damien for that link. I hope he visits soon!

Yeah, I would have thought he's done that before. Does anyone know details on any British performances? Maybe even some future dates?

John Williams is known to perform numerous concerts in the USA, but has anyone been to any outside of the country? I live in merrie olde Engalnd, and wondered when JW last visited here. Ever? I would love to see him conduct his concerts live, but never hear of any dates for British performances. Has he performed outside of the USA before? I would love to see one of his concerts, but all I get are the reviews of one in 'CA' or 'NY' or some such far off place.

More contented.

It is a great score. I downloaded an entire MIDI collection from a site, and can see all the notes on my primitive sequencing program. It is very well done, the themes are a little amatuer compared to JW, but you can't dwell on that, because it works great in the game. It may sound stupid, but is it possible to get this converted to a proper orchestral sound?

I never heard that line, but I like it. Dawson's favourite director is Speilberg, Joey's favourite film is E.T., and there is an episode where they watch E.T. to remenisce (sp?) about their childhood, and you can hear the stunning 'Saying Goodbye' finale. Unfortunately, they switch off the video there, so they don't appreciate the superb piano solo that, in my mind, inevitably follows it every time.

Ok, sorry, different does not equal bad, it equals diversity. (Unless we all used 'cool' lots, in which case it would all get repetitive, see what I mean?)

What's a spelling Nazi? Someone who wants everyones spelling to be perfect, or somebody who can't spell? And I wasn't refering to just spelling, but also judicious use of arbitary adjectives such as 'cool' to descibe something that people here take quite seriously. And using emoticons instead of describing your emotions, and starting redundant topics. Not that I have anything against you Toot, after all, it seems I'm the only one on this thread who has responded to the question.

I think this person doesn't really know what they're talking about. Anyway... >>Go and buy the soundtrack, and you can learn the theme by ear. I'm not a very musical person but I learnt ATS in three keys, just by ear. >>Or download a MIDI, they're all over the internet. With some simple software you can convert that into note form very easily. PS, surely someone who 'plays' the clarinet would know what a piece of paper with notes on it is called. How long have you been playing?

Yeah, ok, so we're all agreed John Williams does the best marches, but does anybody know of any other composers who have done marches that come close?

Leia was put into hiding (whenever) and raised by the Organa senators on Alderaan (which, incidentally, had better be in Episode III). This was probably done by Obi-Wan, who is a 'trusted friend' of Padme. She loses the name of Skywalker so she her identity remains 'strictly anonymous' (plus for the sake of OT continuity). The Organa parents teach Leia diplomacy and peace etc. and also of a Jedi who has gone into hiding, who rescued her at birth. Soon she will discover this Jedi is her 'only hope'. Luke was taken by Obi-Wan, who was escaping the imminent Jedi exterminations, to the isolated planet of Tatooine, and placed in the care of foster parents the Lars. This is probably because Obi-Wan heard of Anakin's past visit, and since they once knew Shmi, they have an obligation to raise her grandson (a bit unfair, in my opinion). He keeps the Skywalker name for the sake of OT continuity, but also perhaps to remind his foster parents that he must never leave the planet, for fear of learning his place in the civil war (one of the reasons he longs to get off the dusty rock in the first place). Obi-Wan, who becomes 'Ben', also recluses on Tatooine, so that he can keep track of Luke, and also guide him once his destiny inevitably arrives, and he must be go and learn his destiny among the stars...