artguy360
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Posts posted by artguy360
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I think ROTS had more to work with in terms of culminating the entire Star Wars saga (at that time). So much of the score has the sound of finality to it. I think JW really wrote it like it was going to be the last Star Wars score he would ever write, and the movie had the right material to support that kind of music. TFA is a new beginning and issues with the score aside, it's not the right film for that kind of epic, culminating, celebration of all things Star Wars with years of story and characters to wrap up that the ROTS score had.
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Having listened to the CD release many times and seen the film once, the score is definitely very good but lacking some elements I have come to know and love from Star Wars scores.
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The March plays way better in the movie than alone on the soundtrack. It works really well for the 2 major scenes it plays over. It just has the right energy for those moments. My opinion of the march has grown a lot since seeing the film.
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I'm glad the quote from the Burning of the Homestead was left off the album. It felt off even in the scene it was used. Having seen the film now, I definitely feel like the CD release captures the best of the score and plays out the way you would want it to.
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I saw the movie tonight and the score obviously makes more sense in context. I love the opening of the film and all the music that plays there. Funnily enough, the movie confirms the impression I had just listening to the music which is that the action scenes, while entertaining, are unremarkable and indistinct. The strength of the film is not it's action scenes and the strength of the score is not it's action cues. The only other issue I had with the score was that it quoted the force theme a few too many times and that some of the musical flourishes towards the end of the battle didn't quite fit the scenes.
Overall, I definitely enjoy the score more now, especially Rey's theme and all the music for Kylo Ren and the First Order. The simple menacing motif works really well on horns. Rey's theme really conveys the growth, adventure, and heroism of Rey throughout the movie. I hope JW continues with Ep 8. I'm still convinced that only he can do Star Wars right.
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I really hope JW returns to score Ep. 8. There's a lot of thematic material he could continue to build on and generally, JW's music only gets better as he has more emotional material to work with, specifically looking at ESB, POA, and ROTS. All 3 sequel scores have fantastic emotional music and really satisfying payoffs.
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I'm sure I'll like everything more once I see the film.
Yeah a big question is how the music serves the film. I think when we listen to just the CD release we sometimes think JW is just writing Star Wars music on its own but really he's a master of writing the right music for that particular scene. I'm kind of surprised by how many people don't enjoy the Snoke track, considering that scene is likely filled with dialogue, it makes sense that the music has to do less in a sense and yet I love the choral work on that track. It's very menacing and you can actually hear the articulation of the sanskrit words. It's not just a choral drone backing.
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I LOVE the action version of Rey's theme in I Can Fly Anything
Yeah, right now I Can Fly Anything might be my favorite action cue on the entire album. The use of Rey's theme gives all the music something to coalesce around in a way that even Finn's theme doesn't quite manage. But I just put Follow Me and The Falcon back to back to see if that helps them make more sense musically.
- Demondm810 and Taikomochi
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Is that bit from the TV spot in fact her theme? It didn't seem that way to me.
It definitely sounds related or a new development of Rey's theme to me. Listen to how Rey's theme is presented on The Scavenger and then listen to that bit of music in the final track. It sounds like JW is building on Rey's theme there. I could be wrong, and I haven't seen the film yet.
On another note, it's just so strange to me that thus far, no action cues are among the highlights on this album. Even the X-Wing track isn't doing much for me. I feel like TPM score had very clear, fun to listen to action music while this score's action music lacks some key ingredients. Maybe it will all make more sense in the film though.
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As others have said, I think one key to really enjoying this OST is listening for Rey's theme in all it's forms. The parts are harder to identify than the classic OT motifs but Rey's theme is used extensively thoughout the CD and really gets a good workout thematically. It seems to accompany all sorts of different moods and scenes. Maybe it's a flaw that this theme is not so easy to grasp initially or maybe JW wanted something that is more varied and kind of grows as you listen. I can't say until I see the film later today.
The cue titled Rey's Theme seems to defy JW's usual way of presenting a theme, it's denser and kind of wandering, like the theme itself is trying to convey a journey which would make a lot of sense actually. It is a shame that the best development of Rey's theme (from the abc tv spot) only comes once and at the end. If that was where her theme started out, I think we'd all be having very different reactions to the memorability of this score.
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I mean, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but this reviewer writes off the scores to Lincoln and War Horse which are great and good respectively in my mind. Maybe this reviewer didn't listen to the score or know what he/she was listening to because Rey's theme is featured heavily throughout the entire CD, and is better in the other cues than in the actual Rey Theme cue. Plus, JW seemed to mostly retire his xylophone in this score. It only features a few times and largely in the background, not like the action music from the PT.
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One problem is that I can't help but compare this to the last Star Wars score, ROTS. Of this its an unfair comparison as ROTS is the end of a trilogy has has those necessary culminating sounds and emotional cues. TFA is far lighter and funner than ROTS. But as others have already said, the action music in TFA is disappointing, especially compared to past Star Wars action cues that are more memorable and more varied. TFA action cues seem to be defined only by brassy clashes. But there's no melodic identity to the action music on the CD release of TFA.
- Sharkissimo and Jacck
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Based only on the CD presentation of both scores, TFA is definitely better. There's more going on and the themes are far better developed. KOTC is just a uneventful listen.
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Are people disqualifying this score because it doesn't have a "Duel of the Fates," "Across the Stars," etc??
The film definitely lacks one clear memorable theme but Rey's theme is used very well throughout and I think will be even better when I see it paired with the actual movie.
The action music is somewhat disappointing in that it's not very distinctive. Even the X-Wing piece is punchy and brassy like TinTIn but not very memorable. The only motif that seems to drive any of the action music is the Finn theme which is more rhythmic than melodic and the Rebel fanfare from the OT.
Overall though, I'm liking the score more as I listen to it. JW is using a classic motivic style of short identifying phrases. Even more so than any of the prequel soundtracks.
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Am I the only one surprised that the "noble" theme from The Phantom Menace makes an appearance? You know, the one which opens the dinner house at Anakin's house and then reappears after Qui-Gon's death?
Karol
It was a nice surprise. I can't imagine what is happening on screen during that music. Maybe it's very fitting or JW just wanted a subtle callback to the prequels for fun.
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First time poster (or first time in a long time?) here.
I've been listening to the soundtrack all day. I haven't seen the film yet. So far, I'm really loving Snoke's track. It's really, really good. The men's chorus sounds imposing and imagining that blaring over speakers in the movie will be so cool.
I agree the soundtrack is missing one highlight cue, but Rey's theme is actually used very well throughout the album even though the Rey's Theme track is a bit of an oddity.
Can't wait to see the film tomorrow and discuss more!
The Force Awakens SCORE Discussion (Film Spoilers Allowed)
in JOHN WILLIAMS
Posted
Rey's theme is used very effectively in the film but there were a few moments where I felt the version of Rey's theme was a little too busy and fast. I had a similar issue with some scenes in War Horse where the theme seemed to be too fast paced and rhythmic for what was being shown on screen. Only in a few places in this movie though.