Hlao-roo

I'm expecting something like a standard Howard Shore suspense score...except hopefully more engaging.

This isn't entirely relevant, but recently, Goldsmith's adventure scores have been very tonal -- just check out The Mummy and The Thirteenth Warrior. In fact, in terms of lyricism (not tonality), Goldsmith's adventures scores are whole lot more melodic and hummable than Williams's latest.

About the four-note evil motifs... Yeah, he's been fond of that approach lately; I think it started with The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Frankly, it disturbs me a bit that he might heading into James Horner territory in this respect...

Surely you intend to say precedes...

The first reaction would be a firm no, but then you realize vague the question is, and then you realize how subjective (silly) these things are, and then you say, "Gee golly, who cares? We all love his music, and that's all that matters."

Oh yes, that brilliant Battle of Geonosis music...it sounded so, so...eclectic.

"There is nothing wrong with [A.I.]; it is PERFECT."

...but then there was The Majestic...

It's called discussion about film music. Anyway, to me, the piece does remind me of "The Ultimate War" -- my first few listens to the unreleased portions of this Hook cue were what really drove this home for me. As others have stated, there's no question that Shostakovich was an important inspiration for Williams here...

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Justify, rationalize all you want, but it makes absolutely no sense Empire.

Yeah, but if Marquand weren't dead, he'd be able to fire back that Hamill's climactic post-revelation outburst in The Empire Strikes Back is equally embarrassing. Yup, all of Star Wars films feature horrid acting. But some have it worse than others...

Yao Ming is a huge (literally) risk, but the Rockets are badly in need of a true center. People like to point to Philly's Manute Bol for comparison, but a better analogy might be Cleveland's Danny Ferry, who was clearly a bust. There's no way we can tell what will happen... But what piques my interest about Ming is his putatively deft outside shooting. He could almost be another Matt Bullard, although we'd certainly expect/hope for greater things from him..

Well, I agree that they're sobering, but...

I take it you're not impressed with "Captain Panaka and The Queen's Protectors" from the first TPM album? To me, it blows away just about anything Williams produced for AOTC. What is the connection here, Alan? -Chris, Not following how the Panaka cue or AOTC came up in the Hook/Potter discussion... I'm assuming, since Joe is so outspokenly unfond of all that is Hook, that he is also disappointed by any of John Williams's action music that is stylistically similar to "The Ultimate War."

Actually, instead of Schinder's List, I'd go for John Corigliano's The Red Violin, a far more interesting listen in terms of violin solos. Saving Private Ryan, provided you like elegaic Americana, is one the most moving scores Williams has ever produced. Highly recommended.

No, none of the Star Wars films feature "brilliant" acting, but Kershner and Marquand were clearly able to get something out of the actors that Lucas has never able to do. Something convincing.

Because it's exactly its title: The IMPERIAL March. Along with DV's theme, it represents the Imperials. ~Harry Yes. It IS named that on the original 1980 ESB soundtrack. But what KM and I mean is that BEFORE Vader exists, and while the Imperials are just starting to form, we have the full theme blasting out? I'd rather have Williams' original statement that got dropped... I'm not sure I understand what the "original statement" is of which you are talking. ~Harry The "massive orchestral blowout" mentioned by the London Voices member.

I'd rather have edits that do work, except for the discerning ears, than edits that blatantly suck for anyone who's not deaf.

I agree that the edits in AOTC were more extensive, but they were far more closer to fitting than TPM's. "Anakin Defeats Sebulba" tracked into the Gungan/Droid battle. Laughable. The worst: the swashbuckling blast of Anakin's theme as the Padme, Sabe, Panaka, and the rest are trapped by droidekas. Wow, great stuff, editors!

I take it you're not impressed with "Captain Panaka and The Queen's Protectors" from the first TPM album? To me, it blows away just about anything Williams produced for AOTC.

Kenneth Wannberg has been working with John Williams for a long time now; no need to go attack him all of a sudden.

WHAT? :roll: ...as if you should be talking, MornNB. ;D

Yeah, but remember that The Lost World was, naturally, packed with a lot of brooding atmospheric music as well. We're bound to get a sizable share of it on the soundtrack release. Plus, I don't want another The Lost World. I think Williams has been using enough of it recently ("The Quidditch Match" in Harry Potter, all over the place in AOTC, particularly "Zam the Assassin"). Something more original would be preferable.