JW's Fantastic Finishes

[stuttersteps 1]

I think the Maestro excels at writing stirring finishes to some of his typically action cues. By "finish", I don't mean a resounding finale for a concert arrangement or for the end credits suite of a film. I mean "finish" for those in-film action or dramatic sequences where we hear the protagonist escape from an impossible situation or our hero defeats the villians for the time being.

The cues themselves tend to build towards these great resolutions upon which we hear a flourishing musical release, evoking a sonic sigh of relief or a grand conclusion to a thrilling sequence.

The choices listed are in chronological order. But can anyone name others I'm missing?

[Morlock 11]

I don't think any of the above end in a particularly fantastic fashion.

[Dole 17]

The end of Battle of Hoth, Anakin's Dark Deeds, and Sail Barge Assault are all amazing as far and fanfare type endings go. I would also nominate the ending to T-Rex Rescue from Jurassic Park and TIE Fighter Attack from Star Wars among others.

[Datameister 2,044]

Not gonna vote on this one, though my gut-instinct vote would probably be Sail Barge Assault. ROTJ is not my favorite Star Wars score, but the end of that particular cue is one of my favorite John Williams moments...along with about 2536 others. Actually, the end of the battle of Hoth is similar, though I slightly prefer the one in ROTJ.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

There's no competition.

Sail Barge Assault (Return of the Jedi)

Underrated as the whole score to the Jedi.

[Red 75]

Out of those, 'Sail Barge Assault' is the best.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

1. Hedwig's Theme

2. Hedwig's Theme

3. Hedwig's Theme

4. Hedwig's Theme

5. Hedwig's Theme

6. Hedwig's Theme

Nothing Williams has written compares....it's in the movie, so therefore I consider it within your guidlines.

Joking of course, I'll come up with something in a bit.

[Genius_Gone_Insane 5]

The end of Battle of Hoth, Anakin's Dark Deeds, and Sail Barge Assault are all amazing as far and fanfare type endings go. I would also nominate the ending to T-Rex Rescue from Jurassic Park and TIE Fighter Attack from Star Wars among others.

I agree with you 100% on all of the above, Bob.

[King Mark 3,631]

Anakin's Dark Deeds is pretty great,the film version that is.

K.M.Wondering what On the Conveyor Belt is doing there

[Morlock 11]

I will say the 'Rescuing Sarah's finale is excellent, though it sounds like it's from another movie. Sounds like it could be in Exodus. Though the big brass statement sounds King Kong-ish.

[WellOfSouls 1]

I've always loved the end to "Flight From Peru" from Raiders.

But out of the options above, "Sail Barge Assault" gets my vote. I especially love the little "buh buh buh bah!" brass flourish at the very end.

[Datameister 2,044]

Very, very good suggestion, WellOfSouls. "Flight from Peru" has the remarkable ability to turn my day around. Dole, that cue from Jurassic Park is also a great example. TIE Fighter Attack is good, though I don't think I'd vote for its ending above all the others mentioned here.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I will say the 'Rescuing Sarah's finale is excellent, though it sounds like it's from another movie. Soundslike it could be in Exodus. Though the big brass statement sounds King Kong-ish.

That's gotta be one of JW's best endings. So darkly triumphant!

Ray Barnsbury

[Ollie 1,059]

The ending to the Battle Of Yavin.

[King Mark 3,631]

The ending of Peter's Journey in Seven Years in Tibet also ends with goosebump inducing dark fanfares (similar to Rescuing Sara) i could imagine in a Star Wars film

[Romão 2,274]

Saiil Barge Assault.

But I also agree the ending of T-Rex Rescue is simply breathtaking.

[Henry B 50]

The end of "T-Rex Rescue & Finale" from Jurassic Park and its temp track, "Gillian's Power" from The Fury.

[Neimoidian 14]

That's difficult. I would say "Clash of the Lighsabres" is one of my favourites. I also immensly enjoy the film version of "Anakin's Dark Deeds".

[ins 42]

Anakin's Dark Deeds is so weak compared to "Padmes Plea". What would I give for a clean sfx free version of this cue (cudos to King Mark and his amazing afford!)

[Datameister 2,044]

There's no such cue as "Padme's Plea." Did you mean "Padme's Visit"? If so, I agree that it's got a fantastic finish...but that's the best part of the cue for me, and it's also the cleanest part of the DVD rip of that cue, so I'd much rather hear SFX-free versions of "I Am the Senate" or something.

[ins 42]

There's no such cue as "Padme's Plea." Did you mean "Padme's Visit"? If so, I agree that it's got a fantastic finish...but that's the best part of the cue for me, and it's also the cleanest part of the DVD rip of that cue, so I'd much rather hear SFX-free versions of "I Am the Senate" or something.

King Mark splited this track into two parts.

And I agree to I am the senate. Amazing cue. I especially like the rapid horns near the end (though there is as much sfx in it as in the above cue)

[Morlock 11]

What is this 'I am the senate' cue?

[robthehand 3]

"Gillian's Power" - The Fury

[Quintus 5,399]

I will say the 'Rescuing Sarah's finale is excellent, though it sounds like it's from another movie. Soundslike it could be in Exodus. Though the big brass statement sounds King Kong-ish.

That's gotta be one of JW's best endings. So darkly triumphant!

Ray Barnsbury

Funny, I've always felt it sounded a bit cheesy and slightly ott. Probably because the end of the scene itself is both of those things.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I don't really associate it with the film when I listen to it, so maybe that helps.

Ray Barnsbury

[Henry B 50]

What is this 'I am the senate' cue?

Mace Windu / Palpatine duel from Episode III.

[Datameister 2,044]

Yep yep, and a great cue at that. It starts with the Force theme as Anakin pilots a speeder from the Jedi temple. The ending is a little less definite...in the film, it ends with the trombones dimuendoing on a low A. But there's a bit of unused music featuring the Emperor's theme twice, first in A minor and then in Bb minor. It's unclear whether or not this is part of this cue, though my edit of the cue tags it on to the end.

"I Am the Senate" was originally slated to be on the OST, I believe. Whoever decided to remove it was a moron. The DVD rip is semi-clean, with a few sections that can be replaced with clean audio files from video games. In the rip, there are a few lightsaber hums, Palpatine's inital yell, some wind SFX...stuff of that nature. The sound quality of the music itself isn't great, especially near the beginning. It'd really be nice to hear all of this in CD-quality audio. If I had to pick one unreleased ROTS cue to hear on an expanded release, this'd be it, since most of my other favorites have been mostly released through the video games. I'd love to hear the whole score cleanly, but most of the other unreleased-and-unclean cues just contain scattered moments of brilliance for me...like the stuff near the end of the opera conversation between Palpatine and Anakin, or the beautiful music during the film's first view of the Jedi temple.

[Delorean90 42]

It's a very confusing cue, too, between what we hear in the film and what was in the Galaxies expansion. And it would seem that the music was supposed to play through longer than it does in the film. If you listen closely, at the end of the Galaxies track, you can hear some kind of string phrase as it fades out, and not only do I not recognize it from any other cue, but it sounds like a direct continuation of the music from that last brass chord. I want to hear the full, original cue. It's a mystery!

[Datameister 2,044]

Indeed...a mystery it is. Someday, I swear...

[Ollie 1,059]

So Williams is a moron?

[Delorean90 42]

Not at all. If anything, the people hacking up his cues are. That's why I'm saying I want the full, original cue that he wrote and recorded.

[Guest macrea]

No contest. The finale of E.T.

[Ollie 1,059]

Not at all. If anything, the people hacking up his cues are. That's why I'm saying I want the full, original cue that he wrote and recorded.

I was referring to Datameister's post.

[Delorean90 42]

Ah.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

those strings fade out in I am the senate from galaxies, i always though that the movie had this, but it is background and very low volume...

[Delorean90 42]

Okay, that may be why. I don't remember ever listening to a DVD rip. I'll need to check that again.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

i think it may even be the intended ending of the cue. Williams has done similar things in the past.

[Datameister 2,044]

So Williams is a moron?

I wondered if anyone'd go there. This is one of those cases when I refuse to believe it was his choice...though it probably was. I think he removes tracks like these simply because he thinks they're just not good enough. John Williams, from what I've seen and heard, is the kind of man who could benefit from a nice, low-dosage ego pill every three hours. And this is coming from me, a guy who values modesty and humility quite a bit!

[Henry B 50]

That's a good point. Williams was so dissatisfied with his score for Sugarland Express, for example, that he barred any release of the soundtrack beyond the main theme (I wonder if the score is as bad as he feels it is - the main theme is very impressive, after all). Another reason for cutting "I Am the Senate" might have been finance. Reuse fees may have been reducing by shortening the album.

[Trent B 337]

That's a good point. Williams was so dissatisfied with his score for Sugarland Express, for example, that he barred any release of the soundtrack beyond the main theme (I wonder if the score is as bad as he feels it is - the main theme is very impressive, after all). Another reason for cutting "I Am the Senate" might have been finance. Reuse fees may have been reducing by shortening the album.

One thing to consider since the score was recorded in London there are no worries about reuse fees over there. They could have put "I Am The Senate" on the OST but for some stupid reason they left it off.

By the way.. for those cues listed in the poll my vote goes to "Sail Barge Assault".

[Datameister 2,044]

By the way.. for those cues listed in the poll my vote goes to "Sail Barge Assault".

I'm so tempted to throw in a vote for that one. The ending to that cue makes me giddy every time.