The foreboding and sinister end of Jurassic Park

[Quintus 5,399]

Is it making a statement about the consequences of Man's meddling with genetics, or does it merely represent the coming of the inevitable sequel? Did it mark the first time Williams put in a little musical afterthought all of his own, akin to Anakin's theme, in an end credits suite?

I'd like to hear what you think and what you know.

[Datameister 2,099]

Not sure exactly how I'd analyze it, but I love it. Ending the credits on a sweet, syrupy note would have been the wrooooong choice. I like the "statement about the consequences of Man's meddling with genetics" interpretation, though. It feels almost like a cautionary afterword.

[Brock Lovett 6,500]

The rest of the finale/credit music is bright, uplifting and representative of the grandeur of the dinos. But they aren't all friendly leaf-eaters...

[King Mark 3,632]

It's like a downwards inversion of the opening to Theme from Jurassic Park . I see it more as a closing statement to the score and movie

or you man the long errie note after that?

[Datameister 2,099]

More like the opening to "Theme from Jurassic Park" is an upwards inversion of the carnivores' theme. That's the carnivores' theme you're hearing at the end.

[Uni 306]

I think it's a reminder of the more haunting, frightening elements of the film. The end credits suite celebrates the reverent main theme and the bombastic adventure theme, but features the "dire consequences" element (a central aspect of the film) only a the very end. That's the right place to put it, though; if it were at the beginning, or buried in the middle, it would be overwhelmed and forgotten. I think it's placement, tone, and execution are absolutely perfect.

I'm actually very glad you pointed this out, Quint. It's another brilliant JW moment I never really gave full consideration before.

- Uni

[Datameister 2,099]

Agreed, Uni. Those high notes on the piano and the final swell of dissonance in the strings are really utter brilliance. Leaves a perfect, unsettling lump in your stomach just when you thought you could come away from the credits feeling exuberant with the (equally brilliant) island fanfare.

[indy4 155]

I also love the touch with the single piano note...it's a perfect representation of how all the wonder of the park is almost entirely engulfed in the horrors of it.

[Maglorfin 196]

I'm actually very glad you pointed this out, Quint. It's another brilliant JW moment I never really gave full consideration before.

It is indeed a great finishing touch, quite ingenious. And doesn't something similar happen at the very end of Hannibal?

[Richard Penna 3,788]

There are two bits in the End Credits cue (the real one, not the waste-of-space track on the CD) that I love orchestration-wise.

Firstly at 0:55, there's a piano doing some sort of counterpoint to the main theme that I think is beautiful, and then does a wonderful spiral downwards leading into the brass bit.

The other one is just before 4:00 where you've got the piano again, but the strings are slowly rising, and become wonderfully serene by the end.

I've been listening to this cue a lot recently, and it remains a masterpiece of composition IMO. What possesed Spieltwit to cut half of it out in the film? Just show more footage of those birds!