The Force Awakens Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (JJ Abrams 2015)

[Lewya 360]

New TV spot -

[Quintus 5,399]

"Scherzo for X-Wings" is probably the best Williams cue title ever, I hope it's real.

[Not Mr. Big 4,643]

"Scherzo for X-Wings" is probably the best Williams cue title ever, I hope it's real.

I prefer his other vehicle scherzo title

[Quintus 5,399]

It's good, but this one is more geek-chic.

Geek-chic very difficult to pull off. Even in his 80+ years, Williams is still going at it.

[Not Mr. Big 4,643]

I don't really see that in it. I still don't think the tracklist is real though. Sooo much similar-but-different. Pretty much every title is a variation of a previous Williams one.

[mrbellamy 6,298]

If it's fake, then I give it an A for effort. They thought that shit through, you got your mix of predictable stuff, surprising inclusions/omissions (Snoke, but no Kylo Ren), quotes, normal scene descriptions. It's all up to date with what we know about the film so far. The vague ones aren't so generic or ridiculous as to be clear fakes, others are just enough of a twist on what you'd normally expect (a Williams march...for the resistance?) and "Scherzo for X-Wings" would be a runaway winner for the most cruelly enticing fake track title ever.

[Not Mr. Big 4,643]

If it's fake, then I give it an A for effort. They thought that shit through, you got your mix of predictable stuff, surprising inclusions/omissions (Snoke, but no Kylo Ren), quotes, normal scene descriptions. It's all up to date with what we know about the film so far. The vague ones aren't so generic or ridiculous as to be clear fakes, others are just enough of a twist on what you'd normally expect (a Williams march...for the resistance?) and "Scherzo for X-Wings" would be a runaway winner for the most cruelly enticing fake track title ever.

I'm not that excited at the prospect of an X-Wing scherzo to be honest. It seems like Williams includes one in every one of his scores nowadays.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The tracklist was absolutely real.

[Not Mr. Big 4,643]

The tracklist was absolutely real.

All of it. "That Girl with the Staff", "Scherzo for X-Wings". They're real.

[crumbs 14,319]

Is it a bit strange that neither Daisy Ridley or John Boyega are credited in the cast at the end of that TV spot? Even Max Von Sydow gets a billing.

[mrbellamy 6,298]

Maybe they got cut.

[crumbs 14,319]

Their roles have obviously been completely deleted from the film, and we'll never ever get to hear Rey's Theme.

[Tom 4,673]

A scherzo and a march. Give me a fugue in there and it will be a perfect soundtrack.

[crumbs 14,319]

A requiem, too.

[mrbellamy 6,298]

JJ Abrams on influences and lightsaber fights

Before he started The Force Awakens, Abrams watched some movies. No, not those ones. Other ones. He looked at "the confidence" of John Ford Westerns. He took in the "unbelievable scene choreography and composition" of Kurosawa's High and Low. And he studied "the powerful stillness" of Terrence Malick. "It's not something I would normally have thought of coming to Star Wars," he says. The spare visual style of Ford, Kurosawa, and Malick points to a key mandate for Abrams' approach to Episode VII: the distinctive less-is-more quality of the originals.

For Abrams the lightsaber battles in Episodes 1 to 3 were "increasingly spectacular and stylised, almost like dance choreography". So when he came to stage runaway stormtrooper Finn versus baddie Kylo Ren in a snowy forest, he went back to the source.

"When you look at Star Wars and Empire, they are very different lightsaber battles, but for me they felt more powerful because they were not quite as slick. I was hoping to go for something much more primitive, aggressive and rougher, a throwback to the kind of heart-stopping lightsaber fights I remembered being so enthralled by as a kid."

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Wow that first quote is very promising! If he actually learned anything....

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I watched The Searchers last night and was impressed by the economical stillness of the photography and editing. Whenever the camera does move, it's to accentuate a really significant moment, like the Duke turning around and giving that woman a chilling death stare because she was a white woman raised as an Indian.

It'll be interesting to see how Abrams integrates that into his own wiz-bang keep-the-camera-moving shooting and editing style.

[crumbs 14,319]

I like that Williams is the only crew member who gets billing on the first page of credits.

[Bilbo 3,709]

I don't really see that in it. I still don't think the tracklist is real though. Sooo much similar-but-different. Pretty much every title is a variation of a previous Williams one.

Eh, the film is just going to be a variation on A New Hope anyway so it being so much similar but different makes sense.

[A24 4,348]

JJ Abrams on influences and lightsaber fights

Before he started The Force Awakens, Abrams watched some movies. No, not those ones. Other ones. He looked at "the confidence" of John Ford Westerns. He took in the "unbelievable scene choreography and composition" of Kurosawa's High and Low. And he studied "the powerful stillness" of Terrence Malick. "It's not something I would normally have thought of coming to Star Wars," he says. The spare visual style of Ford, Kurosawa, and Malick points to a key mandate for Abrams' approach to Episode VII: the distinctive less-is-more quality of the originals.

For Abrams the lightsaber battles in Episodes 1 to 3 were "increasingly spectacular and stylised, almost like dance choreography". So when he came to stage runaway stormtrooper Finn versus baddie Kylo Ren in a snowy forest, he went back to the source.

"When you look at Star Wars and Empire, they are very different lightsaber battles, but for me they felt more powerful because they were not quite as slick. I was hoping to go for something much more primitive, aggressive and rougher, a throwback to the kind of heart-stopping lightsaber fights I remembered being so enthralled by as a kid."

My son will be quite disappointed because he loves the choreography of the duels in the Prequels. He couldn't believe his eyes when he finally saw Ben and Darth Vader fighting it out in Star Wars (1977). I'm not sure if everyone wants to go back to this. Surely Abrams will find something in between the two extremes?

Alex

[crumbs 14,319]

The styles make sense for each trilogy. The Jedi were at their prime in the prequels, so the choreography makes sense for people who've been training since they were children.

The original trilogy? It made no sense for Luke to be capable of fighting like that, just like it won't make any sense for Finn or Rey to be capable of fighting like that in an era where the Jedi, lightsabers, and so forth are long thought extinct.

[Brónach 1,302]

The prequel choreography got very silly at times.

[crocodile 8,020]

Speaking of which, I find it interesting that we haven't really seen a single clip of the actual duel yet.

Or did I miss it? I'm not watching any more spots. It's too much now.

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

The prequel choreography got very silly at times.

How so?

[Quintus 5,399]

I've watched the Darth Maul threeway on YouTube a few times lately because I showed it to my son and the 'dancey' nature of it really stands out. I remember being thrilled by it that very first time years ago, but now it appears really quite limp and obviously staged, there's a strong whiff of 'well rehearsed' throughout the entire melee. Lucas' direction doesn't help, being completely pedestrian and devoid of action storytelling. The best part is right at the beginning when Maul uses the force to open some doors, it's the only time we get any sense that our heroes might be in danger.

[Incanus 5,716]

Speaking of which, I find it interesting that we haven't really seen a single clip of the actual duel yet.

Or did I miss it? I'm not watching any more spots. It's too much now.

Karol

Good. Something to look forward to seeing the actual movie itself.

I've watched the Darth Maul threeway on YouTube a few times lately because I showed it to my son and the 'dancey' nature of it really stands out. I remember being thrilled by it that very first time years ago, but now it appears really quite limp and obviously staged, there's a strong whiff of 'well rehearsed' throughout the entire melee. Lucas' direction doesn't help, being completely pedestrian and devoid of action storytelling. The best part is right at the beginning when Maul uses the force to open some doors, it's the only time we get any sense that our heroes might be in danger.

Faster, more intense!

[Lewya 360]

Spielberg has apparently seen the movie three times:

Daisey Ridley: “I haven’t seen the film yet – I kinda want to, and I kinda don’t – Steven Spielberg’s seen it three times, as he told me when I met him!”

Steven Spielberg seeing the movie three times is the best indication that the movie won’t disappoint. We all know the close connection that Steven has to Star Wars. This is the best review of the movie that we could hope for! December 18th can’t come quick enough.

http://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2015/11/daisy-ridley-to-glamour-magazine-steven-spielberg-has-seen-the-force-awakens-3-times.html

[Quintus 5,399]

Hmm, I remember Lucas showing Phantom Menace to Spielberg, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese. I don't think they were honest about it afterwards.

[publicist 4,643]

I once read that Cecil B. Demille invited Billy Wilder to watch his circus extravaganza 'The Greatest Show on Earth'. Wilder found the film atrocious but when Demille asked him afterwards how he'd liked it he just said 'Cecil, you made 'The Greatest Show on Earth''

Sadly TPM didn't lend itself to finer ironies, except maybe 'George, nobody but you could've come up with THIS'.

[TownerFan 4,984]

I stopped believing this kind of ass-kissing PR blurbs a long time ago (in a galaxy far far away).

[Quintus 5,399]

Speaking of which, I find it interesting that we haven't really seen a single clip of the actual duel yet.

Or did I miss it? I'm not watching any more spots. It's too much now.

Karol

Good. Something to look forward to seeing the actual movie itself.

I've watched the Darth Maul threeway on YouTube a few times lately because I showed it to my son and the 'dancey' nature of it really stands out. I remember being thrilled by it that very first time years ago, but now it appears really quite limp and obviously staged, there's a strong whiff of 'well rehearsed' throughout the entire melee. Lucas' direction doesn't help, being completely pedestrian and devoid of action storytelling. The best part is right at the beginning when Maul uses the force to open some doors, it's the only time we get any sense that our heroes might be in danger.

Faster, more intense!

The best sword fight I've seen recently is Jon Snow versus the OP Whitewalker (+10 DAMAGE +10 DEXTERITY). The way they shot and choreographed that sequence was quite old fashioned in its own way. I thought it had brilliant visual storytelling, it was a really terrific confrontation and absolutely lived up to what our imaginations had wondered about in the years previous.

After that fight Jon Snow levelled up. Finn will too.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

James Cameron did the same bullshit this year!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

After that fight Jon Snow levelled up.

Yeah, and it served him well.

[Quintus 5,399]

Indeed it did! He was bound to be back.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

Hehehe...

[Quintus 5,399]

Jon Snow will be a blue ghost to Bran from here on in.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

As long as the film doesnt stop every time a lightsaber is switched on or off... i'm fine.

Duels like in the OT, but a little more fast at times or more intense (like the ROTJ duel) would be fine.

Anyway TPM duel looks great, it was AOTC and ROTS when it became too much.

Fencing is a ver strict movement-wise art, so in a way it is choreographed...

The original film duel is somewhat a disgrace. Alec guiness moves like the old man he was. You can make a fun video with it like the one from the Phantom menace...

[Jay 37,378]

Two new TV spots, apologies if they've been posted before

Force theme with choir sounds cool

[King Mark 3,631]

I'm not watching those TV spots anymore

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Wow what an ending! Who would have thought Luke Vader was Darth Skywalker's father?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

New Williams music!

[mrbellamy 6,298]

Making Star Wars has collected the scheduled talk show appearances of JJ and cast members coming up: http://makingstarwars.net/2015/11/star-wars-the-force-awakens-cast-to-appear-on-various-talk-shows-this-week-and-next/

Maybe we'll get some more clips this week? Preferably with music of course

[crocodile 8,020]

I'm thinking of staying away for the next two weeks or so. Might even ignore score samples, should they turn up. I kind of want to make this one special and hear it in an actual context first - that being a CD or film (whichever I get to experience first).

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[TownerFan 4,984]

Spielberg says The Force Awakens could be the greatest movie of all time (French article)

[Jay 37,378]

lol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Good ol' Stevie...

[Cerebral Cortex 3,358]

I think he's saying it could be the biggest film of all time, not that it is the greatest film of all time.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Biggest in which way?

[Cerebral Cortex 3,358]

In terms of money made possibly? Just a guess.

Regardless, we shouldn't really listen to what Spielberg says when it comes to Star Wars films...
http://nypost.com/2005/05/10/forced-to-tears-spielberg-wept-at-sith/