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What does everyone think of 'March of the Resistance'?


DarthDementous

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Before I got to listen to this track in full (I had already seen the movie) I saw that people were underwhelmed and disappointed by this which in turn disappointed me because I thought this would be one of the most stand out tracks. However, when I listened to it boy was I wrong. From the moment the main theme of it started playing I fell in love with it, to me this is an instant classic that belongs up with the best of the Star Wars themes. It just perfectly characterizes the Rebellion in a grand militaristic way and the concert rendition at the end was even better. Seems like a bit of an inversion of the Imperial March yet it also feels like an extension of the Rebel Fanfare just... so good. Can't wait for a track analysis of this.

P.S. The sound of the instruments in the main theme sounds so perfectly OT for this as well.

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The way it modulates upward to that V chord at 0:23 makes me cringe. Sounds like something out of The Adventures of Mutt.

It's really grown on me, though. Parts of it sound like it was something he dusted off after pulling off his shelf from right next to the NBC News suite. And I don't think there's ever been a theme developed as a straight-up baroque fugue in all of Star Wars, the way it does from 1:12-1:45.

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I thought it was kind of a mess on first listen. It was difficult to make sense of the melody and the fugal aspect seemed to get in the way more than enhance it. I figured it was a piece I'd just ignore, but I tried a second listen and I thought "Hm...this is actually pretty cool." Gave it a third, fourth listen and by then it got stuck in my head. Now I can't stop listening to it. It's weirdly addictive for me.

Interestingly, I felt the same way about Rey's Theme, which similarly felt poorly organized to me on first listen. I wasn't sure those three ideas gelled together, but I figured it out on the second listen and now I'm smitten with that too. That said, having seen it now in context with the film, I honestly can understand why people would be underwhelmed by it, especially as a main theme....it's very well-utilized in terms of its placement and variation and is unquestionably the heart of this score, but it may be too modest for this franchise. It doesn't quite scream out at you when directly compared to the other saga themes, and this is coming from someone who was already very familiar with it walking in. On the other hand, it's fitting because I think that sense of modesty is something that courses all through this film in a really wonderful way. Very little about this film called attention to itself and I have to say that for me, I was pretty much blown away by the whole thing.

But judging by my first impressions of both these themes and the overall tepid reactions from fans, and also the general reactions to his scores since 2005, I suspect John may be losing the old signature touch to instantly communicate melodies.to an audience throughout a single viewing and have them walking out hooked. But you know, while that was always his greatest magic trick, it's not everything because I'm also baffled at the idea that these aren't "hummable" in any way or that he phoned it in somehow. These do completely have their own crafty logic to them, both musically and as they're presented in the film, and they get enough standout moments as to be recognizable and establish specific connections. I think as people get to know the film and score, it'll sort itself out even if it may not change the consensus that it's his weakest effort of the 7.

(this is really more for the Score In Film thread I now realize, but I just came back from the movie and had to spill somewhere ;))

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The true test will be when Rey's theme is played on cellos, don't recall that type of variation in the score. Only then will we know how it holds up. ;)

The Resistance theme is cool as hell. As I mentioned in another thread, it's sounds like Mahler.

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I dunno, the film only reinforced that it sounds more to me like a villainous theme than a heroic theme.

It made me wonder if they are setting up a reversal of the First Order and the Resistance in the next film, and Williams was keyed into that

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The March is alright. It's a grower I think, but still pretty by-the-numbers for Williams.

This score isn't so strong in the action department. But "The Falcon" is great!

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The action in general was definitely one of my bigger musical disappointments, especially in the first half. Especially because there were a few spots where the film was totally kicking all sorts of ass and JW wasn't doing anything too special with it. There were good bits here and there, but I think he missed some great opportunities. But I felt better about the score as it headed toward the conclusion, with the old themes coming in very nicely and the new stuff finding its footing.

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The action in each of the prequels at least had distinctive personalities of their own, with some awesome setpieces. TFA sadly lacks that.

:music:The Chase Through the Coruscant

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The action in each of the prequels at least had distinctive personalities of their own, with some awesome setpieces. TFA sadly lacks that.

Yes, that's how I feel too.

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It didn't make a big impression at first, but with every next listen i start to admire it more and more. I don't think it will make a Williams' "classics" list though.

The moment it first appears in the movie is great too. There's that great moment of anticipation when Han, Chewie and Finn are captured and they all look out on the water to see a hazy mist and you know exactly what it is. Then the music kicks in. Stellar musical moment with a theme that stands out and owns that scene. It's a fun theme too.

Finn's theme is that action motif from "The Falcon" and "Follow Me".

It's also in "The Rathtars!"

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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 on the other hand think the march works very well on the album in the fleshed out form of the concert suite. Works well in the film as well.

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Been humming the March all morning new.

I agree with some that it feels like it should belong with the First Order rather then the Resistance in a way. Because it reminds me a lot of the Nazi theme in Raiders.

I felt this way initially before seeing the film. The march has a certain bad guy quality to it. But after seeing the film, it definitely works to accompany what's happening on screen, so much so that the bad guy vibe I had initially completely went away.

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The theme reminds me of some of JW's music for NBC News (not the Mission theme) and his theme for the NBC Sunday Night Football but it is more fugal in progression.

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Stefan's checking because I've literally just called it one to him on whatsapp a minute ago. That was after he told me that this theme isn't even for the bad guys! WTF?

Anyway, some people don't like this??? What more do you want? It's absolutely fantastic in my view, I was blasting it on my way to work this morning.

Is there a counterpoint in there though? Winds, perhaps? I was so fixated on the fabulous brass line that I didn't notice at the time.

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The trumpets that herald Ren's arrival in the opening track are fucking spectacular. Those were literally the words that went through my head in the cinema when that moment happened. Bad-fucking-ass!

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The trumpets that herald Ren's arrival in the opening track are fucking spectacular. Those were literally the words that went through my head in the cinema when that moment happened. Bad-fucking-ass!

You said "The trumpets that herald Ren's arrival in the opening track are fucking spectacular" out loud in the theater?

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The trumpets that herald Ren's arrival in the opening track are fucking spectacular. Those were literally the words that went through my head in the cinema when that moment happened. Bad-fucking-ass!

Yep! I knew right from the start of the album this was my John Williams. No more of that cookie cutter shit like Tintin and Crystal Skull. This is the real deal.

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