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John Powell on working with John Williams for 'Solo'


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7 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

 

I had the interview on in the background on Friday, and as soon as Powell said that, I immediately wanted to know what JW's 'diplomatic' version of “What the hell is this?” is :lol:

 

I'm suspecting he's a bit more upfront when not giving interviews.

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Just now, Alex said:

What the hell is this?” was also his reaction when he heard Rogue One for the first time.

I keep hearing that. Is there any real evidence that Williams didn't like the Rogue One score or how his themes were treated there?

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25 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

I keep hearing that. Is there any real evidence that Williams didn't like the Rogue One score or how his themes were treated there?

 

I wouldn't be surprised. I still don't remember anything from Rogue One's score. I even gave Jyn Erso's theme another listen and I still don't remember it. 

 

It is pretty funny how they kept checking with Powell whether it was ok to write with the most famous film composer ever. It's the film score equivalent of "Do you want to be taught by Stephen Hawking? Are you sure that's really what you want?"

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1 hour ago, superultramegaa said:

It is pretty funny how they kept checking with Powell whether it was ok to write with the most famous film composer ever.

 

For JP and us here at JWFan, it seems self evident to want to work with John Williams. But somebody like Brian Eno would think very differently. :D

 

Besides, some professionals may simply take it the wrong way when you suggest they work with another professional, particularly by someone like JW who poses a threat to their "ego". On the other hand, JW is JW...and if I were in JP's place I would probably have the same reaction. In fact, I'd probably think of it as a complement.

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12 minutes ago, Doug Adams said:


The Rogue One stories are indeed true. Same thing happened back on Shadows of the Empire, although in that case it was too late to change anything. Rogue One, on the other hand, had to be largely rewritten. 

 

Was Williams happier after the rewrites? 

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With Desplat replaced once again on Black Widow, I can't imagine he's itching to try working with Disney again.  Unless that was a less fraught replacement?  I don't know the full story there.

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If JW was perturbed having not been asked to do Rogue One, I'm positive he was hired for Indy 5 to not have a Rogue One situation again.

 

And JW allegedly almost quitting Episode IX because JJ was coming back brings warmth to my heart. 

No wonder that one turned out so anonymously.

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I've been wondering about the Mandalorian too. Hell, they even send Williams the videogame stuff to approve, at least with Battlefront. So I imagine he's at least aware of what's happening with the TV shows?

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20 minutes ago, gkgyver said:

May be a good indication that JW is aware of modern film music and doesn't want that dreck near him. 

"Thin-chested", as he supposedly described it to ASM

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17 minutes ago, gkgyver said:

This may also explain Jurassic Park 3, where he collaborated with Don Davis, and every subsequent Harry Potter score not using Williams themes much except for a token appearance or two. 

 

 

Well, if he really is responsible for the lack of thematic continuity in Harry Potter, and not just the studio heads failing to pay for the rights to use his themes, then I'm certainly not a fan of that mindset. I get why he'd be pissed about composers plagiarizing his orchestrations, but not allowing them to just use his themes seems a bit over-protective. 

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42 minutes ago, superultramegaa said:

 

Well, if he really is responsible for the lack of thematic continuity in Harry Potter, and not just the studio heads failing to pay for the rights to use his themes, then I'm certainly not a fan of that mindset. I get why he'd be pissed about composers plagiarizing his orchestrations, but not allowing them to just use his themes seems a bit over-protective. 

 

He may not be convinced the composer can do his music justice. 

 

And neither would I, if I looked at Nicholas Hooper. 

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We might get the complete TFA, but I do not think we will ever get the complete ROS.  I think the music would reveal a climax with Anakin and the Emperor or such that Disney would prefer remains buried forever.  

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2 hours ago, Tom said:

We might get the complete TFA, but I do not think we will ever get the complete ROS.  I think the music would reveal a climax with Anakin and the Emperor or such that Disney would prefer remains buried forever.


There’s really no reason they’d actually have to give anything away just for an expanded release:

  • Approaching the Throne (Alternate)
  • The Force Is With You (Alternate)
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2 minutes ago, Romão said:

I have no idea how this segment passed JW's scrutiny. It's one of the worst treatments of a JW's theme I have ever heard:

 

It's real bad. 

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17 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

 

I had the interview on in the background on Friday, and as soon as Powell said that, I immediately wanted to know what JW's 'diplomatic' version of “What the hell is this?” is :lol:

 

"What in the absolute FUCK?"

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3 hours ago, Romão said:

I have no idea how this segment passed JW's scrutiny. It's one of the worst treatments of a JW theme I have ever heard:

 

 

Thanks for that :mellow::puh::folder::banghead::pukeface::pat:

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10 hours ago, Falstaft said:

 

25 years later and I am discovering new, extremely specific classical musical references in SotE, not just Walton and Prokofiev, but Ravel, Respighi, Frank Martin... Heck, just today, I was listening to John Corigliano's 1st Symphony and noticed that this section is where McNeely clearly derived this dissonant episode in Xizor's Theme. Honestly, a little crass on McNeely's part considering the subject matter of Corigliano's work.

 

Gosh I hadn't spotted the Corigliano lift... it's such an incidental (and I don't meant that in a bad way) part of the symphony that you'd easily miss it. I think I'd spotted Ravel previously now you mention it although not Respighi or Martin, any chance of a steer on which works to listen to? (Not to drag McNeely, I'm just curious). Funnily enough, been listening to Respighi's Roman Trilogy a lot recently...

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It's interesting how little Fallen Kindgom relied on Williams' themes compared to Jurassic World. Yeah, I guess the first film was intentionally hitting you over the head with the musical nostalgia, and the sequel rightly heads in a new direction, but I don't remember any Williams material in FK that wasn't a direct cut & paste of his orchestrations from JP/TLW. There were no Giacchified interpretations of JW's melodies to be found (at least none that I can remember) unlike the first film, which was a bit more "fluid" with re-arranging Williams' material -- that bizarre TLW reference springs to mind.

 

Gotta wonder if that's a coincidence or a post-Rogue One directive...

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Really interesting info, @Jay, but I do have to ask if you vouch for the credibility of that deleted account. I'm not denying its credibility, I just want to know if its a legit source of information. 

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3 hours ago, crumbs said:

It's interesting how little Fallen Kindgom relied on Williams' themes compared to Jurassic World. Yeah, I guess the first film was intentionally hitting you over the head with the musical nostalgia, and the sequel rightly heads in a new direction, but I don't remember any Williams material in FK that wasn't a direct cut & paste of his orchestrations from JP/TLW. There were no Giacchified interpretations of JW's melodies to be found (at least none that I can remember) unlike the first film, which was a bit more "fluid" with re-arranging Williams' material -- that bizarre TLW reference springs to mind.

 

Gotta wonder if that's a coincidence or a post-Rogue One directive...

I think it is the exact opposite. 

Jurassic World has more direct cut & paste from Williams then Fallen Kingdom. 

JW

 

 

FK 

at 0.43

At 00.15 and 1.20

 

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