What use of the Force theme is the best?

[UCFKevin 0]

Ohhhh, this'll be a toughy. It's my favorite piece of music ever written, and has been used friggin' brilliantly time and time again in the SW saga, but what IS the best use?

For me, it's gotta be in ESB when Luke is calling to Leia with the Force at the end. It's incredibly desperate yet uplifting somehow at the same time. Gives me chills every time I hear it.

I'm sure there are plenty that I'm leaving out that folks will want to pick, so just describe it if it ain't on the poll.

[Harry Potter 0]

While I liked the Funeral Pyre versions, I voted for Binary Sunset because I enjoy how it swells up, and this was the first time we heard the theme in its glory.

~Harry

[Jay 37,287]

You left out 3 of my top 5 favorite performances of the force theme!

When Qui-Gon sticks his saber in the Blast Door,

When Anakin is forced to leave his mother,

and when Anakin destroys the Droid Control ship

!!!

Say what you want about the TPM score, but you can't deny it had some GREAT performances of the force theme!!!!!!

-Jason, who voted for ANH's binary sunset, as its my favorite out of the choices you listed.

[King Mark 3,625]

While I liked the Funeral Pyre versions, I voted for Binary Sunset because I enjoy how it swells up, and this was the first time we heard the theme in its glory.

~Harry

the version heard in AOTC just before Duel of the Fates is strikingly similar to Binary sunsets.

K.M.Who voted for the Funeral Pyre version,the movie version beeing the best of the 2 versions.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You are mad, the grander alternate version is the better version.

Stefancos- who thinks KM's mind has gone.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

My favorite one is actually from TPM, when Qui-Gon cuts through the door on the Federation battleship. But as it's not listed, I've voted for Burning Homestead from ANH.

Walk On from All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He did not include my fav performance either, the one in McNeely's Shadows Of The Empire, in the track Night Skies, the only time the Force theme is accompanied by a choir.

Stefancos- who thinks McNeely could show Williams how to REALLY compose.

[NeejaHalycon 0]

I was split between Binary Sunset and Funeral Pyre, but I went for Sunset because it's the beginning, instead of the end.

What about when Ben first shows up in ANH? It's certainly the most mysterious and haunting rendition.

[Morn 8]

yeah, stefan....

Mine is ESB - Luke leaves Yoda and Obiwan to save his friends.

I love all that dagobah stuff.

[Marian Schedenig 8,173]

You are mad, the grander alternate version is the better version.

I agree 10000%. The original version is by far my second-favourite rendition of the theme. The movie version is taken straight out of the concert suite of the Main or End Titles (I think it's in both), and very good, but not nearly as good as the original one. Lucas should never have rejected that one.

Marian - who of course voted for Binary Sunset!

[UCFKevin 0]

Oh hell, I DID leave out the Night Skies version.......that's actually one of my favorites, too, if not THE favorite.

I prefer the alternate Funeral Pyre Force take, but still love the one used in the film. The alternate is just so incredibly powerful, probably the most powerful of all the uses.

[Romão 2,274]

I love the unused verison of the funeral in ROTJ, but in the album, with the used and unused versions interwebed, we get a concert suite-like version of the force theme, running over 2 minutes. That's the closest you get thsu far to a concert suite of the Force theme.

[hhssoccerplayer 0]

I eventually chose ANH - Obiwan tells Luke to "Use the Force!" during the Trench Run, because even before I knew who John Williams and was a big fan of his, during one of my first times watching it, I herd the force theme then and no other time stuck out, so it sticks out to me.

Brandon

[bruckhorn 105]

Binary Sunset from ANH. After 25 years I still consider it one of the best moments of music I have ever heard.

It just gets me.

Though I gotta admit it, I was quite taken by the rendition of the Force theme that my nephew hummed when he was four. It wasn't quite in key, but impressive, most impressive, but he is not a Jedi yet...

[stewdog1 50]

I've mentioned this before in the old board, but I will bring it up here again.

It seems to me that the Force theme, when played in the original trilogy had a more somber, fallen hero, type of sound to it.

In the latest two movies, it seems the Force theme is played with more urgency. Or better yet, it is there for the sake of it.

[stewdog1 50]

Oh yea, Binary Sunset was my vote.

[Godrics Ghost 0]

I voted for the Funeral Pyre - and I'm torn between that and the Binary Sunset. But one of my favorite renditions of the theme (but not necessarily all-time favorite) isn't in the poll - it's the moment when Darth Vader throws Palpatine into the pit.

[Tim Muirheid 0]

It seems to me that the Force theme, when played in the original trilogy had a more somber, fallen hero, type of sound to it.

In the latest two movies, it seems the Force theme is played with more urgency.  Or better yet, it is there for the sake of it.

You know - that is a great point. While listening to both TPM and AOTC the Force theme sounds strained, more punctuated, as if it hurts the orchestra to play those notes, hold them the exact count and blow on to the next riff.

The exception would be that wonderful Anakin/Qui Gon music pre and post Pod Race where the Force theme sounds like a throwback to the original trilogy.

I'll chalk it up to the genius of Williams that as the Prequel storyline shows the disentegration of the Jedi their specific music becomes less flowing, more disjointed and overall exhausted.

TIM (who always starts whistling the Force theme from too high a pitch and is embarrased when dropping an octave to complete the tune)

[Guest]

What is the logic behind doing three selections from each film except TPM when some of the best uses of the Force theme were IN TPM???

[Camillu 11]

I voted for the one at the end of ESB. My also-ran vote would go to the Droid Ship scene in TPM.

About the Funeral Pyre scene... is the track on the CD first the alternate version and then the film version?

And while we're on this great topic, has anybody ever put together a COMPLETE list of all the uses of the Force Theme. I'm curious to see in which of the 5 films it's used more often.

[Guest]

You also forgot to include the majestic "Throne Room" version. Together with Binary Sunset that is the best presentation of the theme in the first (ie oldest) film, IMHO.

[Guest]

...and I forgot to mention that I also love the film verison of funeral pyre (I prefer it to the original version). It brings out the sweetest qualities, while still maintaining a reflective, almost sad tone throughout. The key change at the end is wonderful, I think. It reminds me of the very beginning of the Hoth battle sequence from ESB when Luke says goodbye to Han.

[Guest]

And while we're on this great topic, has anybody ever put together a COMPLETE list of all the uses of the Force Theme. I'm curious to see in which of the 5 films it's used more often.

ANH EASY. It's used so subtly everywhere. Making a list of EVERY use of it in that movie would take a while. The other four movies would be pretty easy to do. You could even do it from memory, maybe. But ANH...whoooo doggies! That's a real toughy. Especially during "The Last Battle".

I voted for the "Lando's Palace" version, because it's too cool. I like a lot of the ones from ANH and nearly all versions from ESB. Really, there's no denying "Funeral Pyre", either--film version. I don't care for the unused version, because it's not dramatic like it should be. The best TPM version is the one played while Obi-Wan was hanging out in the reactor core, looking at Maul. The best AOTC version was "Return to Tatooine", right before DOTF.

I'll be more than glad to make a complete list of all the usages of the Force theme.

[Mari 279]

Binary Sunset from ANH.  After 25 years I still consider it one of the best moments of music I have ever heard.

It just gets me

I agree! I consider it a perfect movie moment with the music and visual in complete harmony.