I'd Forgotten How Much I Loved Star Wars.....

[Ollie 1,059]

I've got over 600+ Cds so I usually try to rotate thru my collection when I listen. That usually means it's been awhile since I've listened to a particular score.

With the lack of quality of the prequels and Lucas' constant tampering of the original trilogy my love for Star Wars has decreased quite considerably.

This morning I was hunting for CD to listen to on my way into work and I pulled out Star Wars (A New Hope for all of you heathens ). It's been quite some time since I've listened to SW. I put in Disc 2 of the Special Edition and went to The Battle Of Yavin.

I will say that it immediatly brought back childhood memories of 1977-78 when I heard Williams' music for the first time. I agree that Empire is the best score of the original trilogy, but there's just something about SW that brings a smile to my face and stirs those found memories of yesterday.

As I listened to Williams' music build to the finale as Luke makes his final run down the Death Star Trench I must admit I got goosebumps and a little emotional as I drove to work this morning.

We Lived in Germany at the time, I was 10 (My Dad was in the Military), and the only music available was Meco's version, none of the stores on Base or off base had the soundtrack. That particular summer I had broken my arm so I was stuck in the house most of the time.

One of the families stationed there with us knew how much I liked Star Wars so they made me a copy of Williams score to cheer me up. After listening to Meco for a year I couldn't wait to play the tape. I was literally blow away by the scope and sound of Williams music. I don't know how many 10 year old kids can be that moved by a film score. It would be another year and a half before I was finally able to see Star Wars, but that cassette was played over and over and over until it finally broke.

As I read the comics and the Novel I would blast the score on my tape recorder, when I played with my Star Wars figures the music would accompany me.

It reminds me of a much simpler time, the joy it brought me and my friends, it was the good guys against the evil Empire. It had a beautiful Princess, a rogue scoundrel, the naive hero, robots, the noble warrior who gives his life, The Death Star, a fantastic dogfight, The Cantina sequence, The opening shot of the Star Destroyer I could go on and on....

Williams music was grand and romantic. When I saw it accompanied with the visuals it took the score to another level.

It was special, something I haven't felt about a film in a long time.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

thank you.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I've sort of re-discovered Star Wars recently after I got the (relatively) unspoiled films on DVD.

I nearly forgot how much fun Star Wars used to be before it became a huge dramatic intergalactic saga about Anakin's Skywalkers descent into evil and his redemption...

[MrScratch 294]

I do this every few years or so... dust off those SW CDs and give them a spin. I also do this, alternately, with the Indy scores. In fact, just recently I did this with the OT SW scores, listening too... hearing all of these great cues... Death of Yoda, Burning Homestead, Battle In The Snow, Into The Trap, First Ewok Battle, Battle of Yavin, Faking The Code etc... all for the first time in a long time. They still amaze me and, even though its been years since I last heard them, I can still whistle the entire the score note for note.

"La Ronde Des Lutins" from The Devils Dance CD

[HPFAN_2 0]

Since i didn't see the original star wars till 2003 and i don't know how you feel. The only score that brings me back to my fabulous introduction to Williams' music is Harry Potter and it gives me the same effect.

[Steven Awalt 0]

It's always great to read other fans rediscovering original passion they felt for these films from their childhood. I, like probably so many of you, find I have lost touch with those wonderful feelings from my childhood too due to?I'm not sure what? Lucas' current trilogy, changes to the lore because of the trilogy, etc., but occassionally, when my mind wanders back to those wonderful days in the late 1970s, early 1980s, boy do I feel alive!

Of course Spielberg films (like Close Encounters, Raiders, Poltergeist, E.T. and Temple of Doom) always give me this feeling of warm nostalgia!

[King Mark 3,631]

Well i experienced it in the 70's and then in 1997 the SE's pretty much did the same thing,that's before by opinion was influenced by the internet and fanboys who scream that their childhood have been raped and that

Lucas should be burned alive.I remember I was reading avidly the Star Wars Insider in 1995 up untill the SE's and the hype was great then too,and my friends and I were thrilled to see SW on the big screen again

K.M.

[Jeshopk 8]

It'll all work out in the end. My guess is, they'll do a special edition of all 6 movies a few years after Episode 3 comes out, and they'll have John Williams "smooth over" the scores, like Howard Shore did for LOTR. Then Attack of the Clones and TPM will have a better flow, and the judicious upgrading of the old ones will be interesting to look at. I haven't been let down by Star Wars except in the music editing, recycling and "Jedi Rocks." Its better than the Matrix, and has more repeat watchability than "LOTR" (IMHO.) If they don't have John Williams at least write some score for the battle at the end of AOTC, then that will be ludicrous. But I think he still thinks of them as works in progress, so I'm not yet completely let down. Heck, there's even hope that Jabba will look good in ANH.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

I need to look into getting the non-molested SW films on DVD. I just gotta find a good version of it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

and they'll have John Williams "smooth over" the scores, like Howard Shore did for LOTR.

The only problem is that Howard Shore did that within a year of the films release.

How in the hell is Williams gonna smoothe over ANH without it sounding ackward and jarring?

[Lurker 5]

Its better than the Matrix

Is that high praise?

Neil

[Justin 2]

You know I may even go so far as to say it's better than LOTR.

Justin

[Morn 8]

Is that high praise?

Yes, for the level of the material. I'd say it's overrating it.

[Henry B 50]

That is great.

I'm a "second-generation" Star Wars (and Star Wars music) fan, so the equivalent of your moment for me will probably be hearing the Episode III soundtrack (in the film first, then on CD).

[KarmBee 0]

Having been born in 1982, I'd just missed the Star Wars movies or were too young for them to have any affect. Luckily my mom was a fan and I eventually got to see them when I was about 4 years old. I'd watch one of the Star Wars and Indy movies almost every week (or more) until I was about 7, when I got to see Indy 3 on the big screen- my first true JW experience. However, I didn't realize I'd had a JW experience then. Looking back now I know better.

I first discovered JW in 1993, when I was in 5th grade. After seeing Jurrasic Park, I just COULD NOT get that brazen theme out of my head!!! I didn't even know they MADE soundtracks to movies untill I saw that wonderful red and black cassette tape in the store. I bought it right then and there and listened to it over and over. My family didn't have much money then, so I only had 3 tapes total... a Mr. Big album, a Genesis album, and Jurrassic Park. Needless to say, JP was my favorite of the three.

At Christmas that year my older brother (whom I would rarely get along with at the time) bought me the best present I've ever gotten: a used cassette of Return of the Jedi. (PolyGramRecords version with a 12-page mini photo album... which was missing). After listening to it 10 times, I finally realized... HEY! The same guy wrote JP!!! I was hooked after that.

Back then we didn't even know what the internet was, so it was difficult to find out what else JW had done. Being 11 years old didn't help either. I'd rummage though the entire soundtrack area just looking for his name. Eventually I had 19 JW cassettes total (untill I started 7th grade and got a CD player). I unknowingly picked the greats: Hook, Superman, Jaws, and of course Varese Sarabande's SUPURB "The Star Wars Trilogy" and "Empire Strikes Back" (yes the Charles Gerhardt suite) as produced by George Korngold.

Eventually my Jurassic Park tape broke from being played so much. :cry:

Of course I got it on CD later

When I finally got a CD player, I saved up for months to get the one thing I wanted more than the really cute flute player in band: the 4-disc set of Star Wars as produced by Nick Redman. Even the crappy speakers on my CD boombox couldn't make it sound bad!!

Ah Lapti Nek...

::grumbles:: Jedi Rocks ::shutters::

Anyway, you can wake up now.

[King Mark 3,631]

My dad's a classical purist who derides Williams and my friends thought that type of music was really nerdy and harassed me about it.I felt apart....finding out you prefer JW to The Rolling Stones must be like realising your gay or something.

K.M.

[Lurker 5]

finding out you prefer JW to The Rolling Stones must be like realising your gay or something.

Is that a bad thing?

My dad is also a classical purist and usually puts down Williams, but he does have the double album Star Wars. And I've given him CD-R's of Raiders, Superman and The Fury.

Neil

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Good story, Karmbee. It's fun to hear about how people discovered Williams.

Ray Barnsbury

[KarmBee 0]

finding out you prefer JW to The Rolling Stones must be like realising your gay or something.  

You can like both! I play a little Rock 'n Roll on the side- you know- so to be not totally gay. *

Karm, who likes Mozart to Mahler to Metallica to Mudvayne... ok not so much Mahler.

*

If you've ever seen Kevin Smith's movie "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" then you'll know where that phrase came from.

P.S. I'm 95% hetero... the other 5% is lost due to significant digits and truncation errors as computed from the Archimedes Principle of Gayness. At least that's what I tell myself.

PPSS: I also like classical composers and recent rockers that begin with other letters than M.

American Journey: Civil Rights and the Women's Movement (AKA theme from the Patriot!)

Next up: American Journey: Flight and Technology (AKA selections from Saving Private Ryan!)

Krazy Karm <--- needs to go to bed, so I can be coherent.

[Lurker 5]

Star Wars is just magical to me, but I think that's pretty apparent here. I never get tired of listening to the music, watching the film or discussing it.

Neil

[JoeinAR 1,949]

did you just post that Neil, or did I?

[Lurker 5]

did you just post that Neil, or did I?

I thought I did. Have you been using my password again?

Star Wars - "Burning Homestead"

Neil

[ST-321 4]

My dad's a classical purist who derides Williams and my friends thought that type of music was really nerdy and harassed me about it.I felt apart....finding out you prefer JW to The Rolling Stones must be like realising your gay or something.

K.M.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I know exactly what you mean. Years ago (we wont say how many) when I was in high school I was supposed to analyze the lyrics of a popular song of my choice for a class. I didn't know any!

I was busy listening to Holst, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Jerry Goldsmith, & John Williams! No one else was, but that didn't stop me.

[King Mark 3,631]

Next up: American Journey: Flight and Technology (AKA selections from Saving Private Ryan!)

You mean Selections from SpaceCamp

K.M.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Its better than the Matrix

Is that high praise?

Neil

If talking about the original Matrix film? Yes!

If talking about the 2nd Matrix film? NO!

If talking about the third Matrix film? HELL NO!

[Morlock 11]

Its better than the Matrix

Is that high praise?

Neil

If talking about the original Matrix film? Yes!

If talking about the 2nd Matrix film? NO!

If talking about the third Matrix film? HELL NO!

HELL NO TO ALL THREE!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

HELL NO TO ALL THREE!

I second that emotion.

[Henry B 50]

I know exactly what you mean. Years ago (we wont say how many) when I was in high school I was supposed to analyze the lyrics of a popular song of my choice for a class. I didn't know any!

Well, Ewok Celebration has lyrics - in English...

[Magnus 0]

I wonder what my first JW film experience was... it is very likely to be Star Wars in 1997... I had just re-discovered him a year earlier and only heard the music from the V. Kojian album with the Utah SO. Star Wars was and still is my favourite JW music to this day

my first non-theatrical experience with JW was when dad conducted the Royal Philarmonic in 1990; Superman: March 8O I was 5 at the time... and years after that occurance, my tape with the Superman March was still running hot 8O

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Its better than the Matrix

Is that high praise?

Neil

If talking about the original Matrix film? Yes!

If talking about the 2nd Matrix film? NO!

If talking about the third Matrix film? HELL NO!

HELL NO TO ALL THREE!

Really? You didn't even think the 1st one was good?

[ST-321 4]

I know exactly what you mean. Years ago (we wont say how many) when I was in high school I was supposed to analyze the lyrics of a popular song of my choice for a class. I didn't know any!

Well, Ewok Celebration has lyrics - in English...

Sorry. I'm too old for that. I graduated HS the year the Empire came out. No lyrics were yet available.

[A24 4,345]

Its better than the Matrix

Is that high praise?

Neil

If talking about the original Matrix film? Yes!

If talking about the 2nd Matrix film? NO!

If talking about the third Matrix film? HELL NO!

HELL NO TO ALL THREE!

Really? You didn't even think the 1st one was good?

Don't trust them, Rogue. Don't trust Joe and Morlock. They are biased for reasons we all know. Don't worry about it. The first Matrix is indeed a good film. Trust me and the rest of the world.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Rogue_Leader 2]

OK I will place my faith in thee Alex.

However, just dont say you think the third movie is a good film. Otherwise my faith will be shattered!

[Morlock 11]

Really? You didn't even think the 1st one was good?

It was good, but nothing more. It is not high praise that something is better than it.

And Alex, the rest of the world told me that Matrix 2 & 3 would be great movies, so I'll never trust them again.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And Alex,  the rest of the world told me that Matrix 2 & 3 would be great movies, so I'll never trust them again.

That was before they were released, when it indeed looked like they could be somthing special.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

For me, the original Star Wars Trilogy always gets spins in my players. In fact, if I'm bored of all other Williams music, that set of three scores always brings me back. I just listened to all three in the past few days in fact. There isn't a note composed for those three films that I don't like. In fact, the only thing I hate from any Star Wars album (original or expanded) is Jerry Hey's rather pathetic addition. What the hell was that all about anyways?!

[Rogue_Leader 2]

And Alex,  the rest of the world told me that Matrix 2 & 3 would be great movies, so I'll never trust them again.

That was before they were released, when it indeed looked like they could be somthing special.

Before they were released when people thought they could be something special eh?

Deja Vu anyone? 8O

[Morlock 11]

They never looked like anything special to me.

Morlock- who hopes the Wachoski brothers retire and never touch a piece of film, as punishment for the third Matrix film.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

They never looked like anything special to me.

 

 Morlock- who hopes the Wachoski brothers retire and never touch a piece of film, as punishment for the third Matrix film.

I am totally with you on that third Matrix film punishment. That SHIT was such a utter disgrace it has practically ruined the first film for me.