Chorus Work.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

El Pollo Diablo, the giant Demon Chicken that haunts Plunder Island. He stalks the residents, especially one Blondbeard who runs the local chicken shop. He takes revenge on his poultry brothers who have been eaten. The island is covered in feral chickens too. Uh, he also thinks that "Dues of the Fates" is John's best choral work...

Ah, I see. And good call, bringing the topic back, so as to prevent the arrival of the Dancing Lock of Death!

~Sturgis

[John Crichton 4]

Yes...on topic.....El Pollo Diablo!!

Seriously, there are a couple of great choral moments from Indy that I don't think have been mentioned yet:

-Choral statement of the Ark Theme in The Map Room.

-Choral-backed statement of the Slave Children's Theme at the end of Temple of Doom ("You betrayed Shiva!")

[SturgisPodmore 0]

I'm probably not the first one to mention this, but in The Last Crusade, when Indy and the girl (her name escapes me -- AH, VENICE!) anyways, when they're in the tunnels under the library and she points her torch at a drawing of the Ark on the wall, and Indy says, "No, I'm sure that's not it," there is a brief statement of the Ark theme.

~Sturgis

[Morlock 11]

Actually it's "What's this one?" "The Ark of the Covenant" "Are you sure?" "Pretty sure". But it's only woodwinds doing the theme, no chorus.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Oh, well it was something along those lines . But I heard it and my brother, also a film score addict, didn't notice it.

~Sturgis

[Henry B 50]

That was a cute moment, too bad about Elsa's line though. "Are you sure?" Why would she ask that? Indy knows perfectly well it's the Ark...seems to be a poor set-up for the joke, "Pretty sure." By the way, there are strings playing as well!

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Ha! Strings!

~Sturgis

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Williams has done that a lot. You can hear a part of The Basket Chase in ToD, when Indy encounters the two Thuggees and wants to take out his gun. And you can hear Yoda's theme in E.T when they encounter a kid dressed like Yoda at Halloween (I'm sure everyone knows this already, though).

As for the choral work, I haven't heard everything, but from what I've heard I'd have to go with Duel of the Fates. Hymn to the Fallen is a close second.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

That was a cute moment, too bad about Elsa's line though. "Are you sure?" Why would she ask that?

Well considering next to no living soul has ever seen the Ark (excluding of course Indy and Marion) it stands to reason that she would question it.

[Composer_Fan 2]

And you can hear Yoda's theme in E.T when they encounter a kid dressed like Yoda at Halloween (I'm sure everyone knows this already, though).

Whoa, I didn't know this. That's cool, I'll have to watch the movie and listen for it!

[John McClane 1]

That was a cute moment, too bad about Elsa's line though. "Are you sure?" Why would she ask that? Indy knows perfectly well it's the Ark...seems to be a poor set-up for the joke, "Pretty sure." By the way, there are strings playing as well!

Because Elsa is stupid.

Also, I love JW quoting the Ark theme. Was that a idea form Spielberg or Williams himself?

That moment is too funny. Elsa asking that to Indy, and we all know what's he's gonna answer!

[CYPHER 1]

"Dry Your Tears Afrika" from Amistad is my favourite from this list.

CYPHER

[Adam 1]

Dry your Tears is an interesting theme because it kind of doubles as an African and American anthem. The full chorus version is more African obviously but in the film its generally more American in its orientation.

I heard one movie reviewer criticize the choral piece for sounding like a tradiional South African piece when the only African connection in the movie is to West Africans. There might be something to that although he said nothing about the fact that most S. African pieces (much less W.African) don?t have a full-fledged orchestra backing up the chorus with an intricate and advanced underscore. Its not the kind of piece where JW was going for absolute authenticty. Sort of exists somewhere between Hollywood and a kind of generalized notion we all have of African music. I especially like the rythmic stuff he does with that piece in terms of the syncopation, which conjures up the movements of traditional African dancers.

My favorite is probably Star of Bethlehem - the first couple minutes especially. Very beautiful, IMO.

- Adam

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There might be something to that although he said nothing about the fact that most S. African pieces (much less W.African) don?t have a full-fledged orchestra backing up the chorus with an intricate and advanced underscore. Its not the kind of piece where JW was going for absolute authenticty. Sort of exists somewhere between Hollywood and a kind of generalized notion we all have of African music.

This happens all the time with so-called etnic music in Western films.

The Irish music in Far and Away is not really that Irish.

Barry's Japanese music is basically just Bond music with a gong and some other Japanese instruments.

And let's not even get into the Indian music from TOD.

[Josh500 1,615]

Williams has done that a lot. You can hear a part of The Basket Chase in ToD, when Indy encounters the two Thuggees and wants to take out his gun. And you can hear Yoda's theme in E.T when they encounter a kid dressed like Yoda at Halloween (I'm sure everyone knows this already, though).

While we're at it, at the beginning of 1941, you can hear the Theme from Jaws. An obvious parody set up by Spielberg.

[Morlock 11]

This happens all the time with so-called etnic music in Western films.

The Irish music in Far and Away is not really that Irish.

Some of the stuff at the begining is. But the score becomes more and more American as it goes on, that's the point.

Morlock- who thinks Far and Away is the best example of a great score that represents everything terrible about the movie it's for (and there's a whole lotta terrible in the movie)

[MSM 126]

Of the above list i choose Look Down Lord, although I think Call of the Champions, Dark Side Beckons and Freedom Train better.

[Lurker 5]

at the beginning of 1941, you can hear the Theme from Jaws. An obvious parody set up by Spielberg.  

Williams did not write the Jaws music heard at the start of 1941. It was tracked into the movie.

Neil

[Elmo Lewis 6]

That was a cute moment, too bad about Elsa's line though. "Are you sure?" Why would she ask that?

Well considering next to no living soul has ever seen the Ark (excluding of course Indy and Marion) it stands to reason that she would question it.

Moreover, if no living soul has seen the ark, how could they draw a picture that Indy can recognise? And what is a picture of the Ark doing in a crusader's grave, anyway? I know Elsa says "pagan symbols", but was the ark such a prominent symbol in the Middle Ages that they'd draw it in their great men's grave?

Great joke, nonetheless. Has me grinning everytime.

Williams has done that a lot. You can hear a part of The Basket Chase in ToD, when Indy encounters the two Thuggees and wants to take out his gun. And you can hear Yoda's theme in E.T when they encounter a kid dressed like Yoda at Halloween (I'm sure everyone knows this already, though).

You forgot to mention CoS. Same music for the same situations... for nearly three hours.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

at the beginning of 1941, you can hear the Theme from Jaws. An obvious parody set up by Spielberg.  

Williams did not write the Jaws music heard at the start of 1941. It was tracked into the movie.

Neil

Didnt you read the part 'An obvious parody set up by Spielberg?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Well considering next to no living soul has ever seen the Ark (excluding of course Indy and Marion) it stands to reason that she would question it.

Sallah did saw it. The governemt agents saw it too....

The egyptians too...

Two words: rumors and lore....

Heck i just realised that in Indys bible there is a picture of it. And a description, The Middleagers could do with that to draw one...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

 Some of the stuff at the begining is. But the score becomes more and more American as it goes on, that's the point.

Not according to Hitch, who is Irish and once told me that the "irish" music in Far and away is not actually very Irish.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The look of the Ark is well documented in history, I believe. It wasn't just made up by the art department of Raiders, in any case.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

That was my point.

Stefan you slipped an easy joke there.

You could have say that 'the irish music is Far and Away from what is presented on the movie'...

[Lurker 5]

The look of the Ark is well documented in history, I believe. It wasn't just made up by the art department of Raiders, in any case.

I'm pretty sure it was all designed for the movie and that there is no historical documentation on the look of it.

Neil

[JoeinAR 1,949]

actually Neil, the book of exodus has a surprisingly detailed description.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Indeed.

* The ark itself was a rectangular box made from shittem (or acacia) wood (Exodus 25:10), with a layer of pure gold surrounding it, both inside and outside (Exodus 25:11).

   * Its size was 2.5(L) x 1.5(W) x 1.5(H) cubits (Exodus 25:10). This is approx. 3'9"(L) x 2'3"(W) x 2'3"(H) in modern mesurements(1).

   * It was carried using two gold covered staves (Exodus 25:13) fixed to the side of the ark (Exodus 25:14,15), via four gold rings (Exodus 25:12).

   * It had a lid or 'Mercy Seat' (Exodus 25:17,21) with two gold cherbim seated at opposite ends of the ark, facing each other (Exodus 25:18,19).

   * The two cherubim had outstretched wings, each pointing to the centre of the mercy seat (Exodus 25:20).

- Marc, who looked that up.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

For once Neil's is not Mr. know-it-all !

[Lurker 5]

I stand corrected, with the caveat that I prefer to get my history from a more repuatable source.

Neil

[SturgisPodmore 0]

It started from chorus work and now we're looking up information on the ancient relics of Indiana Jones's crusades.

~Sturgis

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Sallah did saw it. The governemt agents saw it too....

The egyptians too...

Hey, it's been a while since I watched Raiders

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I stand corrected, with the caveat that I prefer to get my history from a more repuatable source.

Neil

Regarding the Ark you wont find any better description...

And seeing that Indy used it you yould have also.

You should be called just 'Solo'

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I stand corrected, with the caveat that I prefer to get my history from a more repuatable source.

Neil

The Torah?

[Morlock 11]

I stand corrected, with the caveat that I prefer to get my history from a more repuatable source.

Neil

The Torah?

LOL

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

So yeah, uh, Family Plot has chorus too....

Ray Barnsbury