Best Indy score

[Willy 0]

What's the best Indy-score in your opinion and why?

[A24 4,331]

What's the best Indy-score in your opinion and why?

I chose the 'Last Crusade' because I prefer it as a stand-alone product.

[Lurker 5]

Raiders of the Lost Ark, because it's the best.

Neil

[Orson 1]

What Neil said.

[A24 4,331]

Raiders of the Lost Ark, because it's the best.

Neil

Nah, it needs the movie to really shine. 'Last Crusade' survives on its own, despite the movie it was written for.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm weak, I can't choose a favorite.

I'd say that The Last Crusade is a "richer" score in many ways then Raiders.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

ToD is probably even richer. But then Raiders rocks quite significantly. So I can't choose either.

[A24 4,331]

ToD is probably even richer.

No, it's just louder. More noise doesn't mean "richer".

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I actually agree with Alex on this (oh my lord!).

The Last Crusade has the greatest variety of musical styles, without sounding like it's 3 scores rolled into one.

[A24 4,331]

I actually agree with Alex on this (oh my lord!).

The Last Crusade has the greatest variety of musical styles, without sounding like it's 3 scores rolled into one.

Yes, its moods are extremely diverse. From "caricature" to "profound", it's all there.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Dang it, I would love to choose another one than Last Crusade, so as to not follow the herd. But alas, I remain true to my tastes. Last Crusade it is.

Although it is the less "Indy" of all the Indy scores.

[Orson 1]

This thread has certainly taken an interesting twist. I thought Raiders would have been running away as the fav. As much as I enjoy The Last Crusade and would chose that over Temple of Doom , neither have The Map Room.

[Henry B 50]

Raiders feels like a very tightly composed score. Last Crusade meanders meaninglessly at times, and then there is the very underwhelming finale (compare it to "The Miracle of the Ark").

[Lurker 5]

Raiders feels like a very tightly composed score. Last Crusade meanders meaninglessly at times, and then there is the very underwhelming finale (compare it to "The Miracle of the Ark").

It's a better spotted flm. Last Crusade suffers from being scored practically wall to wall.

Neil

[JMan 0]

I voted for Raiders just because of the Ark theme, and raiders march, but did anyone realize that the scene in the end of Temple of Doom....Indy is being chased onto the top of the mountain by two swordsman who do their fancy sword tricks and all he wants to do is shoot them, but doesnt have his gun. Well the music above the scene is the same music from The Basket Chase in Raiders. It has that arabian french horn lick that sounds really nice!

Also, temple of doom....Dan Akroyd plays the man who puts Indy, Short ROund, and WIllie on the plane in the beginning of the movie but you dont see his face. Funny huh?

[SturgisPodmore 0]

I have to say Last Crusade. I love Map Room and the Raiders March of Raiders, but the Knight's Theme, the Grail Theme, and Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra of Crusade are all really wonderful.

~Sturgis

[Greg1138 3]

That's a real toughy......

I would have to discount Last Crusade straight away - it's great, no question, but compared with the other two it just doesn't quite cut it.....

So - ToD or Raiders? Took me a while to decide, but I've gone for Raiders.....though I have no idea why to be honest.......it's just.....well.....Raiders!

[Justin 2]

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark. Easily Williams finest composition both on album and in the film. The score knows when to be present and also when to not be present. I love the bar fight being unscored completly unlike so many other Williams scores.

2. The Temple of Doom. A fantastic glorious action packed romp that is completly underated. I can't think of a score that needs a new release more than this one.

3. The Last Crusade. Fantastic new themes and action music. However this score has some trouble because it can easily drag in some of the quieter pieces. A well constructed 70+ minute album would be fantastic though.

Justin

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Ark and Marion's themes alone make it so, though I still think the others are excellent.

[Romão 2,274]

Last Crusade, as some have said, has an amazing variety of styles, and it really is a "globetrotting" score. Plus, the Grail theme is simoly breathtaking.

Temple of Doom is a score that sadly is still to be heard in its full glory. Fantastic new themes, and probably on the whole, the best action scoring of the saga.

Raiders is a very tight and homogenous score. The themes are amazing and the uses of the Ark theme are nothing short of mindblowing. It also scores the best movie by far of the series.

They are all clearly 5 stars scores in my book, and there are reasons to choose any of them.

BUt my vote goes for Raiders: it's the original and it's such a coherent listening experience.

[King Mark 3,631]

Temple of Doom.The unreleased cues are even better than those that made it on the c.d.,like Deal for the Diamond,Over the Himalayas,all the village cues,Trek to Pankock Palace,Stealing the Stones,Underground Heroics,Water is Comming!,Battle on the Bridge and the film version of the Finale.Just amazing stuff

K.M.

[John Takis 206]

Raiders is iconic, no question, and is justly lauded for its import. In that regard, it stands alone. But TOD gets my vote for the best action/adventure score of all time. Last Crusade is a fine score, classic Williams, no question, but suffers slightly by comparison to its predecessors.

[Greg1138 3]

Trek to Pankock Palace

Freud would have a field day....

[Willy 0]

I sympathise with everyone who chose The Last Crusade, 'cause it's a very rich album indeed. Nevertheless I end up playing Raiders a lot more, because certain tracks just can't be beaten: The Map Room and Desert Chase. The Main Title and The Miracle of the Ark are also great.

So I chose for Raiders, but it's a tough poll indeed (Who the hell started this?!)

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

The last crusade hands down.

But i do recognize the milestone that Raiders is.

[Romão 2,274]

Trek to Pankock Palace

Freud would have a field day....

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I'm weak, I can't choose a favorite.

I'd say that The Last Crusade is a "richer" score in many ways then Raiders.

The score to Last Crusade moves from one musical setpiece to the next in much the same way as the movie does. It's a wonderful but slightly shallow score in my opinion. Raiders on the other hand is exactly as it should be. It revolves proudly around the central theme unlike Crusade which seems to be almost apologetic about the Raiders March. The set pieces in the Raiders score have a rushed, almost improvisatory feel to them which pulls the listener into the music in a very immediate and satisfying way. The Desert Chase is a perfect example of this. The score for Crusade seems more distant, slightly more tempered and less thrilling. Raiders is a classic score and stands to this day as the epitome of all action scores. Rousing, exciting, intense, and instantly memorable.

[A24 4,331]

I'm weak, I can't choose a favorite.

I'd say that The Last Crusade is a "richer" score in many ways then Raiders.

The score to Last Crusade moves from one musical setpiece to the next in much the same way as the movie does. It's a wonderful but slightly shallow score in my opinion. Raiders on the other hand is exactly as it should be. It revolves proudly around the central theme unlike Crusade which seems to be almost apologetic about the Raiders March. The set pieces in the Raiders score have a rushed, almost improvisatory feel to them which pulls the listener into the music in a very immediate and satisfying way. The Desert Chase is a perfect example of this. The score for Crusade seems more distant, slightly more tempered and less thrilling. Raiders is a classic score and stands to this day as the epitome of all action scores. Rousing, exciting, intense, and instantly memorable.

Sure, if you're a fan of standard action cues.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

So what are "Belly of the Steel Beast" and "Escape from Venice"? Orchestral masterpieces?

[Incanus 5,714]

A tough choice but I have say Raiders. It is iconic and for a reason. The spirit of adventure is captured so perfectly by Williams (as in other two Indy scores) but the score has freshnes to it. It has so numerous set pieces that are perfectly wed with the images and yet they work outside the picture as stand alone pieces of music. This is the style I wish Williams would use today but that is an era gone by .

Raiders album is one of the best score albums I know. Nothing flows quite like it and every cue makes an impact on its own. That is really rare. From Main Title to End Credits the score provides variety and such feeling of unique achievement that its amazing.

Still Raiders and Last Crusade receive equal time in my player. Crusade is one of Williams' most thrilling achievements and thematically most pleasing (Grail theme is one of my favorite Williams themes).

Pixie twinkle said that Crusade is shallow and I see no point in that statement. The score is much more deeper emotionally than its predecessors (which did not dwell on emotional content so much besides the flimsy love affairs that Indy had with the leading ladies. That is not to say Crusade love affair was not flimsy). Though Williams knows when he can inject humor in the score as the over bearing over-the-top Nazi march (the Nazi music of the Raiders was just as pompous if not as funny) the Crusade had the most touching themes and widest scope of music. The themes are the strongest point of the score. Rarely Williams has penned so many great themes for a one movie (well Hook might beat Crusade by about 10 themes) The action writing was as good as in the Raiders and ToD as well. It is a hard choice but Raiders still wins.

As for the ToD I must say the main reason I prefer the two scores better is the shortness of the album. I rarely listen to it these days as the album is so truncated. As a whole it is perhaps just as good as the two but the album presentation leaves much (namely a complete release) to be desired.

[Morlock 11]

I meant to vote for Last Crusade, but by mistake clicked Raiders.

That's MR. Numbnuts to you, Stefan.

[Lurker 5]

I meant to vote for Last Crusade, but by mistake clicked Raiders.  

That's MR. Numbnuts to you, Stefan.

You fix airplanes, don't you?

Neil

[Justin 2]

LOL

Justin

[Trumpeteer 302]

"Temple of Doom" in the same way that "The Empire Strikes Back" stands ahead of "Star Wars." Williams took the sequel music to a more adventurous level. He could have just rehashed the Indy theme over and over, but we rarely hear it. And I love Willy's theme and Short Round's theme. But the Thuggee music is outstanding. And the way he can integrate all three main themes together in the cue when they escape the plane in the raft is fun to hear.

[A24 4,331]

"Temple of Doom" in the same way that "The Empire Strikes Back" stands ahead of "Star Wars."

Don't presume that everyone shares that thought, buster, I find TESB too Hollywood-sounding.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Pixie twinkle said that Crusade is shallow and I see no point in that statement...  

.........

The themes are the strongest point of the score...

There's my point exactly. A series of great themes with little development or expansion makes for a slightly (note the word "slightly") more shallow score. My point is that the film Crusade presents the viewer with a series of set pieces. The score obliges by providing the listener with an accompanying series of orchestral miniatures, each with a solid theme. The score for Raiders on the other hand feels more like a single large piece punctuated by the development of the smaller collection of themes. I personally prefer the latter approach as it feels more satisfying as a large scale musical work. However, I love the score to Crusade also, and play it often.

[Trumpeteer 302]

"Temple of Doom" in the same way that "The Empire Strikes Back" stands ahead of "Star Wars."

Don't presume that everyone shares that thought, buster, I find TESB too Hollywood-sounding.

I didn't presume anything about your thoughts or anyone else's thoughts on the score (though I would imagine lots of people share my belief, given its rank on this board's list of top JW scores).

This was my evaluation of the score.

[artyjeffrey 20]

It's rather sad, because ToD, in its current truncated form, doesn't have the chance to shine like the other two. So, I guess Raiders. The Ark Theme, Marion's Theme, and the first time we heard that march. A special place in the heart for that one.