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Music change in Empire Strikes Back

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In Empire, there’s a moment that I’ve always loved, and it always made me very emotional, and upon a recent TV airing(I didn’t watch the whole movie, just caught the end) on TNT I noticed a change from what I was used to. (I mainly watch the original versions) When Leia and the gang finally blast their way to the hangar bay, they get there just in time to watch Slave I soar away. The camera cuts to Leia’s face, and Carrie Fisher just has the best look of utter despair and heartbreak on her face as all that is heard is Slave I’s rockets flying away. She may have lost her beloved Han forever… Then you hear Threepio yell as he cuts into her moment, "Chewie, they’re behind you!"and more blasterfire- you know the rest.

Well anyway that was a perfect scene,and part of what makes it so perfect is the lack of music. well now, in the new version there’s music. Why was this changed? It had to be just to urk people who enjoy well made scenes, because as great as the music of JW is, this scene was better without it.

I never see this change talked about, so I wanted to devote a thread to it and see if there’s others who hate this as much as I do.

You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll kiss three bucks goodbye!

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I actually kinda liked the way they implemented that little piece, and it also helps segue into the last segment of the lightsaber duel.

I’m not really that much of a movie purist. I really should’ve thought my name out a bit more.

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The music was slightly extended in parts beginning during the sequence where Han is being loaded onto the Slave 1. Why exactly I’m not sure. Perhaps they wanted the music to continue up til it cut back to Luke and Vader. There’s also difference in timing for the music during the actual escape too (partly due to extending Lando’s evacuation announcement). The closing cue that’s suppose to hit when it cuts to the exterior of the platform where the final duel takes place now happens about two seconds before actually cutting to the shot.

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crissrudd4554 said:

The music was slightly extended in parts beginning during the sequence where Han is being loaded onto the Slave 1. Why exactly I’m not sure. Perhaps they wanted the music to continue up til it cut back to Luke and Vader. There’s also difference in timing for the music during the actual escape too (partly due to extending Lando’s evacuation announcement). The closing cue that’s suppose to hit when it cuts to the exterior of the platform where the final duel takes place now happens about two seconds before actually cutting to the shot.

I agree that the scene played out perfectly with no music following “Oh no, Chewie they’re behind you!”, and save the big ‘musical’ escape for when they reach the Falcon. IMHO it also set up a better transition back to Luke/Vader, but yes I think this ^^ is why they added it back in.
This was a 1997 Special Edition change.

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For me that actually is probably the best SE change. That’s coming from a person who hates the SEs and all changes and haven’t watched them at all for years, but for me the scene works better with music. But of course all changes are changes, and I’d rather have the original.

And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as the Son of the Suns.