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Favorite OT score/music cue?

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Seems like there hasn't been much discussion in this forum about the music in the OT (the music in the PT is vastly inferior to that in the OT, IMO, like the films themselves), so I thought I'd start a thread. Personally, I think the ESB score is the best of the three (esp. the Hoth Battle and Asteroid Field cues). My favorite musical moment from the entire trilogy, however, is in ROTJ when Luke unloads on Vader after the "If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will" line. That scene gives me chills every time, mainly b/c of the music. Not your typical action music, but a hauntingly beautiful, building string motif with male vocals that perfectly complements what's happening onscreen (Luke getting dangerously close to the dark side). To me, that scene is pure Star Wars.

What other OT scenes come to mind as magical musical moments? (God, that sounds cheesy)
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Yea, a lot of people's favorite cue is the "Dark Side Beckons" cue. I am partial to that, and when the droids take the escape pod to tatooine. Those two are my favorite cues. Entire songs are different.
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however, is in ROTJ when Luke unloads on Vader after the "If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will" line. That scene gives me chills every time, mainly b/c of the music. Not your typical action music, but a hauntingly beautiful, building string motif with male vocals that perfectly complements what's happening onscreen (Luke getting dangerously close to the dark side). To me, that scene is pure Star Wars.


Oh my thoughts & feelings exactly! Amazingly haunting every time.
Beside from that i'm partial to the Ewoks theme, Han's encasing, etc...but thats why it's Star Wars though; all the Etc is respectively amazing/perfect to boot.

Perhaps a better question would be what bits might you dislike? Speaking of scores though, anyone ever hear the score set to Shadows of the Empire? That was definetly a refreshing & most intruiging listen for me at any rate...much better than any of the prequel music at least.

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Originally posted by: Hoichi, the Earless
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however, is in ROTJ when Luke unloads on Vader after the "If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will" line. That scene gives me chills every time, mainly b/c of the music. Not your typical action music, but a hauntingly beautiful, building string motif with male vocals that perfectly complements what's happening onscreen (Luke getting dangerously close to the dark side). To me, that scene is pure Star Wars.


Oh my thoughts & feelings exactly! Amazingly haunting every time.
Beside from that i'm partial to the Ewoks theme, Han's encasing, etc...but thats why it's Star Wars though; all the Etc is respectively amazing/perfect to boot.

Perhaps a better question would be what bits might you dislike? Speaking of scores though, anyone ever hear the score set to Shadows of the Empire? That was definetly a refreshing & most intruiging listen for me at any rate...much better than any of the prequel music at least.


Favorite musical moment in OT was Binary Sunset, without a doubt. Most powerful moment in trilogy.
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Originally posted by: JediSage

Favorite musical moment in OT was Binary Sunset, without a doubt. Most powerful moment in trilogy.


I second that! That single moment tells us everything we need to know about Luke's feelings and what we, the audience, are in for. I shudder to think of what a Star Wars without John Williams would have been!
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I LOVE John Williams.

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I think my favorite music of the saga is "The Imperial March"
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Originally posted by: Hoichi, the Earless So, anyone ever hear the score set to Shadows of the Empire then?


Haven't heard it. How does a score for a novel work?

P.S. - Nice username, Hoichi! Kwaidan is a great film!
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My top 10 favorites in order:
1) The entire "Hyperspace" cue from the climax of ESB is probably my favorite cue.
2) Luke's final attack on Vader in ROTJ
3) The death of Darth Vader with his theme on harp.
4) The throne room Force march from the end of ANH was my fave as a child and remains one of my faves.
5) Orchestral Duel of the Fates opening as the doors open in the Naboo hangar with Darth Maul waiting. Dump all over Episode I all you want, this was one of the coolest music/movie moments in history.
6) Yoda's theme at its most majestic as he floats the X-wing from the swamp to dry land in ESB.
7) The entire finale/end credits suite from ESB.
8) The force fanfare as the Battle of Yavin begins (which, according to Lucas, doesn't exist).
9) The flurry of strings as we reprise Luke's theme in the last movement of the end credits of ANH. This was "remade" nicely in the Episode III closing credits, though I much prefer the original.
10) The Clone Army revealed.
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Originally posted by: ADigitalMan
My top 10 favorites in order:
1) The entire "Hyperspace" cue from the climax of ESB is probably my favorite cue.
2) Luke's final attack on Vader in ROTJ
3) The death of Darth Vader with his theme on harp.
4) The throne room Force march from the end of ANH was my fave as a child and remains one of my faves.
5) Orchestral Duel of the Fates opening as the doors open in the Naboo hangar with Darth Maul waiting. Dump all over Episode I all you want, this was one of the coolest music/movie moments in history.
6) Yoda's theme at its most majestic as he floats the X-wing from the swamp to dry land in ESB.
7) The entire finale/end credits suite from ESB.
8) The force fanfare as the Battle of Yavin begins (which, according to Lucas, doesn't exist).
9) The flurry of strings as we reprise Luke's theme in the last movement of the end credits of ANH. This was "remade" nicely in the Episode III closing credits, though I much prefer the original.
10) The Clone Army revealed.


Yeah, I forgot to mention "Hyperspace" as one of my favorite cues from ESB. This cue is completely ruined in the SE thanks to the pointless scene showing Vader returning to his Star Destroyer (which uses music from the scene where Vader cuts off Luke's hand)! That stupid change completely ruins the pacing of that entire ending sequence (and it's simply poorly edited!!). Yet another example of Lucas force-feeding (no pun intended) plot points to the audience. (duhh, how did Vader get back to his ship??)

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Haven't heard it. How does a score for a novel work?


It pretty much follows the pacing of the book very well and I was surprised that anyone that wasn't John Williams make something Star Wars. It's really interesting becuase the composer (Joel McNeely) had to straddle the bridge musically from Empire while building toward Jedi (without borrowing any themes from it either), and all the while innovate and pace it with the book. As the book is actually pretty dark, most of the music is the same and thus there is this iciness throughout it that is supremely interesting because in Shadows you don't only have the evil of the Empire, but also of Xizor's equally vast syndicate. The final sequence is utterly grandiose with Xizor's palace being toppled and the music swelling in and out...reaaly top-notch.

But the most incredible thing again is that you can listen to the entire trilogy and if you do put this one in between Empire & Jedi, you really can hear the story progress...

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P.S. - Nice username, Hoichi! Kwaidan is a great film!


Indeed it is...thats my real forte actually, Asian film.

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Originally posted by: Max Reebo Rocks

What other OT scenes come to mind as magical musical moments? (God, that sounds cheesy)


It only sounds cheezy because it's an alliteration.

1. Yoda lifting the ship from the lake in EMPIRE. My favorite part in all the Star Wars films; the music is just perfect.

2. Opening battle music in STAR WARS. Sounds a lot like Mars from Holst's The Planets.

3. Final music from the Death Star battle in STAR WARS, just after the torpedo enters the shaft to where the Death Star explodes. Very tense and heightens the emotional impact of the explosion.

4. Ending music from STAR WARS (medal scene). Beautiful, beautiful music, and not just in the context of the movie.

5. The cantina music.

6. When the X-wings dive down at the start of the death star battle. Classic space-opera style cue.

7. "Binary sunset" from STAR WARS. An uplifting, poignant piece.

8. Luke discovering Owen and Beru have been murdered by the Empire. Both tragic and moving, the use of violins and the music swelling at the end.

9. The creepy music of the emperor in JEDI. Much different a tone sets it apart from the rest of the music, perfect for the emperor.

10. Jedi Rocks. (Just kidding!) Luke's backflip from the plank at the sarlac pit in JEDI. Very heroic, pure Star Wars.

11. Dark Side Beckons.

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Originally posted by: Warbler
I think my favorite music of the saga is "The Imperial March"


It would have been my favorite if it had not been for the fact that it was overplayed.
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OK, uh, let's see...

OT

1- Imperial March
2- Yoda's theme (the "lifting ship" variation)
3- Luke atacks Vader, on ROTJ
4- Star Wars opening theme

PT

1- Anakin's theme from TPM (don't laugh! i'm serious!)
2- Duel of the Fates
3- Obi-Wan vs Anakin + The Imolation Scene
4- Birth of twins - Padme's Destiny
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No surprises here, guys.... Imperial March!

Whether played subtly by strings... sounding like a lullaby (Vader's death)... or in brutal way, such as when Executor exits the asteroid field ("...I want clear transmission!")
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Yoda's theme/Bespin.
"A Jedi can feel the force flow through him".
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The only movie music ever to give me chills was the music that plays when Luke topples Vader. And when Vader slam-dunks Palpatine.

However, in ANH my absolute favourite cue was the quiet timpani when Obi-Wan spots Vader approaching him. I was a little sad that this understated yet very moody and spooky thing wasn't reprised in ROTS. I kind of knew that would happen though.
VADER: Let me look on you with my own eyes...

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I love the final montage of ESB. It always gives me goosebumps, and the ROTJ duel/space battle is great too.

Of course, I could listen to the ESB soundtrack all day long.

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Originally posted by: Max Reebo Rocks


Yeah, I forgot to mention "Hyperspace" as one of my favorite cues from ESB. This cue is completely ruined in the SE thanks to the pointless scene showing Vader returning to his Star Destroyer (which uses music from the scene where Vader cuts off Luke's hand)! That stupid change completely ruins the pacing of that entire ending sequence (and it's simply poorly edited!!). Yet another example of Lucas force-feeding (no pun intended) plot points to the audience. (duhh, how did Vader get back to his ship??)


That's yet another thing I fixed in my re-edit. Removing pointless SE crap that screws up the movie. I was listening to the ESB soundtrack, and interestingly, the original "Bring My Shuttle" music cue is still intact on the special edition soundtrack, and not the newer cue that accompanies the "Alert my Star Destroyer" line.
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My favorites are binary sunset, and chasm crossfire, throne room and end titles from a new hope. If i had to pick one it would be binary sunset, or funeral pyre for a jedi film version. It's hard to decide the original trilogy scores are all good including the newly scored material by john williams, but jedi rocks is crap. If I had to pick any from the prequels it would be duel of the fates, across the stars, and battle of the heroes. by the way the opera like duel between luke and vader in jedi was based upon the operas of wagner like the ring.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Yub Nub! Just kidding...

The theme when Yoda is giving Luke the "You must feel the force around you" speech. Chills go up my back to this day...

Also, the throne room at end of ANH is awesome.

Of course, asking me this is like asking me my favorite ice cream flavor...they're ALL good.

I agree with what someone posted above about The Duel of the Fates. Ep I blew cheese, but the music during the saber duel was awesome.

Music during the Obi-Wan/Annakin duel in Ep III was great too.
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http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Originally posted by: Duke's alter ego
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Originally posted by: Warbler
I think my favorite music of the saga is "The Imperial March"


It would have been my favorite if it had not been for the fact that it was overplayed.


how can you overplay "The Imperial March"?


also another of my favorites: the opening fanfare.
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I'm a musician myself, and the first music I remember loving (besides The Beatles and Elvis because my mom loved them) was Bach on organ and SW. So you could say that it had a lasting impression on me! (As you all, I'm sure.) Phew, let's see...

1) The whole "Yoda lifting the X-wing" scene
2) Final showdown in Imperial Throne room (chills!)
3) The Flacon in the asteroid belt
4) Obi-Wan explaining the Force to Luke on Tatooine
5) Luke calling to Leia in the Cloud City
6) Rebel fleet preparing for light speed
7) Damn, everything else!

I've been saying for years that the secret behind SW was a mix of storytelling, special effects and music.... thanks for confirming this, people!