The Last Jedi Episode VIII Soundtrack Thread

[Gianakin_]

...let's face it, this isn't the worst thread you've caught me posting.

So, is John Williams coming back? SHOULD he? If not, who should step in?

 

[Roose Bolton]

Well, he SHOULD because it's John Williams, but in saying that, he needs to up his game from last time. The TFA soundtrack was good (it's John Williams) but it was the worst of the seven he's done. I can only hope Rian, and the plot, inspire him to get a little more crazy with it.

 

[Gianakin_]

He needs to use electric guitars like in the Coruscant chase from AotC.

 

[Roose Bolton]

If I get something like "Padme's Ruminations" again, I'll be very pleased.

 

[Gianakin_]

Not just pleased, right? Say it. You can say it.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I'd reach release

 

[titansupes]

I think he'll be back. I could've sworn that he was announced for the whole trilogy pre-TFA?

I'm obsessed with Rey's Theme and The Jedi Steps, but yeah, the rest of TFA score was a little weaker than I expected.

 

[Gianakin_]

It seems Kylo's theme was deliberately... like it was, but I hope he gets a longer, more complete one in Ep8.

I also really liked Finn's and Poe's themes and the Resistance March, so the basics are all there. If John returns, he just needs to up his game when it comes to the non-thematic score, which was lackluster in TFA.

 

[Solidus]

TFA’s score was more subdued, but none the less a great score. It did not have some operatic fight music like Duel of the Fates, but I think some have created that as some sort of benchmark of what’s needed. The more I listen to it, the more I love a lot of it, from Rey’s theme to the evolution of Kylo’s theme going from more bombastic to more tragic as the film goes on. I love the Escape from Jakku music, the Resistance March, and the Jedi Steps. There is actually tons of great stuff in there. AOTC and ROTS had good scores but not great (don’t think Williams can make a bad score), the thing that holds those two up is really one song on each which is Across the Universe and the final duel with ROTS.



I’m not a fan of the electric guitar use in the score, so I hope they stay away from that. It did not feel like SW.

 

[Gianakin_]

Sounded like unused/rejected stuff from his PT scores to me. Even his classic themes reprises didn't quite pack a punch.

"Feeling like SW" is something they need to drop from their vocabulary and fast. TFA was enough of that and it won't be doing them any favors in the long run.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I liked the TFA soundtrack, as I do all John Williams soundtracks, but I'd say it was the first soundtrack for a Star Wars film that I've found to be actually less interesting than expanded universe Star Wars musical works. Joel McNeely's work on Shadows of the Empire, and Kevin Kiner's Clone Wars specifically come to mind as superior efforts.

 

[Solidus]

Just going radically into new areas does not equate to good. Look at the PT. Now I’m all for new things, but you have to keep within a realm or you might as well make a completely new IP that is trying something different.

Most of the PT score I do love one of the few things from those films I do care about. But TFA was still superb with its score, again I think some always want some catchy operatic duel music in every score.

 

[Roose Bolton]

And I think that's why Shadows of the Empire and the Clone Wars succeeded so well with their soundtracks. They were very daring with what they introduced and full of energy, yet kept true to the inherent Star Wars "sound."

TFA, in comparison to those two works felt somewhat subdued. I'm not sure if it was due to the long absence between SW films, his sparseness of his general work output in the last few years or any combination. Either way it certainly wasn't his best work, and I hope he can excel himself with Ep 8.

 

[Gianakin_]

Just going radically into new areas does not equate to good. Look at the PT. Now I’m all for new things, but you have to keep within a realm or you might as well make a completely new IP that is trying something different.

Most of the PT score I do love one of the few things from those films I do care about. But TFA was still superb with its score, again I think some always want some catchy operatic duel music in every score.

Those that want operatic stuff should open their mind. Now, the stupid band in the SE of RotJ wasn't SW-y, but the guitars in the Coruscant chase conveyed the industrial look and feel of the setting; nor were they radical. Now, if the WHOLE thing didn't feel SW-y enough to you, then it's the old PT vs non-PT stuff, so we'll once again agree to disagree.

Questions for you: Not that I'm implying they use it in any movie, but did the variation of the main theme used in The Clone Wars feel SW-y to you? Did the Maz cantina music? Did the **** band in the ANH cantina?

PS: To my ears, there was absolutely nothing superb about TFA's score, that wasn't related to a theme.

 

[Gianakin_]

I liked the TFA soundtrack, as I do all John Williams soundtracks, but I'd say it was the first soundtrack for a Star Wars film that I've found to be actually less interesting than expanded universe Star Wars musical works. Joel McNeely's work on Shadows of the Empire, and Kevin Kiner's Clone Wars specifically come to mind as superior efforts.

It's funny, cos McNeely's OT theme reprises were far more impactful to me. Kevin was great, too, although (due to production costs, I bet) they sounded all too synth-y. Not that I'd want Kiner for an Episode, to be honest.

And I think that's why Shadows of the Empire and the Clone Wars succeeded so well with their soundtracks. They were very daring with what they introduced and full of energy, yet kept true to the inherent Star Wars "sound."

TFA, in comparison to those two works felt somewhat subdued. I'm not sure if it was due to the long absence between SW films, his sparseness of his general work output in the last few years or any combination. Either way it certainly wasn't his best work, and I hope he can excel himself with Ep 8.

I blame it on John's age and the somewhat rushed nature of the production. That's why I'm not 100% excited about Williams returning. I am excited, albeit a little less than I was after watching TFA.

 

[Solidus]

The guitars at no point gave me a feeling of an industrial view of what we were looking at. Having said that I like the score of AOTC but riffs like that during the scene just felt out of place. There is a difference between what the bands play and what is played in the background. I don’t mind odd alien stuff for the bands, like in the Cantina’s that is completely fine. I’m talking though when they are doing music everywhere else. I’m not saying don’t try new things, which again….I said. But there are limits it’s just what it is.

As for the PT yes is has the SW look for the most part (some things did not work at all like the Battle Droids) one thing I’ve always said was good about the PT for the most part is the aesthetic despite other elements of the film not feeling like SW at all.

Again I disagree the score was superb, it had some amazing themes in it. Such as the ones I mentioned above.

 

[Solidus]

However regardless of a lot of this, I would like to see some fresh blood on it. We all know they will likely bring in Michael eventually. So I would not be surprised if they did a collaboration of the two for VIII or IX.

 

[Gianakin_]

Well, it's just that the **** band is basically jazz and it's all too earthy (for the record, it's SW-y to me). The TCW main theme was a funky variation of the classical one and the Maz music... frankly, I don't what the hell to call that crap.

It just strikes me as odd that a guitar riff used twice for a couple seconds is crossing a limit and an entire scene using a jazz song isn't. Then again, different strokes.

As for TFA, you do realize the ones you mentioned above are all theme-related music cues, right? And I said that everything non-theme related was basically sounding like rejected PT stuff. Which wasn't the case with any other SW film, to me.

 

[Gianakin_]

However regardless of a lot of this, I would like to see some fresh blood on it. We all know they will likely bring in Michael eventually. So I would not be surprised if they did a collaboration of the two for VIII or IX.

I think that, since John wrote the themes for the main characters (and I do like or love them all), a big chunk of the workload is done (some themes need to be expanded, though).

 

[Roose Bolton]

It's funny, cos McNeely's OT theme reprises were far more impactful to me. Kevin was great, too, although (due to production costs, I bet) they sounded all too synth-y. Not that I'd want Kiner for an Episode, to be honest.

The ones that stood out for me with Kiner, were the likes of "Darth Maul Breaks Obi-Wan", "Jedi Eulogy", and "Ahsoka Leaves". Stuff like that I thought was really well done and worthy of the franchise, but you are right that Kiner's not the guy you want to be doing an Episode.

On that note, I'd be very interested in hearing what Desplat gives us with Rogue One. Perhaps they'll invite him back for a numbered instalment if all goes well.

 

[Gianakin_]

Solidus, just to be fair: The Jedi Steps piece is my favorite from TFA and it's not a theme. But I'd also like to add that it's not one YET. It feels like a theme-to-be, though (hopefully).

 

[Gianakin_]

The ones that stood out for me with Kiner, were the likes of "Darth Maul Breaks Obi-Wan", "Jedi Eulogy", and "Ahsoka Leaves". Stuff like that I thought was really well done and worthy of the franchise, but you are right that Kiner's not the guy you want to be doing an Episode.

All great and "exotic" stuff for SW (but still SW-y enough).

On that note, I'd be very interested in hearing what Desplat gives us with Rogue One. Perhaps they'll invite him back for a numbered instalment if all goes well.

There's no way Desplat won't do a great job. He did with Godzilla, he sure as heck can exceed himself with SW. And I definitely wouldn't mind him doing an Episode.

 

[Solidus]

I felt that even outside of the themes it was great music. I liked the PT music again FYI. Just that one area just felt out of place in AOTC. It was quick so not a big deal but it just felt wrong to me in that context.

 

[Gianakin_]

I understand.

 

[Solidus]

I think Desplat will do great. I want to see Michael do it as well. To expand on what I was saying, even the non-theme music was great. I have had the soundtrack on my iPod while I work out for quite a while. I still hum the music from the escape from Jakku sequence.