Star Wars soundtracks

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Artimus Bena
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Star Wars soundtracks

Post by Artimus Bena »

I've started listening to them all.


*@#_)(%*#@*(_ing genius makes me feel like I should give up composing and learn my place as a mere mortal. It's SO complex, even during the simple sounding parts.
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Post by JSH357 »

I've tried listening to them outside the films and found them boring as slime.

No offense to Williams; he's good at what he does, but the music is good because of the films, not the composition.
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Artimus Bena
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Post by Artimus Bena »

Hmm, maybe it's because I compose myself, or it's just my eclectic tastes, but I find them far from boring. There's a range of emotion broader and more effective than most any artist without orchestra, and it's far less predictable than just about any form of music excluding jazz ('real' jazz). I've been thinking maybe a lot of our generation thrives on predictability. Anyway, I think it may be the other way around; I think the music is part of what makes the movies great. But I'm sure both sides of that can be argued.



While I'm on the subject, CG (along with a certain actor) ruined star wars. Models would have been far more difficult to deal with, but I would have considered it the best choice, artistically. All of this boils down to Lucas becoming disconnected with the young visionary version of himself. Of course, I don't know the dude, but this seems to be true.
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Post by Artimus Bena »

I should note that I was listening to the newly-made trilogy's music, which is by far more complex and utilizes a ton more sounds and instruments.
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Post by JSH357 »

I just can't agree with that. His music's pretty powerful, but it's only because I remember it from scenes during the films. Like I said, in that respect Williams is great, but in the broader spectrum of instrumental music from the past 100 years or so he's totally average.
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Post by The Wobbler »

Artimus Bena wrote:While I'm on the subject, CG (along with a certain actor) ruined star wars. Models would have been far more difficult to deal with, but I would have considered it the best choice, artistically. All of this boils down to Lucas becoming disconnected with the young visionary version of himself. Of course, I don't know the dude, but this seems to be true.
CG and a "certain actor" did not ruin Star Wars. George Lucas writing and directing 1-3 (the man has great ideas, but should not be the one to make them reality, at least not without an incredibly strict producing and editing team) and not putting any effort into directing his actors did. The new trilogy is composed of fantastic actors giving the worst performances of their lives.
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Post by RMZ »

Well...

Have you seen Jumper?

Hayden Christainson (i think that's his name) was God awful there too, and I basically won't see another movie he's in, I just have no confidence he can be a good leading character. And not all the acting was awful in 1-3. Ewan McGregor did a fantastic job as Obi Wan. But alot of the other characters either over-acted or under acted.

And the fact that a full on CG movie of the clone wars is actually coming to theaters kinda bothers me...

One thing that really aggravated me with the jump from one trilogy to the other is the complete and utter difference in the world from then. I mean, in 4-6 it was cool, but... 1-3 had this uber awesome technology, wouldn't some of that be used later on?
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

One thing that really aggravated me with the jump from one trilogy to the other is the complete and utter difference in the world from then. I mean, in 4-6 it was cool, but... 1-3 had this uber awesome technology, wouldn't some of that be used later on?
Exactly. I was... Eleven or twelve years old when Phantom Menace came out? I've had this exact complaint for all of 1999-2008.

Also, as awesome as Yoda was in Episode 2 & 3 in terms of fighting skill, he lost a lot of the mystery and intrigue that made him such an interesting character.
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Post by RMZ »

As neat as it was figuring out what made Anakin go to the dark side, it would have been better for the series to just like... leave it the way it was.

I mean, it's kinda tough for me to watch the good 3 without thinking how the newest 3 set em up to look cheesy. I mean... why did we ever need to know about wookies??? He was Chewbacca, he was friends with Ewoks and Han Solo. I was happy with that.

It's hard for me to enjoy any of em nowadays. But I told someone this, the best of the worst was definitely Attack of the Clones. Because Phantom Menace was a train wreck, and Revenge of the Sith was just a giant CG bore.
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

Well, the Expanded Universe already defined the Wookie planet as what it was in Episode 3 so that's where Wookies were known to live even before Episode 3 came out. It was just that the Chewbacca cameo created questions that can't be answered now.
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Post by Mazin »

I mean... why did we ever need to know about wookies??? He was Chewbacca, he was friends with Ewoks and Han Solo. I was happy with that.
...What? We saw their planet and briefly saw them fight. What was so bad about that? I don't remember them revealing any wookiee dark secrets or anything.
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Post by RMZ »

It just felt like when I watched it, that they threw that in there just because. It woulda been more interesting to see a different planet with new aliens on it, or something. If you want to defend that it's okay to defend the wookies, then why not some other race?

Like a planet of Greedos (what the hell is that guy anyways???). Just seemed really retarded and forced. Granted the effects were amazing.
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Post by The Wobbler »

Hayden Christainson (i think that's his name) was God awful there too, and I basically won't see another movie he's in, I just have no confidence he can be a good leading character. And not all the acting was awful in 1-3. Ewan McGregor did a fantastic job as Obi Wan. But alot of the other characters either over-acted or under acted.
The actors did what they could with the material they were given. Look at the slimy, horribly written lines Anakin has; NO actor could have made them work, unless he was playing up the character as a parody. McGregor handles the material the best, but even a lot of his moments come off as incredibly poor purely because of the writing. All I'm saying is that the actors don't deserve criticism for not being able to turn a vile script into something good. All of the "bad acting" is entirely on Lucas.
One thing that really aggravated me with the jump from one trilogy to the other is the complete and utter difference in the world from then. I mean, in 4-6 it was cool, but... 1-3 had this uber awesome technology, wouldn't some of that be used later on?
The ships in 1-3 were not technologically superior to those in 4-6, they just looked prettier. The galaxy was mostly at peace when the prequels started, and the ships and architecture reflect that; everything values appearance over functionality. The ships and structures in 4-6 look crappier because they are now being designed with function over appearance. This transition occurs throughout the prequels and I actually think it's one of the best things about them.
It just felt like when I watched it, that they threw that in there just because. It woulda been more interesting to see a different planet with new aliens on it, or something. If you want to defend that it's okay to defend the wookies, then why not some other race?
This I do agree with; the prequels had way too much fan service, and the Chewbacca cameo really drives that home.
Newbie Newtype wrote:Also, as awesome as Yoda was in Episode 2 & 3 in terms of fighting skill, he lost a lot of the mystery and intrigue that made him such an interesting character.
Agreeing here too, turning Yoda into a ninja was an absurd character change that kind of ruins his image as a peaceful, thoughtful wise man. His writing was also awful, Lucas forced too many "Yoda-isms" into his speech.
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Post by JSH357 »

I sort of agree about Yoda. He should have kept the Palpatine fight and left out the Dookoo one. I see Yoda using more Jedi mind tricks than lightsaber action.

To be honest though, part of the reason Yoda was depicted as he was in the OT is likely due to the fact that he was a puppet. With CG, Lucas was able to depict Yoda having more movement and expressions, allowing for such fight scenes to occur. But I agree he's more intriguing as just a wise old alien
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

The ships in 1-3 were not technologically superior to those in 4-6, they just looked prettier. The galaxy was mostly at peace when the prequels started, and the ships and architecture reflect that; everything values appearance over functionality. The ships and structures in 4-6 look crappier because they are now being designed with function over appearance. This transition occurs throughout the prequels and I actually think it's one of the best things about them.
The thing is... The movies don't really present this as the case. They just continue on until... BAM! Tie Fighters, Star Destroyers, etc... The transition could have been a bit tighter. Also, there's things like PODRACING that also strikes me as ood.

I do understand Naboo though, and that argument can be applied to them perfectly. It's just that I would have preferred if the Republic transitioned to Empire technology and asthetics a bit better.
To be honest though, part of the reason Yoda was depicted as he was in the OT is likely due to the fact that he was a puppet. With CG, Lucas was able to depict Yoda having more movement and expressions, allowing for such fight scenes to occur. But I agree he's more intriguing as just a wise old alien
Which is one reason why I disagree with the overuse of CG, because it just didn't suit Yoda's character. Yes, CG makes Yoda easier to animate, but shouldn't that be enough?
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