No plot? Hollywood movies these days have plots?
May the fourths be with you: Muso John Williams returns to Star Wars
Top movie muso John Williams will pen the latest Star Wars flick's music, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has announced. The Oscar-winning composer, who put together the score for all six of the previous films in the saga, said he was happy to be coming back for the latest instalment. "I've loved doing the Star Wars …
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 09:04 GMT LarsG
Re: Surprised...
The first film was and is the definitive Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi were natural follow ons but didn't add to the original which was a stand alone film. The studios were just cashing in.
The prequels on the other hand are just over CGI'd teen film crap. Fully of pretty people, no real story line which relied on special effects to sell themselves. My biggest gripe is the technology in these films, the sci-fi tech is more complex that the original 3 films. It is as though time has gone backwards.
I hope the New Star Wars stays honest, no over the top CGI, no pretty teen clones, tech that appears to belong to the particular time.
Make it a bit more adult, appeal to those that saw the original rather than the tweenies the prequels were aimed at.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 09:29 GMT Professor Clifton Shallot
Re: Surprised...
" My biggest gripe is the technology in these films, the sci-fi tech is more complex that the original 3 films. It is as though time has gone backwards."
I like the contrast between the luxurious, almost decadent style of the peaceful republic and the rough-and-ready, 'good enough' is good enough tech of the later civil war.
There are some bits of silliness (R2D2 being able to fly) but nothing that ruins the films for their intended audience.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 10:48 GMT MonkeyCee
Re: Surprised...
"My biggest gripe is the technology in these films, the sci-fi tech is more complex that the original 3 films. It is as though time has gone backwards."
I thought it was sort of that case. That there is no real advancement in tech, in fact the Old Republic had better tech? Also there's been 20 years of war. As I understood (but people more informed do step in) tech is fairly static, it's more engineering now? Plus the prequels are set (well, the shiny bits) in the capital, wheras 4-6 are mainly in backwards ass ends of the galaxy. Where the empire is building *new* megaships without megashipyards.
Isn't there supposed to be some Roman allegory here? High point of empire, then the fall, splitting into factions. New legions who look like the old ones but can't fight for toffee? Clone troopers vs Stormtroopers.
In general, I've found that which star wars you love depends on which protagonist you identify most strongly with, Luke or Anakin, in their first films. Are you the stroppy teenager or the tearful kid, both are coming of age and "leaving for the temple" but only one makes me cry.
As for the appeal to make it more adult, uh, it's owned by the Mouse. I believe it's the books you'll be looking for.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 12:34 GMT James Micallef
Re: Surprised...
What I'm really surprised at is that he composed the music for episodes 1,2 and 3. I've seen them all (yes, I'm a sucker for punishment) and can't remember a single notable theme tune.
The original 3, on the other hand, I can probably play inside my head, video, dialogue, music and all.
I want 7,8,9 to be more like 4,5,6.... but that's the triumph of hope over experience.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 09:14 GMT thesykes
Re: Surprised...
He has two choices. Get on board, be in control and at least make sure the music is good... or... walk away and leave his music in the hands of Hollywood executives. They'd hand over his music to some talentless idiot, who'd garble it through something like Garageband and make a total pig's ear of things.
In the end, either way, his name would appear, as the composer of the main theme and imperial march.
Can you imagine the impact of the music being given the Jar-Jar Binks treatment?
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 19:20 GMT Captain DaFt
Re: Surprised...
" Jar Jar Binks makes the Ewoks look like Shaft. "
I suspect that Jar Jar is the reason Disney was able to get its hooks in the franchise...
"Well, you can sell the Star Wars franchise to us for a tidy sum, or we can keep you tied up in court until the heat death of the Universe for ripping off Goofy"
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 11:48 GMT IDoNotThinkSo
Re: Surprised...
Almost all of John Williams scores are derived from classical or earlier works.
That isn't unusual for composers though, and as long as you do it well, nobody really cares. I'm getting downvoted below for suggesting he "steals", which of course he does, but in a good way.
For instance, listen to the "Cloud City" theme in Empire Strikes Back, then the opening violin solo in the Sibelius Violin Concerto. You'll find Holst, Stravinsky and Walton in the original film, too.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 09:32 GMT Thomas 4
Re: Surprised...
In fairness, the music was some of the best stuff about the prequel trilogy. I remember when it was due to come out, I was listening to the music and got very excited about the film.
The plot may be bad. The acting may be bad. With John Williams behind it, the music will be fantastic.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 09:02 GMT frank ly
re. "fourths and all"
Thank you for that link. I regard myself as musically 'dyslexic' but I do enjoy reading about musical theory. Try as I might, I can never 'hear' the music in my head and can't understand most of what I read. That doesn't bother me though; I'm just glad that other people can do it.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 17:30 GMT IDoNotThinkSo
Re: he does steal them quite well. :-)
All art is 'borrowed' to some extent.
I think Williams acknowledged Korngold, and he can hardly do otherwise of Steiner (an early film composer) and ultimately Wagner for the leitmotif idea. The rest (Prokofiev, Walton, Holst, Dvorak, etc) aren't around to complain...
Brahms was told that he'd ripped off Beethoven in his 1st Symphony and his only response was "Any ass can see that". That doesn't mean it isn't worth listening to.
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 10:43 GMT Babbit55
Am I the only one who is actually looking forward to the new star wars movies? they have been handed over to a company that in general makes descent films!
Sure they will be aimed at a younger audience though that didn't hurt Pirates of the Caribbean or most the Marvel movies. I will await them being released before I pass judgement
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 10:44 GMT Magister
FIFY
"I've loved doing the Star Wars films, with all the fanfares and flourish and being paid lots of money. The galaxy far, far away - I actually feel like I'm still in it and being paid lots of money, that I never really left it and being paid lots of money, having worked on all of the six films and being paid lots of money! I'm just happy to be continuing to be part of the whole fun of doing it and being paid lots of money"
Cynical; moi?
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Wednesday 31st July 2013 16:59 GMT A. Coatsworth
Re: Oh God
Seeing how The Mouse also owns Marvel but didn't cast Bieber or any other pop starlet as Avengers, I remain cautiously optimistic about this incoming trilogy.
You won't see me queuing at midnight for the premier, but I'll give them the benefit of doubt, at least until it is announced what role will Lucas play in the production. Hopefully it won't be anything more than consultant, or "associated something-or-other", and they won't let him anywhere near the script.
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