NationStates Jolt Archive


Favorite Star Wars / John Williams Piece

Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 01:49
This thread is a nomination thread for a follow-up thread / poll of the top 10 NS General Forum Star Wars Soundtrack Tracks / Songs.

I've attached a poll here just asking if you *own* any of the Star Wars soundtracks (primarly to add some bling to this nomination thread). The top 10 tracks listed in this thread will advance to the follow-up thread.

They must actually be from the 6 Star Wars soundtracks or related releases -- thus the Shadows of the Empire soundtrack (even though it wasn't composed or conducted by Williams) counts. The 1997 Special Edition soundtracks will be considered different versions of the original pieces, with the exception of new pieces such as "Jedi Rocks", which will be treated as their own pieces (right Max Rebo and the fat frog thing can battle it out here).

Please try to be as specific as possible. For example:

"The Levitation" from ROTJ (where Luke floats 3PO)
"Rescue from Cloud City" from ESB
"The Destruction of Xizor's Palace" from SOTE


Some standard abbreviations:

TPM -- Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
AOTC -- Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
ROTS -- Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
ANH -- Episode 4: A New Hope
ESB -- Episode 5: the Empire Strikes Back
ROTJ -- Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
SOTE -- Shadows of the Empire
CW -- Clone Wars
The Psyker
25-09-2006, 01:53
The Imperial March kicks ass :evilsmile:
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 01:54
It is hard for me to pick my absolute favorite of the pieces, but I'm going to vote:

"Rescue from Cloud City / Hyperspace" from the ESB:SE soundtrack.
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 01:59
The Imperial March kicks ass :evilsmile:

That it does.

What I like the most is that it has been incorporated into pretty much every football and baseball game in the United States ... not sure if it as just as popular overseas or not, but Vader is cool.
Laerod
25-09-2006, 02:02
Indiana Jones and Jurrasic Park are better songs...
Montacanos
25-09-2006, 02:02
I prefer the jurassic park music to any of his other stuff. THe man is brilliant though.
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 02:05
I prefer the jurassic park music to any of his other stuff. THe man is brilliant though.

I totally agree on the magic of Williams. Jaws is an extremely slow paced film, but what made it *good* back in the day was its soundtrack.

I'm honestly not sure why he didn't work on the 3rd or 4th Harry Potter films, as there again, he really turned good films into incredible films.
The Psyker
25-09-2006, 02:08
That it does.

What I like the most is that it has been incorporated into pretty much every football and baseball game in the United States ... not sure if it as just as popular overseas or not, but Vader is cool.

Eh, personally I just seem to have it start playing in my head when ever Bush starts talking about security :innocentlook:
Call to power
25-09-2006, 02:15
Shadows of the Empire???
The Psyker
25-09-2006, 02:16
Shadows of the Empire???

Covers the events of the year between ESB and RotJ.
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 02:16
Eh, personally I just seem to have it start playing in my head when ever Bush starts talking about security :innocentlook:


Well, look on the bright side ... our President Palpatine has an adversion to cloning. Though I would *not* be surprised if he suddenly wanted to build a moon-sized "full armed and operational" battlestation in orbit around the moon. But hey, who wouldn't want the keys to one of those. ;)
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 02:24
Covers the events of the year between ESB and RotJ.

Yup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadows_of_the_Empire

It was also part of the effort to amp up the marketing in preparation for the Special Edition releases of 1997, which in and of themselves were test runs for getting 3-year production schedules for Eps. I, II, and III.

The Clone Wars DVD series / toy line is a more recent example, though it was the tie-in between Eps. II and III. Not sure if there actually is a Clone Wars soundtrack, but in addition to the cartoons, there were trading cards, toys, and roleplaying books devoted to the series and I *think* that from the start Clone Wars was supposed to be about all of these things ... while in contrast, many 1990s Star Wars projects were focused on just the project and *later* got into other media (for example Tim Zahn's books eventually had toys and RPG supplements, but the books weren't ever pitched as being part of a campaign to support those other products -- it was their success that lead others wanting those things). SOTE on the other hand had everything hit at once (and ironically it wasn't as well received as things like Zahn's books).
The Psyker
25-09-2006, 02:27
Yup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadows_of_the_Empire

It was also part of the effort to amp up the marketing in preparation for the Special Edition releases of 1997, which in and of themselves were test runs for getting 3-year production schedules for Eps. I, II, and III.

The Clone Wars DVD series / toy line is a more recent example, though it was the tie-in between Eps. II and III. Not sure if there actually is a Clone Wars soundtrack, but in addition to the cartoons, there were trading cards, toys, and roleplaying books devoted to the series and I *think* that from the start Clone Wars was supposed to be about all of these things ... while in contrast, many 1990s Star Wars projects were focused on just the project and *later* got into other media (for example Tim Zahn's books eventually had toys and RPG supplements, but the books weren't ever pitched as being part of a campaign to support those other products -- it was their success that lead others wanting those things). SOTE on the other hand had everything hit at once (and ironically it wasn't as well received as things like Zahn's books).
Well, not everyone can introduce Luke's future wife.
Zilam
25-09-2006, 02:46
my top 5 (in no particular order)
The Asteroid Field
Battle of heroes
duel of the fates
imperial march
the throne room(not the whole part, just when Vader talks about leia joining the dark side and luke gets really ticked and attacks)
Liberated New Ireland
25-09-2006, 03:01
My absolute favorite was the Force Theme, especially it's Binary Sunset version from ANH.

Duel of the Fates comes in second...
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 04:56
So far it looks as if the following will make it to the finale poll:


Duel of the Fates -- TPM
Imperial March -- ESB
The Asteroid Field -- ESB
Hyperspace -- ESB
The Throne Room -- ROTJ
The Force / Binary Sunset -- ANH
Battle of Heroes -- ROTS
General Grievous -- ROTS


That is 8 of the 10 possible slots. So keep those nominations coming in.
Mikitivity
25-09-2006, 23:17
Given the quick turn around here, if there isn't much interest, I'll likely start the poll soon. :)
Nevered
25-09-2006, 23:23
My favorite williams piece is "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra"

second is "Out to Sea/Shark Cage Fugue"

both are from the "Spielberg/Williams Collaboration"

my favorite Star Wars piece, though has to be "Battle of Heroes".

"General Grievous" and "Grievous speaks to Lord Sidious" are good, too.

(IMO, EP3 had the best soundtrack, though it's my fouth favorite)
Mikitivity
26-09-2006, 05:58
My favorite williams piece is "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra"

second is "Out to Sea/Shark Cage Fugue"

both are from the "Spielberg/Williams Collaboration"

my favorite Star Wars piece, though has to be "Battle of Heroes".

"General Grievous" and "Grievous speaks to Lord Sidious" are good, too.

(IMO, EP3 had the best soundtrack, though it's my fouth favorite)

What are your three favorites? :)