ROTS Soundtrack

[Stravo]

Alright, I was not happy with the AOTC soundtrack, all but a few tracks were more than interesting. TPM extended soundtrack was awesome. As bad and horrid as the movie was its soundtrack was truly topnotch right up there with the rest of the OT. AOTC recycled much of TPM's soundtrack so what was left was some anemic stuff except for the final track that has the Imperial March in what I think is its finest incarnation.

This sound track is....not amazing? I can't say its bad because it isn't but it doesn't seem to have that oommph that the OT soundtracks all had. There are some exceptions that stand out and one major disappointment.

The standouts are: Battle of Heroes (much of which you hear in the Fall of a Hero music video) Anakin's Dark deeds, brilliant use of dark choral chanting and a nice racheted buildup. Enter Lord Vader is a little busy but good nonetheless.

My main complaint about the soundtrack is that alot of these songs sound the same. ANH had many tracks, if not all that were memorable and stood out. ESB another awesome soundtrack, ROTJ weakest of the OT soundtracks but once you add the supplemental material like Father and Son duel it becomes just as good as the others.

One major disappointment is the Anakin and Obi Wan duel track. Duel of Fates is probably the best track in the PT, I always imagined that John Williams would give us something of similar structure, emotion and power or reinterpret The Duel of Fates to make it more epic or bombastic. But the track here is sort of - that's IT?! This is the big duel we've waited three movies for and that's the best you can bring to the table?? I was a bit dismayed by that.

Granted we may have Duel of Fates inserted here and there like they did with some other TPM tracks in AOTC but still I was expecting to have my jaw drop and instead I get a track that has a liberal mixing of Vader themes and sounds much like the Bespin duel.

The finale is WOW. Very nice mixing of the OT Luke theme. I look forward to seeing that closing montage when the film is over.

I'm not saying it sucked at all. I'm just saying that alot of it sounds the same and not very moving or memorable other than the key cues I cited. The way I saw it this is the last Star Wars soundtrack and it should go out with a bang unlike any other.

The bonus DVD on the other hand is worth the price of the soundtrack itself. The music videos are so beautfully married to the music itself and the Fall of a Hero video is by far my favorite. I would heartily recommend buying this soundtrack just for the DVD. A definate value.

[RogueIce]

None of the track titles would be considered spoilers, would they? "Qui-gon's Noble End" really annoyed the crap out of me because of that.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

Personally, I thought the first track, Star Wars and the Revenge of the Sith, was wonderful. It was overall a very powerful theme, and hearing that theme from ANH where Luke watches the sunset (I forgot what it's called) reimagined as a martial theme sends shivers down my spine. The only track I found particularly rememberable was the Immolation Scene (spoiler possibly?), which I thought was rather stirring.

I agree that it isn't particularly amazing, but I'd say it's still very good.

RogueIce: I don't think any of the titles are spoilerific, since the plot-based names revolve around information known since before the PT started. However, there are a few that give information about certain plot points.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Personally, I thought the first track, Star Wars and the Revenge of the Sith, was wonderful. It was overall a very powerful theme, and hearing that theme from ANH where Luke watches the sunset (I forgot what it's called) reimagined as a martial theme sends shivers down my spine.

It's called "Binary Sunset."

[Stofsk]

Battle of the Heroes kicks the shit out of Duel of the Fates, especially around the 1.55 mark. It's not as grandiose or bombastic, but it's more emotive. Duel of the Fates sounds like a monumental event, but Battle of the Heroes sounds more like a tragic event.

Padme's Ruminations is awesome. I think ROTS has the best soundtrack, from what I've seen of the Prequel music. I haven't actually got TPM or AOTC, but from what I listened to both tracks ROTS has the better quality.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

"Battle of the Heroes" totally pwns "Duel of the Fates," which I've thought was only alright and used way too much.

[Darksider]

One major disappointment is the Anakin and Obi Wan duel track. Duel of Fates is probably the best track in the PT, I always imagined that John Williams would give us something of similar structure, emotion and power or reinterpret The Duel of Fates to make it more epic or bombastic. But the track here is sort of - that's IT?! This is the big duel we've waited three movies for and that's the best you can bring to the table?? I was a bit dismayed by that.

I kind of thought they would be playing "Battle of the Heroes" when Obi-wan and Anakin fight.

I can almost picture them fighting when I listen to it.......

[Stravo]

One major disappointment is the Anakin and Obi Wan duel track. Duel of Fates is probably the best track in the PT, I always imagined that John Williams would give us something of similar structure, emotion and power or reinterpret The Duel of Fates to make it more epic or bombastic. But the track here is sort of - that's IT?! This is the big duel we've waited three movies for and that's the best you can bring to the table?? I was a bit dismayed by that.

I kind of thought they would be playing "Battle of the Heroes" when Obi-wan and Anakin fight.

I can almost picture them fighting when I listen to it.......

After listening to Battle of Heroes again and again and again (because its so damned good) I HOPE that it is one of the tracks that they battle to. It is an awesome track and I especially love the rapid upswing in tempo that just sounds like lightsabers clashing near the middle.

Padme's ruminations I didn't like because of the way it miandered near the end. The begining was really good, it almost sounded like Middle Eastern type chanting and in any event did not sound like anything else I've heard in SW but then it started getting away from that and becoming a more 'traditional' kind of John Williams introspective cue.

I still think Duel of Fates beats out Battle of Heroes. But maybe if I listen more it will win out. Without a doubt as it stands now it is my favorite cue on the album.

[Darksider]

Tell me about it...

I'm sitting in the middle of class, and I have the CD with me.

I'm trying to resist the urge to turn the speakers up to max, and play "Battle of the Heroes" as loud as I can.

[McC]

The music they release in the first tier typically never lives up to the overall score, in my opinion. The special edition releases of the OT soundtracks were fantastic because they actually contained the complete scores, and then some. I'll reserve judgment on this front until I actually see how the music accompanies the movie.

Personally, though, I think the ROTS soundtrack contains some of Williams' best work (his "Binary Sunset" theme being, in my opinion, his masterpiece work from his entire career).

[DPDarkPrimus]

The problem with "Duel of the Fates" is that you can only use it once- any more usages just cheapens the effect.

The special editions of the OT soundtracks are the ones currently available, yes?

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Yes.

[YT300000]

*snip*

I thought that [not all that amazing] at first. But with each subsequent... listening, it became better. *shrugs*

[Captain Cyran]

All around I agree with you Stravo. Battle of the Heroes was orgasmic, I'm thinking "Oh man, if this is good I can't WAIT for Anakin vs. Obi-Wan!" Then I get down there and all I can think was that it is the greatest dissappointment ever. I was expecting something to make Duel of the Fates to look like a tinker toy, something very similar to Luke and Vader's final duel. What I get is pretty good with blatant slices of Imperial March that just TOTALLY ruin the mood. I mean, it builds up great, and you can see them dueling and then everything stops and you hear the fucking march over and over again. If this is the music during the fight I will be upset.

All in all, a pretty good soundtrack, WAY too much stealing from the other songs, run out of ideas Williams? That and "A New Hope and End Credits" annoyed me because it was basically "We're going to end on a happy note, and only recycle the old music." The least they could have done is recycle the Imperial and dark stuff. I want darkness at the end of the movie! I want to practically be in tears as I leave the theatre!

[IRG CommandoJoe]

I just have to ask: How much is the Imperial March used?

Is it even in it's "Imperial" form with the full orchestra like we've heard in TESB? Or are there merely variations of the theme, with sections or several instruments playing it, simply thrown around amidst the score? Of course in AotC, however brief it was, it was in it's full "Imperial" form, but you never know...

EDIT: Also, while I know my hopes are probably going to be dashed (because Williams' new approach to the PT totally ignores his OT style), is there any more of the Stormtrooper/Imperial theme from ANH? Before the Imperial March, there was the Stormtrooper/Imperial theme and with ANH it died. I have the feeling ANH will be the only movie it'll ever be used in. Fuck.

[RogueIce]

I am a fan. Battle of the Heroes is a great listen, though it does end a bit odd, at least for me.

Anakin's Betryal is, in my estimation, pretty damn cool. It's like that music you would hear when they pan over a huge disaster, like an explosion or a plane crash or something. It's a very nice listen.

And the DVD rocks. "A Hero Falls" is probably the best thing they could use for a trailer that's not, as far as I know, an actual trailer. Although some of it is a bit jarring; "A Sanctuary Moon" has scenes from the Gungan/Droid battle? I suppose you could say it's a parallel or something, but it did seem slightly out of place. But that's just a slight nitpick, because all in all it was a very nice ride.

I especially like both versions of "Light of the Force" being used in the redemption scene. That was just, wow, especially the first half; that music fits very well for when Vader gives Palpy the ol' heave-ho.

[Durandal]

This soundtrack really grows on you. The first time I listened to it, I was disappointed. But after a couple more listens-through, I'd rate it as better than AoTC or TPM easily.

[Dangermouse]

Purchasing the ROTS soundtrack never really crossed my mine until I read this thread. Now its very tempting.

How does it rate compared to the ESB soundtrack(probably my favorite soundtrack of all time)?

[Cal Wright]

I have enjoyed the soundtrack and the added DVD content. Really an awesome buy. Although I will say this. I kind of wish that Battle of the Heroes was in TPM, and Duel of the Fates was the Obi Ani fight.

[YT300000]

Purchasing the ROTS soundtrack never really crossed my mine until I read this thread. Now its very tempting.

How does it rate compared to the ESB soundtrack(probably my favorite soundtrack of all time)?

I'd put it at the same level as the ANH soundtrack, minus the fact that its only half as long. ESB and RotJ are better though (especially RotJ, God I love the Emperor's theme...).

[RogueIce]

Purchasing the ROTS soundtrack never really crossed my mine until I read this thread. Now its very tempting.

How does it rate compared to the ESB soundtrack(probably my favorite soundtrack of all time)?

I'd put it at the same level as the ANH soundtrack, minus the fact that its only half as long. ESB and RotJ are better though (especially RotJ, God I love the Emperor's theme...).

The Dark Side Beckons is the best, ever.

[YT300000]

Purchasing the ROTS soundtrack never really crossed my mine until I read this thread. Now its very tempting.

How does it rate compared to the ESB soundtrack(probably my favorite soundtrack of all time)?

I'd put it at the same level as the ANH soundtrack, minus the fact that its only half as long. ESB and RotJ are better though (especially RotJ, God I love the Emperor's theme...).

The Dark Side Beckons is the best, ever.

Well, in the Special Edition soundtrack release, it (and a couple other tracks) are combined into Battle of Endor II. This is just an amazing bit of music not only for that great rendtion of the Emperor's theme, but also with the music from the duel, and the Emperor's death.

[Joe]

Palpatine's Teachings is really creepy. Turn it up loud and you can hear the chanting...chilling stuff.

[RogueIce]

I was this past weekend using "Battle of the Heroes" as chase music in GTA: San Andreas. The best part is, the song ended right when I died in a hail of law enforcement bullets.

Anyway, I kinda like "Anakin's Betrayal" the most, or at least it's what I listen to. It works for moody music, and an aftermath kind of music as well. I love it to death. The similarly themed portion of "Anakin's Dark Deeds" is just as good.

Palpatine's Teachings is really creepy. Turn it up loud and you can hear the chanting...chilling stuff.

I haven't noticed that. Have to go back and take a good listen.