Artist: John Williams
Favourite Tracks: Opening Title, Cantina Band and Asteroid Field
Why?:
In less than a month's time, I will be going to see what I believe is going to be the final chapter in the Skywalker saga for Star Wars in part 9, the Rise of Skywalker. I grew up watching Star Wars and it has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher became a presence in my life like you can not imagine.
I have a fuzzy recollection of going to see the movie at a drive-in theatre. My brother informs me it was a double-bill, 'Star Wars' and 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' though I only remember it being the first movie. It was one of the only memories I can recall where the entire family went out together (my parents worked hard and my mother would often bow out of outings to tend to our family store). I can tell you I remember the opening title track with the scrolling backstory, and a bunch of desert scenes. Then I crawled into the back of our family station wagon, curled up with mom and fell promptly asleep with my mother who was also not used to being up too late.
There is nothing I can really say about Star Wars that you probably don't already know, especially if you're a giant fan. It's your typical good versus evil story told in a galaxy far, far away. George Lucas' vision was amazing and his desire to tell this simple story with stunning visuals contributed greatly to film technology and making as a whole. It has become so much a part of modern culture it is nearly impossible to go through life without seeing/hearing references to it. Quote Star Wars often, I do. My husband, a self-admitted non-Star Wars fan, can do a pretty kick-ass imitation of Yoda. (One day, with his permission, I'll regale you all with the tale of how we met because I know you're all sitting there wondering how our relationship is even possible).
But even that opening fanfare has become a park of our modern culture. Including it in a film like 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' when the parking garage attendants take off with that sweet Ferrari, it immediately sets the tone. It is dramatic, emotional, and promises amazing adventure (albeit with less than a positive result for Cameron Frye at first). Then there's Bill Murray's excellent lounge singer act from SNL, wherein we learn there are lyrics for the opening theme.
I fully admit, when I'd gone to see Episode Seven (The Force Awakens) my eyes welled up with tears in the theatre when those opening bars pumped through the cinema sound system after 20th Century Fox's opening searchlight logo and fanfare sequence. This was a very emotional moment. I had been waiting thirty years for this. And I was not disappointed. This was Star Wars, even though I had to sit through the whole movie to see my old beloved Luke Skywalker (my very first crush at the age of four). Old, wizened, and still pretty hot.
When a movie franchise has been with you for your entire life, it becomes like family, and this family member has an awesome soundtrack attached for it. John Williams is a phenomenal composer for movies. I cannot imagine Star Wars (or his other pieces from 'Superman' or 'Raiders of the Lost Ark') without the music and for the first time in a long time, the soundtrack pushed it's way from the background up to middle ground. It would be unfair for the music to overtake the movie, even though John Williams' compositions often comes close.
Then there is the Cantina band scene, the song "Mad About Me" performed by the most awesome fictional band, Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes. How can you not love a band called the Modal Nodes? And... no word of a lie... they are playing 'jizz' music. I'm just going to say it's a super catchy piece.
The final track I make note of is the music featured during the chase through the Asteroid Field in Empire Strikes Back. The heightened emotion on the screen where Han Solo needs to make a daring escape is perfectly punctuated by this piece of music. They did a wonderful job of synching the music with the action, and sweeping majesty and dangerous beauty of what an Asteroid Field must be like. If you must know, this piece too often gets cued up if I'm about to navigate through traffic on the motorcycle. It's fitting. I'm traveling through moving hazards. It's not twelve parsecs, but mad skills are involved.
Should you see this movie? Wait... what? Are you saying you've never seen Star Wars? Who are you even? ;)
Mad About Me - Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes
The Asteroid Field
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