star wars

#455.5: More Star Wars radio, tonight!

SWTFA

Tonight at midnight, you can again catch me LIVE on Robert Daniels‘ radio program VISIONS IN SOUND.   Tune in locally on your FM dial to CKWR 98.5, or elsewhere, just click “listen live” via their website!  The show runs from midnight to 2 am (ET).  Coffee?

Tonight’s subject:  STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS!  The brand spanking new soundtrack by John Williams.

This will be our first time hearing it.  Last week, Rob and I covered the music from the classic trilogy also composed by John Williams.  We had an amazing time talking about the music, what it means to us as fans, and what it does for the films.  Tonight will be interesting because I have no idea what the music sounds like!  I am hoping to see The Force Awakens this morning or afternoon.  One thing I mentioned to Rob last week (and I can’t even remember if this was on or off the air) was that this is the movie we have really been waiting for since 1983.

In ’83 when the credits rolled, all we really wanted to know was “what happens next?”  Lucas had long teased us with the idea of three trilogies, but after Jedi it soon seemed unlikely that a sequel trilogy would ever happen.  In 1983, we didn’t care about whatever happened Episodes I, II, or III.  Many of us consider that to be backstory that would be better off left to the imagination.  Kind of like reading the indices in a Tolkien book.  We really wanted to see what happened next with Luke, Leia and Han.  Would Luke become the most powerful Jedi ever?  What new threats would emerge now that Vader and the Emperor were dead?  And most interestingly, would Luke find and train new Jedi Knights, as Yoda instructed him?  “Pass on what you have learned.”

That’s what we wanted to see.  Then Lucas crapped out and said, “No more Star Wars.  We’re done.”

By the time 1994 rolled around, his tune changed.  It was Jurassic Park that did it.  Lucas became enamoured with computers and said, “Now we have the technology to go and do Star Wars the way I always wanted to do it.”   He began work, and as the prequels emerged from 1999-2005, Lucas often said “I only have ideas for six movies.  That’s all there is.  There are no sequels.  The story is about Anakin Skywalker’s fall and redemption.”  Yada, yada, yada….

I’ve always believed that George Lucas, much like his creation Han Solo, was just “making it up as he goes”.  Although George did come up with story ideas for Star Wars Episode VII and beyond, what we will see today is a brand new creation.  Lucas always said that if there were to be any sequels, they would be about Darth Vader’s grandchildren with Luke playing a mentoring role, like Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Today, we finally find out.

But tonight, I hope you’re able to tune in and catch what I assume and hope to be some incredible music.  The Force Awakens will be the seventh Star Wars film composed by John Williams, and I am certain that it will be a treat.  I’ve already reviewed all the classic trilogy soundtracks already, so if you need to catch up before the awakening, here they are:

Check in tonight, and may the Force be with you!  Always.

EDIT: Stream the show now, right here:
Visions in Sound archive

#454.5: Tune in tonight for some Star Wars radio!

IMG_20151210_171422_edit

ANNOUNCEMENT!

Tonight at midnight, you can catch me LIVE on Robert Daniels’ radio program VISIONS IN SOUND.   Tune in locally on your FM dial to CKWR 98.5, or even easier, just click “listen live” via their website!  The show runs from midnight to 2 am (ET).  Needless to say I’ll be fueling myself up on coffee.

The subject:  STAR WARS!  The soundtracks specifically.  Last week, Rob covered the music from the prequel trilogy composed by John Williams.  Tonight is the original classic trilogy, also composed by Williams, so you don’t want to miss this.  And if you do, it should be available online for streaming later on.   Rob and I have been excitedly discussing the upcoming film The Force Awakens (only a week away!) and I can’t think of a better way to get ready.

I hope you’re able to tune in and catch some incredible music.  I’ve reviewed all the classic trilogy soundtracks already, and you know you’ll be in for a treat.

Check in tonight!

 

 

 

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – new TV spot featuring Finn

This is one of the coolest spots yet. A few weeks ago, Hasbro released a “riot control stormtrooper” figure featuring some kind of electro-baton. In this clip we get to see Finn facing off again this guy with the blue Anakin saber. Looks just awesome.

December 18 is less than a month away…
Poe_Dameron_FO_Riot_Control

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – New TV spot

“I have lived long enough to see the same eyes in different people…I see your eyes…I know your eyes…”

 

 

Even more new footage and dialogue! Does this confirm that Rey is a Skywalker? The teasing for this thing has been brilliant.

The Force Awakens comes out December 18.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Japanese trailer

“I know all about waiting…for my family.”

First of all, JJ lied!  He said there were no more trailers coming.  Well, here is a new one from Japan, with tons of new footage and plenty of Rey dialogue we haven’t heard before.  Who are her parents?  Find out December 18.

VIDEOS: Force Friday unboxings! (Star Wars Black Series 6″ figures)

wpid-IMG_20150904_073148.jpg

Force Friday came and went without a hitch (for me). It was only the unboxing videos that caused me problems!

I understand quite a few people came away disappointed.  I did not.  I was hunting for only one type of Star Wars toy: The Black Series 6″ figures, which readers here know I collect almost religiously. I’ve posted lots of pictures of the opened portion of my collection. They can be found here, here, here, and here. They are just awesome figures that we would have died to have back in the 70’s.

The first wave of 6″ figures from The Force Awakens consists of:

01 – Finn
02 – Rey & BB-8
03 – Kylo Ren
04 – First Order Stormtrooper
05 – Chewbacca

Going in with a game plan, I decided to skip Chewie.  (Iron Maiden’s newest was also released on Force Friday, cutting into the budget.)  A re-sculpt of an older figure I already have wasn’t a priority, and I don’t like his new face. I also aimed to get two each of Rey, Kylo and Stormie, because I wanted one of each of those to open and play with!  (The next wave looks to include Captain Phasma and General Hux.  We’re also expecting a Tattooine Luke, and a Kanan from Star Wars Rebels.  Count me in for those.  But where is Threepio?)

Unboxing #1: Kylo Ren

Unboxing #2: First Order Stormtrooper (technical difficulties!)

Unboxing #3: Rey & BB-8

VIDEO: “Star Wars – Capture on Kashyyyk” featuring music by STEALTH

What is summer without a few trips to the cottage? This past weekend was beautiful and loaned itself to some photography and loads of music.

Below, you will find a video using a new track by Stealth, the duo made up of bass clarinetist Kathryn Ladano, and percussionist Richard Burrows.  The music is “point i” from their debut album, called …listen.  Thanks to Youtube, you no longer have to just “listen”!

“Point i” suited the jungle planet in the photos.  I was just playing around with my Star Wars Black Series 6″ figures and I wanted to show off my new IG-88 and Chewbacca.  I got carried away and what you see below is the result.  It was a lot of fun, which I hope you can see in the adventure!

Thanks to Kathryn and Stealth for permission to use the music.  Pick up ...listen by contacting the artists at kathrynladano.com, coming soon to iTunes and Amazon.

Scan_20150726

REVIEW: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Special Edition original motion picture soundtrack)

STAR WARS: Return of the Jedi – Special Edition original motion picture soundtrack (1997 RCA limited edition with holographic discs, original soundtrack released 1983)

The final soundtrack of the original trilogy received the most disappointing Special Edition soundtrack.  The reissues for A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back essentially offered complete collections of all the music from those two films.   The soundtrack for Return of the Jedi suffers the most from the Special Edition changes.  New music replaces old well-loved tunes, which is rarely a good idea.

Instead of the classic music of “Lapti Nek” (Jabba’s palace scene) we now get “Jedi Rocks”.  I need not tell you how unwelcome that song was, replacing “Lapti Nek”.  All because Lucas didn’t like that the singing alien puppet’s lips didn’t move enough, so he decided to “fix” that by putting in a much more elaborate musical number to go with the new CG lips.  Thanks, George.  Thankfully “Lapti Nek” was included on the 4 CD Star Wars Anthology box set.

The other missing music is “Ewok Celebration”, which fans worldwide know as “Yub Nub”.  This Ewok song was one of those miserable little teddy bears’ few redeeming qualities.  “Ewok Celebration” is replaced by the bland new “Victory Celebration” which ends the film.  Thankfully the original music is also on the Anthology box set.  (I would like to get that.)

Yub Nub!

Return of the Jedi gets off to a slower start than the other soundtracks.  Instead of a battle or vicious Wampa attack, Jedi opened with a couple droids wandering through the desert before finding gainful employment with Jabba the Hutt.  I know, right?  How could that not make for exciting music?  It’s not until Luke Skywalker confronts Jabba (track 6) that things start to move.  Until then, the music remains largely atmospheric and creepy.  There are a few unforgettable musical cues, such as that which accompanies Han Solo’s thawing.

Because Jedi was the third movie in a trilogy, it revisits a lot of familiar themes.  The music for “The Imperial March” is heard several times for example (such as within “The Emperor Arrives”), but there isn’t much in terms of new memorable themes.  I suppose that is to be expected.  The nature of the film, including the deaths of beloved characters and other upsetting revelations, lent themselves to a darker soundtrack.  A lot of atmospheric pieces helped underscore the mood of these scenes.  This is offset by child-like Ewok segments of brightness.

A nice touch is the inclusion of alternate versions.  The exciting “Sail Barge Assault” is included in an alternate take.  There is also a sweeping concert suite of “The Forest Battle” on disc two.  “Lapti Nek” and “Yub Nub” would have been nice, but in 1997 George was really trying to bury the original versions of the films forever.  I’ll just have to find an old record, or that Anthology box.

The original music, excised for the Special Edition, is what this CD misses most.

3/5 stars