Super Sounds

In April 2005 I reviewed John Williams' Revenge of the Sith score. This morning a preview copy of the Superman Returns (merchandise link) soundtrack CD (pre-order link) fell through my mailbox courtesy of Rhino Records! The retail release is July 10th.

Expectations are nigh high! Would John Ottman's score rekindle the sense of wonder that this author experienced at the Exeter ABC Cinema (circa 1978)? Would my yearning for unabashed heroics transport me back to Boots Corner and take flight?

01 - Main Titles (3:49)

John Williams' iconic leitmotif, arguably one of cinema's greatest and most recognizable themes, returns with joyous gusto, aplomb and new flourishes. Christopher Reeves' memory has been served well.

02 - Memories (3:07)

After the jubilant opening salvo. This cue quotes from John Williams' original score before Ottman begins his enigmatic musical journey. Shades of Fortress of Solitude and Batman Returns (1992).

03 - Rough Flight (5:13)

Bernard Herrmann collides with John Williams heroics in a dazzling display of audio pyrotechnics.

04 - Little Secrets / Power of the Sun (2:49)

The original Love Theme is introduced albeit in troubled form!

05 - Bank Job (2:21)

In a post 9/11 world there's no reprise of John Williams' humorous March of the Villains. Owes much to the brutal mechanization of movie composers Jerry Goldsmith and Basil Poledouris.

06 - How Could You Leave Us? (5:49)

Conjures comparison with Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Abyss (1989).

07 - Tell Me Everything (3:13)

Enter the Jedi! Feel the force.

08 - You're Not one of Them (2:22)

A solitary piano and yearning string section, which culminates in a choir. Ultimately left unresolved.

09 - Not Like the Train Set (5:12)

Urgency underpins the action with a nod to John Williams' abstract Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) soundtrack! Overcast by the shadow of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine (The X-Men).

10 - So Long Superman (5:31)

The main theme is deconstructed as discordant voices duel string and wind instruments. This orchestration is an evocation of Return of the Jedi (1983) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)!

11 - The People You Care For (3:27)

Batman (1989) confronts Darkman (1990).

12 - I Wanted You to Know (2:56)

Sentimental and poignant.

13 - Saving The World (3:12)

Does what it says on the tin.

14 - In the Hands of Mortals (2:11)

Melancholia meets enchantment.

15 - Reprise / Fly Away (4:15)

If this doesn't draw a tear... Life affirming.

In summation. I'm giddy from my sonic flight and can't wait to see the movie. Rejoice in the return of THE super hero! My deepest regret, listening to Superman Returns, is that my Mother will never be able to savor the sights and sounds of Krypton as she once did...

Scoring Pictures: Part I

"How much do we see when we hear? How much do we hear when we see?" - American film composer John Williams. From the liner notes of Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back album.

Transfering archive analogue recordings has afforded a rare luxury to revisit many of my audio recordings! And I’m delighted to finally present the evocative score composed for December Duet (1996).

This suite (MP3) was composed and performed by Barrie Cole and recorded at Knighton Heath Music Center, Bournemouth and Poole College.

What follows is taken from my production analysis.

Why use sound when, surely, pictures, alone, can tell the full story? Obviously television and cinema are, inherently, about visuals. But an important aspect of these mediums is also sound. Often implicitly ignored by audiences. It’s there, but on an almost subconscious level. Sound masks editing, jump cuts and the passing of time. Without sound, it would be, arguably, impossible for the director to suspend audience disbelief. That what they are watching just isn't real. And, as a result, the audience will have no means with which to relate and engage the characters and the story. In essence sound underscores the illusion of reality.

Whereas the means in which pictures are mediated to an audience hasn't technically progressed (apart from a few rare exemptions / attractions such as IMAX Cinemas and 'La Geode', in Paris), commercially, for some time, due to the inherently vast development costs. And the unwillingness of theatres to embrace such undertakings, until the costs come down. The way in which sound is exhibited has undergone constant evolution. The advent of Dolby Stereo, showcased to dramatic effect in Star Wars (1977), made such a cultural impact on movie making. And latterly domestically. It created an entire industry devoted to post production sound. This has filtered down to television, in recent years.

Who can forget what a dazzling contribution John William's epic compositions for The Star Wars Trilogy (1977 - 83) made to the onscreen F/X and action. Would the films have been so highly praised if it had been unaccompanied by music and ground breaking sound design engineered by Eric Tomlinson and Ben Burt?

I wanted to convey my affection for beautifully recorded soundtracks, both diagetic and none. Essentially create a stereo soundtrack to compliment the visuals. I wanted to apply the knowledge that I had learnt from the previous two years whilst doing audio and video. The culmination of which was last summer's (1995) integrated project.

Simon, who undertook the role of PPS, sympathised with me. He fastidiously sculpted a rich sound stage which depicted, clearly, the vocals, sound F/X and musical score. We were able to draw a very fine line between complimenting the visuals and sounds. The temptation to over do one element, at the expense of the other, was avoided. It never descended into OTT melodrama. It lent a 3-Dimensionality to the 2-D environment of the screen. And also it adds another important element, that of directing the audiences emotions. I personally believe that you cannot have good visuals without good sound. It seems such a loss of creative potential, and a human sense, to apply effort to the visuals (in video) and give little, or no, consideration to the sound design.

During post production sound, sounds can be repaired and smoothed. Voices, crowds and additional dialogue etc can be added via A.D.R (Automatic Dialogue Replacement). This technique is used extensively in film / television production. A recent example is the movie Speed (1994), in which sound design takes the action to a new level of experience and audience participation. Foley adds footsteps, additional sound needs (not normally accessible during location recording).

To be continued.

3D Combat Evolved

One of my most enduring memories as an undergraduate (and losing valuable book time), was playing the original award-winning Worms (1995) on the Sony PlayStation! Team 17's turn-based opus relied on the player's ability to correctly judge the trajectory and the power necessary to inflict devastating damage (on a par with shock and awe) against the clock (usually around 30 seconds, but this could be adjusted higher or lower). All the while trying to achieve mastery over the wind. You see, the wind can be unforgiving and weapons that are vulnerable to air current can be rendered impotent.

After 9 previous iterations including Worms Pinball and Blast, the basic premise remains intact (and relatively unspoilt) as the franchise inevitably segues to luxurious 3D in 2004! And the impish dialogue and black humour (motifs of the franchise) still remains cuttingly humorous. Friends' star Matthew Perry would be pretty proud of that achievement!

Porting progress
Feral Interactive is never merely content to publish key titles ‘per se’ on the Mac platform! Whenever working with UK porting house Zonic, it is always the partnerships intention to provide Mac gamers with compelling "added value" as a reward for our patience. This release is no exception to that golden rule.

In the case of Worms 3D (alongside the development of XIII), a rare opportunity to improve the graphics arose. It was noticed that whilst playing Worms 3D that at high (or low) resolution the interface was blurred! The original Adobe Photoshop files, used during development, were leveraged to replace all the interface graphics and weapons that Feral had been given assets for. And to avoid alienating the Mac gaming community, the PC keyboard was appropriately replaced by a Mac version!

Carnage candy
Worms 3D inspires obvious graphical comparison with Pangea's Bugdom series! And possesses looks that would make even Earthworm Jim blush with envy! Everything has an organic Play-Doh look and feel, which would delight the artists at PIXAR. The textures are simpler than Unreal Tournament or Halo, but then that's wholly appropriate given the context, and the game runs smoothly under Mac OS X 10.3.4. Support for Full Screen Anti-Aliasing (FSAA) is available for those equipped with a compatible graphics card. Is it time for an animated television series from Warner Bros. and attendant merchandise such as action figures, I wonder?

Existing Worms fans will be delighted to learn that bazookas, grenades, dynamite, air strikes and sheep made it safely from 2D, with the addition of brand new weapons to take advantage of the more expansive 3D landscape.

Customised combat
The single player (SP) mode still rotates predominantly around randomly generated battlefields against computer-controlled teams (the level of difficulty can be adjusted).

Alongside the obligatory Tutorial and Campaign modes, Team 17 have introduced the new Challenge mode, an offering where players can participate in various objectives such as firing-off a shotgun at as many targets as possible before time runs out to unlock bonuses such as medals and secrets.

Players can pass levels with Gold Silver or Bronze. As an incentive, getting Gold and finding secret areas (in SP) unlocks more hidden weapons and levels for the multiplayer mode.

The Challenge mode is somewhat repetitive, but completionists will no doubt find it a noteworthy addition all the same. Also the code system that was used to generate levels in the original is included in Worms 3D. And the codes for the PC version work on the Mac. It's worth searching the web for sites dedicated to collecting these cross platform codes!

Ultimately multiplayer (MP) mode is the signature element of the Worms franchise and here 2-4 teams can compete against each other in highly addictive sorties. The landscape of war can be edited; players can select to play in Lunar, War, England, Horror, Pirate or Arctic (in day, evening or night)! Or alternatively choose a randomly-generated landscape, or one that you've unlocked in the Campaign mode. In the mood for a chat, taunt or want to privately discuss tactics (with fellow team members and allies)? That's here too!

Worms 3D is compatible with GameRanger. Therefore, I urge you to 'fire-up' GameRanger as the MP mode is far more engaging than the SP experience because of human interaction - watching an enemy worm sink into the icy depths, underscored by a suitable quip, is a very satisfying accomplishment. Worms 3D MP is a luxurious treat and may close the deal for gamers unmoved by the series anaemic SP mode.

Blasted Bug
Subsequent to the GM release. MP games work on a LAN, but there is a bug in the network detection check which will cause all network games to be disabled if the Internet cannot be reached.

Zonic are working on a fix for this and it will be included in the first patch. In the mean time, if you can get your LAN connected to the Internet, you should be able to play locally.

Got Worms?
The transition to what could be construed as a more liberating 3D context, has introduced new challenges and complications that can confuse! You can toggle the camera between 3rd person (default), 1st person and blimp views. However, at times I found orientation difficult - the 3D terrain is more problematic to gauge than in 2D. And it requires greater effort (not necessarily a negative) to accurately judge how far to shoot a missile in order to target it anywhere near an enemy. This can lead to frustration, which often detracts from the pleasure of playing.

And now for the conclusion
Worms 3D is a solid port and clearly the product of stringent QA (Quality Assurance). Kudos to Feral and Zonic. With spruced-up graphics, a multitude of tactics available, coupled with the ever-changing, randomly-generated landscapes, Worms 3D is a pleasant antidote to the glut of FPS releases.

However, I was left with a yearning for the 2D side scrolling pleasures of old and the absence of an engaging soundtrack was remiss! The score of Worms 3D isn’t as impressive as the sound effects. Whilst I'm not looking for a John Williams orchestration, the music didn't serve the action and was turned down in favour of the amusing dialogue and spot effects.

As I completed this review Team 17 officially announced 'Worms Forts Under Siege'! The Worms saga continues...

Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 9
Sound: 7
Value: 8

Overall: 8 (out of 10)

The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi

At the moment I'm adding a new 'bag of tricks' to my portfolio site. To avoid the trammels of being spread too thinly, the next few posts will reprint my Inside Mac Games (IMG) reviews. IMG is always on the look out for new staff and, whilst there is no pay per se, you are guaranteed free games, DVDs and other cool collectibles.

Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Mac port)
In January 1978 at the age of five my world was changed forever by an inaugural encounter with the cinematic realm. The film in question was Star Wars and, like fellow members of Generation X, I’ve followed the series in its multitude of media incarnations, from books to toys. However, video games remain the fondest forum since the early Atari coin-ops.

Jedi Academy is the second sequel to Jedi Knight and rapidly follows in the wake of Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. And, as such, is the third installment. The speed of the game’s port, to the Macintosh platform, is indicative of the timely talent of Aspyr Studio and the insatiable appetite of Mac gamers for original and licensed product. The most pertinent question on many gamers’ minds is: will it suffer from trilogy exhaustion?

Graphics
The graphics are augmented by Raven Software’s code enhancements. The sumptuous visuals belie the Quake III game engine’s four-year age! Rain super heats as it falls onto a striking light saber and the character animation is suitably smooth and fluid even on modest hardware (this review was conducted on an 800 MHz iMac G4 with 512 MB RAM). Close combat has not witnessed such balletic battles since Darth Maul cartwheeled onto celluloid in The Phantom Menace (1999).

Sound
The sound design is unquestionably of a pedigree deserving of the title’s roots. My review sessions were monitored using JBL Creature speakers, which rendered an involving and detailed three-dimensional sound stage replete with the familiar sounds of a galaxy far, far away. I lamented being unable to savor the delights of a 5.1 mix, however. Where would a Star Wars adventure be without the familiar underscores of John Williams’ familiar (if overused) leitmotifs? No longer used in their original cinematic context, here his orchestrations inform your journey to become a Jedi.

Gameplay
In this outing Kyle Katarn (who made his first appearance in the legendary Dark Forces) is no longer the principle protagonist and acts as mentor alongside Luke Skywalker. Instead the game designers adroitly avoid any tenuous contrivances and invite you to create a new character from scratch albeit one who goes by the fixed name of Jaden Korr. The inevitable Sims (no it’s not Skywalker Family Ties) comparison cannot be ignored, but doesn’t detract from the short-lived novelty of deciding gender, species and light saber type (later stages allow for the wielding of two light sabers and Darth Maul’s infamous double-bladed light saber).

During the early stages of Jedi Academy, as you investigate the whereabouts of Luke's missing journal, the missions allow you to hone and enhance your Jedi powers before the saga starts gaining momentum. In between levels you get to choose between Light and/or Dark Force powers and either Choke or confuse your opponents with Mind Trick. The decisions you make delineate character, which is a neat twist and one that leads to a choice culminating in two possible endings.

The decision to provide the light saber from the outset was an inspired one – you now get what’s on the box – instant gratification. The galaxy-spanning missions take in the sights and sounds of Yavin 4, Tatooine and the derelict Rebel Base on Hoth.

Friends and old enemies return to assist or impede your path. Incidentally, I took great delight in confronting Bucket Head (fans will know who I am referring to)! And utilizing mounts i.e. Tauntauns adds an arcade aspect to the title.

The multiplayer section is undoubtedly the most compelling facet of Jedi Academy. Alongside the obligatory Capture the Flag and Free For All is Siege. The brand new Siege mode takes it cue from Wolfenstein's class-based objective mode and involves co-operative play. This allows for tremendous strategic scope and success will be determined by the abilities of the team. From Duel and Power Duel to the Siege mode – even the most jaded multiplayer veteran should find something to satiate their needs.

Conclusion
Jedi Academy lacks a compelling narrative; dramatic pace is thwarted by a non-linear mission interface. And the title gravitates more towards Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson's Creek sans angst - will the kids ever graduate?

Although one can make an ideological choice between the Light and Dark side of the Force, the consequences are bereft of any deep emotional resonance. This is no Greek tragedy. On an entirely subjective note, the temptations of the Dark side can be overwhelming and brandishing a red double-bladed light saber is supremely seductive!

The play experience lost some of the anticipated luster due to stuttering frame rates in the first patch (1.0.1a) for the single-player edition. Programmer Brad Oliver rapidly addressed this issue and it is strongly recommended that you apply the most recent patch (1.0.1b). This should solve matters for Mac OS X 10.3.x Panther users. However, I didn’t have a copy of Mac OS X 10.2.x Jaguar to perform a comparison test.

The Jedi Academy bonus multiplayer maps extend the game’s life cycle. The addition of a level from Ord Mantell (referenced in The Empire Strikes Back and further explored in the comic strip serial by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson) should bring a smile to the face of any fan – it’s where Han Solo encounters one of Jabba The Hutt’s notorious bounty hunters.

Whilst this is the perfect primer while we wait for the Macintosh port of Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic, it remains to be seen whether or not there is any life left in the Jedi series. However, for sheer kinetic fun adorned in the furnishings of the Star Wars franchise, you’d be hard pressed to ignore the emotive thrill of brandishing two light sabers at once and the ensuing Stormtrooper decapitations!

Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 8
Sound: 9
Value: 7

Overall score: 7.75 (out of 10)

Confluence

Keeping with the informal oriental theme of yesterday. Due to the stress of real world events, I suffered an uncommon migraine and was forced to bed early. Whilst still feeling a little groggy, found time to listen to John Williams' score for Memoirs of a Geisha (Spielberg passed on directorial duties).

A work of beguiling beauty, Geisha effortlessly combines the Orient with Copland flourish. The silhouette of Shindler's List (2003) cast by Itzhak Perlman's arresting violin solos.

This year Williams has completed a stunning quartet of albums from Revenge of the Sith and War of the Worlds to Munich. Next year Superman Returns and so will John Williams' main theme. Watch the teaser trailer, underscored by The Planet Krypton, and tell me that you're not moved by its impressionistic power.

I'd like to welcome Sony PSP users to the addiction known as RSS! Albeit in the bandwidth-demanding form of audio streaming. The latest firmware upgrade, 2.6, was released today.



Sony's move into this 'space' may provide competition for Apple! However, under the tree this year I'll be opening a Nintendo DS Mario Kart Bundle and a copy of Lego Star Wars for GameCube.

Sky is offering an iPod Shuffle to customers who recommend a friend. Any takers?

The Power of the Dark Crystal

Perusing the latest Dreamwatch magazine, I was delighted to note that the first sequel to The Dark Crystal (1982) is in production. This will form the foundation of a new franchise.

Jim Henson's original opus, inspired by the works of Brian Froud, enthralled me as a young child. However, that first fateful viewing at the ABC Cinema was a little too intense - Garthim and Skeksis anyone? Rediscovering it in 1999 I was beguiled by its lyrical beauty once again!



Synopsis taken from the novel The Dark Crystal by A.C.H. Smith:

In a faraway world a mighty astronomical event is about to occur, the Great Conjunction of the planet's Three Suns. At this time, the cruel Skeksis who rule this world from the castle of the Dark Crystal are frightened to learn that an ancient prophecy may be coming true: A survivor of the Gelfling, an elfin race they thought they had destroyed, is seeking to restore the missing shard of the Dark Crystal before the moment of the Great Conjunction, thus ending the tyranny of the Skeksis. Hidden in the valley of the urRu, young Jen the Gelfling has been raised by a tribe of mystics and knows little of the world outside, but know his Master's dying words have charged him with his mission to find the lost shard before it is too late. Traveling through many strange places and encountering many extraordinary beings, Jen races against time to unravel the mystery of his quest and save his world from the forces of evil.

The adventures of Jen and Kira outshone the Muppet antics of Return of the Jedi (1983). The latter was derided by Starlog magazine for blatantly reprising the former's mythological narratives. It's debatable that this was deliberate and certainly the comparisons are inescapable, but The Dark Crystal treats its target audience with greater intelligence.

The inevitable soundtrack score by Trevor Jones, which I still own on single vinyl LP, deserves masterpiece status. John Williams referenced its textured sounds in Revenge of the Sith (2005). As an amusing aside, I fondly recall playing with Masters of the Universe action figures whilst listening to The Dark Crystal Overture.

The Froud's, Brian and Wendy, often frequented my Mother's clothing store in Exeter and would insist that she served them. Wendy Froud's most famous puppet sculpt isn't ashamed of being green. Master Yoda. Love the Star Wars connections that criss-cross my private life.

"By the Power of Grayskull... I HAVE THE POWER!!!"

Masters of the Universe were a feature of my childhood. The cadre of Skeletor, Beast Man, Trap Jaw and Tri-Klops were hired to bolster Darth Vader's Bounty Hunters. Castle Grayskull served as Vader's weekend retreat so-to-speak and Snake Mountain became the adopted home of the Emperor and source of Sith power.

During a family holiday to Innsbruck (1984), between organized coach trips we would walk around the shops. The Austrian toy stores overflowed with MotU action figures that were not available in the UK. One of the most coveted was Prince Adam and the fact that I wasn't allowed to buy him left me emotionally scared. I had to content myself with an Action Force summer special comic!

Mattel extended MotU with the introduction of She-Ra (think action Barbie) and The Evil Horde. Hordak was the insidious successor to Skeletor and his Horde Troopers shamelessly copied the Stormtroopers of a galaxy far, far away. A variety of beasts were released. Modulok resides in mint box in my attic.

By 1987 I set aside 'childish' things and waited anxiously for the release of Michael Jackson's Bad album. However, that didn't preclude me from seeing the camp movie (starring a young Courteney Cox) and savoring Bill Conti's copy cat score (see John Williams).

Mattel's 2002 revival of the enduring billion dollar property has met with mixed success. Mattel flooded the market with worthless repaints. Last year I tracked down Mer-Man (an overlooked figure from the original) and this weekend made a successful bid for the elusive and very rare Evil-Lyn. The new sculpt, by Four Horsemen Studios, captures the beauty of Skeletor's duplicitous sorceress. Up until bidding for this, I'd never used eBay and am somewhat agog at the poor user experience. Clumsy.

With the R1 release of Masters of the Universe DVD and UMD, the He-Man renaissance should be secure.

Ogilvy's overture

Flaming June.



"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one," he said. The War of the Worlds movie soundtrack from John Williams and Jeff Wayne's Musical Version (7 Disc Collectors Edition limited to 20,000 copies worldwide!) are released this month. The latter includes the following added-value:

• 2 Hybrid SACDs - The original double album remixed in stereo and multi-channel 5.1 surround sound from the original 48 track master tapes by Jeff Wayne.

• 4 CDs of remixes, rarities, never before heard material, outtakes, foreign language versions and more including 37 minutes of never before heard Richard Burton narrative!

• DVD documentary 'The Making Of The War Of The Worlds' and 'deconstructing' the album feature.

• Packaged in deluxe 12x12 hardback presentation book with 76 page full color bound book featuring the history of this phenomenal musical version, HG Wells' history and bio, details on rarities and War Of The Worlds merchandise and much more...

Fisher-Price

Comparing screen shots of Panther and Tiger it is very noticeable that Tiger's GUI is brighter and evokes Windows XP! In a couple of weeks I'll be better placed to make an informed judgment.

My Revenge of the Sith CD has been on repeat play (almost) since Monday. Churlish critics will cite that Williams too blatantly quotes himself. Here, in descending order, are my favorite Star Wars soundtracks:

1). The Empire Strikes Back
2). Revenge of the Sith
3). A New Hope
4). The Phantom Menace
5). Return of the Jedi
6). Attack of the Clones

AOTC ranked lowest because unaltered orchestrations from TPM were inserted late in digital post production; George Lucas can make changes almost up to the minute of theatrical release, John Williams is ostensibly scoring an 'unlocked' print, which may explain the thicker textures to the prequel scores!

Hasbro's ROTS Darth Vader arrived today and is the best sculpture yet!

A Cosmic Copland

My first vinyl album was the original Star Wars (1977) soundtrack. Last evening I had the unbridled pleasure of listening to the Revenge of the Sith CD prior to its May 2nd release. What follows is the raw and unrefined first impression of a fan bereft of any objectivity.

01 - Star Wars and The Revenge Of The Sith (7:31)

The signature theme (taken from an existing recording) ambitiously segues early into the battle above Coruscant, and the daring rescue of Senator Palpatine from the clutches of Count Dooku. This is the most compelling transition since The Empire Strikes Back (1980).

02 - Anakin's Dream (4:46)

Anakin’s fate is unknown. In shades of Schindler's List (1993), Across The Stars is performed underneath a viola and harp solo. Portentous strings interrupt this harmonious (and enigmatic) moment and the suite takes a darker direction as an embattled Force Theme struggles to emerge from beneath dissonant orchestrations.

03 - Battle Of The Heroes (3:42)

An emotional and sweeping choral/waltz punctuated by an incomplete rendition of the Force Theme. The opening evokes Danny Elfman’s score for Batman (1989), which was in itself gloriously derivative. A quodlibet to The Phantom Menace's (1999) Duel Of The Fates.

04 - Anakin's Betrayal (4:04)

The balance of the force is in flux.

05 - General Grievous (4:07)

Obi-Wan buys a single day pass to Jurassic Park!

06 - Palpatine's Teachings (5:25)

In a style reminiscent of Trevor Jones’ composition for The Dark Crystal (1982), Williams explores the seduction/deception of Anakin by the Master of the dark side.

07 - Grievous and the Droids (3:28)

Drawn from TPM's Trade Federation leitmotivs.

08 - Padme's Ruminations (3:17)

The Return of the Jedi’s (1983) darkest moments are revisited within the framework of Minority Report's (2002) ethereal female vocals.

09 - Anakin vs. Obi-Wan (3:57)

Starting with a blustering reprise of Battle Of The Heroes, the score reintroduces Darth Vader’s theme (as performed during the Bespin duel). Elements from ESB are interwoven into the new material with chilling and startling results - sonic flourishes shadowing the action.

10 - Anakin's Dark Deeds (4:05)

John Williams joins forces with Howard Shore.

11 - Enter Lord Vader (4:14)

A reflective montage; from the pomp and circumstance of Naboo to Across The Stars, Anakin’s Theme and… Lyrical poetry.

12 - The Immolation Scene (2:42)

Haunting. Williams conjures the atmosphere of the main themes from A New Hope (1977).

13 - Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious (2:49)

Harry Potter at play.

14 - The Birth Of The Twins and Padme's Destiny (3:37)

Across The Stars is followed by a majestic reprise of Qui-Gon’s Funeral Theme.

15 - A New Hope and End Credits (13:06)

Luke and Leia breathtakingly usher us towards the end of the beginning.

In conclusion. This is, at times, a mildly jarring composition (editorial haste?). John Williams’ ROTS soundtrack lacks the ‘analog magic’ of the original trilogy recording sessions, favoring flawless digital brush strokes inherent in the production of the prequels. But none of this ultimately detracts from what is highly emotive listening.

During the CD listening session (JBL monitors) I referenced a copy of The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith -- The Final Chapter. The diary recording of John Williams' ideological approach to movie scoring informed the listening experience immeasurably.

The sonic saga is complete and will be long remembered. Thank you John (and Mum for buying me that vinyl album a long, long time ago).

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

This weekend, whilst battling a viral infection, I installed Popcorn. Effortlessly downsampled and compressed a 9GB DVD to 4.7GB. Now will Roxio update Popcorn with the imminent release of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and its built-in H.264 (MPEG4 AVC) codec engine? Sony's UMD (premiered alongside PSP) already utilizes Advanced Video Coding (AVC) and the capacity to transfer a legally purchased DVD to PSP UMD would be a plus. However, commercial companies would prefer consumers to buy their favorite movies ad infinitum. So, here's hoping.

Del Ray Books has published an eBook epilogue to The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith -- The Final Chapter by J.W. Rinzler. It contains spoilers! Fans of John Williams can hear a teaser of "Battle of the Heroes" in this new ROTS TV spot.

Show no mercy

The full trailer for Episode III Revenge of the Sith is, unquestionably, draped in the dark side of the force. Ian McDiarmid's commanding performance is as chilling as it is captivating. And Hayden Christensen appears to convey the unrelenting anger and loss of self control, so pivotal to his fall to the dark side.

Here's an extract from my AOTC (2002) review that appeared in Starburst magazine (issue 289):

Anakin’s ‘Tusken slaughter’ confessional to Padme is, arguably, almost on a par with Vader’s paternal revelation! Hayden Christensen (finally getting centre stage) chillingly convinces as the conflicted apprentice. John Williams serves to underscore this pivotal scene, reflecting on what is to come with familiar leitmotifs that sound somehow fresh and new.

To quote C3-PO "Oh my!"

The Skywalker Symphony

Fellow Aquarian and composer-extraordinaire John Williams celebrates his 73rd birthday today. Mr Williams' movie scores continue to be the soundtrack to my life.

The Face

Microsoft's Office for Mac suite continues to exclude Access and Publisher! Publisher is a basic page-layout editor. My budget doesn't stretch to Adobe's InDesign or Quark Xpress. Therefore Pages (part of iWork '05) is a compelling substitute at a very affordable £43.99 (including Keynote 2). I'll post reviews of iLife and iWork soon.

John Williams has started scoring Revenge of the Sith with the legendary London Symphony Orchestra. The score should reflect the rich tonal textures of all the previous installments. Williams' work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has deservedly been nominated for an Oscar.

MAME celebrates its eighth birthday!

The Bonfire of the Vanities

It's Bonfire Night in the UK. A celebration of Guy Fawkes' abortive Gunpowder Plot, which would have culminated in the destruction of the Houses of Parliament. This morning, somewhat aptly, I've had the opportunity to view THAT teaser trailer...



Last evening’s online debut of the Episode III teaser teaser lead to Lucasfilm’s servers overloading and their licensing division issuing cease and desist orders left, right and centre to sites posting images and links to the trailer (only available to paying Hyperspace and AOL members at time of writing).

Clearly a work in progress, as evinced by incomplete CGI shots, the trailer inspires obvious elemental comparison with The Return of the King (yet fails to evoke the same sense of scope). Much has now been made of the ANH/TPM/AOTC montage at the start (32 seconds) and Obi Wan’s voice over. From a subjective standpoint it reinforces the patchiness of the Star Wars saga since the prequels were unleashed from the hallowed halls of Skywalker Ranch (the current DVD release typifies this and lacks the cohesiveness of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings).



Highlights include Darth Vader’s awakening a la Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a screaming Darth Sidious (genuinely unnerving) and an enraged Anakin Skywalker. The attendant space battles are incumbered by too many elements on screen at once - ROTJ Death Star battle magnified to the extreme.



Overall the teaser affords insight into the dark core of the story and coupled with John Williams’ score, so long as Lucas’ incessant tinkering is minimised, Revenge may yet stand alongside Empire as a darling of both critics and fans.

As a footnote. The Episode III banner was composited in Photoshop Elements 3.0 and the screen grabs were captured in QuickTime 6.x Pro (with a light dusting of Photoshop magic).

Fortress of Solitude

I'm deeply saddened to learn of Christopher Reeve's passing, yesterday, which coincided with the anniversary of a tragedy in my personal life!

My Mother took me to see Superman: The Movie at Exeter's now-defunct ABC Cinema. A fitting follow-up to Star Wars (John Williams scored all of the first three movies I saw at the cinema). This was during a particularly difficult time in my life, but the adventures of Luke Skywalker and Clark Kent invested in me the will to challenge adversity and never abandon hope.

Mr Reeve's spirit soars unbound by Earthly devices. RIP.

Final Cut Pro

In exactly a month Episodes IV, V and VI of the Star Wars saga will be released on DVD. As I mused in an earlier post. According to the more extreme rumour sites the 'original trilogy' has been dramatically reforged in Lucasfilm's compositing refineries!



Not only will the Special Edition sequences be refurbished, but the entire trilogy will be augmented with new and extended scenes. More ambitious suggestions range from old Naboo Starfighters appearing in the first Death Star battle to digital Ewoks and John Williams' score reorchestrated to form a more cohesive whole. Certainly alterations to CGI Jabba are welcome (see the above image for new rendering). In 1997 a friend and me lambasted The Hutt on our return journey from The Odeon, Leicester Square.

Will this release be Jar-Jared, the definitive edition or is that a matter of perception? Whatever the answer, I will post my comments here. Then there's the new edition of Episode I...

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Referencing his Jazz roots John Williams' captivating score for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was one of the first albums that I purchased from iTMS Europe. Williams' dexterity at composing for franchises knows no bounds and traverses Star Wars to Indiana Jones and now Harry Potter. He weaves complex sonic narratives: from the opening Waltz to Buckbeak’s Flight (a signature theme in its own right, which recalls his work on E.T., Star Wars and Superman). The soun