Published on Jan 1, 2001
I know, I know. There’s a whole level of controversy swirling
around this little album. And I will get to it. First, let me help
those that are not aware catch up.
When plans began in earnest for a new
Star Wars movie, one of the things fans were looking most
towards was the new music that composer/producer/maestro John
Williams would create. After all, one of the elements most loved by
movie and music fans around the world were the thrilling pieces and
cues and themes that Mr. Williams had created. Think of the “Star
Wars Main Theme.” Hear it in your head. It’s something that
everyone remembers.
Finally, in May of 1999, the soundtrack was released.
Unfortunately, everyone soon found out that it was not the complete
score. Rather, it was the original score pieces that Williams had
created. Material like “Duel Of The Fates,” “Anakin’s Theme” and
“The Droid March” was all great. Nevertheless, there was still an
hour’s worth of material still not available to fans. Many turned
to game CDs to compile their own “complete soundtracks.” Sony
Classical, catching wind of this, then turned around and began to
claim that they would soon release a complete and total edition of
the soundtrack. Their ads claimed that it would contain all of the
music John Williams wrote for the movie. “Every note” their webpage
toted. Then, this album was released.
To be honest, every note that was in the movie is to be found
here. However, this “Ultimate Edition” does NOT contain all of the
music Mr. Williams wrote for the movie. You see, as director George
Lucas continued to cut and edit the movie, musical pieces and
sections were re-edited, looped or just removed from the final
music score to better fit the movie’s action. It is this final
musical score that Sony Classical released as its “Ultimate
Edition.” And the fans have been yelling foul since.
Why? Because those edits, loops, and (most importantly) missing
pieces of music tarnish the beauty of the score. It’s like hearing
“Stairway To Heaven” looped and edited. Yeah, you’re hearing
“Stairway,” but it isn’t the true song. What made it even worse was
the erroneous advertising by Sony Classical. If they had been
upfront with everyone, perhaps there wouldn’t be that many fanboys
ready to storm the Sony keep.
So, is the “Ultimate Edition” worth its price? While much of the
music here is in its final state, it is still a pleasure to hear
many cues that had, until now, not been available, like the opening
cues aboard the Trade Federation ship. Hearing the “Star Wars
Theme” blast out of nowhere-as the Jedi attack-instantly puts you
into the action and sounds great. Material like “The Freeing of
Anakin” – with its soft and sad music-or “Rescuing the Queen”-which
is full of action and tension – just further shows how Williams was
scoring this movie. The feelings of otherworldliness heard on cues
like “The Street Singer,” “Inside The Bubble City” and “Mos Espa”
display the richness and depth of the score. It’s a shame that it
got cut this way.
If you have yet to get any of the
Episode I soundtracks and are debating which one to get, get
this one. If you have the single CD release, that one will do-for
the most part. However, if you absolutely, positively, MUST have
this album, then go ahead. It is not a bad score, by any means.
Here the fault lies not with the artist, but with the persons who
did the cutting. And with Sony Classical for not releasing the full
score – which they have and which you know is coming within a year
or two. Other Williams’ scores have gotten the full re-release
treatment (
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind,
Superman). I’m guessing this one eventually will. But it’s a
shame they can’t seem to get one of these
Star Wars soundtracks right the first time.
The music here is A. The presentation is D.
Therefore…