A New Hope: SE Confusion

OK, so I'm in the process of splitting up some of the tracks on my OT CDs so that they're a little smaller (it's a little irritating to have to go through 6 minutes of a track to get to the part you wanted to hear), and I had a realization. I know some people on here have talked about how ROTJ music on the CD differs from the movie, but I rarely hear about any of the others. Turns out (and maybe this isn't a surprise to you), that ANH has some confusion on a few tracks.

So far I've noticed that Mos Eisley Spaceport has differing music for when they go into the town from the cliff. Jabba's theme from when Han talks to Jabba is missing from the soundtrack. Also, the most confusing for me, is that the music in the movie from the point where they dive into the Trash Compactor is all messed up. There is no music for the entire trash compactor sequence, yet there are two tracks devoted to it. I can't find where the music goes. The music for when the troopers find Threepio and Artoo is also different/missing.

Can anyone clear this up?

 

So far I've noticed that Mos Eisley Spaceport has differing music for when they go into the town from the cliff.

This is music that was originally written for the trash compactor scene, when Luke is being attacked by the dianoga monster there. It was not used in the final film but it has appeared on every edition of the score.

Jabba's theme from when Han talks to Jabba is missing from the soundtrack.

Jabba's theme was not written until ROTJ. Lucas put it into the SE retroactively. You can probably find this version of the theme on the ROTJ SE score (Bounty for a Wookiee or Han Solo Returns).

Also, the most confusing for me, is that the music in the movie from the point where they dive into the Trash Compactor is all messed up. There is no music for the entire trash compactor sequence, yet there are two tracks devoted to it. I can't find where the music goes. The music for when the troopers find Threepio and Artoo is also different/missing.

Again, most of it was left off the final film, except for the bit when it cuts to the droids -- that IS the "missing" music you're looking for. If you play the entire track along with the film, you might enjoy the different effect! The timing is tough to figure out, sometimes, but I find it very rewarding to hear these and other unused tunes along with the visuals they were written for.

If ANH is messing with you, wait'll you get to Empire...

 

Thanks for the quick response, that was really helpful. I agree that this unused stuff is very interesting, I'll have to try to listen to it while watching the film at the same time.

Does anyone know why they bothered to included unused music in the tracks, but then separated Binary Sunset and such as seperate unused tracks?

 

The RCA releases present the music as it was written and recorded, not as it was edited for the film. In the case of Star Wars, the two versions are practically the same (although the SE introduced some clumsy editing). For Empire and Jedi, several longer cues were cut entirely.

 

It'll take some time to go over the material to be absolutely sure of this but there is not only confusion with ANH but TESB and ROTJ as well.
In the case of TESB there is a particular bone I've been picking since the album was first released in 1980!


Stay Tuned...

 

The SEs are not complete at all. The music when Vader's shuttle lands in the hangar in TESB is missing, as is the longer version of the Sandtroopers at the Escape Pod.

 

They are complete. The ESB music was tracked in from an eariler scene when Lucas butchered that sequence for the SE...

I'm not sure what longer version of the "Sandtroopers at the Escape Pod" you're refering to, but there's not any music missing on the CDs....



TtBk

 

There's some music from "Wookiee Prisoner" tracked into the extended escape pod sequence - "Look, sir, droids!"