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Complete SW Saga compilation

Discussion in 'Star Wars And Film Music' started by Darth_Nub, May 15, 2009.

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  1. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 26, 2009
    I've just put together an MP3 compilation of all the Star Wars soundtracks I own (don't worry, all bought CDs - had to buy ROTS last week) to play in my car when I'm driving to work. With some variable encoding I just managed to squeeze them & a few other SW bits onto one CD, but have a feeling it's not as complete as it might be. Apart from a few dialogue & 1980s arcade game samples I picked up online & put between albums, here's what's on it:

    ANH - 1997 SE Double CD Set
    ESB - 1997 SE Double CD set
    ROTJ - 1997 SE Double CD set
    Star Wars Disco theme
    ROTJ - original end theme (Yub Nub + end titles)
    The Phantom Menace - 1999 soundtrack album
    Attack Of The Clones - 2002 soundtrack album
    Revenge Of the Sith - 2005 soundtrack album
    Shadows Of The Empire - 1996 soundtrack album

    Realistically, did I miss anything? Not audio dramas, but are there any other Star Wars music albums out there that could make my 'Complete' collection truly complete?

    (And no, I'm not encouraging piracy, I'd rather buy anything available anyway, just to have as a collectible)
     
  2. StarWarrior77

    StarWarrior77 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Oct 30, 2008
    What about the Clone Wars movie soundtrack?
     
  3. Aiwendil42

    Aiwendil42 Jedi Master star 1

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    Jul 16, 2008
    Is the Phantom Menace score on your list the 'Ultimate Edition'? If not, that's one to add.

    I'm not sure whether you'd want to include them, but there are also some video game soundtracks - Knights of the Old Republic I and II and The Force Unleashed, as well as MIDI music for games such as Dark Forces and TIE Fighter. But I'm not sure if these are available legally.
     
  4. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    KOTOR 1 is available, I believe. And there's a fan-made Midi soundtrack for the Legacy comics around the internet somewhere that's actually pretty good-better than the SoTE soundtrack, anyway.

    I'd get the Clone Wars soundtrack for the Battle Of Cristophis and remixed main theme, but not much else. Those two tracks are better than the SoTE soundtrack, though.



    And sell the SoTE soundtrack! That's just horrid music.

    SPOILERS




















    Did I mention SoTE's soundtrack is awful?


     
  5. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    Ummmmm.
     
  6. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    It's okay, Cerrabore. It's not your fault you liked it.

    It is a tricksy, manipulative soundtrack. It makes you think it's good when it's not. :p
     
  7. Endor_Commando

    Endor_Commando Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 15, 2007

    In 'The Original Soundtrack Anthology' set (1993) there are two tracks from Return of the Jedi that are not on any other release.

    Leia breaks the news (alternate)

    Ewok Celebration (Film Version)
     
  8. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 28, 2001
    *slaps DarthBoba after remembering that I cannot ban him.* :p

    SOTE kicks all kinds of butt.

    Anyway, there's also this version. It has concert versions of "Han Solo & The Princess" and "The Asteroid Feild".
     
  9. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    Hah! Your emeritus powers have no ability here, Sinister. :p


    I think it's terrible outside of the Williams parts.
     
  10. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    Well, sure, it's very different from Williams' Original Trilogy style, but what is so bad about that?

    By the way, there is really too much Star Wars music out there for a "complete" collection to be feasible. For starters, there are many concert suites and variations that Williams has brought to the concert hall at one time or another. There's "The Little People" ("Jawa Sandcrawler"), "Cantina Band," and many others. How about those new arrangements for the "Musical Journey" show? (Nothing special, but there were a few edits made.) Then you have all the video game scores and stuff like that. The radio drama music. Covers by not just Meco but hundreds of artists and bands. My university orchestra and chorus just did a suite of Star Wars music that includes a choral backdrop to "Throne Room / Finale." That would be a cool recording to hear! (By the way, singing "Duel of the Fates" is quite fun.)
     
  11. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    I don't find it 1) very memorable or 2) very Star Warsy, even.

    It just lacks for me somehow.
     
  12. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    It's very evocative to me. "The Imperial City" wouldn't be out of place in Knights of the Old Republic or those Tales of the Jedi comics. That ancient chant in "The Destruction of Xizor's Palace" is pretty spooky. I can really get a picture of that ancient war on Coruscant from it. I guess my only criticism is that the soundtrack is way too excellent for a lousy story like Shadows.
     
  13. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 26, 2009
    Thanks all for the replies - have to admit, I completely forgot about The Clone Wars (says a lot, doesn't it?), so that's next on the shopping list, along with the TPM Ultimate Edition.

    Yes, it is a pretty daunting task trying to put something 'Complete' together, but I have no intention of including covers, with the very occasional exception - eye-wateringly painful though it is, the Meco Star Wars Disco theme just had to go in. Concert pieces I might just be a bit selective about - if it's just an alternate version I don't think it's too important, but a track that isn't on the other soundtracks would be a must.

    Will try to track down those additional cues from ESB & ROTJ as well - my girlfriend actually has that ESB LP, so will have a crack at encoding off that.

    Cheers
     
  14. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    If I ever get off my butt and learn how to use audio-editing programs on my Mac, I swear I'm gonna make my TPM Ultimate Edition's track count smaller. 67 tracks compared to 22 or 23 for the OT films is just kinda silly for a film of the same length.
     
  15. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    The UE is chock full of "silly" things.
     
  16. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    Yes, like not being a one-disc release with maybe three actual pieces of music featured in the film. :p
     
  17. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    Er... that's right, you got me. I dislike the UE because it includes too much music. I prefer CD releases with as little music as possible. Exactly.
     
  18. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    Hey, hey, that's the impression I was getting. :p


    Be grateful for getting anything at all out of this bunch; they're under no requirement to give out any music and would probably do fine financially without doing so. ;)
     
  19. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    That sounds like the same sort of argument as, "You can't criticize George Lucas' handling of the prequels because without him there would be no Star Wars in the first place." I don't care. Just because the "complete" soundtrack was released in the first place doesn't mean I have to heap praises on Lucasfilm. In terms of production values, the UE is simply the isolated music score from the film, so very little work went into it. Why should I say that I'm thrilled that Lucasfilm/Sony hastily released a set that completely butchers John Williams' music (and music in general) just because the concept of releasing soundtracks is a good one?
     
  20. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    It doesn't matter if you heap praise or not; your bitter complaining will get you nowhere. :p


    And frankly, Lucasfilm isn't under any obligation to please you and the tiny chunk of the population that actually buys these. You're just more money to be made and LFL's solvency is far from dependent on music sales, so from a business standpoint, it doesn't matter if anyone liked the UE or not.
     
  21. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    Nothing but putting words in my mouth. I never said that Lucasfilm is obligated to produce excellent complete soundtrack releases or that "complaining" about the UE will make a difference. I just put my opinion on the set out there. I don't like it, and I would welcome a more respectable CD release, but I don't feel that Lucasfilm owes it to me. I simply think that the product they created is a lousy one. Is that okay with you?

    But wait a minute. Weren't you complaining about it too? You said there are far too many tracks. Oh my god, you need to leave Lucasfilm alone! Don't you know how lucky you are that they released a two disc set at all et cetera et cetera...
     
  22. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 26, 2009
    It's a tricky question when it comes to releasing a 'soundtrack album' as opposed to an album of 'The Complete Score', & it varies from film to film.

    In another thread I mentioned the original soundtrack album of the film Chinatown versus the bootleg 'Complete' version that's floating around - it's unauthorised, but is printed (not burned) & distributed so widely that many might believe it's authentic. Putting aside the considerably lower audio quality of the bootleg (it was made from the isolated music tracks on the laserdisc release of the film), it does have what you might call 'too much music', in the sense that so much of the additional material is just slight variations & repetitions of the same pieces of music - as happens when scoring a film.
    The original soundtrack album, however, is a properly mixed album of the themes used in the film, & pieced together as a musical album - so that each track follows the next based on how it sounds, not necessarily in the same order as they were used in the film. As a result, it's a proper standalone item, something that can be listened to without having to have the movie playing at the same time.

    Obviously, it's great to have all the music from a film that you love, but there's a lot to be said for putting together the music in such a way that it can be best enjoyed on its own.
     
  23. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2004
    The problem with the UE isn't that it presents all the music, it's that it doesn't present all the music. It's a direct extract from the film, meaning the music is cut, looped, sped up, slowed down and otherwise contorted to match the final edit of the film, which was constantly being revised until the last minute. It's an extremely jarring presentation that can hardly be said to be "musical." Some music is repeated ad nauseum (e.g. "Duel of the Fates" in the Battle of Naboo), while some really interesting stuff is completely omitted. The only reason anyone would want to listen to such a hacked up mess is if they were only interested in reliving the film and had every frame of it memorized.
     
  24. Gry Sarth

    Gry Sarth Ex 2x Banhammer Wielding Besalisk Mod star 5

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    Jun 24, 1999
    There are several video game soundtracks out there that are a worthy addition to anybody's Star Wars musical library:
    - KOTOR 1
    - KOTOR 2
    - Force Commander
    - Republic Commando
    - The Force Unleashed

    Some of it is rubbish, some of it is incredibly compelling.
     
  25. Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon

    Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2000
    Well...[face_blush]:p

    I understand what you're saying, and there are a lot of times when I'd like to hear the music as originally recorded. At the same time, there are cases like the T-Rex Rescue in Jurassic Park, where it's extremely disappointing (for me at least) when the track is missing one of the key dramatic moments of the music as heard in the film. I kept waiting to hear the JP fanfare that plays when the T-Rex bursts in, but it never came. I had to get a special edition 3-disc set to hear the in-film version.

    I guess there are few movies that warrant it, but I wish any "Ultimate Edition" would have all the movie music as originally recorded, and all the music as heard in the film.

    If I have to choose one or the other, I generally prefer the in-movie versions. But with movies that are as poorly edited as the PT, I'd lean towards the original recordings.
     
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