"The March" missing from Episode III soundtrack

I love the Episode III soundtrack, but I was a bit disappointed that the theme during Anakin's march into the Jedi Temple was not on the soundtrack. That scene literally gives me chills, and the music adds such a dramatic touch to the scene, but it was left off of the score. It seems like a very important piece to soundtrack, so I don't understand why it would be left off. Anyone else feel the same way? Or know why it was left off?

 

It was tracked music from "The Arena" on the AOTC soundtrack.

 

I never bought any of the previous Star Wars soundtracks. I actually have just recently taken interest in movie soundtracks. I bought my first as a kid as a casette (Back to the Future), and then Rambo II last year, and most recently of course Episode III. I suppose I need to run out and get AOTC. Thanks for the info, it's much appreciated.

 

Worst scoring of ROTS. The tone is ALL wrong. It's too upbeat for that moment and it needs some sort of theme there. Also there is a horrible edit in the middle that they try to cover with random timpani from god knows where. Really, they need to let WILLIAMS score these films, not some random sound guy.

 

It would be a perfect momment for Imperial March the IM never had a great scene in ROTS

 

I have said that would have been a perfect spot for the Imperial March (the are actually marching! ), similar to the very brief hint you get at the end of Order 66 when the clonetrooper says "All these Wookiees are dead".

 

I think a lot of people saw this scene as "The Imperial March scene" because in one of the trailers where it was featured we had blearing IM.

 

Oh, I'm not talking about a full-blaring IM here. A little quieter, but fast paced, with lots of snare drum.

 

I need some dark, foreboding and driving march here. Not the upbeat Arena march. I cannot help but wonder what Williams wrote for this scene.

 

Even the ANH Imperial Theme could have worked better here.

 

Or a full fledged rendition of the Emperor's theme...or some sort of variation on The Dark Side Beckons...


But yeah...not music that was intended (but not used) for a much different scene (both in tone, and in action) in the previous film in the series.



ttbk

 

Yes, a snappier version of the Emperor's theme could work - kind of a transition from "Augie" .

 

Agreed 100%

I love that cue! Not just the rendition of IM, but the other little theme going on there,
that's the one I really wished was on the OST.

 

I wouldn't call the Arena music that ended up in the scene "upbeat," but it sure as hell isn't appropriate given the events in the film. If ever there was a place in the prequels for a full-fledged rendition of the Imperial March, this is it.

 

Bingo. Lucas/Burrt/Wannberg or whomever really farked up this moment musically.

 

Y'know, it's funny- I saw this topic and I wondered if it was about 'The Arena.'

I've seen a lot of ROTS music criticism between the Theatrical and DVD releases- I hope you guys are happy, you ruined the 'Invisible Hand Burning Up' sequence for me! (Or maybe, listening to the poor edit that synchs them together, I should be quoting Obi-wan at the movie: "No, you have done that yourself!")

But one criticism I could never agree with was the wailing, and near-Biblical gnashing of teeth and rending of garments of the use of 'The Arena.' I honestly think it fits quite well. It just works. Yes, something darker might have worked better, I don't know. But I think it still works. I can see the unpopularity of that opinion here, but still... I think it gives a different kind of 'impending doom' feeling- one of impressive millitary might that makes the Clonetroopers defeating mass numbers of Jedi somehow more believable.

It would be interesting, though, will all the tracking in this film, to hear what a UE soundtrack would sound like...

 

I agree. I would have prefered something more original, but I think it works just fine too.
No offence to anyone, but the more someone asks what that piece is (which is often) it makes me realize how many SW music lovers did'nt bother buying the AOTC OST, or if they did, they did't bother listening to it!

 

That music was written for a scene in which computer-generated monsters try to eat stunt doubles. And you say it works for the rise of Darth Vader as well.

 

I agree with Cerrabore.

 

Considering "The Arena" had 2 spots in Episode III, I think, it would have been appropriate to put it there instead of at the end of Episode II. In fact, I would have much prefered "The Arena" At the end of Episode II, and put the Imperial march for the storming scene. Just doesn't make sense...it is too upbeat, even if it is minor. I say the best version would have been an imperial March with just low brass, not Trumpet shrill. It would have been perfect and creeped the heck out of me.

It need to be Darker and The Arena is too...bright for that scene. I'm sure the Music editor agrees with us, but ultimately it's williams Lucas and the sound designer (who is seperate from Music) have control. I'm sure during the final Mix the music editor was not quiet about that cue not working. For some reason I have this feeling Lucas made the desicion and just let it fall that way, since they had to sync the Marching to the track and a last change of music would have required an entire reshoot. Still, the point stands that it is not correct for the scene, and it makes me cry.

~JW

 

Well, it was certainly a missed opportunity to create one of the most potentially spine-chilling, goosebump cues of the saga.

 

It was cool, but I liked the way it was shown on the comercial. The Imperial march

 

Well put.

 

No... it was written for a scene of computer generated troops marching to go kill stunt doubles.

Seriously now... the troops marching on the temple in a couple of shots now constitutes 'the Rise of Darth Vader?' Give me a break. The music worked fine because it had a brassy, militaristic sound- and the truth of the matter is, those particular shots are focused on the huge group of marching military.

 

Actually, I would say the focus of the scene/sequence in particular is Anakin's turn to the dark side and quite literally he is the focus of those shots, considering he's front and center. Yes, they are marching and the music mirrors this, but the Imperial March fills that qualification far better. It makes more sense dramatically, emotionally, and logically to have Vader's theme in this scene than to use a generic piece of music based on the Trade Federation Theme that wasn't even written for ROTS in the first place.

And just FYI, I'm not crying myself to sleep about this, I just think it was a silly choice and constitutes what went seriously wrong with the music editing in the prequels.