So... what do you think of the full soundtrack?

I've enjoyed it, but really latched into my head yet. Once I actually see it set to film, it'll probably catch on quicker for me. That and a couple more listens.

The Journey To Akator is a great one. Is that a pan flute or something?

NileQT87 said:

yeah, the thing that kind of depressed me about the soundtrack is not a russian-sounding piece in sight. the closest is on ants! (dovchenko's theme)... but it would certainly add way more color to the soundtrack if there was something dark, military and soviet. that was one point for last crusade that kingdom of the crystal skull lacks--vogel got an appropriate theme and dovchenko's isn't quite as russian as it should be.

well, there's still hope. the nazi book burning march isn't on the soundtrack either, so we might get a dose of something russian. probably the cut balalaika scene (thanks, tyler nelson).

irina's theme could have at least taken cues from something like lara's theme. or even some ukranian folk flavor. imagine if they had just thrown in a hint of the balalaika into irina's theme. irina's theme is pretty good, nonetheless.

i do like the skull theme though.

i just wish there was more russian in it. they got the mariachi in there, but not the russian in all the villain themes.

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I thought Irina's Theme sounded quite Russian. I just listened to it again and it sounds very Russian...and cold.

eroc said:

The Journey To Akator is a great one. Is that a pan flute or something?

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Yes, technically an "antara" (there are many variations of pan flutes)

Irina's Theme does sound Russian, but it's more of a gypsy thing, like Dr. Zhivago or something...I think people were expecting something more bombastic and militaristic, the Russian equivalent of the Nazi music in Raiders.

It sounds totally south American. I like how it starts off with variations of The Raiders March and then @ 1:12 it shifts gears. I like the acoustic guitar also, plus the congos, and is that timbales I hear?

A steel drum too!!!!!

commontone said:

Yes, technically an "antara" (there are many variations of pan flutes)

Irina's Theme does sound Russian, but it's more of a gypsy thing, like Dr. Zhivago or something...I think people were expecting something more bombastic and militaristic, the Russian equivalent of the Nazi music in Raiders.

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Or the brilliant LC Nazi theme... God, what a score!

That Nazi theme within Raiders and Crusade, whilst brilliant (specifically Crusade) are not predominant throughout the score... so I expected the same thing here. I'm sure the Russian's/Irena will have a pretty bold cue on screen...

Also, just in reference to the coda in the Finale piece. I've not done the notation, but on the first couple of hearings I got the impression that Williams was trying to bring in/blend Mutt's theme with a Raiders March bombastic like feel (quite subtle if that is the case). If that is true, it might be an inidctaion of a further Mutt movie...

I heard Mutt's theme way too much, especially during the Jungle Chase. This movie had better be Indy featuring Mutt and not the other way around. That war of the worlds music comes out of nowhere, I think that may be when mutt accidentally triggers the staircase trap.

It's very very very weak and unoriginal. Nothing memorable at all. Could be William's worst score, I'm serious. Nothing stands out. I didn't find myself humming anything afterwards, except the raider's march obviously.

I can listen to the entire ROTLA score from start to finish, but this one, no. Maybe the first and last tracks, and they're just variations of themes we've heard before.


Howard Shore would have done a better job with this, yet I was rooting for williams to come up with something amazing. A real disappointment.

Sorry, but I have to be honest, even as a fanboy.

berg

As highlighted in one of my previous posts, soundtracks are very rarely instant (apart from the main themes). Give it a few listens and see what you think...

To use a Beatles analogy, Williams has evolved his style... he has moved away from his bubble gum pop of "With The Beatles" phase (read Raiders March), and is very much in his "White Album" phase (read Irina's Theme). It's to be applauded.

Unoriginal?

Wait. Seriously?

Just because all the themes aren't bombastic, hummable, measure-long leitmotifs (Mutt's Theme excepted, of course), this makes the soundtrack unoriginal?

If anything, Williams went the unexpected route when composing Irina's Theme - instead of some cliched Russian choir vibe, he went with a more Ukrainian, gypsy-esque melody. And, seriously, if you aren't humming Ms. Spalko's tune by the end of the day, something is wrong!

Moving on, the Crystal Skull theme is both beautiful and mysterious. Starts out subtle, but ends with a bang.

Now I'll agree with you that some of atonal stuff in the middle of the album is difficult listening - but then again, that's probably the point. Suspense music for dark, moody action at the film's finale. All of the films have this aspect to their score in varying amounts. However, the more I listen to it, the more leitmotifs I'm picking up. And speaking of which, does anyone else think that brass solo near the end of Irina's theme could actually be the Russian villain leitmotif? It makes several reappearances on the album, especially in the action cue Ants!

Thoughts after reading everyone

The sound track to a movie is meant to enhance the story, add to its emotional journey. A soundtrack is not filled with singles. It is not meant to distract and pull focus to itself but rather heighten the experience. You will find catchy pop tunes used in popcorn flicks become the focus of that particular moment in a film and becomes the focus above the story (usually used to gloss over a bad montage).

William?s writing is very complex, for more than most composers who recycle themselves like Horner, Shore, Zimmer, and Howard ( I love them but they do repeat themselves). Star Wars was the first soundtrack in the 70?s to hearken back to the great pieces of the first half of the 20th century like Korngold, Hermann, Newman, Bernstein, and Copland. From Jaws to Superman, to Saving Private Ryan and Harry Potter he writes to compliment the film, to add to the experience. No one ever walks out of a film he composed for and says the soundtrack sucked.

There are numerous echoes of each of the IJ film in this soundtrack but there are also terrific new works. You will find that this soundtrack is perfect in the context of the film. Not many soundtracks can be whistled but the ones that can are Williams.

Maybe its time for all the filmmakers in this forum to stop dissecting every nuance of the film and experience it as a whole, the way it should be.

May I also suggest that those who have this great insight into filmmaking go out and make their own films. Just a suggestion.

I'm honestly not crazy about it myself. But I don't think that will ruin the movie for me.

Cyrano said:

May I also suggest that those who have this great insight into filmmaking go out and make their own films. Just a suggestion.

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And those who cannot handle personal opinion, however uneducated it may be, should sit on their hands and not participate in this thread. Just a suggestion.

I have no objection to personal opinion

I see feathers were ruffled by my suggestion and opinion. Your response is that I shouldn't partipate but isn't that contrary to the purpose of this forum?
I think that is great that people express their opinion, that is what a fthis plae is all about.

I looked at the amount of time people dedicate to arguing on a film that they haven't seen, I look at the insight people have in the movie making process and I simply suggest that some may want to channel their energies into creating something as opposed to tearing it down.

That being said and staying on topic, listen to the sountrack in the context it is was meant for before passing judgement. If people don't like it after seeing the film then you can say Williams didn't measure up.

It's great to have opinions.

Russian Theme?

I've been listening to the album all morning while working on a research project - nothing like a little Raiders Theme to get those creative juices flowing!

Anyway, I believe there may be a Russian Theme present in the movie which is not featured fully on the soundtrack. For support of this theory, please listen to the Finale track from 3:55 - 4:52. The theme should be especially evident from 4:46 - 4:52. As we all know, the end credits music gives John Williams the opportunity to recap the major musical themes of the film, and this segment is the only portion of the finale with no definite correlation elsewhere in the score.

I'm thinking that the action music for the Hangar 51 sequence has been purposely omitted from the soundtrack, and may center around this theme. For further reference, the leitmotif can also be heard near the end of Irina's Theme as well as scattered throughout The Spell of the Skull and Ants!

Sounds great to me!

The more I listen to it, the more I like it. It's definitely an Indiana Jones score and it's definitely John Williams, and that's all I was hoping for. I have my favourites (Irina's Theme has really grown on me, The Journey to Akator is great and The Jungle Chase is probably my favourite - as good as Desert Chase from RotLA) but I honestly think I'll appreciate the music even more when I've seen the movie, when we've seen how it all fits into the story. It's kinda fun to listen to the score and try to imagine what's going on in the film at that point, and when you get the context of the film and the storyline I find it really helps.

The "crystal skull" theme has really grown on me - those ringing three notes echoing over & over on the Continuum Fingerboard. Almost like a Theremin, which would've been a little cliche, maybe.

I'm still hunting for the un-clipped version of the Finale...

Pup n Taco said:

The "crystal skull" theme has really grown on me - those ringing three notes echoing over & over on the Continuum Fingerboard. Almost like a Theremin, which would've been a little cliche, maybe.

I'm still hunting for the un-clipped version of the Finale...

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You mean the call of the crystal? Yeah, that's my favorite one so far.

The sound track to a movie is meant to enhance the story, add to its emotional journey. A soundtrack is not filled with singles. It is not meant to distract and pull focus to itself but rather heighten the experience. You will find catchy pop tunes used in popcorn flicks become the focus of that particular moment in a film and becomes the focus above the story (usually used to gloss over a bad montage).

William?s writing is very complex, for more than most composers who recycle themselves like Horner, Shore, Zimmer, and Howard ( I love them but they do repeat themselves). Star Wars was the first soundtrack in the 70?s to hearken back to the great pieces of the first half of the 20th century like Korngold, Hermann, Newman, Bernstein, and Copland. From Jaws to Superman, to Saving Private Ryan and Harry Potter he writes to compliment the film, to add to the experience. No one ever walks out of a film he composed for and says the soundtrack sucked.

There are numerous echoes of each of the IJ film in this soundtrack but there are also terrific new works. You will find that this soundtrack is perfect in the context of the film. Not many soundtracks can be whistled but the ones that can are Williams.

Maybe its time for all the filmmakers in this forum to stop dissecting every nuance of the film and experience it as a whole, the way it should be.

May I also suggest that those who have this great insight into filmmaking go out and make their own films. Just a suggestion.

Click to expand...

I agree. William's War of the Worlds soundtrack, for example, is boring on its own but really adds to the movie. However, I've become accustomed to being able to fully enjoy an Indy soundtrack, but that may be just because I've seen the movies so much. Hopefully after I see KotCS the music will sound better.