JediDefender.com Forums

Multimedia => The Original Trilogy => Topic started by: Brian on September 26, 2006, 02:56 PM

Title: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Brian on September 26, 2006, 02:56 PM
I wasn't sure where this belonged in the forums, but I thought I'd ask it here.  I've always wanted to get the OT soundtracks, but have just never gotten around to it.  I was wondering if there is anything I should know when looking for these - is there one version that is better than the other, more expansive, etc.?  I know there were soundtracks out with the re-releases in 1997, and then again with the DVD release in 2004, and I'm sure several other times.  I was thinking about getting the actual CDs, since I thought there might be some nice material included - but if not, I see the albums are available on iTunes as well.  What would you recommend as the best option (price and extras wise) to pick up?  Thanks for any advice.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Matt on September 26, 2006, 04:55 PM
AFAIK, the only difference between the 1997 and 2004 versions (besides the packaging) is that the 2004 versions are supposed to have some exclusive screensavers or something included.  I remember some hype about the 2004 versions being remastered, too--but I've never heard that the 2004 discs sounded any better than the 1997 discs.  I know there's at least one or two John Williams fansites out there which can go into much greater detail about the differences in those releases than I can, though.  All I know is, I've got all three 1997 sets, and didn't feel that the 2004 sets were worth the upgrade to me, personally.  Plus, I think the artwork sucks.

There's also the 1993 Trilogy box set that contains less music than the latter sets, but it also has at least two tracks which were omitted from them:  The studio version of "Lapti Nek" and "Ewok Celebration" (the "Yub Nub" song).  So, if you're a completist, that's worth tracking down, too.  Or, if you're not a completist, but would still like to have some decent-quality MP3s of the lost tracks, then just click these links:

Lapti Nek (http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=584055C63B082973)
Ewok Celebration (http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=E09CC49A19FBB8E5)


Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Matt on September 26, 2006, 05:29 PM
Here's (http://www.jwfan.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=11535) a thread from JWFan.com about this very topic--a couple of the people there also mentioned that the 1997 and 2004 discs are identical in sound quality, but the 1997 discs have better liner notes (I agree that the 1997 liner notes are excellent--haven't seen the 2004 liner notes myself), and that the only real reason one would get the 2004 discs is because of the exclusive screensavers--which I read somewhere weren't all that great, anyway.

I'd say go for the 1997 sets, if you can find them, for the better packaging and liner notes.

2004 box set for $50 at DeepDiscountCD (http://www.deepdiscountcd.com/index.cfm?request=cd.cfm?upc=827969345122)

The individual 2004 discs look like they go for around $20 each at Amazon and DDCD, so $50 for the box isn't that bad a deal.

Looks like the 1997 discs are OOP and OOS at those stores.  I'd say eBay may be your best bet for the 1997 versions.  Here's (http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-SE-Trilogy-Deluxe-Soundtracks-Box-Set_W0QQitemZ320032063224QQihZ011QQcategoryZ307QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) one for all three sets with the hard-to-find exclusive slipcase for $35 plus $10 for shipping.

And there's a couple of auctions for the 1993 Trilogy Anthology box up on eBay, too.  Like I mentioned, there's not as much music on that set (four discs as opposed to six, if you combine the later sets), but there are the exclusive lost tracks, and a couple of other weird mix-and-match tracks in that set, too.  And that's got some nice packaging, too--including a pretty nice booklet with some different liner notes and some fairly rare photographs and artwork.  Plus, those sets are only around ten bucks or so on eBay.  So that set may be worth tracking down as well.

Of course, you could always wait and see if they do anything new for the 30th anniversary next year, as some of the guys at the JW site seem to think they will. . .
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Diddly on September 26, 2006, 10:17 PM
I have the TPM, AOTC, and ROTS albums, along with the 2 disc 1997 version of ESB. I still need to pick up ANH and ROTJ someday. I remember picking up the 97 album at Hastings back in 2002, but like Matt said, they've probably vanished since 2004.

One thing I like about the OT soundtracks is that the music is played in the order it's played in the films, other than a few out of order tracks. The PT albums are still good, but I must admit I'm not much of a fan of them, there are a lot of dull spots in them.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Jediknight760071 on October 11, 2006, 02:23 AM
Brad (Angry Ewok) is the go-to-guy on this matter, I'm thinking. I'd like to check on this first before posting, but I do have the above mentioned OT 1997 sets, sans ROTJ. I do however have a ROTJ 2-disc soundtrack that differs nowhere from the 1997 "promo" other than that the case is plastic and the disc itself has a colored Rebel Alliance symbol, instead of the previous silver/shiny finish. I'll take a few pictures to clarify.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Angry Ewok on October 11, 2006, 11:55 PM
Being a completist with the Star Wars soundtracks can be a real pain in the ass... finding the closest thing to a complete score is going to mean you're delving into bootlegs and whatnot. If you don't want to delve into that, then you can expect to have to buy every single new release that John Williams puts out. Seems like everytime he rereleases a score, it has a few more tracks that you'll want.

My suggestion for you would be to go and pickup the newest 2-disc releases of the OT, unless there are to be some 30th Ann. additions... Go ahead and buy the Ultimate Edition of Phantom Menace, too. For the time being, I say pass on AOTC and ROTS, though - they aren't that different from TPM anyway...

I've got a contact who has put together a 3 disc version of the Phantom Menace (40+ minutes more than the Ultimate Edition has), and is in the process of putting together something similar for the rest of the saga... I'm really excited to hear his edits.



Oh, and by the way, I've got the 4-disc version of the OT from '93... the book is great, but I hate that it's not as complete as the newer releases.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Brian on November 26, 2007, 03:21 PM
As I was trying to think of some "Christmas gift ideas" for family members, I thought of the soundtracks again.  I was first looking at the latest TAC version (http://www.amazon.com/Music-Star-Wars-Anniversary-Collection/dp/B000VEA38E/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196107782&sr=1-3), which seems a little expensive ($80.99).  Then I was looking at other versions available at Amazon (thinking of the "easy to get/purchase" versions), and they also list the Trilogy Set (http://www.amazon.com/Music-Star-Wars-Anniversary-Collection/dp/B000VEA38E/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196107782&sr=1-3) released in 2004 - and then the individual soundtracks, like this one (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Empire-Strikes/dp/B0002YCVJC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196107782&sr=1-10).

Anyways, my question is, what is the difference (if any, aside from packaging) between the individual discs and the "Trilogy" box set (from 2004).  I was just wondering, because technically it would be less expensive to get the three OT movies at $13.97 each than the $59.99 Trilogy set (or the newer $80 TAC set).  Would there be any reason to stay away from the individual releases?
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: EpicGon on July 3, 2008, 03:33 PM
Williams inspired upon Wagner Siegfried and Walkyria to create SW themes
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Ryan on July 4, 2008, 04:21 PM
Williams inspired upon Wagner Siegfried and Walkyria to create SW themes

Huh?
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: EpicGon on July 8, 2008, 01:19 AM
I TOLD A FAC. Indeed Williams said he reviewed Richard Wagner´s composition to create some sw characters themes

you can search this on guerrestelllari.net
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Reid on July 8, 2008, 01:26 AM
I TOLD A FAC.

What is a FAC?
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: JangoTat on July 8, 2008, 11:08 AM
I TOLD A FAC.

What is a FAC?

It is either more of his short form words that no one else knows OR he mispelled fact. Thats my guess anyways.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Diddly on January 20, 2010, 10:25 PM
I got a gift card to Amazon.com for Christmas and used some of the money today to fill in the holes in my SW soundtrack collection by buying the 2004 versions of the ANH and ROTJ soundtracks. I'm pretty anal about having all of my stuff match and had been holding off on picking them up because I was having a stupid self conflict over whether I should just buy ROTJ and ANH separately or go for the box set with ESB (which I already have, but it would have a matching case ::)). I finally said screw it and picked up the separate discs once I realized I only open the cases to burn the CDs onto iTunes.

As I was trying to think of some "Christmas gift ideas" for family members, I thought of the soundtracks again.  I was first looking at the latest TAC version (http://www.amazon.com/Music-Star-Wars-Anniversary-Collection/dp/B000VEA38E/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196107782&sr=1-3), which seems a little expensive ($80.99).

...

Anyways, my question is, what is the difference (if any, aside from packaging) between the individual discs and the "Trilogy" box set (from 2004).  I was just wondering, because technically it would be less expensive to get the three OT movies at $13.97 each than the $59.99 Trilogy set (or the newer $80 TAC set).  Would there be any reason to stay away from the individual releases?

I know this post is old but I actually didn't know about that rerelease 30th Anniversary boxset (I had only heard of the crappy Corellian Edition... weird) but after doing some research it just looks like the 30AC set has some exclusive (and cool) artwork based on the OT movie posters. Also includes a bunch of other random posters I think.

To answer the second question, I don't think there are any differences in the individual sets vs. the boxsets other than a case and maybe some posters or other fold out stuff.

As Matt and Brad already answered above, and based on Amazon reviews, the 1997 CDs are the same as the 2004 CDs which are the same as the 30AC CD set with the only differences really only being packaging.

Also does anyone have any working, high quality download links for Lapti Nek and the Ewok Celebration song? Matt's earlier links are expired.
Title: Re: Star Wars Trilogy Soundtracks
Post by: Matt on March 2, 2010, 07:22 PM
Also does anyone have any working, high quality download links for Lapti Nek and the Ewok Celebration song? Matt's earlier links are expired.

(Psst.) (http://www.sendspace.com/file/15cnjw)