TLJ 25: Motifsplosion!

THE LAST JEDI

Jul 23

How many motifs can you spot during the Battle of the Crait? Hint: there are more than 10! Alex Damon from Star Wars Explained is here with me today to break down the music and action in Minutes 121-125 of The Last Jedi.

Discussion topics/Highlights:

Alex finally figures out the theme he's had stuck in his head.
Finn's musical fake-out. Music as a manipulator, extra narrator.
The scoring process for this film.
What goes into making a balanced sound mix. The music + dialogue + sound design can't compete for the same crowded frequency ranges.
How the Battle of Crait "rhymes" with the Battle of Hoth, Empire Strikes Back, and the bomber run from the beginning of The Last Jedi.
Set-piece themes, like the Asteroid Field, and their role in Star Wars.
Chat about the past, present, and future of the rebellion.
Brief round of Star Wars music trivia (in which Alex wins)

Motifs (in order of appearance). I've included the numbers/names in case you want to follow along in Frank Lehman's Complete Catalogue of Star Wars Themes.

48a. March of the Resistance (A Section)
55a. Rose (A Section)
95) Resistance Deployed
41a. Kylo Ren 1 (Aggressive)
102) Whirling Octatonicism
52a. Tension (Generic)
2. Rebel Fanfare
45a. Rey 1 (Theme)
52b. Tension (Resistance in Trouble)
96) Catastrophe
8. TIE Fighter Attack
maybe 42. Kylo Ren 2 (Hesitant)

Where we are in the soundtrack: "Battle of Crait"

References:

Complete Catalogue of the Themes of Star Wars by Frank Lehman: https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Every TIE Fighter Type and Variant in Star Wars Canon (2020): https://youtu.be/dwE82PnVptw
TIE Fighter Sounds: https://youtu.be/TDDDgpLW2Ms

Star Wars Explained: