Score Sample: Sleepy Hollow (1999)

I've done a few Halloween themed score samples over the years on this blog. So how did I manage to avoid putting some Danny Elfman up? Not sure, but it is time to remedy that. I picked one of Elfman's most gothic scores. It is one that has all the hallmarks of Elfman's style, but blown up huge and dark, with those haunting vocals and imposing proportions. That means we get some Sleepy Hollow music today.

While I'm not the biggest fan of the film, I can't deny that the powerhouse score is one of Elfman's best from the 1990s. It matches the over the top visuals that Tim Burton concocted for the film. It builds on the suspense and horror the situations in a deliciously in your face way, and it is a lot of fun to listen to. Lots of great tracks to explore on the soundtrack, but I'm going with the end titles which are some of Elfman's best.

So here is End Credits from Sleepy Hollow composed by Danny Elfman.

And Then This Happened... Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

It is bad enough when you are hosting a nice dinner party and one of your guests turns out to be an idiot with the manners of an insane chameleon. But it is even worse when you are the dinner guest and you happened to bring the rude idiot with you. Of course, you had hoped he would act a little less annoying than usual, but time and again he proved you wrong. Jedi are known for their patience. But this, it was just going too far. Can't really blame Qui Gon here. Caption time!

And then this happened...

Movie Musing: Genre Wars – Revenge of the Myth

Wizard with lightning attack. This is "Lord of the
Star Hobbits" right?

It has come up before and it is sure to come up again. Which genre do I pick when I categorize my blogs about Star Wars. They are science fiction, right? You see space ships, robots, laser guns and technology we don’t have yet. But then you’ve got The Force, which is clearly some kind of magical power. Also people are fighting with swords and most of the conflict is on a grand high fantasy level. So are they fantasy films? No, because you have WAR in the title. Much of the conflict in the series revolves around armies clashing for different ideals. These are war films. But then you have the Ewoks and Jar Jar Binks and BB-8. Those are all such juvenile characters appealing to a very young crowd. These are kid flicks.

George, George, George, you didn’t make it easy for us.

"Obi Watanabe? Are you nuts?"

But that was by design. Lucas was making something that crossed multiple genres. It had elements of various familiar movies and stories. By mixing them together you get something that is new and yet familiar at the same time. Star Wars has been around so long, it is hard to remember when it was fresh. In 1977 people hadn’t seen anything really like it, and yet it reminded them of the old Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials. There were elements of the John Carter novels in there. Obi-Wan was very much like a samurai from a Kurosawa film (and Lucas reportedly wanted famed Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune for the role). Darth Vader was a black knight of Arthurian legend and Princess Leia the damsel in distress (with the 70s twist of her being a lot tougher than she appeared). And then you have the music with John Williams creating a Golden Age flashback with his full orchestral bombast. During this time it was rare to hear scores that weren’t jazzy or rock influenced, fully electronic or comprised of mostly songs.

As the series expanded over the decades, each film added to different genre elements. Empire Strikes Back expanded the war storyline, as well as building on the powers of the Jedi and giving us more sci-fi goodies to watch. Return of the Jedi brought out even more silly aliens for the kids, a climactic resolution to the war and hero storylines and even more robots and strange new worlds. You get the idea.

Hiring a gunslinger at the local bar? Where's Luke's
white ten gallon hat?

The Star Wars franchise embraced its identity as a cross genre work that doesn’t’ fit snugly into any one role, but manages to do all of them with a solid degree of ability. Its success with the public and the impact on pop culture inspired others to give the same approach a try. Why do a straight up Western when you can do a Space Western like Outland or Firefly. How about set up a noir detective story in a grimy future like Blade Runner. Or maybe a soap opera inserted into a uncanny horror film. Welcome to Twin Peaks. And don’t get me started on anime. It seems like they’ve been doing this for as long as Lucas (and maybe even before). You want romance, and knights and giant robots all mixed into one story, Vision of Escaflowne may be what you’re looking for.

These days it seems like standard genre films just don’t cut the mustard any more. In most cases they’ve been done so many times there aren’t any new stories to tell. Sure you can shake up how you tell them, and with a director with a strong vision can make something fresh and exciting like Tarantino did with Django Unchained. But most films opt for combining a couple of genres together to add another unfamiliar element to the whole thing. I think we can thank (or curse if it annoys you) Star Wars for making that more acceptable.

Where will her
journey take her?

To me, Star Wars is a fantasy saga clothed in science fiction trappings. The core of the stories (especially the first six) is the rise and fall of a hero. It is classic mythic storytelling. Anakin represents the tragic part of the cycle in the first three films. Luke Skywalker represents the heroic part of the cycle in the second set of three. We’ll see if Rey matches one of these two cycles or if she forges her own path.

The characters and their evolution is what Star Wars is all about. It tells stories that are based on very old tales and links them together to create a new set of mythology. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but to me it is an important thing.

In my mind, science fiction is about humanity in a general sense. It always asks questions at its core, and these are questions about all of us. How will we survive on other worlds: The Martian. Is technology our gateway or hindrance to the next stage of evolution: 2001: A Space Odyssey or Ghostin the Shell or The Matrix. What are the perils of controlling evolution and life: Jurassic Park or Star Trek II and III.

Star Wars comes close to asking some of these questions. In the original trilogy you could argue that there is an anti-technology message. The Empire has all this impressive technology at their disposal, but they never win completely. They are constantly thwarted by rebels who have less resources, and outdated technology. Luke destroys the first Death Star without any technological aid, just The Force as his guide. Yoda is a Jedi Master who lives in the middle of nowhere with not a single sign of any technology, and yet he is one of the most powerful characters in the saga. The Ewoks literally use sticks and stones to bring down the Empires best legion of troopers.

But the films never really ask the question, are humans better off without technology. Because all the characters are surrounded by technology at all times, and would be at a loss without it. Even though R2-D2 is unable to help Luke destroy the Death Star, they would have been dead earlier in the film if R2-D2 didn’t save them in the trash compactor.

"No seriously kid, no Jedi says Whoopee!"

So is the message a confused mess? I don’t think so. I think Lucas is not telling us that technology is evil or saying that humans are better off without technology. It is not a question of technology at all, but a question of instinct. Ben Kenobi (and later Qui Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace) ask their pupils to focus zen-like on now. “Stretch out with your feelings.” “Feel, don’t think. Use your instincts.” “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.” The message here is that technology is a fine too, but it is only a tool. The human instrument is just as critical. This message is about the person, not the scope of humanity.

The other time Star Wars comes close to commenting on technology is with the clones. But again, it becomes a question of use. How you use the clones is more important than any moral or ethical questions on their creation. I think science fiction stories dealing with clones almost always struggle with that moral dilemma. But Star Wars doesn’t even question it. It just happens. In many ways they are treated like droids are in the Star Wars saga. It is an interesting approach (and one of the things I really liked aboutthe prequels). But they are in service to the story, not an element meant for us to ask questions about.

Good vs. Evil in visual metaphor.

All this means that Star Wars sits firmly in the realm of fantasy for me. I find it easier to view it through that lens, especially from a thematic and narrative point of view. Star Trek is much more of a science fiction series, even though it often focuses on the characters stories and lives, and will dive into war and fantasy elements. In the end Star Trek offers us questions about humanity’s journey. Star Wars offers us questions about our personal and spiritual journey.

No, you want a series that is a true amalgam of science fiction and fantasy in almost equal parts – The Matrix has you covered there.

Enjoy this content? Click an ad and support this blog.

Top Ten Star Wars Characters - Part 2

Time to jump into some more of my favorite Star Wars characters. I covered a runner up and numbers ten through six back on this post. Now it time for another runner up and my top five. So without further ado, lets get started.

Runner Up. Kyle Katarn – The Jedi Knight Video Game Series

Man, I loved Dark Forces, the first First Person Shooter in the Star Wars universe. You played as Kyle Katarn the spy who stole the Death Star plans, and sent them to operation Skyhook (which appeared in the Star Wars radio drama – yeah I’m that big of a nerd that I know the radio drama). Katarn later faced down the dangerous Dark Troopers, guys with killer armor, killer weapons and jet packs. When Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II came out and Katarn learned Jedi abilities. Now you’re running around with a light saber and actually choosing if you are going to go dark side or light side with your force powers. Katarn was a memorable character and had some great adventures I played both those games quite a bit, and only later found out that Katarn continued to appear in the Jedi Knight games and of course appeared in comics and novels. The guy even had an official action figure made in his likeness. Not bad for a character who never appeared in any of the movies and is now considered outside the cannon.

5. Princess Leia - The original trilogy and The Force Awakens

It is hard to imagine a time when the princess to be rescued from the dark castle was not spunky, fearless and ready to kick butt. In most fantasy and space opera these days, it is a given that the Princess is not going to be a demure flower. When the demure flower does appear, most of us are disappointed. But Princess Leia changed all that. Before she even speaks a line of dialogue, she kills a Stormtrooper with her blaster. When she does speak, she sasses Darth Vader! Those early scenes in A New Hope establish Leia as a new type of princess, and a new type of heroine. Lots of folks give Ripley from Alien credit for being the first strong female protagonist, but I’d argue Princess Leia beat her to it by a couple years.

The Empire Strikes Back evolved her character further. She stays to the last minute on Hoth ensuring her soldiers are able to get away and coordinating the escape. Her banter with Han Solo is excellent, and their budding romance is classic stuff. The finale of Empire packs its emotional punch because of Leia’s torment at seeing Han frozen and taken away to an unknown fate. Return of the Jedi doesn’t utilize Leia as much as the previous two films (a messy screenplay is probably the main culprit), but she does get some further character development with her interplay with Luke on Endor. And yes, the metal bikini, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that, right? What is interesting is that Leia character development is actually all based around her romance with Han and Luke. She is a tough resourceful leader in the original trilogy and that never changes. Even when we come to The Force Awakens she is still the woman we remember, but the added twist of dealing with her son and estranged husband gives Leia added depth. It creates added emotional resonance for the climax of the film. All told Princess Leia or General Leia Organa is an unforgettable character and key piece of the mythology of Star Wars.

4. Luke Skywalker - The original trilogy and the new trilogy

I’ll admit that for a long time I never really appreciated Luke Skywalker. I’m not sure if it was his whining about power converts in A New Hope or the fact that he ignores Yoda in Empire Strikes Back or that he has to have his daddy save him in Return of the Jedi that rubbed me the wrong way. I was just a Han Solo fan through and through. Then I realized it was because I admired Solo’s devil may care attitude but my personality is much closer to Luke’s.

Of course that is the intent, Luke Skywalker is a perfect example of the traditional mythic hero. His story arc in A New Hope follows all the key points, the call to adventure, resisting the call, the initiation of the adventure, the belly of the beast, the return and the triumph. Beyond that Luke grows through all three films of the original trilogy. The boy we meet in A New Hope is the not the same man we end Return of the Jedi with. While Han may be the more interesting character, Luke as admirable because he always tries to do the right thing. Even his greatest failing in Empire Strikes Back is driven by his desire to help his friends. And yeah he's a little cocky about defeating Vader, but we can't rise if we don't get smacked down once in a while. Return of the Jedi gives us Luke rising up to be a Jedi unlike any other before him. It’s a compelling journey and Luke’s adventure drives the majority of the original trilogy. I’m very curious to see where the new trilogy takes Luke, his enigmatic presence in the finale of The Force Awakens is intriguing.

3. Obi Wan Kenobi - The original trilogy and the prequel trilogy

One character who received some very interesting development over the prequel and original trilogy was Obi Wan Kenobi. In The Phantom Menace we meet a young Jedi in training. He admires his maverick mentor, but also falls in line with the thinking of the Jedi Council. This continues into Attack of the Clones where Obi Wan believes much like the council that they were on top of the Sith, not falling directly into the Palpatine’s plot. We also see the more aggressive and confident Jedi Master we always suspected. Revenge of the Sith has Obi Wan dealing with the fall of the Jedi order, the betrayal of his apprentice and the realization that they all played directly into the Sith’s hands. This arc leads us directly into A New Hope.

I’ve mentioned before how well realized Obi Wan’s arc is in the prequels, and how much Ewan McGreggor’s performance resonates. Alec Guiness creates an instant character in A New Hope, a wise mentor that leads Luke toward his destiny. But this also falls in line with the Obi Wan of the past, learning from his mistakes in some ways and yet still performing the same actions of trying to control a Skywalker instead of guiding him. I put Kenobi so high on the list because of the strong performance by both actors playing the role.

2. Han Solo - The original trilogy and The Force Awakens

There is a whole generation of Star Wars fans that just thought Han Solo was the coolest guy in the galaxy. I know Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams fall into that group, and so do I. Harrison Ford just nailed the cocky attitude, banter with a walking carpet and the ability to hit on princesses look like too much fun. We totally understood Han’s mercenary streak in A New Hope, but we also cheered when he came back and saved Luke’s bacon. He was like the bad ass big brother to our protagonist and we loved him for it.

The Empire Strikes Back developed his relationship with Princess Leia as well as put him in the crosshairs for Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt. His warm friendship with Lando builds up to the betrayal and the crushing defeat. Our favorite pilot has his wings clipped permanently . Or at least it seemed that way to me when I was a little kid. But Return of the Jedi brought Solo back for more. As a kid I was just pleased to have him back in the adventure and playing a critical role in the destruction of Death Star II. But these days, I can see Ford just going through the motions in that film. At least Han gets the girl, kicks some Imperial butt and his ship saves the day. The Force Awakens gives Solo added depth, and Ford bring the charisma with a vengeance. It was great to see Han Solo we know and love back in action, cracking wise and saving the galaxy. But his fate in the climax of the film also felt fitting and worthy of pushing the story forward for our new band of heroes. His legacy will have an important part to play in the new trilogy and that is great to see.

1. Darth Vader - The original trilogy and the prequel trilogy

To misquote Chasing Amy how can you not like the biggest, baddest, blackest dude in the galaxy? From his first appearance, a menacing shadow emerging from the smoke of destruction, to his funeral pyre in Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader became one of the most iconic characters in pop culture. His visual presence, his distinctive breathing, his red lightsaber and willingness to kill anyone who displeased him makes him one of the most feared and sinister characters in the Star Wars universe. The original trilogy places him as our main antagonist against Obi Wan Kenobi and then Luke Skywalker. And for most of the films he seems unbeatable. But in a genius twist of storytelling, Darth Vader is not defated by combat or Force abilities. His love for his son is what turns him from the dark side to the light, and it is Anakin Skywalker who brings balance to the force by destroying the Emperor, just as the prophesy declared.

In the prequels we follow Anakin Skywalker on his journey to become Darth Vader. As I mentioned in my examination of the 10 things the prequels did right, the story structure for this journey is solid, and actually well developed. Anakin turning to the dark side because of love mirrors his return to the light for the same reason. Yes poor casting and direction cause the prequels to fail in delivering the punch they could. But Revenge of the Sith gives us a glimmer of what could have been.  Even with his demise in Return of the Jedi, his shadow continues to loom large (and not just in the merchandizing. So much Darth Vader merchandise and imagry exploding everywhere for The Force Awakens even though the character never makes an appearance).  In The Force Awakens his legacy (or a warped version of it) compels Kylo Ren. I’m very curious to see what it is about Vader that drives Ren further into the Dark Side.

Well there you have it, my ten favorite characters from the Star Wars universe. It was fun to really ponder these folks and write a bit about them. Like many mythologies, Star Wars has a rich tapestry to look into, even sticking to just the films. This new trilogy of movies has me intrigued and enjoying the Star Wars universe more than I have in many years. I can’t wait to see what new characters may be added to this list in the coming years.

Who are your favorite Star Wars characters? Did I leave anyone off the list?

A list without Ackbar? It's a trap!

Click an ad before you go and the Force is sure to be with you.

Top Ten Star Wars Characters - Part 1

The Star Wars universe is one rich with stories and characters that have become entrenched in our culture. The mythic nature of the stories gives these characters a tremendous amount of resonance, and at the same time the way they evolved over the years has given them a life of their own. I have lots of favorites, but I tried to whittle this down to a list of ten and a couple of bonus favorites. I stuck mainly to the films but I have a few picks from novels, video games and few odd areas.

Runner Up: Djas Puhr – Star Wars Collectable Card Game

Lets start with one of the strange ones (that is why he is a runner up instead of a full-fledged top ten winner). Djas Puhr appears for about five seconds in the cantina scene in A New Hope but like nearly anything in the original trilogy has a full fledged history and adventures in the graphic novels and short stories out there. I first ran into him while playing the collectable card game (Or CCG for short). This guy was a bounty hunter with some deadly skills. He did some serious damage on his own, and could wield a lightsaber in a pinch. Djas was also a bounty hunter, and the CCG had some really cool cards that revolved around bounty hunting. Not a lot of cards that could hurt him outright (as opposed to Darth Vader or Boba Fett). I played dark side a lot, and Djas was almost always in my deck. It got so that my opponents would see him come out and sigh, because they knew he would do some damage before they were able to take him out. And he just looks like a bad ass as well.

10. Grand Admiral Thrawn – The Thrawn Trilogy

Perhaps my favorite non-film character has to be Grand Admiral Thrawn, the main antagonist in what is called the Thrawn Trilogy of novels by Timothy Zahn (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command). Cold, cunning and ruthless he presents a major obstacle for the New Republic. He is a master of strategy and using his opponents psychology, philosophy and instincts against them. He makes extensive plans with distant goals and manages to orchestrate serious blows against our heroes. Even when things don’t quite go his way, he doesn’t let it phase him, but shifts his schemes and often has contingences in place. He is as feared as Darth Vader, but is more respected, because he doesn’t let his anger get the better of him. His main failing is his arrogance. He is so confident in his intellect and understanding of his enemy, he underestimates them and it leads to his death. While I understand the poetic justice of his demise, I always found it a bit anticlimactic. But man, was he a force to be reckoned with. If you’ve never given those three novels a read, I recommend them to any Star Wars fan. They are fast paced, feel like a natural extention of the original trilogy and feature other great new characters including Mara Jade. But Thrawn is the main attraction for sure.

9. C – 3PO - All seven Star Wars films

I see lots of love for R2-D2 out there, but his counterpart just doesn’t get enough credit. For the original trilogy C-3PO provides a lot of the humor in the series. He plays the straight man not just to his little robot buddy but to a lot of the other characters around him. In the original trilogy C-3PO was a necessary part of the story. Without him on Tatooine R2 would never have made it into the hands of Luke and then to his ultimate goal of Obi-Wan Kenobi. In Empire Strikes Back he is the comic relief as the story gets darker and darker. His interactions with Han, Chewie and Leia are pretty amusing. Of course he is instrumental in getting the Ewoks to help the rebels on Endor and thus saving the galaxy.

Sadly in the prequels he is around for little more than a few moments of fan service and interaction with R2. Well, except for Attack of the Clones. For some reason Lucas thought that having endless horrible puns coming out of C-3PO’s voice replicator would provide the height of comedy. This man also gave us Jar Jar Binks (who is not appearing on this list, sorry to say), so his grasp of humor is suspect. But lets get back to the good points. Anthony Daniels not only brings C-3PO to life physically (in that painful suit) but also vocally, and that combination is one that endures to this day. He and R2-D2 are the only characters to appear in all seven Star Wars films. It is hard to imagine the series with out them, but most especially with 3PO’s style of banter.

8. Boba Fett - The Original Trilogy and Attack of the Clones

Mysterious bounty hunter with kick ass armor and ship that looks like a deranged elephant. What is not to like? I could (and did) write a whole blog about why Boba Fett is one of the most enigmatic characters in Star Wars at least until the prequels came out. I think for a whole generation of Star Wars fans he was the equivlant of mysterious cool. And yeah, I fall into that generation. The years haven’t been too kind to Fett, but I will say that as far as looks and abilities go, he is still on this list. Ask me my top favorite Star Wars characters back in 1998 or so and yeah Boba Fett would be on the top of the list. But these days he’s fallen a bit, but still manages to hold his own.

7. Emperor Palpatine - The Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy

Return of the Jedi brought this character to life for the first time. And what a jerk he turned out to be. Our first glimpse of the master of the galaxy in Empire Strikes Back hinted at a physically corrupted man shrouded in darkness. But we had no idea that this master manipulator was also good at taunting his enemies and fueling their hatred for him until they snap. We didn’t blame Luke when he just loses it and goes for the sneering cackling bastard. Supremely confident and delighting in his twisting and warping of lives, it is hard not to admire his devilish nature. The prequels actually do an interesting job of developing Senator Palpatine into the Emperor. He moves the chess pieces well and Ian McDiarmid gives an excellent performance going deliciously over the top in Revenge of the Sith. He is one of my favorite elements of the prequels. I’m curious to see if the new series hints at any sway from this dangerous villain, but if not, the six film saga we have serves as a fine showcase for this Sith lord.

6. Rey - The New Trilogy

One of the things that The Force Awakens does so well is deliver fun new characters and give them plenty of moments to shine. But no one was brighter than Daisy Ridley as Rey. We get our first female lead in a Star Wars film, and she embodies so much of what makes a great hero. He’s clever, compassionate and brave. Much like Luke Skywalker before her, she views her adventures with enthusiasm and excitement. She’s not the jaded modern hero who can’t be bothered to have fun or look in awe at what is around her. It is Rey’s interaction with her new comrades that drives so much of the story and the other characters in the movie. Ridley’s performance is perfect, and in the moments where she faces down Kylo Ren, faces the death of a friend and then meets a legend, we are right there with her, cheering her on and looking forward to whatever new adventure is around the corner. The prequels never offered us a character we could conntect to so closely. Rey is my favorite of the new characters featured in The Force Awakens and is the main reason I’m looking forward to the new trilogy to continue.

Get your goggles ready for the top five!

That wraps up the first five, but five more (and another runner up) are on the way. Would any of these characters make your top 10 list?

Enjoy this list? Click an ad before you go.

Movie Musings: What Works in the Star Wars Prequels - Part 2

Check out the first half of the list here. And now the final five elements of the Star Wars prequels that are effective.

5. The Assault on Geonosis

An extra helping of chaos on the battle field.

The prequels mirror the original trilogy in a number of ways. This includes taking action set pieces from the original trilogy and modifying them to fit the prequels. In Empire Strikes Back we got a large scale ground battle in the first third of the film. In Attack of the Clones we got a large-scale ground attack, but at the end of the movie. Both featured huge lumbering walkers, flying airspeeders and lots of blaster bolts flying to and fro (but especially fro).

I have to hand it to George Lucas because the ground assault of the clone troopers on Geonosis is a visual marvel. It makes the Battle of Hoth from Empire Strikes Back look like a small level skirmish. You have clones versus droids. You have those bizarre insectoid aliens adding the chaos. You have Jedi running around and tearing up the battlefield. You’ve got all kinds of crazy vehicles. You’ve even got Yoda playing Patton (but without a militarized version of his Theme, John Williams score is mostly edited in from Phantom Menace due to Lucas’ constant re-edits).

Send in the clones... too late, they are already here.

To me this may be the high point of the visual chaos that Lucas was able to pull off in the prequels. The camera work puts you into the action, with dust obscuring the scenes and the laser bolts creating this odd myriad of lighting. The opening starship battle in the beginning of Revenge of the Sith may look a bit more polished, but it has those silly droids and goofy banter. Attack of the Clones avoids silliness in this assault and it is a better scene because of it.

4. Anakin’s corruption based on love

You know its love when your gal will blast a robot in
the face to save your bacon.

Corruption is a vital power of the Dark Side. Much like the One Ring from Lord of the Rings, the Dark Side of force uses positive emotions to gain a foothold and then twists them into darkness. We saw it clearly in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke’s compassion for his friends causes him to leave Yoda and face Darth Vader – and it all goes to hell, with Luke nearly being captured. In Return of the Jedi we see the Emperor do the same thing, twisting Luke’s compassion into fear, hate and ultimately to the dark side of the force.

For this reason the Jedi of the prequels look at everything from an emotionless standpoint. Justice and order do not rely on emotions, right? Well we could argue that all day, but from the Jedi’s point of view emotions are too easy to twist. And love, what many consider to be the most powerful emotion, may bring with it the most powerful fall.

The perfect couple?

We see that play out in Revenge of the Sith. Anakin is deeply in love with Padme, he will do just about anything to keep her safe. His real conflict begins when he has a vision of her in pain and torment (mirroring Luke’s vision of his friends in pain in a “city in the clouds”). Convinced that his vision is true, Anakin seeks some way to keep Padme from dying. But he can’t discuss this with his mentor Obi-Wan, because according to the Jedi code, he is not supposed to have any emotional attachments to anyone.

Listen to your elders, unless they are Sith Lords!

So it is to Palpatine he turns, and the wise chancellor tells him a tale of a powerful Sith named Darth Plagueis, who was able to cheat death. Even though Anakin knows that the Sith are evil, he becomes intrigued with this idea of using The Force to keep someone alive. It is for this reason that Anakin eventually protects Palpatine (after he discovers he is the Sith lord) and then becomes his right hand. Love does conquer all, but in this case, it also destroys the Jedi Order, kills Padme (in a cruel ironic twist) and turns the most powerful Jedi into the most feared Sith in the galaxy.

It is the Mount Rushmore of evil!

I’ve got to give Lucas his due for that. After we see a love story blossom in Attack of the Clones and end with a wedding, this happiness is twisted into darkness and despair. The full thrust of this irony hits Anakin right in the heart when he learns that after all his efforts, Padme is dead and he is Darth Vader.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO indeed.

3. The overall mythic structure of this trilogy

Little Anakin ready to leave the honeycomb hideout.

Since I’m talking about story structure, I might as well say it. From a high overall level, the story of the prequels is actually a fascinating and exciting one. It charts the birth of a tragic hero with many interesting points and twists along the way.  Hang in there with me on this. I'm going to get really wordy.

It starts with a slave boy who was born of a virgin. This is a very ancient mythic trope that predates the most well known version featured in Christianity. This slave shows amazing powers that will allow him to rise up and forge a vital place in the world. He meets a mentor who promises to guide him on this path, and the two help each other. The boy is freed and he travels with his mentor into a new adventure.

But the boy is scorned by the very order he admires. They don’t want anything to do with him. Already he feels alienated. When his mentor dies, he is then handed off to a younger man who obviously isn’t so keen on training him. This unwanted feeling persists even as the boy grows into a man. Yes, now he has bonded with his new mentor, who he sees as an older brother (not the father figure that Qui-Gon presented). But like most siblings he often feels his older brother doesn’t give him enough credit for his skills and powers.

Mediating or asleep? Hard to tell.

Then the boy meets a girl and we all know what happens then. Head over heels for her, he becomes her protector. She eventually comes to care for him, and when he has a vision of his mother in peril, she goes with him back home. Once there he finds his mother dying at the hands of savages. This boy with so much power in his hands loses his mind and kills all who were responsible and many who weren’t.  He feels this dark side in him and it is frightening but empowering.

Feeling he is losing control, not just of his powers, but of his ability to protect people (he failed his mother, and he may feel he failed Qui-Gon as well), he leaps to rescue his brother/mentor when he discovers he is in danger. The young man does his best to help, but ends up captured (and powerless again). In the end the Jedi Order comes to the rescue, and the young man is literally disarmed when he attempts to be the hero again.

Anakin wanted to try sitting on his butt just one
time before going to the dark side.

As I mentioned earlier it is this feeling of powerlessness, this fear that he can’t protect or help those he cares about that drives Anakin to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith. Palpatine does what the rest of the Jedi Order will not do, he listens to Anakin, he provides advice, he acts like a father and mentor. Put in this light, it is obvious why Anakin turns.

Petulant and angry. Not a good combo when
wielding a lightsaber.

Once it is set in motion, Anakin becomes doomed to fulfill the vision he strove so hard to avoid. Padme ends up in anguish and pain because of his efforts to save her. This ultimate failure completes his arc. He forges a new path, one of order and power alongside a man who listened and advised him, and destroying an order that marginalized and feared him.

That is the story we are presented in the prequels, and it has so much potential to strike us right in the soul with its tragedy . Unfortunately various missteps of how this story is told ultimately sink it. But I strongly believe that the core of the story is excellent, and one of the best things about the series.

2. The production design and its evolution

Art Deco City!

I know some folks are going to disagree with me on this, but I really feel the production design of the prequels is amazing. The Phantom Menace presented us with a shiny world of colors and new technology. There is an opulent feel to everything (a far cry from the used universe look of the original trilogy). We are seeing a civilization at its peek or maybe at its over-ripe finale. Naboo and Coruscant both have a large scale grandeur to them. Hell, even the podrace stadium on Tatooine is larger and more impressive than anything we’ve seen on the planet before. Everything we see here has this look of art meeting technology, especially with the Naboo production design.

Prototype Stormtroopers and Star Destroyers

Attack of the Clones continues with some of this, but we also see the creeping militarism into the design. Things start to look more functional and less artful. We see the trends of ship design that will lead us to Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters of the original trilogy. But the sleekness of the design from the previous film is still present. Jango Fett’s armor is like a chrome sleeked up version of the more clunky and heavy looking armor Boba would wear later. Then you have the clone armor (modeled off of Fett's design) that would evolve into the Stormtrooper armor of the original trilogy.

Got a little bit of everything in this shot.

Revenge of the Sith completes the arc of militarism that spread throughout the galaxy as the Clone Wars have raged. Now we see very definite precursors to X-Wings, TIE Fighters and Star Destoyers, all in service to the clone army that will turn into the Empire’s army. Even the opulence of the Coruscant feels muted and subdued here.

Each film shifts us closer to the look of the original trilogy with starship and costume design. I’ve seen many people complain how the prequels just don’t look enough like Star Wars to them. But I really like that Lucas showed us the evolution of the galaxy in a visual sense. It is the one thing I wish they had done a little more of in The Force Awakens. By the end of Return of the Jedi the old TIE Fighters and X-wings were being replaced by the newer TIE Interceptors and the A-Wings and B-Wings. I know the creative team was going for familiarity, but it would have made more sense to see an evolution from the later designed ships.

The underwater city of the Gungans is still pretty
cool looking.

I also really like some of the creature design in the prequels. The Gungans (no matter how annoying they are as characters) have a really great design. They look like they would be at home under the water and in marshes. Their city, weapons and armor are well thought out and interesting to look at. In Attack of the Clones we get the cloners (one of my favorite new races in the series) with their water planet and unique design. Then you have the disturbing insectoid creatures that ended up creating the Death Star. Those things can’t be squished by AT-ATs fast enough for me. Revenge of the Sith ends up throwing a ton of new aliens and planets into the mix. So many that it is hard to get a grasp on all of them. Probably the most unique is the lava planet of Mustafar, with its black metal architecture and droid technology.

You could argue that Lucas and his crew spent too much time on the visuals and not enough time on making the scripts work or focusing on casting. But I hold that it is hard to argue with the visual impact that the Star Wars prequels actually have.

1. John Williams Score

"We will add the electric guitar here, and maybe some
HORN OF DOOM!"

To me, the best thing about the Star Wars prequels is the music. John Williams did some amazing work and under tough circumstances. For The Phantom Menace and into Revenge of the Sith, the score for the prequels includes an element that was rarely heard in the original trilogy – the human voice. That’s right if you listen to the original trilogy there are only a few instances where a choir is used. We hear it in the Falcon’s approach to Cloud City in Empire Strikes Back. We hear it in the Emperor’s theme in Return of the Jedi and in the same movie we hear the choir burst out when Luke finally gives in and unleashed his hatred in his final duel with Darth Vader. Other than that, you don’t hear a peep out of anyone.

The prequels use choir throughout all three films. Two of the key themes from the prequels are based on choir use. You have “Battle of the Heroes” for the final duel with Obi-Wan and Anakin. But my favorite is the massive and imposing “Duel of the Fates”. To me, this is the sound of the prequels. It is an amazing piece, one that we didn’t expect in a Star Wars film. In fact I remember when this score was first released that people were saying it didn’t sound like a Star Wars score. “Duel of the Fates” was usually the reason why.

The irony is that when The Force Awakens came out people were complaining that it didn’t sound like Star Wars because it didn’t have any choral stand out moments.

Another triumph for Williams is the main theme for Attack of the Clones. This love theme is called “Across the Stars” and it is the heart of the film. Williams does his best to create a golden age romance theme. The music does a better job of conveying romance and young love than the actors do (and it often feels overdone when combined with the muted acting on the screen).  But in this theme we get something that Williams had never done before (but would certainly do again with his impressive score to The Force Awakens). “Across the Stars” has multiple parts built into it. So Williams is able to use the theme in nearly any kind of situation. Sure you have the romantic moments, but there are portions of the theme that he adapts into action music very successfully. It works great as Padme and Anakin team up to save Obi-Wan. He also uses portions to hint at the darkness within the relationship, scoring key scenes with the same theme played in an unsettling way. “Across the Stars” gets plenty of stand out moments in the film and is pretty catchy to boot. So a lot of film music fans consider it the highlight of the prequel music.

Unfortunately Williams ran into issues while working on Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Lucas was constantly re-editing the film. This made it very difficult for Williams to write music when the scenes were constantly changing. For Attack of the Clones he eventually let Lucas just cut together music from earlier in the film and from The Phantom Menace to fit whatever final version of the end battle Lucas ended up with.

When it came to Revenge of the Sith Williams opted for a different tactic. He created a lot of individual themes for moments in the film. The result is shorter cues, but a more colorful score than anything we’ve heard in Star Wars. This score is bursting with great moments and powerful use of choir. At the same time (and I’m guessing this came from Lucas, but I haven’t confirmed it) Williams was asked to reuse key moments from the original trilogy to score new scenes. Only a film music nerd is going to notice how the music from Cloud City in Empire Strikes Back was removed wholesale and plunked down in the middle of the Yoda/Emperor battle. But yeah, I find it incredibly distracting.

In the end I don’t blame Williams for the reused music in the prequels. When you listen to the new themes he crafted for these films it is really amazing. He also took his new technique of scoring action and built on it. The action music in the prequels is more complex, intense and propulsive than the music in the original trilogy. One of the craziest pieces is “Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Couruscant”. Williams goes insane with percussion and even adds some electric guitar wailing away in there.  

We end up with a kind of trade off. Instead of action scenes built on stand alone themes that mirror the visuals, we get a blast of activity that is both musical and chaotic. At times it works better than others. The Phantom Menace is the best score of the prequels because it balances everything Williams attempted just right. Plenty of new, a few nods to the old, excellent new style action music and “Duel of the Fates”. Awesome stuff!

Now I won’t be one of those who thinks Williams can do no wrong. I really don’t like “Battle of the Heroes” too much. Some of the action music in Attack of the Clones just isn’t very interesting, and the piecemeal approach to Revenge of the Sith is colorful but feels like it lacks narrative flow (something no other Star Wars score ever has a problem doing). My opinion may change if we ever get a chance to hear the full scores away from the movie. The current album versions are missing plenty of music. But even with these detriments, I am glad we got the Star Wars prequels if only because John Williams crafted some of the best movie music of the 1990s and 2000s.

What are your favorite elements to the Star Wars prequels? Did I miss something, or did you find some of my picks laughable?

Did this post make you think? Then get your revenge by clicking an ad before you go.