TLJ 25: Motifsplosion! (Minutes 121-125 with Alex Damon)

Star Wars Music Minute

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

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