The Score as Symphony: John Williams’ The Last Jedi (2017)

Williams’ new score for The Last Jedi is his eighth Star Wars score, an almost bewildering achievement for the now eighty-five year-old composer. Though he probably doesn’t view this achievement with quite the applause that Star Wars fans do (he recently said in an interview that he doesn’t remember writing anything particularly memorable for the films!), it has created an entire language for the saga—a language that extends into every byproduct of the original trilogy (shows, games, commercials, etc.). To see Darth Vader is to hear his music, and to even think Star Wars is to hear the iconic theme come blasting across the screen. It’s a considerable achievement to live up to, and even the most cynical composer must have thought twice before penning a new trilogy—or rather, a third new trilogy! 

Reviews of the score have followed similar lines to that of The Force Awakens: much applause, but also a fair amount of people quibbling that there are “no good themes,” “the same old, same old,” or even worse, that it’s full of “boring filler music.” I imagine many of these listeners would say the same about a Mahler or Shostakovich symphony. For Williams’ scores, even at their simplest, are truly symphonic scores. Sure, he often composes stand-alone themes and suites from his scores, but they’re meant to be heard as one continuous narrative, much in the way we can play the Allegretto (2nd mvt.) of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony alone in concert. It’s wonderful music, to be sure, yet it’s also part of a larger musical argument and makes the most sense as Symphony No.7. So, too, with The Last Jedi, which is a web of themes and motifs and music that has a running dialogue with the film. Perhaps it works best with the film, too, so we can see these connections...yet even as a piece of ‘absolute’ music (which Stravinsky argues, all music ultimately is) it works beautifully if taken on its own terms. With this music, don’t expect songs or themes, but listen to it as a story in sound—each theme or motif an actor with its own lines and contributions to the storyline.

Here are a few highlights from a very impressive score, which like any symphony (or more fittingly, incidental music) needs to be listened as a whole and appreciated moment-by-moment.

Main Title and Escape: The Main Title uses pretty much the same version we hear in A New Hope, even with the lone, querulous flute theme leading into the action. The “Escape” part of the cue is trademark Williams action music, connecting us to the desperate world of The Force Awakens where the First Order is hell-bent on crushing the Rebellion. It’s a strident, military march that echoes every so-slightly the “Battle of the Heroes” from Revenge of the Sith. This leads into a statement of Kylo Ren’s Theme before being swallowed up by the military music once again. And then—a heroic Star Wars theme comes up—the Resistance isn’t down yet! Another heroic theme surfaces, giving hope to the efforts of this plucky band, which leads right into the March of the Resistance from the previous film (one of his most memorable themes in years, and one that repays repeated use in the film). Then we get a lot of action music, all exciting, white-knuckle motifs that keep us on the edge of our seat. It’s a long and very satisfying opening to the score, and the perfect backdrop to the opening of the film, as the bombers try to take out the First Order’s terrible Dreadnaught. Love the ending which quotes the Force theme briefly as it winds down, not in triumph, but with a sense of grim hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

Ahch-To Island: The perfect counterpoint to the battle music is this more serene, mysterious cue which returns us to music used at the very end of The Force Awakens. It’s a beautiful, ghostly little theme like fog lifting off the water by the touch of the sun. Then the strings (and soon after, the horns) invoke what I call the “questioning” theme, which sounds like it’s trying to probe the mystery behind Luke’s disappearance. After a quick climax the Force theme appears, which never fails to give me goosebumps. Yet an air of mystery remains, and as Rey herself finds, Luke is in no mood to answer questions or provide solace. Rey’s theme appears, full of hope and innocence, as she is determined to enlist his help for the Resistance. After all, as she later tells him, “I’ve seen your daily routine...you’re not busy!” But even here, the military music raises its head for a moment, as if to say that Ahch-To may be in the uncharted regions of the galaxy, but it will soon be engulfed by death and destruction if Skywalker continues to look away.

The Supremacy: A plaintive clarinet theme opens this before rushing battle music takes over. The Resistance Theme is restated to echo their resolve, though the heroism seems muted once more; the battle music seems to swirl in a frenzy, with Kylo’s Theme emerging just ahead as his tie-fighter closes in for the fatal shot. Fittingly, Princess Leia’s Theme appears as she is sucked out of the freighter and into deep space to die a cold death. And here’s where it gets interesting: the theme is played in a ghostly variation, with pianissimo strings and chimes...until the string come back with a romantic surge, a grand restatement of her theme full of life and beauty! And sure enough, she’s still quite alive, and the lifeblood of the Resistance is restored (for now, at least). The piece ends with an eerie restatement of Rey’s Theme, as if to say she might be the last hope for the Resistance.

Fun With Finn and Rose: One of the truly new themes to appear in this score, it’s a warm, innocent theme somewhat in the spirit of Williams’ Harry Potter score, and a bit related to Rey’s Theme as well. It leads into a quiet though strident restatement of the Resistance March (since Rose is a loyal follower of this movement) and then Princess Leia’s Theme once more, though briefly. The piece ends cryptically, as if to suggest the “fun” is short-lived and might be ironic.

The Rebellion is Reborn: This opens hopefully with a restatement of the Rose and Finn theme in a bright, major key. It’s the most cheerful music in the score thus far—gently romantic, even. Some adventure music intervenes, but only as a counterpoint to an even grander restatement of the new theme. The music quickly becomes murkier and more unsettled, though the staccato “adventure” motif returns several times to move things along. It grows in strength towards the end of the piece as the prelude to a grand adventure—and possible romance?

Canto Bight: A very Star Wars prelude (mysterious, adventurous) leads into something quite unexpected—jazzy, ‘cantina’ music ala A New Hope. But this music, steel drums aside, are much more 20’s jazz with wailing clarinets and wah-wah trumpets. It’s very clever and gives the perfect snapshot to Canto Bight’s backdrop of high life debauchery. It’s nice to see Williams get a little unbuttoned and hearken back to some of his most iconic music from the first film. Short, but a gem.

The Fathiers: Rousing action music for the scene where Finn and Rose free the beasts of burden—the Fathiers—and take them for a ride in the moonlight back to their ship after a prison break. This is what Williams does best: zipping strings, trumpeting brass, chirping flutes, and out of nowhere, a heroic motif that sends your heart racing.  The Finn and Rose theme makes its expected appearance and gets a grand reprise—very heroic/romantic in true Korngoldian fashion. The action music goes back in forth with the romantic theme, until we fade out at the end.

The Sacred Jedi Texts: A grim restatement of the Force theme opens this piece, though this is quickly pushed aside for an action cue, and then—Yoda’s Theme? But more anxious music appears, and then an alarming minor key rendition of The Force Theme. Ah—the burning of the small temple that houses the Sacred Texts! The Force Theme, surprisingly, appears, as if unaffected...and indeed, texts and temples do not make the Force. It lives on in the hearts and minds of its practitioners, such as the Force Ghost of Yoda, whose theme makes a triumphant return in all its Empire glory. It’s very reassurance reminds us that the Force goes on, even if the Resistance is lost and the “last Jedi” fades away.

Chrome Dome: An exciting action cue, which centers around the fight between Finn and Captain Phasma (brief though it is). A portentous theme with drums serves as prelude, along with a lot of trademark writing for brass and an almost-statement of the Star Wars theme. Thudding drums underscore the drama of this piece, along with other forms of percussion—and brass/winds used as quasi-percussion with shrieks and wails. It’s brief but exciting, though like Captain Phasma’s appearance in the film, you almost wish it would last a bit longer.

The Battle of Crait: The Force theme opens this piece before martial music intrudes—the First Order forces being marshaled on the surface of Crait. Then a heroic reprisal of the Finn and Rose theme signaling hope in the face of disaster, followed by a desperate and brief cry of the Resistance March. Trademark battle music follows, high brass and xylophone and strings whirling in alarm. In the middle of the melee comes several themes: the Star Wars theme, and then, Rey’s theme as she mans the guns on the Falcon. There’s a nice “da-da-da-da-DA-da” motif that flows through the action as well. And suddenly, a spine-tingling use of the Battle of the Tie Fighters music from A New Hope as the Falcon engages them. Sure, they’re reusing a famous old cue, but it’s so appropriate and underscores the drama perfectly. This fades into more tense battle music, and finally, a somber dirge as Finn faces down his own death. A chorus comes in at this point, and we know—or fear—that a major character will leave the series for good. A climax is reached—but his fate seems unresolved.

The Spark: Low strings and horns introduce this cue, which quickly becomes mysterious and unsettling. Yet the Force theme assures us that we’re among friends, and in this case, Luke himself. Luke and Leia’s theme from Return of the Jedi cements the reunion of brother and sister, a deeply touching moment in the score and in the film. This was easily one of the greatest, if least celebrated, themes in the OT. Somber music follows, and then, cleverly, Han and Leia’s theme briefly follows as a reminder of what they’ve both lost. Tense music intrudes, suggesting the drama about the unfold outside and the role Luke must perform as the “last Jedi.”

Finale: A mystical theme on the chimes opens the end of the score, along with a bright-eyed flute motif. This leads the way for the Force theme, which is taken up by the entire orchestra triumphantly—and right into the Credits music. We know what to expect here—the brilliant, major key heroic music that has ended every single Star Wars movie since the beginning. Typically, it then leads into a restatement of all the new themes of the film, but there aren’t too many new themes except for one, which is now played: Finn and Rose’s Theme, which sounds even more romantic and playful. This fades into a piano rendition of Princess Leia’s theme, which in the Credits had the words “in memory of our princess, Carrie Fisher...” This is quickly interrupted by martial music and a trotting flute motif that becomes a tragic version of the Resistance March. Then we get a mix of themes—Finn and Rose, the Falcon theme, Rey’s theme, all thrown together behind a tableau of action music. Then everything settles down for what we really want: Yoda’s theme. At first it’s just as it’s always been, the serene, slightly melancholy theme...but now the strings take it up a little more lovingly than they had in the past. But it, too, quickly fades for the martial First Order motifs that punctuate much of the Battle of Crait music (as well as the “da-da-da-da-DA-da” motif). So it’s only fitting that the Battle of the Tie Fighters returns as well, almost in its entirety. A muted restatement of Rey’s theme follows this, fading into mysterious chimes and harp notes that add a final question mark to this chapter of the saga.