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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back [2 Disc Jewel Case]

Original Score - CD

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Original Score CD
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  • Artist: Original Score
  • Format: CD
  • Year: 1997
  • UPC: 090266877324
  • Item Number: BMG687732
  • Release date: 05/15/2011
  • 2. Main Title/The Ice Planet Hoth
  • 2. Main Title / The Ice Planet Hoth
  • 3. Wampa's Lair/Vision of Obi-Wan/SnowSpeeders Take Flight
  • 3. The Wampa's Lair / Vision of Obi-Wan / Snowspeeders Take Flight
  • 4. Imperial Probe/Aboard the Executor
  • 4. The Imperial Probe / Aboard The Executor
  • 5. Battle of Hoth: Ion Cannon/Imperial Walkers/Beneath the ...
  • 5. The Battle of Hoth (Ion Cannon / Imperial Walkers / Beneath the AT-AT / Escape in the Millenium Fal
  • 6. The Asteroid Field
  • 6. Asteroid Field
  • 7. Arrival On Dagobah
  • 7. Arrival of Dagobah
  • 8. Luke's Nocturnal Visitor
  • 8. Luke's Nocturnal Visitor
  • 9. Han Solo and the Princess
  • 9. Han Solo and the Princess
  • 10. Jedi Master Revealed / Mynock Cave
  • 10. Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave
  • 11. The Training Of A Jedi Knight / The Magic Tree
  • 11. Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree
  • 12. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
  • 12. Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
  • 13. Yoda's Theme
  • 13. Yoda's Theme
  • 14. Attacking a Star Destroyer
  • 14. Attacking a Star Destroyer
  • 15. Yoda and the Force
  • 15. Yoda and the Force
  • 16. Imperial Starfleet Deployed / City in the Clouds
  • 16. Imperial Starfleet Depyoed/City in the Clouds
  • 17. Lando's Palace
  • 17. Lando's Palace
  • 18. Betrayal at Bespin
  • 18. Betrayal at Bespin [#]
  • 19. Deal With The Dark Lord
  • 19. Deal With the Dark Lord [#]
  • 20. Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett
  • 20. Carbon Freeze / Darth Vader's Trap / Departure of Boba Fett
  • 21. Clash of Lightsabers
  • 21. The Clash of Lightsabers
  • 22. Rescue From Cloud City / Hyperspace
  • 22. Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace
  • 23. Rebel Fleet/End Title
  • 23. The Rebel Fleet / End Title
  • 1. 20th Century Fox Fanfare
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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back [2 Disc Jewel Case] by Original Score on CD


Widely regarded as the finest film in the series, The Empire Strikes Back found composer John Williams in complete control of the Star Wars universe. Having already established a wide berth of memorable character motifs and notable hero/villain cues, he fleshed out the old and brought in the new with special attention paid to the movie's darker themes, resulting in one of the most cohesive and fully realized scores of his career. Beginning with the unmistakable main titles, Williams launches into "The Ice Planet Hoth," a peerless battle theme that utilizes the composer's vast orchestral arsenal to great effect. Pounding percussion, brass, and the intricate weaving in and out of familiar themes from the previous installment engage the audience from the very first note. All of this cacophony is really just a setup for the introduction of the series' most coveted piece of music, "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)." Williams had hinted at this Prokofiev-meets-Mars, the Bringer of War death march throughout portions of A New Hope, and to hear it in its completed form is exhilarating. Also notable are the romantic cues for Han Solo and Princess Leia ("Han & the Princess") and the expansion of the wistful "Jedi" melody, which is used to great effect on "Yoda's Theme" and "The Training of a Jedi Knight/Magic Tree." The Empire Strikes Back is epic, romantic, and powerful. It is George Lucas' world at its most uncompromising, and Williams' score treats its themes of heroism and betrayal like the Shakespearian tragedy that it is. [In 2004 Sony Classical released double-disc collector's editions of episodes four through six in anticipation of the films' release on DVD. Remastered and sporting 3-D covers, each soundtrack includes the score in its entirety, a poster foldout, and screen savers depicting rare Japanese book covers. In some cases, alternate tracks and extended versions are included.] ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
  • Artist: Original Score
  • Format: CD
  • Year: 1997
  • UPC: 090266877324
  • Item Number: BMG687732
  • Release date: 05/15/2011
  • Label: RCA, RCA Records, RCA Victor Records
  • Genre: Soundtrack
  • Style: Film Music, Movie Themes, Original Score, Soundtracks
  • Album Time: 124:21
  • Album Type: Soundtrack

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  • Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Original Score CD
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Original Score CD

Editorial Reviews

Proof that a sequel can be as good as (or better than) its predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back is frequently considered the best of the original Star Wars trilogy. The 1980 film, which picks up a few years after the original movie, contains perhaps the most substantial plot developments of the three films, interweaving spiritual and romantic development and serving up a genuinely shocking cliffhanger. It also features more of the special effects that endeared Star Wars to many an audience member, further catering to its audience's growing appetite for bigger, better effects. Dark and downbeat, Empire is at its core the most human of the trilogy, allowing its characters -- generally two-dimensional in Star Wars -- to flesh out to more convincing proportions. Part of this change may be due to Irvin Kershner's directing the film; where George Lucas was a master with technology, he was not really an actor's director, and the actors here seem noticeably more at ease. The film's enormous success was proof that audiences were more than eager to see the Star Wars storyline continued in the years to come, something that still held true when the special edition of The Empire Strikes Back was released 17 years after the original version. Exhilarating and timeless, it remains one of the most compelling adventures ever brought to the screen. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide