2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Composer: John Williams
Again we return to the master composer himself, John Williams. I don't think he could make a bad score if he tried and I'm delighted that, despite his age, he'll be back once more to score the new Star Wars trilogy. And it's with Star Wars, namely the prequels, that he sits so high in this list. Because as disappointing and disjointed as episodes I-III might have been, his music was as brilliant as always. I could have picked the entire prequel trilogy. I still loved them, despite their flaws-the casting of Hayden Christensen as Anakin being number one - but I wanted to pick the very best sequences Williams composed. The pieces that were up there with Luke's theme and the Imperial March. At a close second was the 'Battle Of Heroes' from
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. This sequence that blasted across the cinema as Obi Wan fought Anakin conjures up all the awe and anguish of that final confrontation in a way that only Williams' music can. But there is one better, and that is 'Duel Of Fates' from
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. As a film, it is evidently weaker that Revenge anyway but it does have possibly the finest lightsabre battle in the entire franchise. To meet the epic three-way fight, tied alongside Padme's attempts to liberate her palace, John Williams used a device that had only really been used to full effect with the Emperor's theme in Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi. A full backing chorus. 'Duel Of Fates' is one of his very best musical sequences across all six films. It has a rousing epic-ness that elevates the battle between Obi Wan, Qui- Gon Jinn and Darth Maul even further. Perhaps, like the rest of his amazing score, it is too big for the film. But it doesn't matter. Disappointing or not, we wouldn't have Star Wars without John Williams. We just want the film to be as good as the music. So here's hoping that
Star Wars: Episode VII lives up to that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yHkJJic6zg