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 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 6:39 AM   
 By:   scoreaholic   (Member)

Of all the Indy Jones movies, Last Crusade is my overall favorite score of the franchise. It is the m ost thematic and builds upon what the first movie gave us. My particular favorite tracks are "Escape from Venice," "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra," and "Belly of the Steel Beast." I will admit that my favorite action cue of all time and overall favorite track from these movies is from Raiders- "Desert Chase." What I wouldn't give to hear a remastered version of the complete cue!!

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 7:25 AM   
 By:   Indy1981   (Member)

The Last Crusade has a lighter touch--sometimes bordering on "cutesy" in my opinion-- than the previous two Indy scores, but I still enjoy the score a great deal. Last Crusade was a welcome change of pace from the overly-dark and graphic Temple of Doom--though it still had great music. Steven Spielberg's father fixation was superbly realized in Last Crusade, though I never did like making Marcus Brody a "kooky uncle" for comedy's sake, because in Raiders, Marcus implied that he was an adventurous sort of fellow.

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 9:20 AM   
 By:   Scott McOldsmith   (Member)

I don't feel the same energy in the performance as I do with Raiders, which is in my top 3 favorite scores of all time, utterly perfect from start to finish. Last Crusade is a wonderful score but I feel it falls a little short of the epic highs of the first. And there's nothing in the score which comes close to Short Round's Theme or Slave Children Revolt from Temple of Doom. ToD gets too atonal and shrill in spots for me to consider a great listening experience in total, so it took is a bit of a dip for me from Raiders.

For me, Raiders is unmatched in the series with the other two in the trilogy on equal levels. All three are superb. I even like Crystal Skull, but it's just a few notches down.

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 9:54 AM   
 By:   Elgar   (Member)

Completely agree. The Grail theme is my favourite of John Williams' "sub" themes (if you can call it that... there's no concert version as far as I'm aware, at least). It's beautiful

It's a great score too. Did Williams ever answer the question as to why he wrote a new Nazi theme instead of reusing his from Raiders? Was it just that he wanted something grander/more pompous for an (arguably) sillier film?

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 1:30 PM   
 By:   John Mullin   (Member)

I love Last Crusade... but it's in 2nd place.

Temple Of Doom all the way for me.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 2:05 PM   
 By:   Reeve   (Member)

As far as composition goes – ‘Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade’ – is definitely the winner; as it is certainly a score which brings new ideas into the score one after the other.

One of my all-time favourite cues in that score; is – ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ – as it almost feels like a concert cue to me.

The score is chock-full of amazing composition; and it is certainly the winner as being the greatest – ‘Indy’ – score of all time!

Some of you say you love – ‘The Belly Of The Steal Beast’ – there is a quiet rendition of that theme; before Indy meets up with his father! The cue in question: ‘Searching For Doctor Jones’…

• I would also like to add here: I feel the same about – ‘Return Of The Jedi’ – as that is my all-time favourite – ‘Star Wars’ – score!

However; if you are a fan of the ‘Main Indy Theme’ – then perhaps– ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’ – might be a bit more up your ally; and don’t forget that you also get ‘The London Symphony Orchestra’ – performing the score…

• Having said that – I do prefer – ‘Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom’ – over – ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’ – just like I prefer – ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ – over – ‘A New Hope’.

It doesn’t mean that I think any less of the scores; I simply prefer the expanded ideas – a lot more… as at that time; when sequels were about to get released; the composers did indeed expand upon there ideas by giving us new themes and arrangements; that was just as good – (if not better) – than the originals!

I sure do miss the 1980s!

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 2:44 PM   
 By:   Solium   (Member)

By far "Raiders" is my favorite of the three. I like "Crusade" but its a bit Mickey Mousey.

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 3:27 PM   
 By:   danbeck   (Member)

I think Raiders is the best movie in the series. My personal favorite is Temple (and Temple is my favorite score of the series too).

Crusade is a fantastic score - Belly is indeed a great track - but I'm not a big fan of the Grail theme (for me nothing can top the mystery and wonder the Ark theme evoques [and Temple's stones/slave children theme is also a favorite]).

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 5:42 PM   
 By:   rdj252   (Member)

This is my favorite of the four. As it states in the original liner notes by Spielberg, they didn’t feel the need to push the thrill button every time something happened and utilize the Raiders theme. This has several new themes, action moments and quiet moments.I don’t understand some of the comments suggesting it’s cutesy or Micky Mouse like. This is by far the most, for lack of a better way to put it, grown up score of them all. Raiders is a close second and set the standard, but growing up and not push the thrill button made this one more like the original Star Wars, Empire or Super: The Movie; it’s like an opera or an old composition of old telling it’s story through music and becoming its own entity. And you can’t beat the end.

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 6:54 PM   
 By:   Solium   (Member)

I so blocked Skull from my mind I forgot there was a fourth film and score.

 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 7:11 PM   
 By:   Paul MacLean   (Member)

I do love Last Crusade very much, but for me Raiders remains the best. I think it has the most interesting story, Lawrence Kasdan's script is the strongest as far as I'm concerned, and the film overall has a harder edge than the later movies.

John Williams' scores for the first three films are outstanding, and contain some of his best work. But like the film, I think Raiders is the best score, if only due to the London Symphony, who give the most technically and artistically satisfying performance (particularly from the brass sections).

It's always saddened me that Williams did not record more of his scores with LSO.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 7:28 PM   
 By:   Giant Robot   (Member)

Of the movies, it’s Raiders for me. The others aren’t even close.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 7:30 PM   
 By:   Giant Robot   (Member)

I do love Last Crusade very much, but for me Raiders remains the best. I think it has the most interesting story, Lawrence Kasdan's script is the strongest as far as I'm concerned, and the film overall has a harder edge than the later movies.

John Williams' scores for the first three films are outstanding, and contain some of his best work. But like the film, I think Raiders is the best score, if only due to the London Symphony, who give the most technically and artistically satisfying performance (particularly from the brass sections).

It's always saddened me that Williams did not record more of his scores with LSO.


I think Temple of Doom and Last Crusade are every bit as well performed and recorded as the LSO of Raiders. Now as for the actual music, Raiders is my favorite of the 4.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 12:50 AM   
 By:   Thor   (Member)

Of all the Indy Jones movies, Last Crusade is my overall favorite score of the franchise.

For me too. In fact, it's the only Indy score in my top 10 Williams list.

 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 1:08 AM   
 By:   Amer Zahid   (Member)

Thematically speaking its most mature of the 3. My favorite music has to be the Young Indiana Jones music that graces the opening of the film. I just adore the whimsical motifs and small fanfares that carry the action on the train. But RAIDERS is my first love and the big bold brassy affair with the LSO makes it all the worth the blazing action, The Romance, the mysticism and adventure.


My Ranking for CRUSADE is 3, TEMPLE being 2 and RAIDERS simply Number 1.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 1:14 AM   
 By:   Thor   (Member)

I think Williams is at his best with the THIRD of a film series, where he can develop what's come before, and put in a number of standalone setpieces/concert pieces that give the album wonderful flow. THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, THE LAST CRUSADE and HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN are all my favourite OSTs within their respective franchises.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 1:42 AM   
 By:   moolik   (Member)

Yes RAIDERS is ,- talking about the actual movie-, way above the others.But they are all fun....Musical wise..yes the third one is probably the most versatile with so many themes.
Still I like RAIDERS most.
For Star Wars I´d go with THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK rather than RETURN OF THE JEDI.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 6:40 AM   
 By:   Ado   (Member)

I have said that for a while, which runs against lots of nostalgic feelings people have for the first one.
But I think the story and the themes and the overall entertainment of the 3rd film are the best of all of them.
Sean Connery helps, and I think it is also the funniest of all the Indy films.

 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 9:37 AM   
 By:   Solium   (Member)

I have said that for a while, which runs against lots of nostalgic feelings people have for the first one.
But I think the story and the themes and the overall entertainment of the 3rd film are the best of all of them.
Sean Connery helps, and I think it is also the funniest of all the Indy films.


You know its a film that subverts expectations. When I originally saw the film I disliked how silly it was and I wanted a strong stern Daddy Jones figure instead of the goofy dementia one we got instead. But on repeat viewings Ive learned to appreciate the film for what it wanted to be, not what I was expecting it to be. Kudo's to Connery for breaking his tough guy image and play it the way he did. The film has a lot of warmth and heart to it too.

 
 Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 9:38 AM   
 By:   johnonymous86   (Member)

TLC will always have a special place in my heart. I love the grail theme particularly and I think next to the Ark theme, it's probably my favorite secondary theme that Williams ever did.

It's just a shame that the recording is so flat and lifeless. The Concord gives it a little more oomph than the OST but it still sounds the weakest of the three (TEMPLE sounds the best imo in terms of recording quality).

In terms of performance, I think the performances on all three from the original trilogy are top-notch and the only reason TLC suffers is the recording quality, not the quality of the musicians...IMO.

 
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