Long before the full cast ofStar Wars: The Force Awakenswas announced, there was talk that Disney and LucasFilm were searching for fresh faces to play the main trio of heroes. Most saw this as mirroringGeorge Lucas' casting process onStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, taking three virtually unknown actors,Harrison Ford,Mark HamillandCarrie Fisher, and turning them into household names. In the midst ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens' enormous success, new starsDaisy Ridley,John BoyegaandOscar Isaacare bigger than ever, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still swept up in the grand legacy of this franchise.
Yesterday, theStar Wars YouTubepage released a featurette that focuses on composerJohn Williams' iconic music. One of the most memorable moments of this video is not of the composer and his orchestra in action, but watchingDaisy Ridley’s reactions to meeting the composer himself during a live recording session, and her emotional response when listening to her character’stheme. Here’s what John Williams had to say about what he wanted her theme to convey.
“Rey, her theme has a musical grammar that is not heroic,” says Williams. “It’s kind of an adventure theme that maybe promises more than resolving itself in the most major, triumphant resolutions. When we first meet her, she’s alone, she’s not with her parents. I felt a lot of empathy for that girl, and I think Rey’s theme needs to illustrate that.”
Earlier this week, we reported thatStar Wars: The Force Awakensalmost ended with a close-up shot of Rey (Daisy Ridley), instead of the final aerial shot, looking down on Rey and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), which was shot from a helicopter. Producer Ben Rosenblatt revealed that directorJ.J. Abramswas conflicted about using that shot or ending the movie with a close-up of Rey. Ultimately, the decision was driven by John Williams' score. It’s believed that the director wanted to originally end the movie with a Rey close-up because the force was “awakening” inside of her.
This video also shows the composer and his orchestra recording the iconicStar Warsopening theme, withJ.J. Abrams,John BoyegaandDaisy Ridleyon hand for the recording. Last month, we reported thatStar Wars: The Force Awakenswill arrive onBlu-ray and DVDApril 5, but that date has still not been confirmed by LucasFilm. The studio hasn’t announced any bonus features yet, but it’s possible that this video could be part of a larger portion of the special features that delves into John Williams' process of crafting the score. Take a look at the full video below, and you can skip to the 54-second mark to hear John Williams' thoughts on Rey, and watchDaisy Ridley’s reaction.
