Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...

I was going to go get this in the morning with my buddy Obi-Swan, but I broke down. I was weak. I ran to the Virgin Megastore at midnight to get it instead. There was a pretty big line, but most of that appeared to be for the new Nine Inch Nails album (which I have to say strikes me as a big fat sideways step for Reznor overall), so I had no problem getting my copy of the REVENGE OF THE SITH soundtrack. More importantly, I got the bonus DVD, called STAR WARS: A MUSICAL JOURNEY. It’s 16 videos made up of footage from all six STAR WARS films, all using John Williams music that’s been specially arranged for this DVD.

The result? Pure catnip for STAR WARS fans. There’s plenty here to keep you happy in the days before the film is released. I’m going to need it. There are two press screenings for the film on Thursday, but I have yet to be invited, which basically means I’m S.O.L. I’ve gone to press screenings for the last two STAR WARS films, but this time out, Fox has frozen me out completely. I guess they have decided that they don’t want me to see the film or to write about the film or to comment on the film at all. Whatever. I’d go in a heartbeat if a ticket opened up for me on Thursday miraculously, but if not, then I’ll just see it opening night at midnight at the Arclight with my wife and my friends, and that’ll be just fine, too. I'm just excited to see the darn thing. I read today that Hayden Christensen finally verified the rumor I reported a year ago about Tom Stoppard having worked on the script for the film, something which made Mr. Beaks actually sound optimistic again for a brief moment. Miraculous.

For now, I’ve got this disc, and there’s a lot of great stuff here. A quick rundown based on watching it tonight when I got it home:

A LONG TIME AGO

Very nice. Starts to make the case right away for all six movies as one long film that can be watched in any order, really. This piece connects all the STAR WARS films using the opening fanfare version of the theme that each film opens with.

DARK FORCES CONSPIRE

I love STAR WARS bad guys, and I love “Duel Of The Fates.” What else could I possibly want? I hope this music ends up in REVENGE OF THE SITH somewhere. I know it’s not on the album, but I’m hoping the film itself hits us with some “Duel” at some point. It’s one of my favorite themes for the entire series.

A HERO RISES

Wee l’il Anakin. I like how his theme from THE PHANTOM MENACE ends in a hint of “The Imperial March.” Nice foreshadowing by Williams, made even more clear by the way this piece is edited.

A FATEFUL LOVE

”Across The Stars.” Visually, this is a great movie romance. Lucas has all the right images. I almost wish he’d relied on less dialogue in this montage. This DVD helps prove that Lucas wanted to make films that would work even if you didn’t understand a single word, films that communicate almost purely on a visual level. Bouncing backwards and forwards in time, showing Portman and Lloyd meeting for the first time right before showing Christensen and Portman’s secret wedding, there’s real resonance.

A HERO FALLS

You’ve probably seen this one already. It’s got the most new EPISODE III footage. It’s a great video, a great way to condense Anakin’s fall. As Quint mentioned the other day (and as our own Obi-Swan has illustrated below), Lucas took out those creepy little Scott Savol-style baby hands that Vader originally had:

Thanks. Good call.

AN EMPIRE IS FORGED

One of the great pieces of film music of all time, “The Imperial March” in all its glory. This one uses McQuarrie art, poster images, and actual footage from ANH, ESB, and ROTJ in what is basically “Darth Vader’s Mondo Badass Compilation Tape.” Play this one very, very loud.

A PLANET THAT IS FARTHEST FROM

All Tatooine, all the time. It’s sort of amazing how much time the saga spends on this particular planet. I love Jawa music, and there’s a lot of it here. I love how horns were used in the score for ANH. There’s lots of my favorite droid footage from all the films.

AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE

Luke music, and lots of it. Some of the big lush melancholy stuff from ANH, “Binary Sunset” included. There’s a ton of cantina music... maybe too much. It goes sort of batshit towards the end, complete with a burp for a punchline.

A DEFENDER EMERGES

Heavy emphasis on design art in this one, which is Leia-centric. For all the hullabaloo about Lucas not liking the famous “I love you”/“I know” exchange from EMPIRE, he knows it’s a fave for many fans, and includes it here.

A DARING RESCUE

Watching this DVD, you pretty much see all of the films boiled down to the most potent imagery. I love watching this stuff condensed like this. I love the way pieces have been pieces together visually and musically.

A JEDI IS TRAINED

All about Yoda, heavy on the EMPIRE. As much as I love digital Yoda... and I do... it’s the EMPIRE performance that still towers over everything else and defines the character.

A NARROW ESCAPE

Focused primarily on space chases from EMPIRE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES at first, this is one of my favorite overall pieces on this DVD, and it’s just fun to watch. Lots and lots of asteroids, everywhere you look.

A BOND UNBROKEN

Luke and Leia. Again, what makes this DVD so nice is the way it juxtaposes scenes from all the films to really show the connection between the twins.

A SANCTUARY MOON

I wouldn’t be a STAR WARS fan if I didn’t bitch about something, right? Let’s just say that lots of Ewoks and Gungans means lots of tears and suffering in my house. This one won’t be getting a lot of repeat play.

A LIFE REDEEMED

Bits of the JEDI duel, but not enough of it. It’s interesting to cut from Vader’s funeral pyre to an image of that happy little boy who just won the big pod race.

A NEW DAY DAWNS

Happy endings all around, and lots of celebration footage. This one also includes the closing credits for the DVD, and it’s a heck of an effort overall. It was certainly worth the late-night run to Virgin.

I know I can wait for the movie. I can. I know I can. I’m sure I can...

... I think...