I am not talking about the Ark's theme.

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Posted by KyleS from ? (209.191.163.10) on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 at 12:33pm :

In Reply to: Raiders March - IS Indy's theme, imho... posted by bamindy from hide213.nhs.uk (195.107.47.213) on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 at 7:27am :

: I like your thinking on this, Kyle, but I have to disagree. The Raiders March is the full piece of music, but the hook which we all know so well is Indy's action theme. Whilst we don't here it in the opening episode, we do here it as he makes his escape from the Hovitos - the actual heroic action. There's a good quote from a web site which I think puts it perfectly:

[Kyle]--------
But there are numerous heroic acts that take place inside the temple that are just as heroic as Indy swinging on the vine out to the plane. The hero theme associated with Indy for the opening sequence is different from the hero theme we hear for next adventure which is the 'Raiders March' we know so well. Why do you think it's called the 'Raiders March' and not 'The Indiana Jones Theme?' Because there was no way of knowing that ROTLA would be such a huge hit and spawn sequels. Williams scored this film as a stand alone work the same way he scored Star Wars. The only difference is that Williams was able to compose a different imperial theme for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK than what he used in STAR WARS. And then when RETURN OF THE JEDI came along that theme he titled 'The Imperial March' had become married to the character of Darth Vader much like the 'Raiders March' became married to that of Indiana Jones. They had, like it or not, become inseparable in the public consciousness. Whether that is what Williams had intended to do or not he was now able to quote these themes in relation to these characters and get an immediate audience connection.
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: I am almost certain there are notes from John Williams, perhaps included in the full CD (but since I'm at work I can't check), that explain his ideas behing the Raiders music, and that the familiar melody IS Indy's theme. It occurs regularly when Indy is up to something heroic which happens often. The theme playing when Indy escapes in the plane is not the Ark theme (which has it's own) but Indy's theme, because remember as Indy takes off in the plane, he knows nothing of the Ark recovery.

[Kyle]--------------------------------------
Again, I never said that the 'Raiders March' is the Ark's theme. The Ark has it's own theme that is perfectly obvious. In this study, I'm associating the 'March' with the adventure to find the Ark. Not the Ark itself.

In addition, you state that Indy knows nothing of the Ark. I agree. But like I said above the 'Raiders March' acts as a theme for his new adventure associated with the race for the Ark which has yet to be revealed to him. But the music acts as a beginning of a new chapter, so to speak, and foreshadows this adventure to the audience. It's the same concept of when Williams plays the Imperial March in Episode I when there is no Darth Vader or the Empire. It foreshadows coming events that the characters no nothing about but tells the audience. You can hear this same approach in First Blood: Part II when Goldsmith reprises small quotes of his 'Long Road' theme from First Blood. None of those characters or situations are around but it gives the audience and emotional tie to what is happening with the character. There are numerous other examples in other films.
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: Only problem with it being Indy's theme is that it wasn't used as often as it could've been in TOD, since Spielberg didn't want to overdo it for the audiences' sake (and that is a quote from the TOD soundtrack).

[Kyle]--------------------------

It was used even less in LC. Williams created a theme that is tied to Indy and Henry Sr. for this adventure.
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: These thoughts are just my penny's worth! :)

: Best regards,
: Bamindy

[Kyle]-------------------------
This is all just my thoughts and theories as well. It's not like I can prove it. Just trying to make my case.
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