Grab your light sabers, charge your blasters, and adjust your hair buns folks because Star Wars is back! Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones hits theaters May 16, 2002. Before you head off to this more than anticipated film, Brad DeMaagd gives us a sneak peek at the latest soundtrack.

Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones Soundtrack
by Brad DeMaagd

Grab your light sabers, charge your blasters, and adjust your hair buns folks because Star Wars is back! The movie with the 50's title: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones hits theaters May 16, 2002 and our friends at Lucas Film have begun their massive marketing campaign. Perhaps no movie saga has been a part of one generation cultural upbringing to the degree Star Wars has, and with the release of Episode I a couple of years ago that tradition continues. Episode I through III will tell about the fall of Anakin Skywalker which has fascinated fans since he first appeared in his masked visage as Darth Vader. To score Lucas's self-titled space opera is John Williams, and he has again taken up the reigns and given us the musical soundtrack for Attack of the Clones.

Beginning the CD, the main theme begins with the Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare and the trumpet loaded melody spurs images of yellow text upon a star field are instantaneous, followed by the pan down toward the action of the story. The music plunges as a melody ensues conjuring an image of a seedy city or a world as oboes take over brining the sense of coming danger to a forefront. The track tapers off to a whisper, leaving the listener ready for events to take place in this despicable location. Many fans may think of Mos Eisley from Episode IV, but based on a small bit of linear notes it appears this music corresponds to Coruscant whose city covered surface we saw momentarily in Episode I.

The second track on the disc is the Love Theme. Clearly, this relates to the love story between Anakin Skywalker and Queen (turned Senator) Amidala. Fans will remember the stirring love theme from Empire as it shows the emotional drawing of Han Solo and Princess Leia together. Anakin and Amidala have a much simpler, youthful love that is not tempered by the rugged life lived by the characters in Empire. The original melody is proceeded by a second stronger melody as the love between the pair grows. The strings carry the musical sensation of flight, the way that first love lifts one above their normal troubles. As the piece ends, an ominous ascension of low instruments adds a sliver of sadness as a poignant reminder of the fragile thread upon which life and love balance.

Track 10 is the Bounty Hunter's music beginning with the energized combat represented by trumpets and dropping off in the softer strings conjuring the image of pursuit. Fans of the Saga will immediately notice the mix of the Droid March & Duel tracks from Episode I, they merge into what many will notice as being the Imperial March linked with the Empire that will be born presumably in the third film.

Various tracks feature snippets of the love theme and the Force theme (a.k.a Luke Skywalker's theme) from the original Star Wars trilogy that is slipped in among pieces. These tracks constantly show how important Lucas feels the love between Anakin and Amidala is to the story. The force theme conjures the image of the Jedi and serves as a reminder of what Anakin for a time is and who surrounds him. The musical layout reminds the listener of what remains behind in the man who will become Darth Vader.

Fans of music will quickly appreciate the broad range of emotions from hope to dread. A mixture that appears throughout the CD and fans of the Saga will take note this soundtrack carries a darker edge than Episode I, but I will tell readers this is not The Empire Strikes Back because this work stands on its own. From Light to Dark, the music mirrors the society on the edge of a knife where the Republic is slowly crumbling and a danger is emerging within the midst of the Jedi. I have only seen previews of the movie, but the music alone shows it will be a film filled with romance, danger, and exciting action scenes.

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Brad DeMaagd was born in Sacramento, California in 1976. Mr. DeMaagd currently lives in Michigan, but is planning a move to Oregon in the late spring. Mr. DeMaagd attended Michigan State University where he majored in English, with minor studies in Economics and History. Mr. DeMaagd continues to pursue his goal of becoming an Acquisitions Editor at a publishing house. His past times include watching David Lynch films, NFL football, working on his stories, and reading an ever growing stack of books.

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