Star Wars Main Title
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
The "Star Wars Main Title," also known as "Star Wars Main Theme," "Star Wars Theme," or simply "Star Wars," is the theme played at the beginning of all six Star Wars films. The film scripts refer to this opening theme as "war drums." It was composed by John Williams.
The Main Title segues directly into a theme created specifically for each film. These are: "The Arrival at Naboo" or "Boarding the Federation Battleship" (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace); "Ambush on Coruscant" (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones); "The Revenge of the Sith" (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith); "Rebel Blockade Runner" (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope), which goes on to quote the ending of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets"; "The Ice Planet Hoth" (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back); "Approaching the Death Star" (Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi).
The Main Title also occurs within the films themselves, notably: as a faster, dramatic variant in The Phantom Menace, when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi fight B1 battle droids aboard Saak'ak, when the CIS and Republic armies charge towards each other in Attack of the Clones, during the chasm shootout in A New Hope, when Luke flees from the wampa in The Empire Strikes Back, and again when Luke fights Jabba the Hutt's henchmen over the sarlacc in Return of the Jedi. The only movie that lacks its appearance in-film is Revenge of the Sith for an unknown reason.
This Theme is also played during the opening crawl of almost all Star Wars video games. Commonly they use the original version, segueing directly into "Rebel Blockade Runner." A notable exception is the opening crawl of Star Wars: TIE Fighter, which features a version of the "Imperial March."
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[edit] Canonicity
Leia Organa sings a song for the Life Day celebration in the Star Wars Holiday Special, very similar in tune to the Theme. This is a (superficial and semi-canonical) indication that "Star Wars Theme" perhaps exists in-universe. Similar indications exist with "Imperial March" (considered in The Paradise Snare to be the official in-universe martial anthem of the Imperial Navy) and "Duel of the Fates" (heard from ghastly voices in the Ice Crypt of Coruscant).
[edit] In the soundtracks
This is a list of all the tracks in which the theme "Star Wars Main Title" is heard followed by the time at which it begins.
[edit] The Phantom Menace
- "Star Wars Main Title" and "The Arrival at Naboo" (0:00)
- "Panaka and the Queen's Protectors" (0:20)
- "Augie's Great Municipal Band" and "End Credits" (1:26)
[edit] Attack of the Clones
- "Star Wars Main Title" and "Ambush on Coruscant" (0:00)
- "Confrontation with Count Dooku" and "Finale" (4:45)
[edit] Revenge of the Sith
- "Star Wars" and "The Revenge of the Sith" (0:00)
- "A New Hope" and "Credits" (1:24)
[edit] A New Hope
- "Main Title" (0:00)
- "The Throne Room" and "End Credits" (1:12/1:48)
[edit] The Empire Strikes Back
- "Main Title" and "The Ice Planet Hoth" (0:00)
[edit] Return of the Jedi
- "Star Wars Main Title" / "Approaching the Death Star" / "Tatooine Rendezvous" (0:00)
- "The Pit of Carkoon" / "Sail Barge Assault" (1:35)
- "The Emperor Arrives" / "The Death of Yoda" / Obi-Wan's Revelation" (3:58)
- "Sail Barge Assault (Alternate)" (0:51)
- "Victory Celebration" and "End Title" (2:26)
