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| Williams |
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: (John
Williams) When negotiating with Paramount Pictures for 1981's
Raiders
of the Lost Ark, concept originators George Lucas and Steven
Spielberg secured the rights to a total of five films related to
adventuresome archeologist Indiana Jones. It took until 2023 before the
final film of that planned series debuted,
Indiana Jones and the Dial
of Destiny featuring a cranky and disillusioned, 80-year-old
Harrison Ford in the titular role. Whereas the prior entry,
Indiana
Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, sought to start
handing off the concept to a new generation, that idea is reprised in a
new direction in the fifth movie. A retiring Jones grudgingly teams with
his goddaughter, also an archeologist but a grifter interested more in
profit than preservation, for a journey that seeks Archimedes' Dial,
which can supposedly predict fissures in time and space that would allow
time travel. Not surprisingly, the villains are once again Nazis, led by
a German astrophysicist desiring to use the device to travel back in
time from 1969 to redirect the course of World War II to ensure Nazi
victory. The film is, as expected, a nonstop chase, but a series of
grimly personal gun killings and a less than entirely likeable heroine
are distinct detriments. The franchise has also further devolved from
its original reliance upon fantastic physical effects towards an
increasing role for fantasy CGI that is not entirely convincing,
especially by the depiction of the Siege of Syracuse in 212 BC by this
movie's end. Still, the de-aging techniques for the two flashbacks are
remarkable, and the extremely expensive film appealed reasonably well to
older audiences and serves as a decent farewell to Ford's character.
Neither Lucas nor Spielberg had integral roles in the movie, but
replacement director James Mangold was blessed with the continued
services of composer John Williams, who, at the age of 90, had declared
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to be his final film score
before later walking back that statement and musing that he might have
another ten years of work left in him.
The presence of Williams' music in this film is just as
integral as that of Ford, the styles of the two inextricable in this
context. The lengthy production schedule of
Indiana Jones and the
Dial of Destiny allowed Williams to write a very long score, and he
is credited solely with its writing. His trusted collaborator, William
Ross, was provided co-orchestration and co-conducting duties, along with
the writing of a source piece. The end result is absolutely saturated
with Williams' musical sensibilities that date back to the 1980's, the
work fitting squarely with its predecessors in its demeanor, constructs,
and performance styles. But unlike previous films in the franchise,
especially the first two, this score doesn't dominate the soundscape in
the film, highly functional but not drawing too much attention to itself
as mixed into the mass of the narrative. For a film with ample fantasy
elements inherent in its plot, it receives a mixture of straight
adventure music with dashes of romance and occasional nostalgia.
Williams opts for a straight orchestral sound for the film, with no
choral element and adding the slight ethnicity of either a cimbalom or
dulcimer as the only distinctive tone outside of one cue with a bevy of
struck wooden percussion. A piano is applied as a stinger device for the
element of mystery, along with plucked harp and celeste at times, but
expect the major sections of the ensemble to carry their very
predictable roles here. There isn't much horror disturbance in the
otherwise accessible flow, the hard suspense techniques in "Water
Ballet" provided by a prickly percussive presence. True to the franchise
is the wildly plucked sneaking mode late in "The Grafikos" (with hints
of hero themes) that denotes for this series, as per usual, that the
main characters will inevitably be covered in nasty bugs at some point.
The mix of the score is overly dry, which isn't entirely out of
character for Williams but does sap some perceived size from the end
product. Less than an hour of the actual score is featured on the
initial Disney Records album; the maestro reportedly wrote over 90
minutes of material for the movie, and whole sections of action,
including the opening fortress scene and Tangier tuk-tuk chase, are
largely missing or truncated on that album.
While some listeners will prefer Williams' 67-minute
initial album arrangement, the quality of the music merits a fuller
presentation. Nothing in the score for
Indiana Jones and the Dial of
Destiny can match the immense prowess of
Raiders of the Lost
Ark or
Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom, but the work is on
par with the latter two sequels' music and remains extremely
distinguished compared to Williams' contemporary peers. No other
composer is writing this kind of music in the 2020's, the impressive
complexity of Williams' writing squashing any notion that he had lost a
step in his 80's. Even aside from the joyously nostalgic element of
hearing vintage Williams adventure music, the composition reaffirms the
maestro's place atop the ranks of history. He has a knack for adjusting
his cadence with precision, tempos constantly modulating in subtle ways
to address the momentum of a scene. His techniques at suspense and
militaristic propulsion here combine elements of
Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets and
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the composer
remaining very familiar in those exquisitely effective comfort zones.
His thematic constructs are worn on the score's sleeve, each very
faithful to their character applications in the film and easy to
distinguish. For all these reasons, a 67-minute album consisting of 14
minutes of suite arrangements can't do this score justice. The
six-minute "Prologue to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" cue does
lend some moments to the opening of the film but is mainly an
arrangement of the score's new themes for the end credits, which utilize
the "Raiders March" portion of the closing cue, "New York, 1969," and
the regular suite format of "Helena's Theme" before launching into the
purported prologue cue. The returning legacy themes include the
obligatory "Raiders March" and the love theme for Marion Ravenwood. (The
composer's passion for interpolating the 1981 theme for the Ark of the
Covenant into these scores is not obliged here.) Joining them are new
themes for Helena, the Nazis (in two variants), the villain Voller and
his obsession with the Dial, and Archimedes. The Romans at Syracuse
receive their own lumbering motif as well, and few moments in the score
do not explore at least one of these identities.
The vintage spirit of Williams' music persists in
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny because of his smart
interpolations of the two main themes from
Raiders of the Lost
Ark. He applies the "Raiders March" with exactly the right frequency
and emphasis in this sequel, adapting it in expected, full swing at
times but also affording it a few attractively whimsical and beaten
renditions as well. Its application at the surprising introduction of
the impressively de-aged Ford in the opening scene is grin-inducing.
Williams sprinkles the iconic identity throughout the satisfying
resurrection of his "Desert Chase" material from
Raiders of the Lost
Ark in "Germany, 1944." Anticipatory fragments at 3:14 and echoes at
3:54 are followed by the underlying rhythm at 4:08 and the theme on
flutes at 4:13 with a nice resolution. As Jones exchanges words with his
friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies, in a welcome return), woodwinds start
"To Morocco" with the secondary phrasing of the theme and horns join for
the primary phrasing in a subdued but respectful performance, denoting
the sadness of the scene. The idea regains its footing in its original
"travel mode" heroics as it extends out of the Helena material at the
end of "To Athens." The march returns in a quick action burst at 2:04
into "Polybius Cipher" and lightly on horns at 1:08 into "The Grafikos."
For Jones' resignation of his fate in "Centuries Join Hands," the theme
becomes slight with uncertainty at 1:03 and shifts to noble horn relief
at 2:26 that resembles the tone of late scenes in
Indiana Jones and
the Last Crusade. At the end of that cue, however, trumpets offer
hints of old flair at 2:48 as Helena gives Jones a dose of his own
medicine. The finale of the film revives the theme's retro march form at
2:19 into "New York, 1969" for the first portion of the end credits, and
there's nothing new about this abbreviated arrangement of the theme.
Given the amount of time available to Williams on this score, the lack
of any new presentation of the classic theme, especially one without the
great interlude sequence, is a disappointment despite hitting all the
right nostalgia buttons. Better adapted is Marion's theme, which is
troubled, incomplete, and meandering at 1:44 into "Perils of the Deep"
on woodwinds before its redemption in "New York, 1969," building from
solitary woodwinds at 0:48 to a lovely romantic version akin to the
wedding cue closing the prior film but weighed by time and
sadness.
The primary new thematic identity of
Indiana Jones and
the Dial of Destiny belongs to Helena, the quasi-heroine with an eye
for cash and mere tolerance of Jones' nobility. It's a lushly romantic
golden age throwback theme that strives to combine a bit of demeanor
from
Sabrina with spirit from
The Adventures of Tintin: The
Secret of the Unicorn and the prior
Indiana Jones scores.
Williams aptly translates the idea into an action identity, though it
struggles to lose its anchoring romanticism at times. The theme plays an
outsized role in this score, taking on much of the conversational load.
Interestingly, its secondary phrasing features a touch of
Superman love theme remnants. Williams was clearly enamored with
the character, as he adapted this theme into two distinct suite
arrangements and applied it at the start of his summary track featuring
all his new themes. The end credits and regular concert arrangement in
"Helena's Theme" are redundant and emphasize the romance of the idea
without any of the character's spunk or energy. An extended concert
treatment in "Helena's Theme (For Violin and Orchestra)" is a lovely
track, but the solo violin seems out of place with the character of the
score. The composer loves concocting these pieces for live performance,
but this one really doesn't represent this work at all. The theme opens
lightly on celeste in "Prologue to Indiana Jones and the Dial of
Destiny" and immediately shifts to dramatic low strings for a minute,
but don't expect to hear this passage in any obvious place within the
film itself. Helena's theme emerges tentatively in the middle of "To
Morocco" and flourishes by the end of the cue. After slight allusions at
the opening of "Voller Returns," it is pitted against dancing "Raiders
March" phrasing late in "Auction at Hotel L'Atlantique." In whimsical
action mode at 0:52 into "Tuk Tuk in Tangiers" and thereafter, the theme
alternates with its softly romantic mode heard early in "To Athens,"
during which the idea soars for the transitional scene. Her theme
struggles in the middle of "Perils of the Deep" while pieces define
early ambience in "Water Ballet," and it lends phrasing to early
"Polybius Cipher" optimism against the Voller/Dial material. Worried
portions open "The Airport" but increase in intensity later against the
villains' music, regaining its full action stance at 3:23 for her
motorcycle airplane stunt. It reiterates its romanticism to the urgent
start of "Centuries Join Hands" and follows the Marion material at 1:50
into "New York, 1969" with spritely dashing.
The next three thematic groupings share interesting
relationships in
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the Nazi
themes mingling with the Voller/Dial material and that latter music
connecting directly to the Archimedes theme. There's definitely a
connective arc in these ideas, and they are often intertwined in
complicated fashion outside of their most transparent renditions at
either end of the emotional spectrum. The Nazi material is largely a
fresh take on an old concept for Williams. There are hints of his music
for the Nazis from
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade built into
the new themes, but he chooses not to outright restate the rather
pompous 1989 theme intact. There are two Nazi motifs in
Indiana Jones
and the Dial of Destiny, the first a comic-book fanfare of glory
heard only twice in the movie and the second a more robustly ominous
force that sometimes includes a final phrase that resurrects the final
three, descending notes from the
Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade equivalent. The brass fanfare opens the movie in a passage
that can be heard at 1:07 into "Prologue to Indiana Jones and the Dial
of Destiny." Notably, a resounding bass thump at 1:24 here shakes the
floor with power, a technique not utilized elsewhere in the work. This
fanfare returns at 1:06 with snare triumph in "The Airport" as a Nazi
plane is prepared for flight, confirming the motif as one of glory for
Nazi infrastructure. The actual theme for the Nazis in this score
follows Voller's group of thugs as they terrorize and kill, lending
arrogance through its ascendant brass formations. This rising figure
repeats several times after 1:55 into "Prologue to Indiana Jones and the
Dial of Destiny" and returns with more suspense at 2:58. It lends subtle
militarism at the start of "Germany, 1944" before revealing the full
rising figure at 3:26. The idea consolidates at 2:10 into "Voller
Returns" with confidence, becomes sinister at 4:16 into "Water Ballet,"
and formally adds the
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Nazi
phrasing to the end of its performance at 2:20 into "Polybius Cipher."
It frantically figures into the crescendo late in "The Grafikos" but
gains stature as uniforms are donned once again in "The Airport,"
blazing in full at 1:32 against the Voller/Dial motif and achieving even
more confidence at 2:12. It's engrained in the action at 2:20 into
"Battle of Syracuse" as the Nazis humorously and inexplicably mow down
ancient Romans with modern weaponry. Ultimately, the best of this
material is housed in "Prologue to Indiana Jones and the Dial of
Destiny" and "The Airport."
Frequently factoring in the mystery and action of the
story is Williams' theme for the Dial itself and Voller by association
of his obsession with the object. Voller's criminal conduct receives the
Nazi theme, but his heart lies with the Dial's theme. Its snarled,
descending main phrasing emulates villain tones from the first two
Harry Potter scores and debuts at 1:48 into "Prologue to Indiana
Jones and the Dial of Destiny," where it is also appended at 2:29 to the
Nazi material and then meanders a bit. Its main phrase glory develops at
3:28 before toning back to mystery duties in fuller form at 3:44 in that
suite-like track. The Dial/Voller theme opens "Germany, 1944"
militaristically, at 0:34 on muted trumpets and in suspense at 2:20 and
3:07 before a quick burst at 3:37. It recurs in the middle of "Voller
Returns" and supplies reminders at the end of that cue. Williams
translates the idea into the humorously stately waltz in "Auction at
Hotel L'Atlantique" and brings back "Basket Chase" inspiration from
Raiders of the Lost Ark in subsequent light chasing. Frantic
pieces are placed against the pursuit rhythms early in "Tuk Tuk in
Tangiers," and the theme informs the creepy start of "Perils of the
Deep," stewing for a while. The Dial/Voller theme is partial at 0:56
into "Water Ballet" with tingling piano and celeste support, but it
clarifies at 0:41 into "Polybius Cipher" and later in lighter shades. It
contributes early in "The Grafikos" around the periphery, adopting its
boldest form yet at 1:38, mingling with the Archimedes theme and
transitioning into that ascending piano motif later. While barely
cohesive at the outset of "Archimedes' Tomb," it consolidates at 1:55 on
flutes in quiet suspense mode. The idea interjects into Helena material
early in "The Airport" and is pinpointed at 0:46 into "Battle of
Syracuse," extending to become more fluidly broad later, yielding
massive statements at the end of the cue to denote the time travel
achieved with the artifact. A full version of the Dial/Voller theme
enjoys one final moment at 0:23 into "Centuries Join Hands." At this
point, the secondary phrasing of the theme reveals itself as officially
representing Archimedes himself, appended over rousing percussion. The
Dial theme then returns to flute and harp in mystery mode thereafter.
Some listeners may find Williams' applications of the Dial/Voller theme
to be somewhat obtuse, especially as they relate to the Nazi material on
one side and the Archimedes theme on the other. There's definitely a
wide spectrum of emotions associated with the Dial, and Williams seems
to apply these various thematic variants to the object depending on the
intentions of its potential users.
The twisted, ominous nature of Williams' theme for the
Dial, especially in the object's descending phrasing, is mostly a
reflection of Voller while the secondary ascending phrases better
represent Archimedes' more hopeful intentions for the device. The idea
is literally resolved by removing its descending main phrase to reveal
Archimedes' motif, previewed at the closing of the "Prologue," where its
ascending phrasing is heard on dramatic strings at 4:38 and soft
woodwinds at 5:18. In the film, it intertwines with the Dial/Voller
theme in "The Grafikos" around 1:38, is suggested early in "Archimedes'
Tomb" and then explicitly at 1:12, and conveys some muted heroism at
1:25 into "Centuries Join Hands." Expect some vibes from late cues in
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade during these parts, especially
as French horns handle Williams' sense of honor. The only other
recurring theme in
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
represents the Roman's attack on Syracuse. The composer handles this
sudden oddity with a thumping bass rhythm and rather clunky motif on top
that has some vague connections to the rising portions of Helena's theme
but not obviously so. It starts "Battle of Syracuse" and drives much of
cue alongside aggressive references to the Dial theme. This material
continues early in "Centuries Join Hands" and almost sounds like
something Williams would have written for an attack of old Ray
Harryhausen monsters from yesteryear. All together, these new themes for
the 2023 film are highly effective at their task. Helena's theme
completely dominates the score's motific balance on album while the
Dial/Voller theme defines much of the remaining personality.
Interestingly, though, neither identity has an equivalently powerful
sway when heard within the film. The two Nazi themes and lingering ideas
from
Raiders of the Lost Ark provide the music's most prominent
placements in the movie, with "The Airport" a particularly impactful cue
for a major plot reveal. There is not much to quibble about with the
spotting of the film, though the absence of any hint of Mutt's rather
nebulous material from
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal
Skull in "Perils of the Deep" (and replacement with Marion's theme)
is telling. The initial album presentation and its 2024 re-issue as part
of a useless and expensive franchise set are too short, certainly by
Williams' direction, especially with the redundant Helena's theme
concert arrangements. Still, it goes without saying that any new
Williams
Indiana Jones score is an especially gratifying treat
and immense pleasure to hear in the 2020's. It extends the quality of
the prior two works and continues to espouse the uniquely superior
aspects of Williams's writing from decades past.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
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For John Williams reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.68
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There exists no official packaging for the digital version of this album.
The 2023 and 2024 CD albums' packaging contains a note from the director, a list
of performers, and photos from the recording sessions.
