Episode 69: Rian Johnson On The Music Of Star Wars & Other Movies

It's hard to think of a more iconic set of musical themes than those so thrillingly imagined by John Williams for Star Wars: A New Hope. 40 years on and that score still sounds as exhilarating as ever. Much then to discuss with Rian Johnson, the man who has written and directed the latest installment of the space opera, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Up until this point, Rian has employed the services of his cousin Nathan to score his movies. And as we'll hear, he's done a fine job, from the DIY noir of Brick to the rich orchestration in The Brothers Bloom and layered synths of Looper. But when it came to the Star Wars: Last Jedi it could only be John, who delivered a suite retaining all the classic themes that we so associate with the saga while having very much its own identity ...