The True Story Behind the Star Wars Theme and the 20th Century Fox Fanfare

Remember the fanfare that plays over the 20^th Century Fox monolith and searchlights intro when you pop your vintage Star Wars copy on the player? Have you ever wondered why it evokes so many feelings like it makes you long for something that never was?

That's because the Star Wars theme was created with the iconic marching opener in mind. George Lucas loved the composition so much that he just had to add it in his films. Little did he know the millions and generations that would go on to watch his creations will fall in love with it too.

The fanfare was composed in 1933 by Fox music director Alfred Newman. He went on to become one of the greats who shaped the young minds of would-be legendary composers including, you guessed it, John Williams, the genius behind the franchise's iconic scoring.

Williams' priority when creating the Star Wars theme song was to make it feel like an extension of the fanfare. He made sure that the music for A New Hope was in the same key as Newman's masterpiece, which was B-flat major.

What resulted was a seamless cinematic transition that will go on to move audiences at an emotional level, a feeling that they will carry with them forever. Those who got to experience it surely get nostalgic upon hearing the first beat of the drums.

The fanfare was so popular with fans that it was included in the 1990s limited edition re-release of Star Wars as well as in the Ultimate Edition score to The Phantom Menace. Williams would go on to conduct an extended version of the fanfare for Empire Strikes Back.

To many, the searchlights and the fanfare were part of the complete Star Wars experience. It carried viewers into the whims and wonder of the galaxy far, far away.

It is truly rare for an intro of a production company to become so ingrained and evocative, but this is exactly what the 20th Century Fox fanfare has achieved.

Unless you were lucky enough to get copies with this lost gem in it such as the 2001 The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition or the soundtrack collections by the remarkable Williams himself, you can only get your fix now on YouTube such as the video below.

After all, the fanfare was the first to go when Disney acquired the license to Star Wars in 2015. Now, the true magic has become more elusive and impossible, especially with the entertainment giant acquiring Fox.

Also Read: New Star Wars Short Relives A New Hope Final Battle From Han's Perspective