Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Is there room for one more outing with one of with Harrison Ford’s most famous characters? Disney appears to believe so—even dedicating the first minute of the trailer to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as a way to pump up the nostalgia. Throughout, Indiana remembers his various past adventures while single, cavernously reverberant piano notes signal and reinforce the sentiment. It also serves to build anticipation for the trailer’s second half, as there are no classic Indiana musical themes by Williams to be heard here. The few lines spoken by Harrison Ford in the first half betray how he has aged since the last Indiana Jones outing, which is why Sallah does most of the talking there and why Jones himself has only three words in the second half, his whip speaking for him.

It doesn’t take long, however—at the midway mark—for the editors to relent and give us the theme we all know and love—albeit with a twist or two, of course. For the second half, the score leans in on using the classic “Raider’s March” theme, having originated in the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Of course, there are also new musical elements at play here—and in this case, it’s harmonically quite substantial. First, at 1:01 when the theme is first played, one can immediately tell it has been slowed down to about half-time to maximize its dramatic entrance. Then, at 1:05 we get our first deviating harmony with the use of the subtonic, suggesting the mixolydian mode—a particularly adventurous “mix” of notes. Notice also the synch points immediately preceding this novel harmonic shift, such as the punches and the gunshot around 1:04, using the sounds in a triplet rhythm to help propel things along.

The harmony then takes an even more dramatic turn at 1:09, presenting a new chord unexpectedly while also moving up to the minor second of the key. This is in effect as completely outside the original key as one can get, and when coupled with the syncopated entrance, it is genuinely exciting (and maybe even a bit off-putting). Sure enough, it reverts to the original key quickly, presenting itself as another modal shift.

While heavy in nostalgia and action, the trailer leaves some room for comedy. However, that only happens after the main title card has appeared and the trailer proper is seemingly finished. It’s such a tonal shift from the rest of the trailer, one can hear why it would be positioned as a bookend. (Incidentally, the lack of music also allows one to appreciate the sound of the whip much better.) A short musical flourish leads us out.

For such a long-running series as Indiana Jones which harbours such classic themes, using said cues was going to be a given for the trailer for The Dial of Destiny. What remains more interesting is how the arrangers find a way to freshen the experience. Keeping the melody intact while playing with not just one, but two distinct shifts in harmony helps those perhaps overly familiar with the theme to hear it anew, if only momentarily. But trailers are supposed to tease and breathe new life into established franchises.

— Curtis Perry