Loved the movie!! The soundtrack not so much.

[Ihlecreations]

First let me preface this by saying, I am a 37 year old life long 2nd generation trekker and I LOVED the movie. All those naysayers and TOS purists in my opinion should lighten up. Now, the topic of my thread, Michael Giacchino's
score. Now I do like the themes he came up with but feel it was severely repeditve. There seemed to be no real body to the score it was some background ambience and then BAM the Enterprise Theme or BAM Neros theme over and over. I am not sure if I am explaining it well enough. When I listen to say a Hans Zimmer or better yet a John Williams movie score I can hear the story, the notes are poetic and actually tell the story as much as the visuals. Now are there central themes in other soundtracks? Of course there are, but each scene has its own feel and rhythm, so you can close your eyes and see what is happening just by the score. I hope I was clear in this opinion I have, and would love to hear others. Please be kind....

 

[OneBuckFilms]

Giacchino's score is certainly a very different beast, and the Main Theme/Kirk's Theme is certainly prevalent, as is the Spock/Vulcan theme and the Nero/Romulan theme, but there is a lot of music that many fail to notice.

For a brakdown of the themes and motifs in the score, I refer you to the following link:
http://jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17627&st=0

It might help with your appreciation of the score, though of course, YMMV.

 

[Ihlecreations]

OneBuck, I have seen this list, and I have listened to the score in the car umpteen times, (gotta love the iPod). I can say I do like the Main/Kirk theme, but even the reviewer in the link states that 3 or 4 main cues are used frequently or liberally throughout the score. This quote is exactly what I mean"... and is then presented in its full form under the opening titles. After that it is used very often in the score, never going more than a few cues without reappearing again." This one theme is so prevelent throughout the score, its seems as if Mr. Giacchino just got lazy added some filler then thru it in ad nauseum. Please don't get me wrong I do like the music I just wish there were more dimension to the score as a whole.

 

[The Wormhole]

I admit the movie's score is somewhat catchy. But it's hardly the best Trek movie score around.

Of course, it does have some tough competition. Jerry Goldsmith's TMP, First Contact and Nemesis scores, James Horner's TWOK score, and Dennis McCarthy's Generations scores are some of Trek's finest music.

 

[Ihlecreations]

I admit the movie's score is somewhat catchy. But it's hardly the best Trek movie score around.

Of course, it does have some tough competition. Jerry Goldsmith's TMP, First Contact and Nemesis scores, James Horner's TWOK score, and Dennis McCarthy's Generations scores are some of Trek's finest music.

Cliff Eidelmans UDC score is right up there IMHO, as for TWOK to this day I hear it and can't believe that Horners score for Aliens is nearly identical in its cues. But it is impressive.

 

[The Wormhole]

I admit the movie's score is somewhat catchy. But it's hardly the best Trek movie score around.

Of course, it does have some tough competition. Jerry Goldsmith's TMP, First Contact and Nemesis scores, James Horner's TWOK score, and Dennis McCarthy's Generations scores are some of Trek's finest music.

Cliff Eidelmans UDC score is right up there IMHO, as for TWOK to this day I hear it and can't believe that Horners score for Aliens is nearly identical in its cues. But it is impressive.

Pretty much all of James Horner's scores sound the same. There were times in Aliens and The Perfect Storm where I thought Reliant was coming about, and at certain points I thought Avatar's final battle did take place in the Mutara Nebula.

Still, TWOK does have some of the best music in all Trek.

 

[Jeri]

You might enjoy seeing how these people in Spain are loving it :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrsX4Xus4g

Edit: or this fellow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJiVWCOFOkk

 

[M'Sharak]

OneBuck, I have seen this list, and I have listened to the score in the car umpteen times, (gotta love the iPod). I can say I do like the Main/Kirk theme, but even the reviewer in the link states that 3 or 4 main cues are used frequently or liberally throughout the score. This quote is exactly what I mean"... and is then presented in its full form under the opening titles. After that it is used very often in the score, never going more than a few cues without reappearing again." This one theme is so prevelent throughout the score, its seems as if Mr. Giacchino just got lazy added some filler then thru it in ad nauseum. Please don't get me wrong I do like the music I just wish there were more dimension to the score as a whole.

Actually, I like what Giacchino did with this: derive the majority of the music used in the film from quite a small amount of thematic material.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 is perhaps the best-known example of this; nearly everything is built upon or derived from that two-pitch, four note opening motif. I think a better parallel to the movie score, however, might be the Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn (Variations on the St. Anthony Chorale) which takes a sixteen-note melody (Giacchino's is also sixteen notes) and builds a whole piece out of it; sometimes the melody is easily perceived, and at other times it is so thoroughly woven into the fabric of the variation that you hear it without realizing it's there.

Glancing over the analysis linked above, it appears that Giacchino has incorporated a few other small motifs. (I hesitate to call some of them themes, as they're referred to in the analysis, though that's a minor quibble, and I'm not so certain that some of these weren't derived from the main theme, as well -- the repeating figure (ostinato) which brings in "Enterprising Young Men," for example.) That main melody, though, and fragments thereof, appear quite often in disguise. This is where I think Giacchino really shows his chops -- sometimes, you're hearing the theme without being immediately conscious that you're hearing it.

 

[OneBuckFilms]

I happen to love this score, but it is not the "Best Eva" or any such thing, nor is it really meant to be.

It represents a new style for Star Trek, in keeping with the movie it was created for, and the story that needed to be told.

Also, Michael Giacchino has never composed for Star Trek prior to this, while the previous 3 movies used the late, great Jerry Goldsmith, so we have been conditioned to Star Trek sounding a certain way on the big screen since First Contact.

Treks I, II, III, V and VI have become classics, partially through familiarity.

The same for TOS.

This new score is unfamiliar, and many of us Trek fans don't like things to be as unfamiliar.

I love this score. But, it is not a classic.

 

[KirkSpockTOSFan]

I actually loved both the movie and soundtrack, it just fitted perfectally! So I see nothing wrong with the score one bit. I listened to the soundtrack a lot before the movie was released to dvd/blu ray. And I still listen to the soundtrack a lot,its one of my favorites. I loved the opeing theme,the Enterprinsing young men,and the end credits with the TOS theme into it. I just can't help but listen to it over and over,its just great!

 

[startrekrcks]

I love the Enterprising Young Men, The End Credits. The soundtrack is just great in my opinion.

 

[Ihlecreations]

Ok I think I didn't convey my opinions accurately. I don't hate the music, I am actually humming the main theme ALOT. its the lack of substance and the constant repeating of the DA DADADA DA DA DADADA DA DA DA DA DADA DUM. (Hmm it it makes sense.) But please don't get me wrong, I don't hate this soundtrack.

 

[Withers]

I don't mind the musical score for the most part. I think that it really slams into you at certain points in the movie (like "Whoaaa theme music, take 'er easy!") but it's an action film so I guess that's what is supposed to happen. Having read through this thread I was surprised no one mentioned the opening sequence/Labor of Love.

While James Kirk is born, and his father is manually piloting the Kelvin and that song plays... Oh man, the first time I saw it, I actually got teary eyed. That could be chalked up to the fact that I'm an overtly emotional 24 year old Jack Johnson fan but still... I thought that was an amazing piece of cinema combined with the perfect musical number.


-Withers-​

 

[startrekrcks]

What Labour of Love what a beautiful piece of music it really puts you into crying mode I think Michael Giacchino is a marvellous composer in my opinion your opinion may differ to mine.

 

[Rhionnach]

There is now an expanded soundtrack out with more in it, including "Sabotage". :-)

I originally got the basic soundtrack and there is an annoying jump between the Star Trek fanfare and the end titles track. The expanded version has fixed this.

 

[M'Sharak]

There is now an expanded soundtrack out with more in it, including "Sabotage". :-)

I had heard that there might be another release which included music omitted from the first soundtrack CD, but hadn't heard anything about a firm release date. (Neither has Amazon.com, apparently; they've still got just the one.) Is this new, expanded soundtrack actually in the stores where you are?