Michael Giacchino on Trek XI score

[Enterprise is Great]

scifi.com/scifiwire

Michael Giacchino, who is set to compose the score for J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek movie, told SCI FI Wire that he will retain at least the original theme music from the original series, by Alexander Courage.

"I think that the thing to do would be to hold on to the only thing that does speak—that says Star Trek—universally, which is the [opening theme from the original series]," Giacchino said in an interview while promoting the upcoming release of Ratatouille on DVD, for which he also composed the music.

Giacchino also revealed a few details about the top-secret film's plot and how the theme music fits in. "To me, that fanfare, boom, that says it all right there," he said. "And this film is about everything that came before that. So, yes, I want to keep that. But everything that was done after that, it shouldn't be about that. It needs to be about these characters now and how they met and all of these things. So it's a very kind of specific place and time."

Giacchino has worked with Star Trek director Abrams on the television series Alias and continues to compose music for Abrams' ABC series Lost. He said that his approach to the Star Trek score will be guided by Abrams' vision for the film.

"I love working with J.J., and I know that he'll make it something special, so I have no doubt that there'll be something there that'll inspire me," Giacchino said. "I don't know what it's going to be, so I still have that anticipation about it."

But Giacchino admitted that he is daunted by the prospect of following in the footsteps of such Trek film composers as James Horner and Jerry Goldsmith.

"I grew up listening to all of that great [Trek] music, and that's part of what inspired me to do what I'm doing," Giacchino said. "So, yeah, it's horrifying to think that I've got to go and stand in line with those guys." He added: "You just go in scared. You just hope you do your best. It's one of those things where the film will tell me what to do."

 

[The Wormhole]

Bitchin, he is going to include the Trek Fanfare. That's all I needed to know, this film's score is in the right hands.

 

[xortex]

His biggest competition will be tos composers who really nailed it and sold it IMO. That to me would be the most frightening thing, but yea, certainly Jerry's seminal scores would be daunting and intimidating to say the least. Like writting a symphony after Beethoven. You start off right away in this big hole - a footprint.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

Yup, the score is in the right hands. Just one more thing to look forward to.

 

[Pro Populo]

I figured he'd keep at least the Courage fanfare -- every single Trek movie score has used it since the beginning. No reason to stop now.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Captain Paranoyd said:
I figured he'd keep at least the Courage fanfare -- every single Trek movie score has used it since the beginning. No reason to stop now.

I think Giacchino will use a more retro version of the fanfare, hearkening back to the 60's series specifically.

Just my guess, of course. Giacchino mimicked the 60's style of movie scoring for The Incredibles and something tells me he will utilize a similar style, aliet of course different, here.

 

[Jack Bauer]

It's gonna be a great score.

 

[Emher]

Fantastic. Only makes me like the guy more

 

[Blip]

Seconded. Even if the film itself sucks giant dyson spheres, I'll still be likely to obtain the score.

 

[Woulfe]

Go Mike Go !
You tell them all in Hollywood !
The Theme is the theme it screams THIS IS STAR TREK !
Yes I expect something like he did with Incredibles done in a 1960's style but all new music.