My opinions on the first ten scores:
ST:TMP
For me there is a difference between a score being bad, and a score just simply not being my taste. I can clearly hear this is a professionally composed score with much attention made to give it that extra greatness, but aside from about four cues, and an alternate, the rest of the score just does nothing for me and consequently gets no play.
TWoK:
A landmark score for Horner, and one of the greatest film scores he has ever done; it's right up there in the top five. I would even venture out ot say it's one of the greatest film scores ever done.
So much emotion, so much power, complexity ... it's the Horner of the 80's -- a Horner sadly missing for ten years now.
TSFS:
I have two personal favorite cues here ("Stealing the Enterprise" and "Bird of Prey Decloaks"), but I never got he commercial CD (good thing too, 'cause I bet FSM will release this one in due time as well), and what cue or two that were on the Astral Symphony compilation, didn't grab me. Aside from the direct rip from a famous classical piece for the start of "Stealing the Enterprise", this once again has Horner at his best. I donm't know what was going on with him in the 80's. Maybe scores like these were just his way of jumping up & down and shouting, "Look at ME!!!". But it worked, I looked. And it was totally worth it.
TVH:
Say what ever you want about Leonard Rosenman. Say he's crazy for proclaming this the "best" of the Trek film scores. Say he's crazy for almost never writing anything -- TV or film -- that doesn't use his trade mark crescendoing motif. Even say he didn't continue in the scoring vein of Goldsmith and Horner. But in the end you still have a diverse and wonderful score. Full of emotion too as well, whether it be the fun cue as Kirk rescues Chekov from the hospital, or the emotional filled "Home Again" ... Rosenman DELIVERED. I'd even go as far to say that had TOS taken place in the late 70's, this is what it's TV scores would have sounded like, but on a grander scale.
TFF:
One thing I love about this score -- it's range. Many themes and ideas. Some people complain about it, but Goldsmith for some reason or other almsot always seemed to be musically inspired when on Trek. And lest I forget -- this film brought the return of the Klingon theme.
TUC:
The orchestrations where there, sometimes, and the bold theme was certainly present, but the score as a whole is lacking. In fact, it's more akin to something for TV Trek movie.
Anyway, it works well enough in the film and that bold theme certainly gives some good emotions around the end, and considering how old Cliff was at the time, it's impressive.
Still though ... if that rumor of Basil Poledouris having been attached was true ... I get giddy at the thought of what might have been.
G:
I don't care what people think about this score. It's a few steps up in granduer from the series, gave McCarthy his chops (which sadly didnt' get him the big gigs, though he's got additional scoring for "The Scorpion King"), and it fit the film
like a glove.
A wonderful overature, dramatic action cues that actually have emotion to them (compared to some ot today's action scores that leave me cold and unmoved), a wonderful theme, and an excellent use of the Courage fanfare at the end. McCarthy could have easily scored a film like "Troy".
FC:
Bringing his son
Joel Goldsmith along, Jerry composed what I think is simply one of his most unappreciated, underrated, emotional, DARK scores ever. It's just amazing to me. Far, far, far better than this average, poorly done film deserved.
I:
Insurrection garners mixed reviews from fans. Some don't care for his somewhat mimiced "US Marshals" style of scoring. I'm one of those people, but I feel here he made it work. In fact, fantastically. The Baku village opening theme, the drone attach where Picard is taken, Riker and the stupid shitty joystick control scene -- all great cues. I will put it out there that THIS is the last great score Goldsmith ever did. I've heard clips from his last scores, and even have his rejected score to "Timeline", but all of them do nothing for me. "Timeline" especially which I think is one of his weakest efforts ever. The style used in this film would have woked wonders with "Timeline". Anyway, proud to own the CD.
N:
Pure and utter shit for a film. Bile for a Trek film. Goldsmith score? Left the theater recalling NONE of it, and not being taken by any cue while watching. I hate to say it, but this oppritunity should have been passed to someone else, like his son, or
David Bell.
In 2001, around the time he would have had to been writing and/or recording this, he passed on a film which would have served his musical talents more:
"Last Orders".
The less said about the new Trek film and score, the better.
Sad, really. Aside from some of the franchise's best space f/x that movie must rank dead last or close to it in almost every conceivable category.
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