Star Trek VI soundtrack: Thoughts?

[EnriqueH]

I just finished listening to the expanded score from Intrada, and at first, I had a little bit of a hard time.

I kept thinking: This is good music, but this isn't Trek. Too dark.

But as I listened and listened, it's a very intriguing Star Trek soundtrack too.

I *LOVED* the Rura Penthe theme that featured the chorus of Klingonese "To be or not to be". Very very VERY cool.

I also loved the Escape from Rura Penthe scene and the Battle music. (LOVED the trailer music.)

I've always had a problem with the music at the end of the movie. I've always found it too sentimental. Same thing with the theme at the beginning of the End Credits. Hate it.

I think overall it's an inconsistent Trek soundtrack: When it's good, it's friggin' AWWWSOME.

But the schmaltzy tracks and motifs drive me NUTS.

 

[Daddy Todd]

When I listen to Star Trek soundtracks, I frequently omit Undiscovered Country. I just don't care for it.

I also generally omit Generations, which I like even less. YMMV and all the usual caveats apply. Just not to my taste.

 

[Tosk]

I love the Trek6 soundtrack, always have. ST4 is really the only one I skip completely when listening. I like it okay in the film, but Leonard Roseman just don't do it for me as a CD experience. (Plus, he repeats himself so damn much. It's hard to put the previous movies he has worked on out of my mind when I hear the same themes yet again.)

ST6 is clearly doing the Holst thing a lot, which I don't mind, but I also like the "schmaltzy" stuff at the end. I think Cliff Eidelman done good.

 

[Harvey]

I love it. It brings an epic scope to the movie in a way that nothing else in it can (save the Alaska footage), due to the budget.

 

[2takesfrakes]

The Undiscovered Country's soundtrack does sound like Danny Elfman, occassionally, but I love what Cliff Eidelman did for this movie.

 

[martok2112]

Trek VI is my favorite OC soundtrack, just trailed by TWOK and TMP

 

[cardinal biggles]

The Undiscovered Country's soundtrack does sound like Danny Elfman, occassionally, but I love what Cliff Eidelman did for this movie.

I'd be interested to read an interview with Eidelman and see what his influences were in composing this score. Certainly Holst's Planets, which Meyer had wanted to use but was told he couldn't; also, perhaps Basil Poledouris' work on Hunt for Red October, which Meyer was most certainly visually emulating (particularly in how the bridge was redressed from its appearance in TFF). I also like his Klingon motif because it brought something new to the table.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Elfman claims Bernard Herrmann as a heavy influence on many of his scores.

 

[Axalon]

I think ST6 is my favorite, probably followed by ST2. 6 was a departure and really helped make the movie.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Uninspired, derivative, and bland.

Not the most terrible Trek score but certainly not praiseworthy.

 

[Firebird]

What makes me love the ST6 soundtrack is how wholly different it is from the rest of the original 6 films. Brooding, eerie, and suspenseful in parts, just wonderful. Also, like Goldsmith's score for TMP, Eidleman's score can be listened on its own as a symphonic piece.

 

[eyeresist]

TUC's soundtrack has never really stood out for me. The trek across the glacier is a nice moment (composers tend to relish that sort of scene), but otherwise I didn't notice the music. It's functional. There's an argument that the best soundtrack is one you don't notice, that doesn't stand out from the experience of the film, but the greatest film scores aren't shy about wowing the ears, and they don't distract, they add to the experience.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

What makes me love the ST6 soundtrack is how wholly different it is from the rest of the original 6 films. Brooding, eerie, and suspenseful in parts, just wonderful.

Exactly. I loved this score from the moment I first saw the film on opening day for these reasons. It fit the tone of not only the film, but the build-up to its release. There *was* mystery, suspense, and darkness associated with it (at least for me!). Back in 1991, STVI marked the definitive end of TOS. There was mystery surrounding what would happen to the characters. Many rumors circulated about Kirk's potential death.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

What makes me love the ST6 soundtrack is how wholly different it is from the rest of the original 6 films. Brooding, eerie, and suspenseful in parts, just wonderful.

Brooding and eerie suits the main title, a threatening build up to the prefect finish accompanying the visual of the explosion. Out of the gates, the main title told audiences they were being tossed head first into big, dark trouble. The same applies to the prison and final space battle--all suiting the story perfectly.

On the other hand, some of the end title's reprise of the main theme sounds like a triumphant send off for an old west hero movie or tv series from the 50s/60s, instead of Star Trek-type music.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I love it. It's one of my favorite Trek soundtracks, and it led me to Holst's The Planets.

 

[Campe]

It makes me sad its the only original series Trek movie soundtrack I can't seem to get on vinyl.

 

[gottacook]

Brooding and eerie suits the main title, a threatening build up to the prefect finish accompanying the visual of the explosion. Out of the gates, the main title told audiences they were being tossed head first into big, dark trouble.

Right on. Just as the main title music for TWoK is triumphant while never settling down into one key for very long, eventually withdrawing into the same uncertain whine with which it began - a good way to introduce an opening scene that's not what it seems to be at first - the opening of TUC is a great buildup to the explosion, not unlike being pulled into a story or novel that immediately compels interest on page 1 (for me an exemplary novelist in this regard is Robert Heinlein pre-1959*).

Does Nick Meyer get credit for input into the hiring of both Horner and Eidelman? I'd like to think so…

*Not, however, the first paragraphs of the "uncut" Puppet Masters that's been available for the past 20-some years; the earlier version, trimmed for length by Heinlein at the request of the original publisher, is the one with a great beginning.

 

[Daddy Todd]

It makes me sad its the only original series Trek movie soundtrack I can't seem to get on vinyl.

I don't think it was ever released on vinyl; CD and cassette only by late 1991.

 

[CorporalClegg]

That's not entirely true. While vinyl was incredibly niche by the early to mid 90s. They never stopped making them. They became very rare and hard to find, of course, but I can think of several early 90s albums that saw original pressings off the top of my head.

However, since film soundtracks were a niche of their own, having a niche of a niche didn't make any financial sense.

And, even with the vinyl comeback, soundtracks are still on the outside looking in. Even something like Guardians--which was ripe for a wide vinyl release--only put out a pressing that was so rare that, only four months later, has become painfully expensive.

For a while, I was hoping those guys who did those awesome SEs of the Trek OST a while back would put out vinyl versions, but alas.

 

[Campe]

My girlfriend just recently got me a turntable for my birthday. Before I really get into what vinyl is for me (classic rock), I wanted to get some of the more geeky purchases out of the way. On eBay and in used record stores (the joys of living in Music City), I've managed to get Star Treks I-V, Star Wars, The Story of Star Wars, Return of the Jedi and The Black Hole. (So close on an Empire soundtrack. Fingers crossed I can get one soon.) These have all been relatively affordable purchases and have been in fairly good condition. Its just nice to unwind after a long day, turn off the cell phone, put on an LP, read an actual book and just think of simpler times.

To keep it on topic, it really does make me sad that they never pressed a TUC record. It would be a nice addition to this collection but alas... It is one of my favorite soundtracks of the series.