The musical score

[Franklin]

A lot of people have been gushing over the score, but aside from Enterprising Young Men and the end titles, I found it rather mediocre. Nowhere near the music of TMP, TWOK, TVH or FC.

In TMP there were plenty of moments to just sit there and listen to and admire the music.

Well, Giacchino can really only follow Abrams' direction about the music.

There really isn't an opening theme or score either, when you think about it. Just that one minute or so of haunting and almost sad music that swells and finally gives way to the chaos that builds at the end.

Frankly, I didn't pay that much attention to the music during the movie, otherwise. And, that's probably a good thing. It means a person is involved in the movie itself. Like background music in a restaurant. It helps set the mood, but you're still there for the meal, not the music.

As far as the closing theme goes, I would give Giacchino a lot of credit for being comfortable enough with himself to simply (and finally) give Alexander Courage's theme its proper cinematic treatment in full. In a way that was very generous of him.

 

[Omega_Glory]

I kept waiting for Star Trek music, but it didn't happen. The music was really different that's for sure.

 

[Starbreaker]

The new theme is actually stuck in my head... but most of the score is forgettable except "That New Car Smell" in my opinion.

 

[MvRojo]

Exactly. The GOOD scores, like Goldsmith, Williams, Horner, etc, I find myself listening to over and over.

Heck, Mik G's stuff on shows like Lost, Alias and The Incredibles are just as distinct.

The ST soundtrack seemed not to be nearly as distinct. Not wallpaper, but no catchy melodies.

Giacchino's score for The Incredibles was really good. The one for Ratatouille was also really good. The one for Up was only okay. Star Trek wasn't up to the his Pixar scores, except maybe Up.

One of the parts that really stood out in the Trek score was in the End Titles, after the whole Alexander Courage stuff...there's this really sweeping score that I don't recall hearing anywhere in the film itself. That part I liked...it had the romanticism of First Contact's main theme.

 

[VulKhan]

I loved it! Espacially the ending TOS sore! So great they had that one in! Yay!
However, I have to say the score to several previous movies was just as good, If not better. First and foremost, my fav of the films also contains my fav score of all: WoK (that theme!!!!! *swoon* Brilliant!)

 

[Emher]

I love the score but I will admit that mr Giacchino could do with varying himself a bit more next time. Am very happy with what we got though and the opening with the sacrifice of George Kirk works fantastic largely because of the fantastic score.

 

[indranee]

aside from That New Car Smell, I really liked the triad of "Labor of Love/Hella Bar Talk/Enterprising Young Men".

Does it Still McFly is interesting, as well. but on the whole, this score is nowhere near the TMP or the TWOK scores.

 

[Tom]

Kinda discouraging that cd is only 45 minutes when they could have added the tracks from the shuttle leaving the Enterprise and then the platform fight music that was pretty good, yet excluded from the CD. There was also the Robau 'walk with me' and then shuttle to the Narada music cues

 

[starbuck]

I,ve got the soundtrack and i love it ,its up there with TMP TWOK and i hope the future films end with the same tos score maybe become like the signature tune for the films

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I liked the score but thought the repetition of the film's main theme became monotonous.

I too liked the score but I thought the repetition of the film's main theme became monotonous

 

[Kpnuts]

Fine by me, the main theme was fantastic I thought. Stuck in my head. Hope they use it for the sequels as the NuTrek theme.

 

[FailedLurker]

I liked the score but thought the repetition of the film's main theme became monotonous.

I, too liked the score but I thought the repetition of the film's main theme became monotonous

My feeling is the exact opposite - after listening to the CD, one of my first reactions was "I hope there's more of the theme in the movie." Thankfully, there was. I thought the main theme was good, and I really luke the various uses. The Nero/Narada theme was suitable intimidating, and the Spock theme really grew on my with repeated viewings, especially the upbeat version used in the hanger scene.

One of the things I don't like about a lot of movie scores is the underuse of the themes, or themes that are too subtle. If you're not going to use the theme often, and the theme isn't easily recognizable when it's used, then what's the point of having a theme in the first place? That's one of the reasons I wasn't crazy about a lot of the SW prequel music, and why I like things like the first three SW and the LOTR scores.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Ah, but the SW and LOTR scores had far more themes and used extremely diverse arrangements for them. LOTR didn't just have 3 leitmoifs they used over and over... there were like a gazillion of them. I'd say the most "different" version we get of the main Star Trek theme is Hella Bar Talk.

I like the main theme, I did find myself humming it, but the next soundtrack needs more variety.

 

[FailedLurker]

But you're judging SW and LOTR based on 6-9 hours of film. If you look at just Fellowship, or just Star Wars, there's fewer different themes and less variation. And ST has never had thematic scores at the level of SW or LOTR; even Goldsmith's TMP only used three main themes IIRC (main theme, Ilia's theme, Klingon theme) one of which was only used in one scene.

I guess it't just personal taste. I like the new theme, and I like the ways it's used in the movie. Some people hear the same theme used again and want some more different music; I hear the theme used again and think, awesome, it's the theme again. TEHO, YMMV, and all that good stuff.

In the next movie, I imagine there'll be at least a new theme for the new villian, more of the Spock theme, and more development of the main theme.Maybe another new theme as well, though off the top of my head I'm not sure what else would get a theme of its own.

 

[destructive]

^Don't forget Spock's/Logic theme from TMP, used at least five times in that score

 

[FailedLurker]

Watching the movie again today with this discussion in mind, I think there's a lot more development of the main theme in this movie than we were giving it credit for. The ones that stick in your mind are the big, bold renditions, which are all pretty similar to a degree, but if you listen for it the theme is there in many forms, used to many ends, to evoke many different emotions. Listen for it the next time you see the movie, I think you'll be surprised.

I hope we get a more complete score release at some point, because a lot of the more interesting versions aren't on the current CD.

 

[Sector 7]

I,ve got the soundtrack and i love it ,its up there with TMP TWOK and i hope the future films end with the same tos score maybe become like the signature tune for the films

Agreed.

Fine by me, the main theme was fantastic I thought. Stuck in my head. Hope they use it for the sequels as the NuTrek theme.

Ditto.

Watching the movie again today with this discussion in mind, I think there's a lot more development of the main theme in this movie than we were giving it credit for. The ones that stick in your mind are the big, bold renditions, which are all pretty similar to a degree, but if you listen for it the theme is there in many forms, used to many ends, to evoke many different emotions. Listen for it the next time you see the movie, I think you'll be surprised.

I hope we get a more complete score release at some point, because a lot of the more interesting versions aren't on the current CD.

I could not agree more. I have the soundtrack on my desktop where I can easily access it any time.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I don't think the themes were as musically brilliant as those found in SW or LOTR, but I do think they were excellent and the most memorable since TOS. I have been playing the soundtrack constantly which I agree is too short in many places.

Watching TOS last night I thought about the music, how evocative it is even after all these years. While I don't expect the fight music to show up in XII (been parodied too often to be used IMHO) there are some stunning pieces that could be woven in to great effect, as XI did with those chiming notes from TOS in some scenes.

How about the Vulcan music, usually played when Spock is all angsty about something? Cello. Deep notes, perfect.. I would love it if this was used.

And hey wouldn't it be cool if at one point in XII we hear Uhura humming a few bars of Beyond Antares? Just in passing..

 

[Geckothan]

I thought the score sucked. Very repetitive, droning and not too memorable. The TOS theme at the end was nice however.

 

[Classic Fan]

Oooh, another soundtrack thread. Im getting used to these popping up.



I liked Giacchinos main theme, it was loud and epic sounding if only a minute long. Its good, but over used somewhat.

I liked the score, although the theme being repeated almost every other track got a bit tiresome.

I liked the three tracks that follow; Labor of love/Hella bar talk/Enterprising young men. Although, as said, That new Car Smell is interesting, if not a bit spliced together, it sounds that way anyway.

Loved teh end theme orchestration, he had the choirs in the last reprise and they were really prominant. And the space scenes to accompany them made it even better, really TOS esque.



By the way, does the Balok puppet appear at the very end of the credits?


How cool would that be.