Top 5 favorite Trek Movie Soundtracks.

[CaptainMurdock]

Here are mine, what are yours?

1) Star Trek: TMP. Goldsmith's finest contribution to the series.

2) Star Trek III: Search for spock. More or less and expansion on the Wrath of Khan soundtrack, James Horner continues his excellent streak with even more epic music including more themes from TOS.

3) ST09: Trek music Newcomer Michael Giacchino created an epic memorable score that has many elements of TOS style score. Chutes and Matter comes to mind as it reminds me of the Music from Amok Time.

4) ST V The Final Frontier: Once Again, Jerry Goldsmith show off his excellent skills in composing music. It's Rambo meets Trek.

5)STII The Wrath of Khan: James Horner had taken a big risk in doing something entirely different for his scores thanks to the suggestion of Nick Meyer not to emulate Goldsmith. It payed off well and has some of the best music in any of the films.

So fellow fans, what are your top five trek scores?

 

[dub]

Thanks for the topic!

5. Generations - I used to listen to the beginning over and over again when the bottle smashes into the Enterprise B! The fanfare theme is nice and there are some awesomely suspenseful cues in this score (which end up getting reused in DS9). I'm glad McCarthy was given a chance to open up for once.

4. Wrath of Khan - This score just screams adventure! I just wish James Horner was asked to finished out the trilogy with IV.

3. First Contact - I just love this theme so much. It's so simple, yet so beautiful. Goldsmith was so great at that.

2. The Undiscovered Country - Cliff Eidelman's haunting open left me unsettled from the beginning. His fanfare theme was the perfect send off for TOS. And in between he had some incredible cues that added to the suspense and grandeur of the film.

1. The Motion Picture - Amazing work! There is just so much there. So many beautiful themes that inspired much of the Trek music that followed. The music for Kirk's tour of the Enterprise will never get old. I'm so glad they asked Goldsmith to change it.

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The other movies:

Search for Spock - I liked a lot of this score, but I liked Wrath of Khan better. I preferred Goldsmith's theme for the Klingons, though it sounds like Horner was inspired by Goldsmith to a certain degree.

The Voyage Home - A lot of the music sounds dated compared to the music from other films. Some of the music was fun though.

The Final Frontier - I loved the Yosemite theme.

Insurrection - Again, beautiful themes, but it's probably not one of my favorites because the movie is not one of my favorites.

Nemesis - I loved the opening. I also loved the end when I think we had some "Blue Skies" in the score before the march music comes in. But that's really all I remember about that score.

Trek 2009 - JJ wanted the audience to know he was coming at us with something big, and Giacchino followed through with large orchestra hits, crazy percussion, and more. He threw everything at us. The theme itself has grown on me, and of course I LOVE the end with the TOS theme. I would say this one is #6 for me.

 

[sbk1234]

I find that there are parts of each soundtrack that I like better than others, so it's hard to say best "soundtrack".

However, I'll do my best:

1. TMP. Truly classic masterpiece.
2. TWOK. Emotional and exciting for me.
3. TFF. Not only continuing Goldsmith's brilliant work, but adds some wonderful stuff, including the Yosemite stuff, and "A Busy Man."
4. First Contact. Actually, it's my favorite Star Trek main theme. However, some of the tracks I find a bit monotonous. Still, there's some great cues.
5. TVH. Fun and new. I liked how they included more contemporary sounds to go along with the time travel to the primitive 1980s.

I'll also mention that even though the film isn't widely regarded, I think the music from Insurrection was beautiful.

 

[CaptPapa]

I agree this is a tough call - there's alot of great music here. Here's my list . . .

5 - The Final Frontier. Especially the mountain-climbing sequence, beautiful.

4 - Star Trek 2009. A rousing good time.

3 - The Undiscovered Country. Excellent, especially the end sequences

2 - tie; The Search for Spock and The Wrath of Khan

1 - The Motion Picture. Really not any question here.

Sorry, I couldn't get down to five after all.

 

[Greg Cox]

Not sure I can manage five, but the three I listen to the most are:

1) First Contact
2) The Wrath of Khan
3) Star Trek (2009)

Those three are my go-to soundtracks when writing Trek.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

1. THE WRATH OF KHAN is the evergreen I can always come back to. I get wrapped up in it and really get my money's worth emotionally.

2. TMP: the music is more intellectual, but still has great feeling in places, especially in the Klingon battle and "The Enterprise" with its thrilling conclusion.

3. THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK: lots of beautiful cues here. The expanded CD from FSM is a huge improvement.

4. FIRST CONTACT: the main title is fantastic, some interior cues also very good.

Tie:
5. GENERATIONS: stirring overture and good interior cues.

5. ST-2009: the main heroic theme and "Labor of Love" are really good.

 

[heavy lids]

First Contact, by far. The opening credits piece is beautiful.

 

[jackal]

1. TWOK. My fave Trek film and score.
2. GEN. Terrific main theme, and Picard's nexus theme has always moved me.
3. TFF. The opening Yosemite cue is probably my favourite piece of music from any of the films.
4. TSFS. 'Stealing the Enterprise' makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
5. TUC. First Trek film I saw as a kid, and Eidelman's music takes me right back to seeing this as a nine year old.

Not interested in seeing Nu-Trek, so haven't heard Giacchino's music.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Loved the soundtracks to V, III and XI. And the FC opening theme. The rest have all melded together.

 

[Use of Time]

1. TMP - I just love the visual of the rushing stars set to that haunting melody to open the movie.

2. TWOK - The opening theme somehow screams Star Trek and is a tune I would say summarizes all of the Kirk era movies.

3. TVH - More of an uplifting score than the previous.

4. FC - Beautiful opening sequence follow by mostly dark tones.

5. TUC - The opening sequence is epic.