A Score To Settle Podcast - Episode 44, The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 5 - The 1980's

Welcome to 2022, everyone! In this first podcast episode of the year, my multi-part journey into the music of Science Fiction cinema and its evolving soundscape through the decades continues. We’re now crossing over into the 1980’s, following on from the seismic shift in film scoring which occurred with the unexpected arrival of STAR WARS in 1977 and its John Williams-penned symphonic score, hearkening back to the sounds of the classical Hollywood era. This symphonic shadow loomed large over Sci-Fi movies of the 80's, as heard here in music composed by James Horner (BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, STAR TREK II), John Scott (THE FINAL COUNTDOWN) and Elmer Bernstein (SATURN 3, HEAVY METAL).  However, the incorporation of synthesizers into soundtracks increased, both combined with large orchestras and also in solo efforts, such as John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) and the inimitable Vangelis score for BLADE RUNNER (1982).

I hope that everyone who listens will enjoy the episode and kindly forgive any technical or factual gaffes. Below is the embedded player from which you can listen or simply click on the website link to head directly to where the podcast is hosted on Podbean. 

Feel free to subscribe and download the episode via iTunes, just search their store for "a score to settle" or launch from the link below. If you do listen through iTunes, take a moment to rate the show and write a review, it will help bring me more notice. The podcast is also available on Spotify! Check out the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts, the latter of which can be found at @score2settlepod. Thanks again!

iTunes

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A Score To Settle Podcast - Episode 43, The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 4 - The 1970's cont

Greetings everyone! In this new episode of the podcast, my sonic journey through the music for Science Fiction cinema through the decades continues, by closing out the 1970's. This will focus on titles from the 1977-1979 years, and more specifically STAR WARS and the ripples created by that seismic shift of its musical score composed by John Williams. The electronic and avant garde sounds of the genre heard during the early Seventies found themselves supplanted by the return of those of the Golden Age of Hollywood, being the more traditionally symphonic soundscapes.  

John Williams features prominently as expected, by way of not only STAR WARS but both CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE, along with titles by Jerry Goldsmith (DAMNATION ALLEY, ALIEN, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE), John Barry (STARCRASH, THE BLACK HOLE), Laurence Rosenthal (THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU, METEOR), Brian May (MAD MAX) and others.

I hope that everyone who listens will enjoy the episode and kindly forgive any technical or factual gaffes. Below is the embedded player from which you can listen or simply click on the website link to head directly to where the podcast is hosted on Podbean. 

Feel free to subscribe and download the episode via iTunes, just search their store for "a score to settle" or launch from the link below. If you do listen through iTunes, take a moment to rate the show and write a review, it will help bring me more notice. The podcast is also available on Spotify! Check out the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts, the latter of which can be found at @score2settlepod. Thanks again!

iTunes

Spotify

A Score To Settle Podcast - Episode 42, The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 3 - The 1970's

Hi again everybody! In this episode of the podcast, my multi-part deep dive into the malleable soundscape of Science Fiction cinema continues, with the focus today being the 1970’s. Well, to be more specific, this episode focuses on the first half of the 1970's. It was a period when the sweeping symphonic sound of the Golden Age had briefly faded, mostly supplanted by either pop inflected scores and songs, tracked in classical works or experimental, often electronic tones. Sci-fi film scores (and composers) represented here include COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT (Michel Colombier), THE OMEGA MAN (Ron Grainer), SILENT RUNNING (Peter Schickele), SOYLENT GREEN (Fred Myrow), LOGAN'S RUN (Jerry Goldsmith) and a suite of music from the four PLANET OF THE APES sequels.

I hope that everyone who listens will enjoy the episode and kindly forgive any technical or factual gaffes. Below is the embedded player from which you can listen or simply click on the website link to head directly to where the podcast is hosted on Podbean. 

Feel free to subscribe and download the episode via iTunes, just search their store for "a score to settle" or launch from the link below. If you do listen through iTunes, take a moment to rate the show and write a review, it will help bring more notice. The podcast is also available on Spotify! Check out the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts, the latter of which can be found at @score2settlepod. Thanks again!

iTunes

Spotify

 

A Score To Settle Podcast - Episode 41, The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 2- The 1960's

Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode I continue on to the next chapter of a multi-part deep dive, into the evolving music of Science Fiction cinema through the decades, with my focus today being the 1960’s. Thus far, we’ve journeyed through the 1950’s scores which were brimming with electric violins, theremins, Novachords, jarring stinger chords and harsh onslaughts of brass and percussion.

Now, as we advance into the 1960's, we'll hear sumptuous symphonic scores for THE TIME MACHINE (1960) and MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961), pop and jazz influences in PANIC IN YEAR ZERO! (1962) and BARBARELLA (1968) and avant garde concert techniques expressed in the music for FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1966) and PLANET OF THE APES (1968). Composers represented here include Bernard Herrmann, Jerry Goldsmith, Les Baxter, Russell Garcia, Akira Ifukube - plus vocal crooning by Frankie Avalon! I also include samples of Alex North's original, unused score for the Stanley Kubrick directed, game-changing classic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

I hope that everyone who listens will enjoy the episode and kindly forgive any technical or factual gaffes. Below is the embedded player from which you can listen or simply click on the website link to head directly to where the podcast is hosted on Podbean. 

Feel free to subscribe and download the episode via iTunes, just search their store for "a score to settle" or launch from the link below. If you do listen through iTunes, take a moment to rate the show and write a review, it will help bring more notice. The podcast is also available on Spotify! Check out the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts, the latter of which can be found at @score2settlepod. Thanks again!

iTunes

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A Score To Settle Podcast - Episode 40, The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 1 - The 1950's

Welcome to this new episode of the podcast - the 40th! Beginning with this episode, my plan is to present a multi-part analysis into a specific cinematic genre, that being the music of science fiction through the years. The 1950's is often considered the initial Golden Age of Science Fiction, when the genre showcased its own distinctiveness onscreen and gained notoriety in part due to films such as THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), CONQUEST OF SPACE (1955) and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). Music from this decade's theatrical entries is where my listening journey will start, including selections composed by Bernard Herrmann, Leith Stevens, Herman Stein and Nathan Van Cleave. 

Of course, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive or definitive overview in any sense of the word, consisting instead of my own observations of how music for science fiction movies, those involving outer space, invading aliens and time travel, developed its own personality and evolved over time. With luck, my reach won't exceed my grasp and I will endeavor to produce an episode for each decade at least up until the 1990's. As a teaser, I've created a special suite of musical selections from various Sci-Fi film scores from the 50's to the 90's. 

I hope that everyone who listens will enjoy the episode and kindly forgive any technical or factual gaffes. Below is the embedded player from which you can listen or simply click on the website link to head directly to where the podcast is hosted on Podbean. 

Feel free to subscribe and download the episode via iTunes, just search their store for "a score to settle" or launch from the link below. If you do listen through iTunes, take a moment to rate the show and write a review, it will help bring more notice. The podcast is also available on Spotify! Check out the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts, the latter of which can be found at @score2settlepod. Thanks again!

iTunes

Spotify