hether it's Captain Kirk beaming down to a dangerous Class-M planet or
Apollo and Starbuck fearlessly fighting off another Cylon attack, there's
little question that for many science fiction fans the visual images
of their favorite shows are unforgettable. What's not always
apparent is the noteworthiness of the music. Fortunately, Battlestar Galactica: The A to Z of Fantasy TV Themes reminds speculative TV
enthusiasts that the tunes from their preferred programs offer memories that, in
many respects, can be just as vibrant as the on-screen action.
This collection of revamped compositions opens--not surprisingly--with a short
symphonic suite devoted to the main motifs of Battlestar Galactica. The two-CD set includes new versions of other tried-and-true SF melodies, such as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Outer Limits, The Time Tunnel, The Twilight Zone, V: The Series and The X-Files. The collection also features concert versions of the themes from SeaQuest DSV and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, along with works from Airwolf, Knight Rider, Land of the Giants, Quantum Leap, Space: Above and Beyond and Star Trek: Voyager. Meanwhile, British TV productions aren't entirely ignored. Amidst the 30 tracks (15 per disc) there are numbers from The Avengers, Fireball XL-5, The Prisoner, Red Dwarf, Space:
1999 and Thunderbirds.
Although the majority of the cues are SF-oriented, as the title implies
there are some tunes from fantasy programs as well. These include classic themes from The Addams Family, The Munsters and Twin Peaks, in
addition to melodies from contemporary series like Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. The City of Prague Philharmonic or the Daniel Caine Orchestra performs most of the works, with a few tracks generated by other individuals or ensembles.
Entertaining but imperfect
For true-blue SF music devotees, there's always something thrilling about
hearing a favorite movie or television melody. And while few of the album's cuts will ever be confused with the original renditions, this collection offers speculative-music aficionados a concise and entertaining--albeit somewhat imperfect--set of notable
television tunes.
Doctor Who, performed solely by Silva Screen regular Mark Ayres, is
nicely executed, utilizing synthesized sounds to generate a slightly
laid-back interpretation of the famed composition. "Voyage to the Bottom
of the Sea - The Seaview Theme" is also a standout selection, not so much
because it effectively recreates the sonar pings from the title sequence, but
due to its wavering strings and rousing horns, which nicely evoke the
corny grandeur of both the submarine and the series itself.
Folks expecting something more than typical instrumental fare will be
pleasantly surprised, too. Alexander Courage's celebrated Star Trek
theme spotlights a strong soprano solo, while cuts from Red Dwarf and
Fireball XL-5 both contain excellent vocal components. Even The
Addams Family includes the requisite finger-snapping and an amusing,
though at times meager, chorus.
Unfortunately, not every interpretation is as accomplished. A
suite linking the first- and third-season main titles from Lost in Space is
thoroughly lackluster, and the overture from Xena: Warrior Princess is
a tad somber, imparting a dour tone to the song's otherwise
invigorating Middle Eastern/Mediterranean motifs. Yet, even with the original
versions of nearly all these cues readily available elsewhere, SF music buffs
seeking a competent assortment of ersatz television tunes should find Battlestar Galactica: The A to Z of Fantasy TV Themes reasonably
satisfying.
