t seems as if almost every week Hollywood studio executives release another movie that they hope will become the next breakout science-fiction success. Of course, many disappear from theaters before folks even have a chance to see them, but there are a few productions that, often despite the expectations of critics, become huge hits. Great Science Fiction Blockbusters is a new, budget-priced collection that presents a varied combination of original orchestral cues and revamped cuts from a dozen celebrated films. On the whole, these selections epitomize the usual assortment of familiar themes, though there are a couple of unexpected choices that distinguish this recording slightly from the average "best-of" package.
The first of these surprising works surfaces following a trio of rousing yet run-of-the-mill re-created melodies from Independence Day, Star Wars: Episode One—The Phantom Menace and Star Trek: Insurrection. Penned by Alex North, the blithe "Space Station Docking"—performed here by the National Philharmonic Orchestra—is part of a score that was originally written for, but never actually used in, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The inspiring Judge Dredd "End Credits," Back to the Future Part II's "Hill Valley 2015" and the eerie "Finale" from The Abyss are among the other out-of-the-ordinary selections.
Nearly half of the performances are actual soundtrack excerpts—including works from The Matrix, Total Recall, Aliens, Starship Troopers and the aforementioned The Abyss—with most of the other pieces played, under the direction of various conductors, by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The scant foldout booklet accompanying the disc contains a perfunctory track listing and an advertisement for a handful of other SF-themed releases from the Varèse Sarabande catalog.
Been there, heard that
Before new science-fiction films debuted practically every weekend, SF movie-music anthologies were relatively rare, and, more often than not, fans were thrilled simply to find any platter featuring futuristic motion-picture melodies. Such collections are a dime a dozen nowadays, so album producers must strive to differentiate their product from comparable packages already on the market. Alas, Great Science Fiction Blockbusters isn't overly distinctive. While not without some merit, the compilation is a rather slapdash effort, highlighting a few choice cuts among otherwise predictable and passé fare.
"Space Station Docking" is clearly the most striking piece, with dreamy woodwinds and sweet violins producing a spellbinding, seemingly weightless waltz that truly captures the elegance, exhilaration and excellence of Kubrick's monumental movie. It's a beautiful, bucolic composition presenting a brief yet intriguing indication of how the 2001 score might have sounded had North's contributions not been discarded. The Battlestar Galactica "Theme," reconstructed by original composer Stu Phillips, is also admirable, encapsulating the splendor and exaggerated excitement of the treasured TV series, just as "Klendathu Drop," an authentic cue from Starship Troopers, succinctly summarizes, through powerful martial percussion and horns, the over-the-top ambiance of that heady adventure.
Still, Great Science Fiction Blockbusters is, by and large, mediocre. All of the numbers are readily available elsewhere, either on bona-fide soundtrack recordings or on similar discs released by competing companies. Some of the individual selections, such as "Futile Escape" from Aliens, are also questionable, since there are stronger cuts accessible on the full-length score CDs. Each performance is consistently solid, but overall the album, which admittedly is constrained by having to draw solely from the label's inventory, is ordinary and uninspired.
