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Jun 10, 2016 · Science fiction is a genre that has produced many innovative and classic film scores. From the introduction of the theremin, to startling orchestration, the analogue synth soundtracks of the 70’s and the electronica of recent years, Sci-Fi has it all.
- The great music of science fiction cinema isn’t relegated to just the John Williams and Jerry Goldsmiths of the world.
- The Sci-Fi Writer You Didn't Know Wrote Everything: Philip K. Dick
By Lauren Lavin
Updated: Mar 21, 2018 6:06 pm
Posted: Mar 21, 2018 5:26 pm
Since the birth of the theremin, the importance of inventive music to science-fiction filmmaking has been indisputable. And with recent Marvel soundtracks enjoying vinyl-collector levels of popularity, we’ve decided to revisit some of the best song collections in modern sci-fi films.
Some of these entries occupy the murky space between “soundtrack” and “score,” but each one made the list because of how important the presence of music (whether popular or original) is to the narrative or overall vibe of the film. (Or because I think they’re really good songs, dammit.) And with respect to John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith, we’re looking for less “standard classical” and more “Wait a sec, was that the Fairy Fountain music from Legend of Zelda?” Here they are, in chronological order…
(And just to clarify, a soundtrack is generally made up of songs -- like pop music -- connected to the movie, whereas the score is usually non-diegetic music composed specifically for the film. There is a blurring between soundtrack and score in some cases, but we're focusing on soundtracks today.)
Lauren Lavin is a freelance writer and artist who can be found on Twitter @YasBruja.
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- Lauren Lavin
- The Wizard of Oz. Release date: August 25, 1939. Composer/Conductor: Herbert Stothart. Even though songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Follow The Yellow Brick Road” get most of the credit for the award-winning musical numbers in this seminal sci-fi fantasy classic, it’s the majestic musical score that ties it all together.
- Star Wars. Release date: May 25, 1977. Composer/Conductor: John Williams. An instant classic from a galaxy far, far away, so of course this was going to be one of the top Oscar sci-fi soundtracks of all time.
- Black Panther. Release date: February 16, 2018. Composer/Conductor: Ludwig Göransson. With a jungle-themed rush of primal drums and Africa-inspired folk instruments, Göransson’s enjoyable score for this hit Marvel Studios movie elevates the film into much more than just a comic book superhero outing.
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Release date: June 11, 1982. Composer/Conductor: John Williams. After creating the acclaimed musical score for Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman: The Movie, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, John Williams was back with Steven Spielberg for this sentimental sci-fi fable about a peaceful marooned alien and a young boy who welcomes him into his home and protects him.
- Charles Papadopoulos
- Star Wars. Composed by John Williams. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. PG. Release Date. May 25, 1977. Director. George Lucas. Cast. Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Alec Guinness , David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Frank Oz , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , Peter Cushing.
- Interstellar. Composed by Hans Zimmer. PG-13. Release Date. November 7, 2014. Director. Christopher Nolan. Cast. Anne Hathaway , Matthew McConaughey , Jessica Chastain , Ellen Burstyn , Michael Caine , Bill Irwin.
- Blade Runner. Composed by Vangelis. R. Release Date. June 25, 1982. Director. Ridley Scott. Cast. Harrison Ford , Rutger Hauer , Sean Young , Edward James Olmos , M. Emmet Walsh , Daryl Hannah , William Sanderson , Joe Turkel.
- E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Composed by John Williams. the Extra-Terrestrial pg Release Date. June 11, 1982. Director. Steven Spielberg. Cast. Drew Barrymore , Henry Thomas , Robert MacNaughton.
- List Writer
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) The third installment in George Lucas's Star Wars prequel trilogy begins at the end of the Clone Wars, a galactic wide conflict that has pushed the Jedi away from their origins as peacekeepers for the Republic.
- Interstellar (2014) Prolific director Christopher Nolan's (Inception) science fiction epic Interstellar tells the story of ex NASA pilot turned corn farmer Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) as he travels to another galaxy in search of a way to save not only his family but all mankind from a quickly decaying Earth.
- Ex Machina (2014) Screenwriter Alex Garland's (28 Days Later) chilling directorial debut, Ex Machina is a sci-fi thriller that questions the moral ethics of creating and imprisoning an artificially intelligent being.
- Solaris (2002) Director Steven Soderbergh's (Ocean's Eleven) adaptation of the 1961 polish novel Solaris is a slow burning, mind-bending mystery set almost entirely aboard a space station.
Mar 21, 2018 · Since the birth of the theremin, the importance of inventive music to science-fiction filmmaking has been indisputable. And with recent Marvel soundtracks enjoying vinyl-collector levels of...
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5 days ago · No matter what your musical taste might be, whether you fancy a little glitter rock stomper, a modern indie pop toe-tapper, or a quirky and colorful pop hook, there are science fiction songs to be found across any and every kind of musical genre, and this extensive list of songs with sci-fi themes has it all.
