Goldfinger (1964)

Introduction:

How do you write a review for what many consider  the quintessential James Bond movie. It is considered the king of the Connery flicks (and for many the best James Bond film ever made). It is the very definition of iconic. So really, should I spend any time going over what everyone else already knows? Of course I will! I’m going to write reviews for every Bond movie. Besides, I think it’s time to scrape off some of that gold paint and see a bit of the tarnish underneath. Oh yeah… I’m going there.

Summary:

British super agent James Bond (Sean Connery) is just trying to enjoy some relaxation in Miami when his superior M (Bernard Lee) gives him a new assignment. Bond is to observe Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) a wealthy industrialist who they suspect is in the gold smuggling business. Bond quickly gets on Goldfinger’s bad side when he seduces Goldfinger’s pretty assistant Jill (Shirley Eaton). Before you can say “most famous film image of the 1960s”, Jill is covered in gold paint and Bond Is standing over her lifeless body.

Well Bond isn’t going to take this lying down. He goes after Goldfinger and soon uncovers a diabolical scheme to raid Fort Knox! With some help from the pretty Tilly (Tania Mallet) and a super car, Bond attempts to stop the plot. But against him are Goldfinger’s dangerous agents, Oddjob (Harold Sakata) and Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman). Does Bond have any hope of bringing Goldfinger to justice?

Good Points:

• Hits all the key elements that you expect in a James Bond film
• Honor Blackman is alluring in her role
• The Astin Martin nearly steals the show

Bad Points:

• Drops the serious thrills in favor of silly spectacle
• Bond spends the second half of the movie hanging out
• The script could have used a few more passes

Overall:

The James Bond series hits the formula in this film, and it would inspire many of the sequels as well as countless imitators. It’s a fun flick, but a long way from the edgy thrillers leading up to this film. The script has plenty of loose threads and random moments. While I don’t hold this is a high point, it’s a perfectly average outing for 007.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 2

Music: 4

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 3

Total:  3

In Depth Review

It was the kiss of death, from Mr. Goldfinger.

A lot of people LOVE this movie. When it comes to king of the James Bond series, Goldfinger tends to be on top. As I mentioned before, nearly every scene is iconic in some way. It’s fun, a bit breezy, a bit over the top and has some very funny and quotable lines in it. In so many ways, this film was the perfect fit for the perfect time. It was this film that turned James Bond into a phenomenon.

Because of all that, it’s really hard to look at the film objectively, or in comparison to the other James Bond films around it. The Bond series is very much a snapshot of popular culture. With this film – Bond became popular culture, and held that position for the next couple movies. I think that is why so many people connected with it, and with Sean Connery as their James Bond.

But that doesn’t mean only people who caught Goldfinger in theaters are the big fans. I’ve met plenty of people my age and younger who adore the film. Most of the time, it is their first exposure to James Bond and it becomes a kind of keystone for them. All other Bond films are measured against it.

But I believe that as entertaining as the film is, it isn’t the best James Bond film, or even the best Sean Connery film, or even the best Bond film of the 1960s. It lies solidly in the middle of the pack.

No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.

The visuals are one of the most impressive things about the film. Ken Adam did an amazing job with the set design and would only top it in You Only Live Twice. His set for Fort Knox is stellar, looking impressive and a bit fantastic. The shimmering gold lighting and illuminating the bars all around James and Oddjob during the final battle are like something out of a dream. Equally impressive is Goldfinger’s rec-room/war room. With Its sliding panels, trapdoors and rising and falling furniture, it’s the perfect man cave for a megalomaniacal villain.  Then there is the laser room, easily one of the most iconic visuals in the film, with its sole table in the center of darkness, as the shiny machine prepares to whittle Bond down to size. Last but not least is the first time we see Q’s laboratory. This scene made such an impression that it was considered mandatory inclusion in every Bond film until Casino Royale in 2006.

This leads into the camerawork in the film. Goldfinger has so many memorable visuals in it, and that goes in large part to Ted Moore’s cinematography and framing. The golden girl draped across the bed is immediately stamped into our minds. The low angle, the lighting plays up the beauty and horror of the scene. I already mentioned the laser scene, but the high angle for the establishing shots, not to mention the close ups on the laser and it’s progress are striking. The entire finale sequence at Fort Knox includes many visual highlights. Strangely enough, whenever I think of this film, my mind goes right to the aerial photography of Pussy’s pilots flying over the military base around the fort. Combined with John Barry’s brassy score, this moment always stands out. Finally you have the framing of the battle around and inside the fort, with the camera capturing the scope of Adam’s sets as well as the action in front of us.

Operation Grand Slam has nothing to do with Denny's.

As usual the sound effects work in the Bond film meets the needs of the production. These early films didn’t have some of the spectacular sound work of the later flicks (especially from Goldeneye on). But the musical score by John Barry is often considered the first “true” James Bond score. Barry helped pen the title theme, and uses it as the theme for the film. He integrates Monty Norman’s James Bond theme into the score at key moments and even comes up with a sinister motif for Oddjob. From Goldfinger to The Living Daylights Barry’s signature sound would be the frame for all the James Bond films. Even when different composers tackled the series, they would end up relying on the mold Barry created here.

From an acting standpoint, you’ve got a solid cast. Connery seems to be having a good time in the role, comfortable with the character and the lighter tone of the film. I think he’s a bit better in Thunderball, because the role is a bit meatier. Matching him is Honor Blackman as Pussy. I love her tough gal performance. She doesn’t take any flack from Bond and seems to be a perfect match for him. Of course she has to melt in his arms by the end, but while she’s his foil, she does a great job.  Gert Frobe is a bit tougher to judge. He was dubbed over and so you have to judge his physical presence more than anything else. He’s got the sinister, confident and jovial villain down pat. It was such a memorable performance that it would be cloned in many imitations (and even a few sequels).

Silent henchmen and caddy, Oddjob does it all.

The supporting cast is great too, with Sakata being an intimidating presence as Oddjob. Shirley Eaton is sexy and likable as Jill Masterson who would become the golden girl. Tania Mallet as her sister Tilly is just as good as the revenge driven sibling. Back in London we get solid performances by Bernard Lee and Louis Maxwell. But the real surprise was Desmond Llewellyn as Q. The part was greatly expanded from his appearance in From Russia With Love. Here he is a foil for Bond and does a great job in the part. Again, it became a necessity to have Llewellyn in the part that he appeared in every James Bond film by MGM until 1999’s The World is Not Enough (with the exception of Live and Let Die).

Where Golfinger ends up falling a bit short is in the script. And that’s not to say the actual dialogue itself. There are plenty of classic lines from this film, and many that have become some of the most beloved lines in the James Bond canon. No I’m talking about the way story is constructed and executed.

It's Pushy!

From an early point on director Guy Hamilton decided to change the tone of this particular James Bond movie. He wanted to make it less inspired by Hitchcock, as From Russia With Love obviously was. He decided to make the whole thing more light and more like a comic book. This may be why certain plot elements aren’t really fleshed out or seem to go nowhere.

With the focus firmly on getting Bond into and out of scrapes, this allowed the writing team to come up with the first full pre-credit sequence. Unlike the one from the previous film, Goldfinger’s pre-credit sequence acts like a short Bond film. It gives us everything we could want, and sets the tone of the film. There’s action, explosions, a hot girl, Bond acting suave and Bond with a seagull on his head. It even ends with a classic post kill quip.

I got to admit this was a great way to start the movie. Once the movie proper kicks in, the first hour or so is actually handled fairly well. The introduction to Goldfinger is classic. I love how Bond outmaneuvers him in the card game, and then again during the golf game. Once he gets into the Goldfinger’s refinery and we get the great car chase, it seems like the movie is shaping up well.

Settle in James, you'll be stuck here a long time.

Things start to go badly when the movie arrives in Kentucky. Goldfinger catches sight of Felix (Cic Linder) casing the place and keeping an eye out for Bond. So Goldfinger decides to keep Bond around, visibly walking around with Pussy. This convinces Felix that Bond is in no danger. This whole sequence seems a bit pointless. It ends up slowing the forward momentum of the story. Too much time is spent with Bond in captivity and sitting around making smart remarks and not much else.

The weakest bit of writing in Goldfinger comes during the scene where our villain gathers all the mob bosses together, tells them his entire plot and then kills them. If he was just planning on killing them, why bother to tell them his plot? You can write it off as his ego forcing him to gloat. But it’s just bad screenwriting. The scene only exists to allow Bond to hear the plot and then get the word to Felix. There had to be a better way to get that information. Instead we get a fairly messy scene that leads to another pointless (but cool scene) of Oddjob getting rid of the last gangster, ironically named Solo (Martin Benson).

The Bond vs. Oddjob battle is a classic.

Once the action moves to Fort Knox, it gets better. Bond still spends most of the sequence chained to a metal box, but the stakes are high and it’s fun to watch Goldfinger’s plan in action. When Bond manages to free himself it feels like a James Bond film again, and the ending is good. I still think Goldfingers final scene is bizarre and hilarious. I’m not sure if that was the intention, but it’s one of the goofiest villain deaths in the canon (only supplanted by the bizarre death by inflation in Live and Let Die).

The second hour of the film always annoys me. It’s too messy and lacks momentum. The thing is, it fits the more cartoony and breezy tone that Hamilton wanted. You aren’t supposed to think about the movie that hard, just enjoy the ride. And most folks do.

"You've been a very naughty screenwriter."

But the side effect is that there is very little danger in this film. The most intense scene Is the laser sequence. Compared to the tense capture scene in Dr. No or the brilliant game of wits on the train with Grant in From Russia with Love, this movie is much less concerned with danger and more with spectacle. It’s that element that really turned Bond into a phenomenon. I’m not complaining, I love Bond flicks when they pull out all stops like Thunderball or The Spy Who Loved Me. But the thing is, I like both of those movies more than Goldfinger. They have better momentum, and a better understanding of what they are trying to accomplish.

But at the same time Goldfinger was the first of it’s kind of film. Even more than Dr. No it is really the beginning of the James Bond legacy, and so it deserves that distinction and everything that goes with it. But I feel that I can’t be called the best of the best. 

Commando (1985)

Introduction:

When I was younger, I was much more into sci-fi and fantasy flicks, so I missed a lot of the big action movies of the 80s. I decided to remedy that, you know, to keep my 80s movie street cred solid. One of the action flicks that receives a lot of discussion is this fine film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. To some, it’s the ultimate Arnold movie; to others it’s a laughable mess. Either way, it’s got some of the best action one liners I’ve heard in a long time.

Summary:

John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger), yes that’s his real name, just wants to spend time with his cute as a button daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). But alas, a black ops commando’s work is never done. John is pulled in for one more job, to find out who is killing off the other retired commandos from his old team.

Turns out the wicked Arius (Dan Hedaya) has contracted the scenery chewing, chain mail wearing Bennett (Vernon Wells) and his team to capture Jenny and force John Matrix to do his dirty work. John Matrix won’t stand for this, because his name is John Matrix. So he proceeds to hunt down and kill each of the bad guys with glorious pun after glorious pun. Along the way he pulls poor Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) into the whole mess. Prepare yourself for endless gunfire, Arnold swinging across a mall by a streamer, and of course the phrase “I’ll be back”. Nothing can stop this Commando.

Good Points:

• Pure 80s action goodness
• Pretty much moves non-stop once Jenny gets captured
• Some pretty cool and exciting stunts in this movie

Bad Points:

• Unapologetically 80s in style and reckless abandon
• The puns will have some people groaning in agony
• The music has been known to drive some viewers mad 

Overall:

Um, so yeah, this is pretty much the perfect example of over the top action from the 1980s. I’m not at all surprised it came out the same year as Rambo II. What makes this movie so much fun is the hilariously bad puns Arnold says with each kill. I also love the opening credit montage featuring scenes of the happy family life of John and Jenny. The movie isn’t in on the joke, and yet that makes the whole thing much more entertaining. They don’t make action movies like this anymore; some might argue that’s a good thing. But I had a good time with this one.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 3

Sound: 3

Acting: 3

Script: 4

Music: 3

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Introduction:

In many ways Star Trek: The Motion Picture suffered a fate similar to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Both were preceded by a large hype machine. Both had fans eager to see the continuing adventures of their favorite characters. Both had fans with very distinct notions of what those adventures should be like. Both films had directors that were shooting for something much different than the fans expected. Both got hit pretty hard by the fans upon release. Of course the big difference is that The Motion Picture didn’t have Jar Jar Binks.

Summary:

When a mysterious cloud-like entity destroys three Klingon warships and a Federation space station, Starfleet becomes a bit nervous. When they determine that the cloud is coming toward earth they decide to send their flagship, the Enterprise to investigate. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) pulls some strings to lead the mission, pushing aside Captain Decker (Stephen Collins). Along the way they pick up Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who has determined that pure logic may not be the answer to all his questions.

The Enterprise confronts the cloud and with it a strange energy probe that abducts Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta). When it returns her, she appears to be a mechanical replica that answers to a being called V’Ger. This being has crossed the endless voids to find it’s creator, and it will stop at nothing to do so. Can the crew of the Enterprise solve the puzzle of this mysterious being before it destroys Earth?

Good Points:

• Amazing visual effects that still hold up well today
• Jerry Goldsmith provides what I consider his masterpiece of film music
• Captures the awe and vastness of space exploration

Bad Points:

• The characters don’t feel like the familiar group
• The movie takes its sweet time doing anything!
• The plot is recycled and thin

Overall:

This movie needs to be rediscovered. It is the only Star Trek film to really embrace the spectacle and enormity of the unknown, and does it in a primarily visual style. It falls directly in line with the ideals and themes of the series, and avoids a direct comparison to Star Wars. While it’s not the best of the series, it is the most ambitious and most thematic of the films. Once you appreciate what it’s trying to do, the movie really works.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 4

Acting: 3

Script: 3

Music: 5

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

Boldly watching what no man has watched before.

Contrary to popular belief, Star Trek: The Motion Picture did very well in the box office. Often I see this film labeled a box office bomb, but the film made its budget back and more. Star Trek fans may have been disappointed, but they saw the film again and again. The success of the film helped fuel additional movies that would lead into spin off television series and a full-fledged franchise. So most Trek fans are willing to give the 1979 film that much, even if they find it dull, lifeless and plodding.

I will admit the film is flawed. It could have used a few more passes with the script, and tightened a few elements down. It could have made the characters feel closer to their television series versions with a bit more banter and camaraderie. It could have turned the story into something more crucial to the world of Star Trek, or to the characters (preferably both). Instead the film focuses on the themes more than the plot and characters and in that way is closer to 2001: A Space Odyssey than it is to Star Wars: A New Hope.

The Enterprise in the belly of the beast.

From that point of view, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a dazzling success, especially with the director’s cut that was released on DVD back in 2001. It deals with man’s interaction with machine, on several different levels. It examines the power of logic with the power of irrational human emotions and reactions. And surrounding this core theme is the wonder and awe of the unknown.

What is interesting to me is that the special effects created back in 1979 hold up today (for the most part). So much time and effort went into creating the detailed models, sets, and assorted visuals that most of them were reused and reconfigured for the most of the remaining franchise. A whole host of different visual effect techniques were used, from in-camera tricks, to full-blown composite shots using state of the art motion control techniques. The director’s cut adds a few digital clean up scenes here and there. But nearly all of them would have been possible if the production had a bit more time to smooth things over.

For me it’s the model work that impresses the most. The Enterprise is beautiful creation, and seeing on the big screen during its introduction is a real treat. The camera was able to get incredibly close to the model, because of it’s size (8 feet) and the amazing detail on it. In addition you have the detailed model for the V’Ger starship, and immense creation that dominates the middle portion of the film.  It is an organic, yet mechanical design that is menacing and mysterious all at the same time.

The Enterprise is dwarfed by V'Ger.

A little less effective are the new costumes for the film. The bright colors of the television series were toned down to a set of drab jumpsuits. These provide an interesting unisex look (something that would return with the first couple seasons of The Next Generation television series). But the floating belt buckles are bizarre.

For the directors cut in 2001 the intended sound mix was used. The one on the theatrical cut was actually a temporary track. The intended track actually brings a bit more power to key scenes. The starship sounds, from the proton torpedoes, to the engine room rumble are immersive. You also have a whole array of sounds for V’Ger, its probe and various elements within its inner workings.

The music during the cloud exploration includes plenty
of Blaster Beam sound effects

I can write a whole blog about the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It is usually considered one of Jerry Goldsmith’s best creations. He creates a whole host of various themes, and utilizes them to the fullest. But perhaps the most notable part of the score is the use of the electronic instrument – the Blaster Beam. This creation is used for nearly all the V’Ger scenes, and adds a whole new dimension to the score. The sound is electronic, alien and powerful – all the things V’Ger is supposed to be. By integrating this instrument into the score, Goldsmith adds and enhances the visuals to an amazing degree. The film would not be half as successful if it wasn’t for his work.

Unfortunately two elements are lacking in this film and keep it from top marks. The first is the script. The plot itself is very simple. Yes, the stakes are high, but there is nothing really demanding about the situation for the characters. Our main crew of Kirk, Spock and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) find themselves watching much of the action in the film and not entirely participating. In fact most of the original crew gets sidelined in the film.

Guest stars Decker and Ilia get all the action

It is the two “guest stars” Decker and Ilia who end up interacting the most with V’Ger and each other. But oddly, they are fairly bland characters. So we never get too connected with them. When the finale arrives, it lacks power because it is happening to two characters the viewers don’t care much about.

Now, Spock and Kirk do have smaller arcs they work through. Kirk gets his ship back, and comes to understand what his role is as a leader. Obviously being an Admiral had made him a bit rusty on this concept. McCoy calls him on not trusting his crew to do their job and pushing too hard. It results in the ship nearly being destroyed in a wormhole. Eventually Kirk gets back into his groove and is able to figure out V’Ger’s puzzle.

The admiral uniform in this film inspired the admiral
uniforms in 2013's "Into Darkness"

What is interesting is that most people forget that Spock reaches a major milestone with his character in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He finally comes to an understanding with his human half. The film starts with Spock unable to complete the Kolinahr ritual. This would mean he was able to purge himself of all emotion and live though logic alone. Because of his failure in this regard, he returns to the Enterprise to meet with V’Ger, a being he feels may be kindred spirit. As the film progressed, Spock understands that V’Ger is incomplete, because it cannot understand emotions, or friendship or even the simple feeling of hands clasping. This opens Spock’s eyes to the fact that resisting his human and emotional half is futile. He embraces it instead, and it explains why Spock is much more relaxed in The Wrath of Khan.

For the most part the acting is solid. The script doesn’t allow much of the banter fans were used to, and so for many folks the performances seem stiff. However, I’ve always found the performances to be realistic to the situations that occur before the film. Kirk has been in what is essentially a desk job, McCoy was retired and Spock had gone back to Vulcan. So these three would feel a bit awkward around each other. Things thaw a bit as the film progresses, but everything seems so serious at times. Nimoy probably delivers the best performance, but his character is given an actual arc to progress through, so maybe it isn’t fair to judge the others against his performance.

The probe brings the Enterprise to V'Ger.

The director’s cut of the film really makes a difference to the flow and pacing of the film. Some scenes were trimmed a bit here and there, new scenes were added to give Spock some more depth and add a bit more to Decker and Ilia. It’s a much better balance. It also gives us some visual power with a new scene reveling V’Ger for the first time, free of the cloud and closing on Earth. Some feel this takes away from the mystery of V’Ger, but I think delivers a visual payoff of seeing the new life up close and personal.

As much of an improvement the new editing makes, it doesn’t change the fact that Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a slow, slow movie. It takes its time setting up the simple situation. It takes its time getting us to V’Ger and then delving into the mystery. I do think the exploration of the cloud and the being itself are visually impressive, but they really drag the thin story down. The main problem with the pacing is that it actually ends up reducing the tension in the film. There is no real urgency here, and it hurts the finale. I really believe that a few more passes with the script could have yielded a better result.

The Enterprise survives for further adventures.

In the end the flaws end up hurting the film for most viewers. They go in expecting an exciting space adventure, and instead get a slow moving mediation on man and machine. It’s a shame too, because I think the elements that set this film apart from other films in the franchise and to other films of the era are what make it appealing and fascinating to watch. Star Trek: The Motion Picture was aiming high, and even its pretentious title seems to indicating something grand in it’s vision. I admire the creative team for having lofty goals and creating something unique and interesting. It isn’t a perfect film and I think that the follow up, The Wrath of Khan is a more entertaining and better executed film. But for all its faults, this is one trek worth taking and the director’s cut is the way to take it.

Movie Music Musings: Star Trek - The Motion Picture

I’ve been pondering writing about the score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture for a while. But I’ve always struggled with the best way to approach it. I could write many, many pages dissecting each track and babbling about how great it is. The thing is, my musical vocabulary is limited. Dammit, I’m a film music fan, not an expert.

But I’ve listened to a lot of film music, and so I can compare the work to other film scores for similar films, or to scores for movies made during the same era, or even made by the same composer. But still, unless you’re really into the world of film music, that kind of thing isn’t that interesting.

Then I figured it out. I’ve said on a number of occasions that the score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture is one of my favorite film scores and the score that I consider to be one of Jerry Goldsmith’s masterpieces of the art. Granted I haven’t heard everything Goldsmith has ever composed, so my judgment may be subject to change. However, at this point, as amazing as Goldsmith was – I haven’t heard a score that topped this one.

So here are the five reasons I love the music to Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The Themes 

When it comes to a legacy of great themes Jerry Goldsmith is certainly one of the masters. But perhaps the one theme that will live long and prosper will be his main theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The irony is, the film itself wasn’t the reason the theme is ensured its place in the cannon of great science fiction themes. Roddenberry loved the theme so much, he insisted that it become the main titles for Star Trek: The Next Generation.  But if you haven’t heard the theme played by a full orchestra (not the smaller one used for the television version) then you are missing out. The versions performed in the “Main Title” and “End Title” of Star Trek: The Motion Picture present the theme as it should be performed, with a massive orchestra bringing the real power to the music.

Goldsmith created several themes for the film. There is a love theme for Lt. Ilia. There’s a motif for V’ger, as well as more mysterious theme for the unknown. There’s a rhythmic motif for Starfleet. There’s even a great theme for the Klingons, that is only used in the beginning of the film, but went on to appear in later films and television episodes for the alien race.

Goldsmith gives all the themes times to shine, and opportunities to change pacing, dynamics and structure. Sometimes they melt together, such as when Ilia’s theme and V’ger’s motif become intertwined after the halfway point of the film. Other times they run in counterpoint to each other creating a musical conflict that’s a joy to listen to. I wouldn’t go so far to say this is Goldsmith’s most thematic score. But the way he uses the themes and the power of those themes is what makes Star Trek: The Motion Picture really stand out in his filmography.

The Blaster Beam

Perhaps the most unique element of this soundtrack is the electronic instrument known as The Blaster Beam. It literally is a metal beam strung with numerous wires and mounted to electric guitar pickups. The sound is altered by modifying the pickups, striking the wires with different surfaces and striking at different points. Craig Huxley created a refined version of the instrument that ended up being used in many science fiction and fantasy films of the late 70s and early 80s.

Of all the scores that used the Blaster Beam, Star Trek: The Motion Picture highlighted it exclusively. Part of this was the style that Jerry Goldsmith used electronics in his scores. For Goldsmith, electronics were only used to create sounds he couldn’t get out of an orchestra. So in many of his scores, the electronics stand out, because they are meant to. Rarely did he blend them into the orchestra, or use them to support. They were often presented in opposition or in solo formats.

The Blaster Beam is an inspired choice for the film, because Goldsmith uses it as the voice of V’ger. It is electronic, powerful and very alien. When presented with the lush orchestra that often accompanies our heroes, it stands out, constantly at war with the characters. Eventually the sounds are fused together, and woven with themes. The track “The Meld” fuses the orchestral power with the Blaster Beam and creates an impressive balance that matches the finale scene. The final result is a film score that has been referred to as a symphony for orchestra and Blaster Beam.

The First Ten Minutes

One of my favorite moments in film music is the first ten minutes of the score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture. These ten minutes present a nearly all the themes and motifs we will hear in the score. Each is given plenty of time to shine. Each track builds to the next until we hit a finale that presents V’ger as a definite threat.

Things start off with an “Overture”. This is one of the last Hollywood films to actually start the film with a musical piece over a still frame or dark screen. In this case, Goldsmith selected Ilia’s theme to open the film. It’s a lovely piece and it flows along gracefully. Then the “Main Title” explodes onto the screen with a triumphant adventurous sound. The theme charges ahead until it ends … with a strong note on the Blaster Beam over a shot of V’ger cloud.

The next sequence involves the Klingons investigating and then attacking the mysterious cloud. Goldsmith’s brilliant Klingon theme, militaristic and alien, starts out measured and proud. But as the battle starts going poorly, the tension increases. The Blaster Beam assaults the Klingon theme, and causes it to increase in tempo and distress. A couple of brief shots of a Federation space station monitoring the battle introduce us to the Starfleet motif as well as additional electronics. When the battle concludes, the Klingon theme deconstructs in the face of the Blaster Beam. The Federation space station determines the cloud’s course for Earth and the piece ends with another ominous strike of the Beam.

These first ten minutes do something really impressive. They set up a mood and atmosphere: first one of beauty, then one of adventure and then present a sequence that plays out like musical storytelling (I’ll get to that in a minute). When I first got this score on CD nearly ten years ago, I couldn’t just listen to the first track, or the first two tracks… but the entire 10 minutes. And I figured, hell I was this far in, might as well listen to the whole thing.

“The Enterprise”

From a visual standpoint, the sequence where Kirk and Scotty arrive at the Enterprise is six minutes of watching two characters stand around and stare at a special effect. If you talk to people who dislike Star Trek: The Motion Picture, they’ll tell you that 90% of the film is watching other people stare at a special effect. And when you really break it down – yes six minutes is a hell of a long to have the story stop DEAD in its tracks. It would never happen these days, and after Star Wars presented such explosive action, the scene seemed way out of touch with what people wanted in a space opera film.

Here’s the thing. This scene is about more than two characters staring at special effects. It’s about a man return to the love of his life. It’s about him seeing the most beautiful thing he’s ever known, and lovely gazing at her, marveling in her beauty and her power. It’s a love scene between Kirk and the Enterprise. In the original series, Kirk was always willing to lay down his life to protect his ship and his crew. The Enterprise is a symbol for everything Kirk loves. And that is how Goldsmith scores this six minute scene.

Nearly every film score fan will tell you that their favorite track from Star Trek: The Motion Picture is “The Enterprise”. Goldsmith takes that bold adventurous theme from the “Main Titles” and turns it into something beautiful and romantic. It almost sounds like it could be a dance scene, or romantic walking sequence. It’s an amazing display of how to modify a theme to the immediate need of the film and it allowed the composer to reveal the emotions with almost no dialogue! The music concludes with a joyous and triumphant fanfare as the lovers are reunited. All told, it is one of the best tracks of Goldsmith’s career.

The Storytelling

Goldsmith was given a huge gift with Star Trek: The Motion Picture. So much of the film revolves around visual storytelling, with minimal dialogue. While we can argue the merits of that approach, for a composer it is a dream come true. This gets back to the purest form of cinema where visuals and music tell the story. Listening to the score, you are taken on a journey.

With the massive 3 CD release of this score in 2012 by La La Land Records, the entire score was presented for the first time, and now all the elements that Goldsmith and his team used to tell the story are available to enjoy. The storytelling is so clear now. The music doesn’t just highlight the action but it creates and builds emotions and moods.

The use of the themes, the way the music is structured and the understanding of the ebb and flow of the story really turns this into a musical journey. Most modern film scores do not tie things so closely to the story. Many times they don’t have the opportunity, because of dialogue heavy scenes and loud sound effects. But Star Trek: The Motion Picture really was a showcase for the score. Scenes have greater impact because of the music, and the music as a stand-alone listen has an impact because it tells a story. In either the 3CD version or in the 1999 20^th Anniversary Collectors Edition single CD, you get to experience a story filled with wonder, adventure, romance and triumph.

That is why I call this score Jerry Goldsmith’s masterpiece of film music.

Top Ten - Science Fiction Films

A fellow blogger, and an excellent writer to boot, John Kenneth Muir was asking for opinions on the top 10 science fiction films. He compiled a great list of films and used it to determine his readers consensus. The results were very interesting (and not totally unexpected). Being the movie fan that I am, I had to participate. This compelled me to not only figure out the 10 best science fiction films, but also my top 10 favorite science fiction films (not necessarily the same thing).

For the picks of the top 10 "best" science fiction films, I picked 10 movies that not only impacted science fiction films, but films of all kinds. The greater the impact, the higher on the list they turned out to be. So here is my list, including a brief description of why I picked it.

10. The Matrix - 1999
Two main reasons for picking this one. Stylistically and visually The Matrix influenced countless movies throughout the 2000s. It may also be the first film to successfully exploit computer culture and virtual reality. While it isn't the first adaptation of cyber-punk, it is easily one of the most successful.

9. Close Encounters of a Third Kind - 1977
The combination of paranoia, alien abduction and conspiracy theory are all combined together in a way that thrills and entertains. It's no surprise that youths who saw this film went on to create some of the best alien abduction flicks in the 1990s. Without this flick there would be no X-files or many similar shows and films. 

8. Akira - 1988
I wrote a whole blog on why this Japanese animated film went on to inspire and influence countless other creations. Keep in mind this is not limited to just animation, but includes Hollywood films and video games. It's innovations with characters and visuals still resonates to this day.

7. Alien - 1979
While the film itself plays out more like a horror film, there are elements of this movie that have carried over to science fiction. Most obvious is the alien and starship design, as well as Ridley Scott's visual style. It was also the first film to give us a truly Lovecraftian view of space, a dark nihilistic terror in the unknown.

6. Blade Runner - 1982
Another Ridley Scott film that influenced countless films (and anime and video games) with it's amazing production design. It seems as if the darkness of Alien crossed over into this film but with even more depth to the world it created. It is also one of the best examples of science fiction crossed with film noire.

5. Forbidden Planet - 1956
So many elements of this film went on to inspire countless others. The production design is amazing, creating so many unique and surprising visuals. Then you have the direct correlation between the space explorers here and the ones in Star Trek. Then you have the concept of taking an older story (Shakespeare's The Tempest) and adapting it to science fiction. 

4. The Day the Earth Stood Still - 1951
When it comes to flying saucers, and alien visitors, the template really started right here. So many elements of this film became iconic that many modern film viewers just take them for granted. "Take me to your leader", the giant robot sidekick and Bernard Herrmann soundtrack using Theremin. 

3. 2001: A Space Odyssey - 1968

Everything about Kubrick's film can be considered iconic. The visuals are stunning in their detail and presentation. The music is both familiar and alien. The story is told in a purely cinematic sense, not relying on dialogue to express it's ideas. In that way it became a puzzle, one that inspired countless of film makers.

2. Metropolis - 1926
It's impossible to make a science fiction film that doesn't have an element seen or introduced in Metropolis. It gave us one of the first synthetic human character (or robot if you prefer) on the screen. It goes for an immense scale at times, and examines social and psychological ideas using science fiction as the filter. So many films are influenced by this one, and probably don't even realize it.

1. Star Wars: A New Hope - 1977
I almost didn't include this on my list, because the story is really a fantasy adventure that uses science fiction for color. But the simple fact that so many people immediately think Star Wars when you say science fiction tells you how influential it really is. Not only did it redefine what sci-fi in film could be, but it also changed story telling style. It's brisk pacing, character banter and uplifting tone would be mimicked, adapted and refined in the passing years. What makes it surpass Metropolis in influence is that, for good or ill, the style and construction of Star Wars has influenced films far outside it's genre and well into cinema as a whole. A truly impressive legacy.

Top 10 Favorite Science Fiction films

These are films that enjoy revisiting again and again. Many are the list for personal reasons and while I could defend them as being worthy of your time, some are often considered average at best. That doesn't keep me from enjoying them. It's harder for me to put these in any order, so I'll just list them and tell you that at any time, one of these may be my current favorite.

• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Alien
• Back to the Future
• Blade Runner
• Close Encounters of a Third Kind
• Galaxy Quest
• Ghost in the Shell
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
• Tron

Do you have a list of "best" or favorite science fiction films?