Favorite Alien Score

ninXeno426

SinceAs of February 3rd,Jed Kurzel has officially begun composing the score for Alien Covenant,i would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the compositions that came before it.Jerry Goldsmith,James Horner,Elliott Goldenthal,John Frizzell,and Marc Streitenfeld have all contributed wonderful scores,but which one is your favorite and why?

Something Real

NINXENO426 - This is an extremely compelling topic! Elliot Goldenthal's work in Alien 3 is by far my favorite - even if the film is not. The subtle, melancholic bridges, heart-breaking oboe and violin accompaniments, and faint synthesizer rifts merged with the dark and brooding undertones of the score are utterly beautiful - much like Goldenthal's work for Interview with the Vampire. As a whole, it is an utterly gorgeous score! Thank you ever so much for presenting this most engaging topic! :)

Johnbeaste

I can't pick a favorite score, but I do have some specific tracks that I listen to often:

Alien - Hypersleep

Alien - Out The Door

Aliens - Main Title

Aliens - Combat Drop

Aliens - Ripley's Rescue

Aliens - Bishop's Countdown

Alien 3 - Agnus Dei

Alien 3 - Adagio

Prometheus - A Planet

Prometheus - We Were Right

I left Alien Resurrection off because the soundtrack didn't really appeal to me.

Lone

Jerry Goldsmith's score for A L I E N still gets my vote. 

His unconventional use of horns, strings and percussion set the tone for the whole film. By turns spooky, scary and darkly beautiful.

I love his Planet of The Apes score too!

Neomorph

Lone good way to put it, and it wasn't excessively epic, but rather spooky and beautiful in all its simplicity.

ninXeno426

Something Real:Thank you.Elliott Goldenthals score is one of my top favorite things about Alien 3.It can be haunting,beautiful,epic,moving,and terrifying.I also love his work on Interview With The Vampire(I'm a big Anne Rice Fan.)Some other great scores of his I like are Sphere,and Final Fantasy:The Spirits Within.He's a very underrated composer.

ninXeno426

Lone:Jerry Goldsmith's work just might be my favorite as well.Along with Alien and Planet of the Apes,his work on Star Trek,and the Twilight Zone are amazing.

ninXeno426

I'll also admit I'm a little disappointed that Harry Gregson Williams is not doing Alien Covenant(i'm a big fan of his work,especially on The Metal Gear Solid series.)But i am pretty excited to hear Jed Kurzel's score.

G. H. (Gman)

I'm supremely upset about Harry Gregson Williams no longer doing an Alien score. I want to be confident about Kurzel, but his resume and background aren't exactly inspiring.

In any case I usually find James Horner's score for Aliens the most enjoyable--Even if he did just reuse his Klingon theme from Star Trek III for portions of the film.

A L I E N 4 2 6

By far my favorite:

Prometheus- Life 

really hope it makes a return in Covenant or in a future sequel 

ninXeno426

The best thing i know Kurzel has done is The Babadook.

ninXeno426

True about the Search for Spock.His Wrath of Khan score is amazing.

Lone

The Prometheus score has some very clever cues.

The Orrery Engineers little flute-start-up-ditty was repeated throughout the score in various ways. Loved that.

Must go and listen to the soundtrack again it's been a while!

cuponator3000

The score for Alien by Jerry Goldsmith is by far my favorite! I feel like it is such a criminally underrated piece of art. It is so full of wonder and there is just such an other worldly feel that it takes me immediately into the Alien universe during the opening credits. And (obviously) the horror element of it is amazing and immersive.

Haha then it probably goes Prometheus, Aliens, Alien 3,  and then Ressurection favorite list wise. Ressurection has that wonderful, like, main theme that I enjoy. AVP...the first was good, not amazing, and I don't even know about the second one (been forever since I have heard it).

To touch on Prometheus really quick, I love that score! "Life," is one of the most enchanting pieces of music I have ever heard!! I think I will always remember that opening shot of Prometheus because of. "Life."

G. H. (Gman)

To be fair, Brian Tyler's score for AVPR was a really incredible throwback to everything from both franchises. It's just a shame a score that bombastically perfect was used for a movie that bad.

ninXeno426

I agree Resurrection is probably my least favorite,but it does have some wonderful pieces.

dk

I have to agree with Lone and Neomorph. It has to ride the line of enhancing without overpowering and being distracting.

That said, I missed out on the Isolation score entirely since I shut it off to avoid audio clues and to better hear the real environment.

ninXeno426

Isolation has a great score.Goldsmith is used perfectly.

ali81

the goldsmith score for alien has to go down as one of the all time greatest scores ever cut for a movie. its tones and timing can tell the story itself even if u close ur eyes, u know whats happening in the movie. the score for aliens is my second fave as it is really good but I give it extra credit as it was being cut while the movie was still being edited, the guy didn't even have a finished movie to put a score to. next would be Prometheus. again the tones of the score fit hand in hand with the pace of the movie. have to hand it ridley, he knows the importance of the score and seems to always get the best for the job. the music in blade runner was excellent aswell

Fire_Stream21

@Johnbeaste I love how you completely left out Resurrection lol  

Neomorph

Resurrection had a fantastic score, especially the intro 

https://youtu.be/nKJHZOnZFJQ