James Horner talks STAR TREK II score

[BatoNY65]

The man is a genius.  This score is one of the best I've ever heard.

[Koldeman]

Awesome that Horner was there when Goldsmith was scoring ST:TMP.

[RogueRotting360]

Why does James Horner always sound like he's on helium?

[ignoranceandwant]

@RogueRotting360 He attended college partially in London and apparently affects a West End accent 30-plus years later.

[RogueRotting360]

@ignoranceandwant I work in West London, and I've never heard anyone there sound like James Horner.

[tudorcfr90]

I love James Horner's music. He is the one that gave me the spark to start composing music :)

[thinkertank1]

Thank You James Horner!!!

[mannvishnu]

Mahler 7 symphony was a big influence but anyway it's a great score!

[pininfrna]

@mannvishnu I just listened to Mahler 7 for the first time because of your comment. You're absolutely right. I don't discredit Horner for his brilliant scoring of this film, but the credit for the "Enterprise/Kirk Theme" now goes 100% to Mahler.

[Replicatorz]

I have to be truly thankful for the memories James Horner gave me with the magic he done with star trek II. He is a genious with telling the story with just the instruments alone! It suck's that modern movies will never have this kind of a soundtrack to them!

[chargere]

This is a timeless score

[ClaptonDennis]

Is this on the BluRay? Great Quality. I Have the DVD 2-Disc Version, this Ducumentary is not there.

[burr1aj]

@ClaptonDennis Yeah, it's only on the blu-ray.

[lionssong2525]

James Horner is a master along with Goldsmith and Williams, also Alexander Courage who was a major composer in the Star Trak odessey.

[SpoiledLogic]

aww james horner is a spirk fan

[MusicalFan1701]

opus289 has posted the expanded soundtracks for ST II and ST III - fantastic!

[Starbuckin]

James Horner you are a calculating, hard working, and dedicated Genius!!!

[animatorIsomer]

Thank You Mr. Horner for a musical theme that continues to replay and replay in my mind with the fondest of memories through all of these years. I was in the theater for the debut of The Wrath of Khan and I've never felt that there were any music composed for Star Trek more powerful of more sensitive than this.

John Williams' score for The Empire Strikes Back stands shoulder to shoulder with your score for The Wrath of Khan - neither superior to the other, neither insurmountable.

[forumghost1]

Brilliant. Brilliant...

[boradis]

Awesome. Though I liked the ST:TMP drydock music better.

[whiteminibus]

Great video. Love this score so much. I think he should've got the Oscar for Braveheart though, rather than Titanic.

[ClaptonDennis]

@whiteminibus Yes, you'r so right.

[Bubo25]

One word: Genius

[at1212b]

I love this score.. always have (as a kid) and always will!

[MikeAM78]

He always gets a lot of flack from film score fans, but I don't care what anyone says: I think he's one of the best. So much of his music is a part of my childhood, from the magical "Star Trek II" to the pulse-pounding action music of "Aliens" to the soaring music of "The Rocketeer."

[junkyintel]

His early stuff is great. Every once in a while he'll make some great music but he's gotten lazy and all he does is copy all his soundtracks now.

[boradis]

@junkyintel Bingo. He did this one, and then kind of just kept doing it. 

[generalcircle]

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

[ABhaim]

mr. horner,

i salute you!

[KaitainCPS]

Genesis Countdown is one of the greatest action movie cues of all time. It's phenomenal.

[escelante]

Jerry Goldsmith (RIP) and James Horner should be the only ones allowed to compose Star Trek music.

[JackSprattDaBat]

@escelante I loved the new Star Trek soundtrack by Giacchino. Very refreshing!

[boondocks43]

@escelante I liked Rosenman's soundtrack for the fourth movie.

[alanfunkle]

briliantly scored film my 2nd favorite scored film other than the empire strikes back.

[imperialpod]

@alanfunkle

If you like Trek 2 then also check out 'Battle Beyond the Stars' which is also by Horner.

He hates it but it sounds VERY similar to Trek 2.

[alanfunkle]

@imperialpod dont need to I saw it in theaters LOL. damn that made me feel old. Actualy i felt older learning wil weaton=wesley crusher is a year younger than i am lololol. that was alright if i remember, with george peppard of the a-team and john boy walton?

[imperialpod]

@alanfunkle

Lol, I felt old finding out that Wil Weaton was was the lead role in the movie 'Stand By Me'.

Also Robert Vaughn was in BBTS. Great B-Movie with Horner's 'Trek' like soundtrack.

[Citzenesse]

@imperialpod I adored Battle Beyond the Stars. I still have the Wrath of Khan soundtrack on cassette.

[alanfunkle]

2009s score sucked.god awful. thanks for micheal baying star trek j.j. abrams.

[gandy74]

@alanfunkle After reading all the positive comments people were leaving about Giachinno's utterly forgettable, hack job score saying things like "best ST score ever" or "better than Goldsmith and Horner" I felt like I was losing my grip on reality.

Thank you for corroborating for me that I'm not the one f'd in the head...they are!

[alanfunkle]

bring back the star trek 2 music for star trek, thats why every sequel franchise sucks, they drop musical scores. music is just as important as a character in a movie. tng the tv show was terrific because of having star trek 2 style music and as its main theme, its movies sucked for dropping it (except first contact wich is ok and had a mediocre score). a terrific sequel feels like an extra two hours of the original film, when sequels drop scores they discconnect that.

[FishfilmInc]

@alanfunkle well, TNG (movies and TV) and some of the other films used Jerry Goldsmith's theme, so in a sense, they had more continuity than STII and III.

[3089280288]

He speaks very gentile but his music is bombastic.

[Robotdrummerzzk]

@flumflux I personally think models looked better than CGI- The Wrath of Khan space fight scenes look brilliant, so believable- CGI looks tacky and fake.

[ShittiestChannelOnYT]

@Robotdrummerzzk Agreed, but I think we're getting to a stage where CGI can be better than using models. Just look at avatar.

[escelante]

@ShittiestChannelOnYT

CGI looks phony in 99.9% of most movies. I still think that models and practical effects look superior. I can almost always spot CGI, I hate it.

[billstpor]

@escelante I think you are comparing apples and oranges. These effects were mostly made by ILM, which also created the models for many other high profile movies of that period (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc..). There are many other special effects in movies filmed with models that don't hold a candle to these ones, or to any recent movie made with CGI for that matter.. Also, it's not like current films don't use models anymore.. they are still used in big productions, combined with CGI

[billstpor]

@escelante Also, while on certain takes/angles good models can look better than average CGI, it goes without saying that filming with models on a blue screen alone, or moving the cameras to simulate movement, allows for far less dynamic action than CGI. As good as the star destroyer looked in the first sequence of the original Star Wars movie, ships seemed to be on rails compared to recent installments of the franchise made with CGI.

[Robotdrummerzzk]

The best scored Star Trek movie IMO

[TonyShow82]

What if somebody was to fuse Star Trek 2 and Star Trek 3 together and make it into a longer movie and call it Star Trek: Fusion. Now There's another idea especially if it was to be remade. And not to mention with the beginning and end of Genesis with Spock fused with the planet I think it would be a great idea. Star Trek: Fusion. 

[Robotdrummerzzk]

@TonyShow82 HAHA star trek fusion HAHAHA

[Buuuuuutch]

Mork calling Orson Come in... Nanoo?

[UFOSPACE1999]

sissy...with her fake british.....

[9bahai9]

Thanks USSSSaville,

This man scores phenomenally beautiful music that stirs my soul to its depths. It's really interesting hearing him talk about how he works.

[wingingerd]

James Horner　彼は痩せたな。

[dvddmc]

the Score for ST2 was Increable!!

[ignoranceandwant]

Jesus, dude, lose the fake British accent. I know he lived in London for awhile, but he has lived in the San Fernando Valley for at least 20 years. While I love his music, Jerry goldsmiths daughter said he was an utter dork in school and while he dated her, he was really only interested in meeting her dad and whining about some girl who had previously rejected him.

[jamesgranger1978]

Loved this score, best film in the series

[JohnBachofer]

I've always been awed by James Horner's works. He always composed music that was like "in your face" shocking. He did it with the Titanic in James Cameron's movie and with the USS-Enterprise.

[jason84109]

You can hate on James Horner all you like, but he didn't steal Star Trek II from anyone, and it was something he truly did right. It's in my top 5 favorite scores.

[UFOSPACE1999]

I am sorry, I thought, and TRULY thought that MS. HORNER was a girl, or talks like a girl, ANYWAYS, she is a fucking thief. Steals from everyone. AND LIES. She is truly a hack composer. IT IS too damn bad the Academy has cotton stuck in their ears and cannot hear what I do. RIP OFF.

[Donovan448]

LOL You're funny! And I agree. He's a James "Hoarder"!

I heard Titanic, Gladiator, Glory, Star Trek 2, and Aliens in the movie Avatar. LOL

[joeylodes]

u mess with horner ... and your messin with me

don't push it .... or i'll give you a war you wont believe

[UFOSPACE1999]

oh no... not one fag i have to deal with, but two fags!!! what's i suppose to do? bitches.

[joeylodes]

haha  that was good

[gfedtyhfs]

so of the 11 star trek films that we have what is everyone's ranking from best/most memorable score to least favorite score

I understand this is entirely subjective but here are my favorites from best to worst

ST2+3 (horner is best), ST1+5 (since both were predominantly similar except for the B theme), then ST6, ST11, ST8, ST4, ST7, ST9, ST10

[Donovan448]

I'm sorry, but I disagree. Star Trek - The Motion Picture was better because it had "several themes". Star Trek 2 only has one real theme. LOL

[sondano]

@gfedtyhfs ST2+3 and ST6 (they are equally magnificent) ST8 ST5 (from the mountain scene) ST4 (it's cute just like the movie) ST1 (main theme and Klingon theme) ST7 ST9 ST10 the last two didn't have memorable scores at all

[Doublehex]

@UFOSPACE1999 You also must take into consideration that hundreds of film composers had taken things from classical music. He certainly hasn't evolved a composer for the past 10 years, but as he is now he is still pretty damn good.

[gfedtyhfs]

Horner is a he you fool not a she, you keep calling him a her, pay attention before you start bashing someone

[nickmitsialis]

Obviously UFOSPACE is also bashing Horner for having a higher pitched voice.

[Donovan448]

Ahhh, I think UFOSPACE1999 is being sarcastic.

LOL

[Replicatorz]

This guy is a genious, no wonder so many directors wanted him to do their movie, i would TOO!!!! His best work was in star trek II though, atleast IMO!

[MichWolverine1976]

I've loved Star Trek 2 since I was a kid. One of the things that stood out the most was the music.

[AudioAndroid]

@MichWolverine1976 I agree another soundtrack that sometimes is over looked it the score from the TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE 1986 Animated film another great soundtrack composed and produced by Vince DiCola

[gfedtyhfs]

this guy is an utter genius when it comes to scoring music, second that Star Trek 12 comment!!!

[DaddlerTheDalek]

James Horner for Star Trek XII!!!! XD

[Roadracer987654321]

some elements of the Enterprise Launching from Orbital dock ended up in Titanic. Listen to the music when Titanic powers up an heads to sea from Cherbourg.

[Sorayn]

There is a hint of an british accent in his speech. I always thought he was american?

[dondonp12004]

He is an American, but spent his early years in the United Kingdom and its capital city of London, also the capital city of England (one of the four home nations of the UK).

[Sorayn]

Fantastic score in my eyes regardless of what people say!

[PROTENON]

He reused his own stuff from this movie in Aliens

[whatever678]

He always reuses his material... he's not that much of a respected composer amongst his peers.

[nelsonmars]

Masterful composition.

[nickmitsialis]

Y'know it's interesting how he illustrates his reasoning as to why the music is the way it is; also, the almost child-like joy he has in describing his work---particularly how he 'vocalizes' the instruments...to a self conscious guy like myself, I am impressed at his lack of 'creative inhibition'---I mean we ALL hum, sing, vocalize but in private.

[ROXDragonz]

dang both james horner and hans zimmer are epic 0.0 i wonder if they evah composed something together?

[Jaredf777]

Geeze Star trek Apollo 13 Titanic

[Retrofan]

Is this one of the featurettes from the re-issue of "The Star Trek Trilogy"?

[GJosephCamargo]

He´s probably just tired for all his work in AVATAR.

[nickmitsialis]

He looks a bit like Cliff Simon, the guy who played 'Baal' in the Stargate TV show.

[RAIDERS58th]

I don't think so. I know he's now 56 (hard to believe) but he shouldn't look and sound like that. I hope he's ok. He's a great man and his music is a very important part of my life. Very important indeed.

[Chiggs58th]

Good God! He looks a hundred years old! Is he ill?

[glassisland]

He's coming up on 60, and looks pretty damn good for that. Sheesh. A few grey hairs and a guy is ancient?

[LordWhorfinX]

60 is young these days....

[ignoranceandwant]

He's lost a lot of weight...in the earlier part of the decade, he was a bit chubby.

[KaitainCPS]

@glassisland

He looks bloody good for 56 imo.

[CalgarSkull]

Awesome thank you.

[TANKTREAD]

Yes, the theme for The Klingon's is very similiar to Kahn's theme. However, the score to "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn" is so damn awesome! It is by far the greatest fillm score by James Horner and is my favorite composed by him in my vast film score library.

[timefilm]

i can't believe it... the man doesn't even know his own score... the kahn theme he hums is actually the klingon theme from trek 3. lol

still love the guy!

[aleph010]

No, the theme he hums is Khan's motif for Star Trek II. The theme for the Klingons in III is very different.

[timefilm]

at 2:43 - thats the klingon theme. it's also the Aliens theme.

the kahn theme is distingishably different. Horner made a mistake

[aleph010]

The Klingon theme is at least four bars in length to complete. Khan has a motif which is a single bar in length and is varied with repetition. The only similarities between the two is the use of the horn.

[FarbmeisterGeneral]

I thought that at first, but you are wrong. We were wrong. Sorry.

They are similar notes played differently.

[Donovan448]

Yea, the ST3 Klingon theme has a very annoying horn blowing in the background!

[joeylodes]

I CANNOT thank you enough for posting this!

this is THE score!! from THE trek film!!

Thank you!

[dafmurray]

The funny thing is that Jerry Goldsmith's first theme for Star Trek The Motion Picture was rejected by director Robert Wise because he felt it was too suggestive of sailing ships.

[bmbell71]

Yes, but in Wise's defense he was going for a different take on Star Trek. He wanted something much more thematic, ala Star Wars. When Myer was doing the second film, he based his work on the Horatio Hornblower books he'd read as a child. This lead the whole approach to the sea voyage in space.

[dafmurray]

bmbell71, those are good points.

[whez08]

Craving any kind of interview with Horner, this comes as a gift. A rare glimpse of how he thinks and creates.

Thanks for this.

[dafmurray]

whez08, there is an interview with James Horner from the Aliens DVD on youtube. It's a very good illustration of the pressures film composers work under and I felt a great deal of sympathy for the difficult situation Horner found himself in on Aliens.

[whez08]

I've seen the Aliens interview. By listening to his music you can't tell it was written under such pressure, even in Troy. He is just unable to compose insensitively no matter the conditions.

[cubdukat]

Not to mention that James Cameron is not the easiest director to work with--which is why it was over ten years before he worked with him again.

[HectorJW2007]

He finally admits his Jerry Goldsmith acquaintance.

[dafmurray]

HectorJW2007, what is going on with Horner's attitude to Goldsmith? Why did Horner claim to not know Goldsmith after dating Goldsmith's daughter and attending Goldsmith's film music class at UCLA?

Also as a film composer it would be near impossible not to know who Goldsmith was!!!!

[rich1701]

maybe because Goldsmith is no longer with us...

[NL197]

He knew Goldsmith's daughter, they didn't date.

[hereticcs24]

He should score the new films. Kind of bring the old with the new.