The great thread of electronic/synthesizer soundtracks

[Micke]

Here's an interesting '80s synth-score I didn't know about. The Vangelis-esque music is by Doug Timm,
who was savagely murdered in his home by two strangers he invited into his home in 1989.

Nightflyers (Doug Timm, 1987):






Afaik, Nightflyers was Doug's only movie score but he collaborated with Barry De Vorzon on the horror-score to "Night Of The Creeps" back in 1986.
Prior to this he'd been composing the music for some TV-shows.

[Micke]

Here are a couple of unreleased electronic pieces by Stu Phillips from
the "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" soundtrack (1979). The first
one is the original movie version, the second one is an alternate.




Main synth used included an Oberheim 4-voice and Minimoog. There may be some
Prophet 5 rev 1 and ARP 2600 on there too seeing as Michael Boddicker was one
of the performers.

I also have an unused piece that was recorded for the original pilot/movie but never
used because they cut the party scene down and didn't need all of the dance music.

[Micke]

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[Esus]

Speaking of Michael Boddicker, he was one of the synthesists who worked on David Shire's (rejected)
score for Apocalypse Now in late '78/early '79*. The other two synthesists that were part of the original
team were Dan Wyman and Bernie Krause. According to Bernie Krause, Shire's version was beyond
brilliant - one of the most inventive and lyrical pieces of cinema music he had ever heard.

* Shire's score was rejected because of a dispute between him and director F.F. Coppola

I believe David Shire was F.F. Coppola's brother-in-law @ the time--he and Talia separated in '78, during the time Francis Ford was shooting Apocalypse Now. Maybe that had something to do with it.

Boddicker's wonderfully off-the-wall score for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension should also be mentioned:

[Zamise]

Here's an interesting '80s synth-score I didn't know about. The Vangelis-esque music is by Doug Timm,
who was savagely murdered in his home by two strangers he invited into his home in 1989.

Nightflyers (Doug Timm, 1987):

<snip>

Afaik, Nightflyers was Doug's only movie score but he collaborated with Barry De Vorzon on the horror-score to "Night Of The Creeps" back in 1986.
Prior to this he'd been composing the music for some TV-shows.

You should have known this one Micke, I mentioned it like 3 years ago on page 2 of this thread One of those movies best watched with your eyes closed and fall asleep listening to it.

Not exactly from a classic movie or a real group, but here is an interesting intro to a movie I ran across recently:

[Micke]

I believe David Shire was F.F. Coppola's brother-in-law @ the time--he and Talia separated in '78, during the time Francis Ford was shooting Apocalypse Now. Maybe that had something to do with it.

Boddicker's wonderfully off-the-wall score for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension should also be mentioned:

Yes, that seems to be the reason that David Shire and the Sound Arts team got fired.

Bob Moog's article in CK on the making of the AN soundtrack doesn't explain why Shire's score was cancelledI agree with you regarding Boddicker's score for Banzai....it's a very nice score! (btw, I have the music on CD-R in decent quality).

[Micke]

You should have known this one Micke, I mentioned it like 3 years ago on page 2 of this thread One of those movies best watched with your eyes closed and fall asleep listening to it.

Right you are, I should've known that score...somehow I must've missed to read your post, sorry.

[Zamise]

I forgive ya Micke... if you happen to have an extra official CD release of the Serpent and the Rainbow soundtrack and give it to me, you can overlook all my posts from now on



I've got the soundtrack to this next one already, its pretty good too tho I'm not sure how much synth is in it:



BTW, thanks for all the good suggestions over the years, I've bought myself some these movies because of you, like Phenomena, Last House on the Left, and House by the Cemetery and maybe a few others I'm forgetting or already had, and though some have been good movies and some god aweful, their soundtracks have always kicked a lot of a*s.

[Micke]

David Hentschel did a few movie scores back in the '70s and '80s, my favorites being
his scores to "Operation Daybreak" (1975), "The Squeeze" (1977) and "Educating Rita" (1983):

Operation Daybreak OST (1975):
Opening:

Ambush scene:

The synths used for this score include ARP 2500 and ARP/Solina string ensemble


Educating Rita OST (1983):
opening:

Themes:


A version of the main theme kicks in at 1:58, the synth/disco piece appearing at 5:39 is also by David Hentschel.

[balma]

The Serpent and the Rainbow is one of my fav movies ever.

I have a difficult one for micke. The noises and music of the sex robot machine on The Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky:


minute 6:08 and beyond

[StepLogik]

Here's an interesting '80s synth-score I didn't know about. The Vangelis-esque music is by Doug Timm,
who was savagely murdered in his home by two strangers he invited into his home in 1989.

Nightflyers (Doug Timm, 1987):






Afaik, Nightflyers was Doug's only movie score but he collaborated with Barry De Vorzon on the horror-score to "Night Of The Creeps" back in 1986.
Prior to this he'd been composing the music for some TV-shows.

Oh yeah, that is a great score! The movie is good if you like corny horror/sci-fi - I recommend reading the short story by George R.R. Martin as well.

Updated link:

[Micke]

Sylvester Levay's synth-heavy action score to "NAVY SEALS" (1990) also deserves a mention here.
I received the new CD recently and I really like the score.

[tim gueguen]

Another TV example, this time the theme to the Canadian current affairs show W5 in the '80s. This one may be hard to figure out.





Nah, not really. I seem to remember they used a cover version of this when the show entered the '90s.

[JJQ]

The music was made by Jodorowsky, Don Cherry & Ronald Frangipane.

The studios and engineers are listed om the record, Ill write them down if its any use.

The Serpent and the Rainbow is one of my fav movies ever.

I have a difficult one for micke. The noises and music of the sex robot machine on The Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky:


minute 6:08 and beyond

[StepLogik]

i can't even imagine how much LSD was involved in the making of that "movie".