[Admiral Archer]

Let's face it: Star Trek IV and the original Back to the Future were VERY similar. Both involved time travel, both were funny with some tense moments, and both were only a year apart (BTTF-1985, TVH-1986).

The only difference? BTTF had one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, while I found Trek IV's to be not only forgettable, but extremely annoying. At times it sounded as if a circus were doing the music. For Pee Wee Herman, that would be fine; for Star Trek, it was sacrilege of the worst kind, and it more than ruined the film for me.

I found this today on youtube, and now I wish they had gotten Alan Silvestri to do the Trek IV music instead :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiTznMQTwxA&NR=1

[Livingston]

Until this moment I never realized how much the theme to BTTF suited Star Trek! Good idea for a thread Admiral, but I have to gravely disagree with you on the score to Trek IV, I really like it, I think it is unique and expressive among Trek scores and after watching that youtube video I see a similarity between the Trek IV score and the BTTF one, though the BTTF one is much much better. Something about the horns I think.

Anyway great point, it would be interesting to see Silvestri do a Trek score someday!

[Zardoz]

It's not bad, but having lived back then, the Trek 4 soundtrack isn't that bad.

[NCC-73515]

BoP and DeLorean both leave firetrails... Gillian and Doc are both scientists... both vehicles have "wings"... both need radioactive material... note that the BoP comes in with a flash for the GGB scene... and both films had a surprise feature in the end.

[napsolo]

Yeah but could you see Marty McFly in charge of a BoP!!!

[Livingston]

We got to see the Doc in charge of one! But yeah, I'd like to see Marty in charge of a BOP. They'd have to rock out to some Huey Lewis during the space battle scenes!

[mmoore]

Shouldn't this be in the General Discussions section?

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Livingston

We got to see the Doc in charge of one! But yeah, I'd like to see Marty in charge of a BOP. They'd have to rock out to some Huey Lewis during the space battle scenes!

Love to see Doc Brown fix the E's warp core with flux capacitor.

[TrekkieTechie]

Trek IV's theme is one of my favorites from Trek... I think the change from the usual dramatic spacey scores is refreshing, and makes sense in context -- they spend most of the film outside of their normal conditions. The theme is very... nautical, fits very well. The overall score is lighthearted, as the film is meant to be.

BTTF's theme is excellent as well, but I don't think it meshes very well with the pacing and such of Voyage Home. There aren't any true edge-of-your-seat moments in Voyage Home, and the BTTF theme was written for the tense finale with Marty trying to hit 88 MPH exactly at 10:04 and Doc trying to reconnect the cable before the lightning strikes. Voyage Home's 'tense' sequences (beaming up the whales, attempting time warp) are much more mellow and 'cross-your-fingers-hope-it-works' than 'pedal-to-the-metal-go-go-go'.

[Gary Seven]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

It's not bad, but having lived back then, the Trek 4 soundtrack isn't that bad.

Agree.

The tone and music of ST:IV was a welcome relief. It was a celebration of "coming home" and it came at the right time.

ST:IV was released on November 26, 1986 and with it...

"The cast and crew of Star Trek wish to dedicate this film to the men and women of the spaceship Challenger whose courageous sprit shall live to the 23rd century and beyond.."