| Back to the Future |
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Composed by Alan Silvestri |
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Conducted by Alan Silvestri
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Not Available for Purchase |
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What can be said about one of the classic sci-fi trilogies from the last two decades? No, I'm not talking Star Wars here, I'm talking about that other trilogy. While Back to the Future may not left a mark nearly as big as Star Wars did, you would still be hard pressed to find someone who is not familiar with these films. It would be even more difficult to find someone who is not at least familiar with catchy main theme, a theme whose familiarity is rivaled only by a select few. Alan Silvestri hit the blockbuster scene with his score to the first film, and while he has not exactly reached the same level of recognition as other A-list composers, he has provided plenty of excellent scores since that time. Titles that quickly spring to mind include the two Back to the Future sequels, Predator, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and The Mummy Returns. What makes the Back to the Future scores so enjoyable is the sheer energy that Silvestri molds into his compositions. That vigor is first realized in the opening main theme. That theme, with its heroic brass fanfares and energetic strings, has proven to be a favorite among the masses, and with good reason. Anyone's appreciation of any of the Back to the Future scores is dependant on how much he or she likes (or dislikes) the main theme as Silvestri unashamedly makes it a primary staple of the score. From subtle weavings to full-fledged blarings, the theme is part of what makes this score such a fun listen. After the opening strains of the main title, the music takes a slightly dark turn as the opening mystery of the time-traveling DeLorean is revealed. This being the case, the score still remains lively and things quickly kick into high gear as Marty and the Doc encounter The Libyans. After the first chase sequence of what will turn out to be many for the film, Silvestri returns with the darker scoring, though this time with a more tongue-in-cheek feel, as Marty encounters the strange world of the 1950s. Another action cue follows with The Skateboard Chase, which leads Silvestri into a beautiful, orchestra-swelling moment thanks to The Kiss. The CD hits its high point as Marty and Doc race to The Clock Tower. This cue is my personal favorite on the CD and is one of the reasons why this score stands as the best out of the three. Silvestri didn't top the intensity and fun that this cue possesses in any of the following scores. Finally, the music slowly winds down until the final refrains of the main theme bring the score to a close. Currently, one can walk into practically any music store and find a CD with the cover art to the first Back to the Future film, but alas it is merely a song compilation, though it does feature the Overture suite of Silvestri's music. While the suite is a fairly good representation of the score, the actual score has loads of good material and it is a shame that the score release for the first film only exists as a bootleg. With the pending DVD release of all three films before the end of the year, this will hopefully inspire some record label to release a remastered version of the score. While the bootleg sounds ok, there is a definite improvement that could be gained by a good mastering job. The first score is definitely the best of the three, and alas, it is also the most difficult to obtain. If you've loved the films or even Silvestri's music in general, you should do yourself a favor and pick it up if you ever come across it. ***** |
| Track Listing - Total Running Time: 43:15 | |
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