Space 3 Beyond the Final Frontier

Silva Screen Records

Music Composed by Various Artists

Music Conducted by Paul Bateman and Nic Raine

Performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus

Produced by James Fitzpatrick, Rickie Clark, and Ford A. Thaxton

Release Date: 2000

     While I usually loathe compilations (if only because I usually already own most of the original soundtracks among other reasons) occasionally something comes along that is really quite special. Silva Screen's third compilation of famous sci-fi scores is one of those special albums. 

     To start off, the sound quality is, as usual, fantastic and is recorded in Silva's standard commitment to Dolby Surround encoded CDs. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra is really top-notch here and I loved all of their performances. They even play the Back to the Future main title at an acceptable speed! As far as remaining true to the source material is concerned, this album absolutely nails it. 

     The selection is generally terrific too. The now- required selections from The Phantom Menace are here and manage to top the performances on the Themes from The Phantom Menace and Other Film Hits compilation from Varese. The rendition of Duel of the Fates that is on this album is probably the best I've heard aside from the original soundtrack release. Kudos go especially to whomever decided to include a performance of Ron Jones' excellent theme to Starfleet Academy. 

     If you're a fan of sci-fi scores and you really want to be boomed out of your chair with some intense Dolby Surround performances, this is the album for you. Even though I still already own a lot of the original performances of this music, I was still highly pleased with this 2-CD set. If you're looking for a good sci-fi compilation, this is it. **** 

Track Listing - CD 1

1 - ALIENS - Prelude / Ripley's Rescue (5:54)

2 - GHOSTBUSTERS - Main Theme (3:12)

3 - IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE - The Thing Strikes / Desert Rendezvous (4:17)

4 - STRANGE INVADERS - Suite (8:27)

5 - JUDGE DREDD - Suite (4:50)

6 - ROBOCOP - Suite (9:31)

7 - THE TIME MACHINE - London 1900 - Filbey's Theme (2:28)

8 - BACK TO THE FUTURE - Main Theme (3:25)

9 - THE CAPE - Main Theme (3:11)

10 - STAR TREK: THE MENAGERIE - Suite (8:27)

11 - STAR FLEET ACADEMY - Opening (4:02)

12 - STAR TREK: INSURRECTION - End Title Suite (5:06)

Total Running Time: 63:06

1 - THE LAST STARFIGHTER - Main Theme (3:08)

2 - SILENT RUNNING - The Space Fleet (4:09)

3 - JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN - Suite (5:57)

4 - LOST IN SPACE - End Titles (3:26)

5 - GALAXY QUEST - Suite (7:11)

6 - THINGS TO COME - The Children's Ballet (3:46)

7 - THINGS TO COME - March (3:59)

8 - THE MATRIX - Anything is Possible (8:08)

9 - METEOR - End Titles Suite (5:03)

10 - DEEP IMPACT - The Wedding (4:18)

11 - ARMAGEDDON - Suite (5:08)

STAR WARS EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE

12 - The Flag Parade (3:18)

13 - Anakin's Theme (2:51)

14 - The Adventures of Jar Jar (3:26)

15 - Duel of the Fates (4:10)

Total Running Time: 68:17