The World of Science Fiction

ZYX Music

Music Composed by Various Artists

Release Date: 1997

"Two CDs filled with more music than you can shake a stick at for only $7.99?!?!" It seemed too good to be true. The selection of music is really good. You've got Williams, and Goldsmith, and Superman, and Alien, and Star Wars and so on. True, you do get some oddball tracks (March of the Lizard-Men anyone?), but at face value it looks to be a pretty good buy. So why does it have the distinction being the first CD reviewed on this site to earn less than three stars?

The music stinks...big time.

If you love John Williams, avoid this album like the bubonic plague. On the other hand, maybe you should listen to it. Once. And only once. You will appreciate Williams a whole lot more if you listen to someone absolutely butcher his music. The Star Wars tracks on these CDs sound like (gasp!) disco music! Star Wars (Track 8 on CD 1) even ends with a geeky, disembodied voice crying out, "May the Force be with you!" Uggh. Other tracks, while okay, are either pretty dry or sound too much like disco versions. Lost In Space I & II manages to tie the two main themes from the series into one suite which sounds acceptable, but that's about it.

Above all...avoid this one. It's a total embarrassment. Save your money. Skip this one. Buy something else. Boycott all stores that sell this travesty. Burn it if you have it and repent to the film score community (PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!! I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING!!!).

Just say no. *

Track Listing - CD 1

1 - Star Trek (3:20)

2 - Alien (2:33)

3 - Battlestar Galactica (1:30)

4 - Journey of the 7th Galaxy (2:10)

5 - The Outer Limits (1:27)

6 - Moonraker (2:30)

7 - Close Encounters (2:07)

8 - Star Wars (2:18)

9 - Can You Read My Mind? (From "Superman") (2:11)

10 - Space: 1999 (1:58)

11 - Radar (From "The Day the Earth Stood Still") (1:45)

12 - Superman (2:15)

13 - Phantom Planet (2:00)

14 - Godzilla (1:30)

15 - Not of this Earth (2:20)

16 - Also Sprach Zarathustra (From "2001: A Space Odyssey") (3:20)

17 - Black Hole (3:05)

18 - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (7:30)

19 - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1:00)

20 - Daughter of the Lesser Moon (2:07)

21 - Sindbad & The Eye of the Tiger (1:35)

22 - The Time Tunnel (1:15)

23 - Twilight Zone (2:00)

24 - Star Trek - The Motion Picture (1:22)

25 - Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1:28)

26 - War of the Satellites (1:55)

Total Running Time: 59:40

Track Listing - CD 2

1 - Vampire Planet (2:38)

2 - Dr. Who (1:23)

3 - The Adventures of Superman (1:00)

4 - Dark Star (From "Main Title", "Alien", & "Talby's Theme) (4:45)

5 - March of the Lizard-Men (2:56)

6 - Land of the Giants (1:00)

7 - Space: 1999 II (1:31)

8 - The Thing (1:17)

9 - Angry Red Planet (1:33)

10 - Blade Runner (4:03)

11 - Lost in Space I & II (1:54)

12 - Capricorn I (2:20)

13 - The Prisoner (1:05)

14 - Raiders of the Lost Ark (3:38)

15 - E.T. (3:23)

16 - The Invaders (0:37)

17 - U.F.O. (1:19)

18 - Vena's Dance (1:50)

19 - Flash Gordon (3:25)

20 - Return of the Jedi (3:47)

21 - Into the Alternate Universe (0:57)

22 - Morlocks (2:24)

23 - Forbidden Planet (2:20)

24 - Time Machine Model (0:47)

25 - Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (2:50)

26 - War of the Worlds (1:21)

Total Running Time: 57:18