10 Reasons You Need To Revisit Star Trek: The Motion Picture
5. That Incredible Score
One of The Motion Picture's only resounding successes among the film's detractors is its memorable score by Jerry Goldsmith, which weaves traditional orchestral flourishes with more experimental elements ready-made for science fiction.
Central to Goldsmith's more surreal compositions is the blaster beam, a hulking metallic instrument capable of producing otherwordly bass tones. Eat your heart out, Flea. The blaster beam was employed to great effect in creating V'Ger's seminal sound, which remains the stuff of legend and mushroom trips throughout the Alpha Quadrant. Warp speed, Mr. Sulu!
From the stress-inducing "Klingon Battle" to the soothing "Ilia's Theme", Goldsmith's score sets the mood perfectly. His work on The Motion Picture began a long association with Star Trek that would continue all the way until 2002's Nemesis. It's a shame he had to bow out with that one, though. An alternate version of The Motion Picture's main title was even used as the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation. It's that good.