50's Sci-Fi scores are the best! I don't think it's available on CD but Rocketship XM (Gerde Grofe) is a gem.

Destination Moon (Leith Stevens) is mezmerizing and of course, The Day The Earth Stood Still (Herrmann).

The Varese Sarabande compilation (Themes From Science Fiction And Horror Films) is another great one. Recorded in the late 50's and originally on Coral records, the vinyl reissue is one of the first from Varese Sarabande.

Mancini In Surround has some of the composers earlier work for Universal Sci-Fi (It Came From Outer Space, Tarantula).

I wish I could think of more right now.

Not to forget Forbidden Planet. If you like unusual, experimental electronic sounds. This is not to be missed.

victoravalentine, June 13, 2007; 11:28 AM

Film Score Monthly released Dimitri Tiomkin's score to "The Thing From Another World" a couple of years ago. Great sci-fi score: interesting orchestration (Theremin, three/four bass trombones, etc.). Worth the $ if there are any left. Limited pressing is split with another Tomkin score for a film called "Take The High Ground!"

brothertimmy, June 13, 2007; 11:58 AM

Besides the first volume of MMM there are other releases by the same record label you might be interested in.

How about Akira Ifikube's film score to ''Godzilla''? A true classic!

The underscore album for ''Plan 9 From Outer Space'' is good too.

''War Of The Worlds'', ''When Worlds Collide''...

''The Thing From Another World''

There are quite a lot that have never been released.

serifiot, June 13, 2007; 12:20 PM

Check out the new Ronald Stein boxed set that was just released by Percepto Records!

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=7258


There was also a single-disc compilation of Stein's music released by Varese Sarabande, which is now out-of-print, but still available (at a discount price!) from BSX:

http://buysoundtrax.stores.yahoo.net/notofthisear.html


FYI, both of these releases contain the original scores as heard in the films, not more recent re-recordings like the Monstrous Movie Music discs.




American.Nightmare, June 13, 2007; 2:38 PM

Another that should be released on CD is The Fantastic Film Music Of Albert Glasser.

The LP I bought in 1979 at Tower records in Los Angeles.

Contains original cues from many top sci-fi films from the greatest era in B movies.

Amazing Colossal Man, Beginning Of The End, The Cyclops and others.

It's a prize of a recording. All music from the person collection of the composer who had the original discs stored away in a closet in his home for years.

Albert Glasser... one of the best!

victoravalentine, June 13, 2007; 6:01 PM

I think the best release of a "50's Sci-Fi" score was the fabulous Percepto release (unfortunately now OOP, unless you want a CD-r copy) "Invasion of the Saucermen/It! Conquered the World". One of my favorite CD's in my collection, and two of my favorite films of all time. As American Nightmare said, pick up that Ronald Stein box set, I already ordered mine!

- Eric

erictyee, June 13, 2007; 8:35 PM

If you are not inclined to invest that much in the Ronald Stein boxed set, consider the one-CD Stein compilation 'Not of This Earth!' on Varese. It contains such gems as Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman, Attack of the Crab Monsters and Spider Baby (AKA Cannibal Orgy).

sowhatsplanb, June 14, 2007; 10:05 AM

Not to mention the classic Russ Garcia score for The Time Machine.

victoravalentine, June 14, 2007; 5:08 PM

The soundtrack recording for the original "Night Of The Living Dead" contains cues composed for 2 super low budget late 50's sci-fi films. "The Hideous Sun Demon" and "Teenagers From Outer Space" composed by William Loose and others.

The music from the original films (which are nearly forgotten) lives on in the 1968 George Romero film.

victoravalentine, June 15, 2007; 5:34 PM

Uh.....those scores you mention, Knives, happen to be compiled from existing library cues (as was PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). None of them were original to the movies themselves.

kriegerg69, June 18, 2007; 3:41 PM

(kriegerg69) What do you mean, those scores I mentioned happen to be compiled from existing library cues and none were original to the movie themselves?

"Night Of The Living Dead" (Romero film) contains cues originally composed for and used in both "Teenagers From Outer Space" and "The Hideous Sun Demon".

victoravalentine, June 20, 2007; 4:47 PM

all the suggestions above are great...they all have great taste!!!
it's nice to know i have all of the scores mentioned(except one).
order all of the monsterous movie music series. i really liked THIS ISLAND EARTH. creature from the black lagoon is wonderful even though it's not sci-fi, it's a classic. also, i will add my pick; francisco lagavnino's gamma I quadrilogy. i found a gently used copy at amoeba in berkeley and play it alot! you can get it on amazon new or used. welcome to the genre, & happy listening


jeanesingsjazz, June 21, 2007; 8:02 PM

Wow!! Thanks the great response on this. I didn't realize there weas this much out there!! Glad to see there are others out there apprecaiting the old drive in masterpieces.

Also, FYI, there are new R1 DVD releases coming soon for The Giant Behemoth, 20 Million Miles to Earth SE(includes much Harryhausen participation and a Harryhausen supervised colorized version), The Giant Claw, The Werewolf(great lost Colombia flick), First Man into Space, The Atomic Submarine, and Creature With the Atomic Brain.

bellfoosh, June 27, 2007; 4:29 PM