My choices in order from best to ...you know what.

Alien (Jerry Goldsmith)
Aliens (James Horner)
Alien Resurrection (What's his name...Fitzelli something?)
Alien 3 (Elliot Goldenthal)

Now to the why...as quickly as I can.
Alien by Goldsmith is one of the most powerful and unfortunately most butchered (by the director) scores of all time. The atonal, off rythmic music is just insane man. No one, and I mean no one can write music like this except Goldsmith. It's a shame he has chosen to abonden this in his current style.

Aliens from Horner is very good indeed. The ation scenes are incredible. Unfortunately I am not as lucky as you guys to own the full score, but when the opportunity arrises, I am going to grab it.

I don't know much about the score for Resurrection, although I've seen the film. Eventually I will buy this score, but you know, I have priorities when it comes to soundtracks. I do remember thought that I liked the music better than Alien 3.

Which brings me to this disaster called Alien 3. Hated the movie, am not impressed with the score. Don't even like Goldenthal that much in the first place.

Aliens
Alien
Alien 3
Alien Resurrection

I'll admit I haven't heard much of Resurrection but I actually like Alien 3. And I also don't have the complete Aliens.

WOOHOO! I'm a member!

Alien is a beautiful piece of modern music, period. But even in it's compromised form in the movie it was the most effective and valuable production element of the whole experience next to H.R.Giger's completely original and authentic-looking set and creature concepts. And, as has been stated earlier, few composer's could pull off those primitive and volcanically evil atonalities as true as Goldsmith has. Goldenthal's contribution was a very pleasant surprise and a return to the disturbing territory Goldsmith entered in the first score. Aliens, while effective, has always been a bit too transparent and imitative for me to fully appreciate.

Aliens
Alien
Alien 3
Alien Resurrection

Alien and Aliens are VERY, VERY close though.
In fact, my opinion might change with time...I don´t know.

SFT

Regarding Goldsmith's replaced score for Legend, well... I must say his is a masterpiece. Anyone who doesn't own it should definitely consider buying it. You won't be disappointed.

If I take Alien 3 out of the equation, here's my ranking:

ALIEN
ALIEN RESURRECTION
ALIENS

I like Alien a lot, I think it is one of Jerry's best. John Frizzel's Resurrection was a surprise to me. I wasn't expecting him too come up with something that good. He was able to keep the standard set by Goldsmith and Horner and at the same time develop his own style. I really liked "They Swim..." Now, don't assume that because I put Aliens third doesn't mean that I don't like it. I like it a lot, but these are three very good scores, and of the three, Aliens is the one which I didn't find as clever. Something has to be last on the list.

1)The Alien Trilogy
2)Alien Resurrection
3)hehe

What do you think?

I am one of those incredibly rare and odd people who think that the third movie was brilliant. Big David Fincher fan. Artistically, the third movie saved the francise by not going the typical Hollywood route of having each sequel be more action and special effects than the one before it. After the explosive James Cameron-ness of Aliens I think it was very cool to show the audience a more cereberal, character-driven story. Goldenthal's operatic style suited the film very well. Goldenthal's is a form of music that is very difficult to wrap your brain around at first, but it's really grown on me. Scott: The compilation album doesn't really do the score justice. Unless you don't like Goldenthal I'd recommend getting the full score. It's one of the cheaper CD's anyway. Resurrection had some very good things in it, but the big drawback for me was the horrific overabundance of noisy sound effects. The synth is fine in moderation, but on Resurrection it mostly just covers up the music. The reason Alien is last is because by the time I saw it, I had been bred on the many films that borrowed from it. I, therefore, was unable to really enjoy it as much as I should because I had seen it all before. A pity, too, because I like Ridley Scott and Goldsmith. I'll watch it again, maybe I'll see it differently.

Scotty

Scott?

~Jeron

Now to defend my comments. Yes, the special effects in Alien3 weren't very good. Noone's perfect, and we of all people should know that special effects do not a good movie make necessarily. I do believe that the movie saved the franchise, allow me to expound: The great thing about the series has been that each movie has been made by a different, talented dierctor who takes the story in a different direction each time. Cameron created the Hollywood sequel with Aliens. If the next film had gone the same route (guns, action, audience-pleasing stuff) it would have ruined the creative aspect of the films by simply trying to make money on the same things that worked before. As hated as 3 is it avoided this by taking the huge risk of going the other way: A dark, apocalyptic film that created fear with only one Alien instead of Cameron's fleet. As to the characters: There were some good ones in 3: Charles S. Dutton is a great actor and had a great part, there was also the blossoming relationship between Ripley and the doctor (who had some background history, something actors love). As to the killing of Newt rendering that storyline worthless: Nonsense. It's not like they just wrote her out of the script and forgot about her, Newt's death was an integral part of Ripley's character devleopment in 3. Remember the wonderful funeral scene and those close-ups on Sigourney Weaver's face? The loss of the beloved Aliens characters contributed to the dark mood that Fincher created so well. It's not surprising that the film is not well liked, I just think it's misunderstood. I thought it sucked the first time I saw it, but now I feel that it was very poignant and artistic.

But heck, what do I know...I called Ridley Scott-Ripley Scott and spelled Star Trek with a c...ts,ts.

1. Aliens
2. Alien Res
3. Alien
4. Alien 3

--Crono/Kyp
Writer/Director/Producer

NP: Armageddon: Trevor Rabin (****/*****)

Anyways.

MATT: I was just curious, that's all. DO YOUS GOTS A PROBLEM WITH DAT?

MWRUGER: Welcome aboard, bud. Hope you have fun.

~Jeron

Alien
Alien 3
Aliens
Alien Resurrection

You have to give Goldsmith top nod for this one. He just rocks (Figuratively speaking)! Elliot Goldenthal always does something interesting. Just for the sake of originality he edges out Horner, for reasons we needn’t mention. I haven’t listed to Resurrection as a stand alone, but it didn’t impress me in the film.

I just noticed you'd asked for quality/quantity on the Alien score I have.

The quality is EXCELLENT. I'm very happy I picked up this cd and not the one people have complaints about. The sound is very clear and extremely enjoyable.

The record "label" is Total Sound - 500... meaning I think there were only 500 of these cds pressed. I'm sure various copies are floating around by now. I happen to be a happy teenager who has an original hard copy. :-)

Here's the track listing:

1) Main Title
2) The Ship Awakens
3) The Landing
4) Inside the Alien Ship
5) The Egg Chamber
6) Face Hugger
7) Molecular Acid
8) Waiting
9) Search for the Face Hugger
10) Take Off
11) Burial in Space
12) The Search Begins
13) Death of Brett
14) The Plan - Mother
15) Search in the Shaft
16) Ash in a Robot
17) Death of Lambert and Parker
18) Destruct System Activated
19) Last Survivors
20) Alien in the Pod
21) Final Confrontation and Finale

The total running time comes to a good 64:25, definitely enough Alien score to make you paranoid at night.

this issue seems to have run its course. Based on my unscientific research I have tallied all the votes and here is the conclusion.

Number 1: Aliens
Number 2: Alien
Number 3: Alien3
Number 4: Alien Resurrection

It saddens me that Jerry Goldsmith came in number two but I had to be honest in counting the votes. I was surprised however that Alien3 beat out Alien Resurrection but it was close, very close.
If anyone comes to a different conclusion than I have, please let me know.

Scott

Oh yeah.. and I think Jerry's score is far above the rest. Of course!