THE FILMATION MUSIC OF RAY ELLIS: Original Television Soundtracks
Retrograde Records returns with a special CD as part of Film Score Monthly’s 35th anniversary celebration: The Filmation Music of Ray Ellis.
Ray Ellis (1923–2008) was a heralded record producer, arranger, composer and conductor who created some of the most vivid and dramatic scoring for animation—specifically, for the Filmation studio from the late 1960s to early ’80s (albeit under pseudonyms).
This album features some of his highest profile projects: Star Trek: The Animated Series, Filmation’s ambitious 1979 Flash Gordon adaptation, live-action shows like Shazam, Isis and Jason of Star Command, and the 1982 Gilligan’s Planet.
Unlike a lot of “cartoon music,” Ellis’ scores were bold and dramatic, incorporating avant-garde techniques and cinematic orchestrations. His scores for Star Trek and Flash Gordon are feature-film caliber, and their repetition as library cues burned them into the imaginations of wide-eyed fans.
Star Trek: The Animated Series is the same program included by La-La Land Records on the 50th anniversary Star Trek collection, while the other scores debut in monaural sound from master tapes courtesy Ellis’ son (and Flash Gordon co-composer), Marc Ellis. New liner notes (incorporating interview material with Marc Ellis) are by Jeff Bond, with colorful, Filmation-inspired art direction by Joe Sikoryak.
STAR TREK: The Animated Series
02. Captain’s Log 1:19
03. Something Ahead 0:53
04. Evasive Maneuvers 1:05
05. Sensor Data 1:06
06. Intercept Course 0:13
07. Fire Phasers 0:48
09. Illogical 0:11
10. Briefing 0:42
11. On the Viewscreen 1:01
12. New Heading 0:18
13. Scanning 0:53
14. Deflector Shields 0:17
15. Red Alert 0:32
16. Battle Stations 0:39
17. Surprise 0:06
18. Supplemental Log 0:47
19. Kirk’s Command 1:10
20. Sickbay 0:28
21. Library Computer 0:44
22. Full Power 0:27
23. Approaching Coordinates 0:08
24. The Bigger Meaning 1:15
25. Trouble in Engineering 0:27
26. Spock’s Analysis 0:42
27. Enterprise Wins the Space Race 0:42
28. McCoy’s Summary 0:15
29. Just Another Stardate 0:39
30. Ongoing Mission 0:17
31. Title Theme (alt. mix) 1:00
32. Sensor Data (alt. mix) 1:00
33. Enterprise Attacked (alt. opening) 1:41
34. Scanning (alt. mix) 0:53
35. Turbolift Music 0:28
36. Mr. Arex Lends an Extra Hand 0:38
37. Fascinating 0:17
38. Don’t Mess With M’Ress 0:21
39. Oh My 0:16
40. Spock’s Quick Analysis 0:21
41. Yellow Alert 0:24
42. Off Duty 0:14
43. Suite: Stingers and Act-Out Music 2:02
Total Time: 31:26
FLASH GORDON
45. Stukas Bomb Dr. Zarkov 1:37
46. Mongo Mysterioso 0:36
47. Flash 1:11
49. Aura* 1:01
50. Mystery Strings, Part 1 0:37
51. Flash Chase, Strings 0:31
52. The Depths of Mongo* 1:07
53. The Mines of Mongo 1:46
54. Mystery Strings, Part 2 0:52
56. Harem, Part 2 0:45
57. Strange Lurk 0:31
58. Mystery Strings, Part 3 0:54
59. Robots Attack 1:39
60. Mongo Passes the Earth* 1:13
61. Imperial City Fanfare 0:16
62. Mystery Strings, Tremolo 0:48
63. Prisoner of Ming* 0:39
64. Strange Lurk, Fast 0:25
65. Evil Tension 0:43
66. The Screen* 0:42
67. Planet Turmoil 1:19
68. Flash Fanfare 0:12
Total Time: 23:11
JASON OF STAR COMMAND
70. Jason Rubato 1:14
71. Jason Tension Build 0:31
72. Bridges (Bad Guy, Bad Guy Long, Jason, Good Guys) 0:32
Total Time: 3:07
SHAZAM
73. Finders Keepers, Part 1 2:27
74. Finders Keepers, Part 2 1:36
75. Finders Keepers, Part 3 3:55
76. Finders Keepers, Part 4 0:39
Total Time: 8:43
THE SECRETS OF ISIS
77. Year of the Dragon 1:20
GILLIGAN’S PLANET
79. Wizzard the Robot 1:21
80. Feeding Wizzard 1:17
81. Howell World 0:48
82. Stealing Howell’s Money 1:21
83. Howell Desperate 1:07
84. Sea Serpent 0:50
85. Space Storm 0:44
86. Star 0:25
87. End Credits 1:24
Total Time: 10:29
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY MOUSE AND HECKLE & JECKLE
88. Main Title 0:58
Total Disc Time: 79:45
*Composed by Marc Ellis
