Marco Jimenez
19 April 2015
Mus 468 sec: 02
Starship Troopers Basil Poledouris was hired to compose the scores for “Starship Troopers” because of his previous work on “Conan the Barbarian” and “Robocop”. During his time with the film of “Starship Troopers,” Poledouris’ music had to adapt to Verhoeven screen writing in able to fit properly because the director was seeking bombastic, rousing music that was wildly hyperactive which lacked centralized development, being said it was defined as “thrill of the moment” score. The music that Poledouris created for Starship Trooper was explosive with power and extremely heavy on the brass that is straight forward and in your face and pulls away.
The beginning of the movie, the music that opens up is the Federation’s March, demonstrating a militaristic tone of using the drumline as a march. The trumpets enter for that good news that the good guys here, for high motivation then it slowly descends to a softer tone of the trumpets and violin describing a good manner of what the Federation has in store of heroes. Ending it with drumline of a demonstration of militarism. Also giving a nice introduction about propaganda. Klendathu Drop, the first battle of the War against the Arachnids which the Federation and daring hero Johnny Rico will set foot on Bugs Territory. As the soldiers embark in their cargo ships, the tone of the music gives you this anticipation of action and violence soon to happen. The instruments that began were violin, trumpet, tuba, and horn was able to give that feeling of the mobile infantry preparing for battle against the Bugs. Cool descent of the music as the violin and drums are playing taking away from the intense tone of preparation of battle, and begins back to the strong tone of the trumpets and violin into battle as the cargo ships are taking the infantry to the planet’s surface. Going back to calm tone of space as the Battleship are flying by the planet, once again bringing back the fierce tone as the federation is descending to the planet while the violin is creating that buildup of thrill and suspense to describe anything can go wrong in a matter of seconds when it comes to war. As the infantry set foot and pouring out of the cargo ships the music continues with buildup and militaristic feeling of high motivation to fight and win. Ending the score of Klendathu Drop with the smooth tone of the Bug batteries shooting their plasma in the sky at the Battleships, and Johnny Rico with some other troopers destroying the Bug batteries with rockets.
Tango Urilla, The music begins with a dramatic heavy violin theme and a uprising tone of the trumpet, horn and tuba indicating a triumph over a Bugs from an airstrike and out of the dust comes the Federation Infantry soldiers marching through the valley. Out of a sudden escalation of the use of the violin’s high tempo to get that feeling of the soldiers have taken contact with a Bug, and winds down, brought up to a tempo of trumpets of a sign of heroic heroes coming to the rescue, mopping up the Bugs. Then a dramatic tone of music as something horrifying is going to harm/kill the soldiers switching from the dramatic feeling to an exciting, daring, heroic action and causing you to be on the edge of the seat of what happens next and a dramatic ending for huge Bug (tanker) being defeated.
Hopper Canyon, The violin sets this sinister tone making it seem where the Mobile Infantry are moving to unknown territory by going through the canyon. Sensing there will be danger as something is watching over them as predator is stalking it prey, and spring of surprise as something is flying towards the soldiers by the use of the violin rapidly playing to indicate a flying creature and confusion and peril happen as a soldier is being killed and music mellows down as threat flees and the dying soldier is put to peace by a bullet end his live quickly than slow and painful. The tempo comes back from the beginning for a short time before setting a new theme of realization of finding the base they were called to search.
Bugs, this score is unique, as it’s taken by the view of the Bugs describing their action and swarming approach to the compound where the Heroes are at, and the arachnids’ goal is to kill the humans. The music sets a tone by utilizing the bass drum heavy thumping and drumline tapping also a light tone of the violin on one key, setting the mood of danger and a swarm of Bugs coming to kill the remaining humans at the outpost, as the music reaches a high point it, immediately drops to an immediate dramatic/ hype motion pushing the violin to a higher pitch than before and dropping again letting the tuba and bass drums take tone of the mood as it raises back to the tempo it was before.
Dizzy’s Funeral, this part of the movie is sad scene after being rescued on the compound, a tragedy happen while leaving, as Dizzy, Rico’s friend from Buenos Aires and short term girlfriend gets killed by a warrior bug. The music begins with the violin playing a peaceful tone that has not been heard throughout the movie yet it’s a sad tone all in the same telling the audience that someone has died. As the drumline picks up with the trombone/trumpet/tuba as a solo piece increasing the sad theme as the casket is being sent to space (buried) last moments of goodbye. A dark theme approaches to complete the funeral as someone bring in bad news is approached for the Hero and his soldiers tasked for another mission from higher command to search for a Brain Bug.
Destruction of Roger Young, this score is about a Battle Ships being attacked and destroyed by Bug Batteries, and specifically to one of the ships that has one of Johnny Rico’s friend in it. The score begins by using the introduction of the federation march with the trumpets and drums for a minute giving the setting of the Federation beginning their assault. Soon after the music changes to a tragic, suspenseful devastating tone as the Roger Young is hit, and everyone in the ship running to the escape pods. A daring escape to reach a pod before they are all gone and stranded to die on the ship. The beat rapidly increases, and the intensity of violin to give that feeling. As they reach a life pod, the pod beside them crashes and burns up as the music give that devastating tune, the music changes the mood of relief, relaxing dropping the suspenseful “being on the edge of your seat” feeling, as Carmen and her co-pilot escape seeing the Battleship explode. The music goes on with a mysteries and unknown destination by using the flute to describe the scenario of floating in space through the ship wreckage and violin playing a smooth serenity. After that, the music moves to a daunting bad news as word of the Roger Young has been destroyed, focusing on the Hero as he hears over the radio net, thinking his friend possibly died, the violin plays depressing tone, as the drumline is tuning the mood as flute comes in briefly to finally giving it that sad mood similar to Dizzy’s funeral score. As the beat increases moving away from Johnny Rico to the sky as Carmen is going for a crash landing. Last part of the score brings anticipation, bring the audience to the edge of the seat” feeling to a climax and bam finishing it off by the bass drums as the escape pod has crashed landed.
Starship Troopers music was not meant to be elegant, intellectual nor mesmerizing that Basil Poledouris has produced. It was viewed to be simple, futuristic action of science fiction with explosive of military propaganda. A different perspective of his work that either left you with bitterness or surprise enjoyment of music used for this movie.

Foot Notes http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/starship.html https://play.spotify.com/album/1im536TySLJ9b9V8ia6tA5 (Starship Troopers by Basil Poledouris score)
Starship Troopers - Netflix