Today’s Film Score Friday comes with a BONUS! First, we are watching JJ Abrams’ coming-of-age sci-fi thriller “Super 8.“ Then, because this movie reminds me of a certain series that I would consider a coming-of-age sci-fi thriller, we will be watching the last episode of Stranger Things season 4!

First…

I love the score to this film. The movie’s plot is so mysterious and fun and dramatic…and the score delivers those same emotions. Michael Giacchino has collaborated many times with JJ Abrams…and I’m a fan. Lost, Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, Fringe. Giacchino has also composed scores for many Marvel movies and Pixar movies!

And where do I begin with JJ Abrams? He has directed, written, and/or produced so many of my favorite movies and TV shows!

Super 8 carries a lot of nostalgia and mystery. There are times when you are reminded of the kids from E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial or The Goonies. With Steven Spielberg as producer, you could guess why. I love that this film centers mainly around the children. It’s when the focus shifts to the adults that the feel starts to falter. Abrams does a great job showing the tenderness of adolescence, and Giacchino’s “Super 8 Suite” encompasses all of that emotion.

My favorite theme starts at the 2:33 mark. It is the most tender of the music that relates to the main character Joe Lamb.

Now…on to our BONUS score!

My kids LOVE Stranger Things. My husband and I love it as well. When we first started watching the series, I was drawn to the synthesized score. The main title theme itself is so haunting and 80s and all the things! Waiting for season 4 to be released was painful…we simply could not wait! We needed to fill that void, we needed to know how the story was going to continue…we had SO MANY questions that needed answering!!!

I want to take a moment to appreciate the amazing score for this season! The story was intense. There were some twists and turns. And the score embodied it all! The big song to come out of season 4 was Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” My favorite track comes from the season finale: episode 9. This specific remix of “Running Up That Hill” is not available on the official score soundtrack. I had to do a lot of searching to find the exact one from the episode! Enjoy!!!