The Blaster Beam, a massive instrument invented by Captain Kirk’s nephew

Its size is epic, as if a sci-fi prop itself. Its otherworldly sound is chilling in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. And The Blaster Beam is the unique handiwork of Captain Kirk’s own nephew — okay, Craig Huxley, who played that character on the original series. Meet The Blaster Beam. If any of us wins the lottery, there will be signs.

RIP, Mark Snow: listen to the composer talk about scoring X-Files and more

Mark Snow, the mind-bogglingly prolific composer behind scores for Blue Bloods, Smallville, and the X-Files has died at age 78. From TV to film to games, Snow’s take on electronic music scoring has left a mark on many of us. Here he is talking about his take on music, and some reflections on that unforgettable X-Files score.

Peter Kirn - July 9, 2025

Inside the Dune 2 score with Osmose and Hans Zimmer

A sequel is only worth its weight in spice if it can best the original. For Dune 2, Hans Zimmer and his team went further with their electronic instrumentation to immerse us even deeper in otherworldly sounds. Now we get some insights into how they did it, and why the Expressive E Osmose was a starring player.

Peter Kirn - December 11, 2024

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