The Journey Inside

For the 1994 IMAX film The Journey Inside, the filmmakers knew they wanted a big, theme-driven sci-fi score and when the composer of Return to Oz was available and interested, they were thrilled. Oz was packed with memorable character themes, motifs and sumptuous orchestration; it is now considered a classic and a high point in Shire's career. And that's what they wanted for The Journey Inside. This is apparent right away in the main title, which establishes the film's main melody—a "hero" theme for the young boy. Rushed along on rippling strings and woodwinds, a French horn sings the tune—filled with optimism, adventure and wonder. Shire opens the saga with grand ambitions and gives the whole orchestra a workout, establishing the musical character to follow.

The 80-piece orchestra was blended with a few "spacey" synth voices (with names like "alien metal," "computer piano" and "space chorus"), and recorded on September 9 and 10, 1993, at the old MGM scoring stage under the watch of veteran engineer Dan Wallin.