---
name: "Christopher Franke"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/christopher-franke"
fi1m_id: "christopher-franke"
imdb_id: "nm0006081"
tmdb_id: 47927
wikidata_id: "Q61272"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "6 April 1953"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-13T04:03:16.941890+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Christopher Franke

## Identity

Christopher Franke

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/christopher-franke
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** christopher-franke
- **IMDb ID:** nm0006081
- **TMDB ID:** 47927
- **Wikidata ID:** Q61272
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Franke, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61272, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006081/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/47927

Composer. Born 6 April 1953 in Berlin, Germany.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 6 April 1953, Berlin, Germany
- **Active:** 1977–2005
- **Also known as:** Chris Franke, Christoph Franke, Tangerine Dream
- **Frequently works with:** [Edgar Froese](https://film.one/person/edgar-froese.md), [Johannes Schmölling](https://film.one/person/johannes-schmolling.md), [Tom Cruise](https://film.one/person/tom-cruise.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 88 (1), 1980s 75 (3), 1990s 74 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 68 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Adventure 2, Drama 2, Action & Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Fantasy 1, Horror 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $91m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Franke, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61272, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006081/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/47927

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Risky Business*](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Christopher Franke is a German composer and musician. Born on 6 April 1953 in Berlin, he studied composition at the Berlin Conservatory. He joined the electronic group Tangerine Dream in 1971 and remained a member until 1987, contributing to numerous albums and film scores.

After leaving the band, Franke moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and established himself as a solo film and television composer. His credits include the scores for *Universal Soldier* (1992) and the science fiction series *Babylon 5* (1994–1998), on which he composed music for all episodes and associated films. He also founded the record label Sonic Images and the Berlin Symphonic Film Orchestra.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, christopherfranke.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Babylon 5* (1994), Fi1m 74, Music — [page](https://film.one/tv/babylon-5.md)
- *Near Dark* (1987), Fi1m 82, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/near-dark.md)
- *Legend* (1985), Fi1m 61, Music, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/legend.md)
- *Risky Business* (1983), Fi1m 81, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md)
- *Sorcerer* (1977), Fi1m 88, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md)

## Complete filmography (68)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Tangerine Dream: Ricochet* (2019), Actor
- *Julia* (2013), Music
- *Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston* (2011), Original Music Composer
- *Reviving Ophelia* (2010), Music
- *Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark* (2007), Original Music Composer
- *What the Bleep! Down the Rabbit Hole* (2006), Music
- *Tangerine Dream at Coventry Cathedral* (2006), Music
- *Berkeley* (2005), Original Music Composer
- *Green Street Hooligans* (2005), Original Music Composer
- *What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?* (2004), Original Music Composer
- *The Elizabeth Smart Story* (2003), Music
- *Footsteps* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *A Date with Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *Hunter: Back in Force* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *Manhood* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *Dancing at the Harvest Moon* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers - To Live and Die in Starlight* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *When Dinosaurs Roamed America* (2001), Music
- *Murder on the Orient Express* (2001), Original Music Composer
- *Jack the Dog* (2001), Original Music Composer
- *The Calling* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *Fortress 2* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *A Holiday Romance* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *Babylon 5: The River of Souls* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Terror in the Mall* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Babylon 5: Thirdspace* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Tarzan and the Lost City* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Babylon 5: In the Beginning* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Menno's Mind* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *The Devil's Child* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *The Inheritance* (1997), Original Music Composer, Music
- *Tell Me No Secrets* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *Solo* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Tenchi Muyo! In Love* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Public Enemies* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *A Face to Die For* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Requiem* (1995), Music
- *Night of the Running Man* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *The Surgeon* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *The Yarn Princess* (1994), Original Music Composer
- *Babylon 5* (1994), series, Music — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/babylon-5.md)
- *Journey to the Center of the Earth* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *The Tommyknockers* (1993), series, Music
- *Universal Soldier* (1992), Music
- *Raven: Return of the Black Dragons* (1992), Original Music Composer
- *She Woke Up* (1992), Original Music Composer
- *McBain* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Driving Me Crazy* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, Music
- *Shy People* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *Three O'Clock High* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *Near Dark* (1987), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/near-dark.md)
- *Canyon Dreams* (1987), Music
- *The Park Is Mine* (1986), Original Music Composer
- *Legend* (1985), Music, Songs — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/legend.md)
- *Red Heat* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *Vision Quest* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *Heartbreakers* (1984), Music
- *Firestarter* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *Flashpoint* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *The Keep* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Wavelength* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Risky Business* (1983), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md)
- *The Soldier* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *Strange Behavior* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Thief* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Sorcerer* (1977), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md)
- *Scene of the Crime* (1970), series, Original Music Composer

## Gallery

- ![Christopher Franke (2025)](https://film.one/media/person/118030/gallery-98724ec17383.jpg) Christopher Franke (2025) — Christopher Franke, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/CF_Head_Shot.jpg/1280px-CF_Head_Shot.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Christopher Franke (2025)](https://film.one/media/person/118030/gallery-0ca5fe601831.jpg) Christopher Franke (2025) — NBDragonSlayer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Christopher_Franke.jpg/1280px-Christopher_Franke.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Christopher Franke](https://film.one/media/person/118030/gallery-e90edabff26b.jpg) Christopher Franke — Paul Carless from St Albans, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Tangerine_Dream_1980something_%2812882520393%29.jpg/1280px-Tangerine_Dream_1980something_%2812882520393%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/christopher-franke