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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Composed, Conducted, and Produced by:
James Horner
Orchestrated by:
Greig McRitchie


Label:
GNP Crescendo
Release Date:
January 21st, 1991


Also See:

Star Trek: TMP
Star Trek II
Star Trek IV
Star Trek V
Star Trek VI
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: Insurrection


Audio Clips:

2. Klingons (0:28), 140K star_trek3_2.ra

3. Stealing the Enterprise (0:30), 150K star_trek3_3.ra

5. Bird of Prey Decloaks (0:31), 156K star_trek3_5.ra

6. Returning to Vulcan (0:31), 156K star_trek3_6.ra



Availability:

  Regular U.S. release.


Awards:

  None.









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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Audio | Availability | Viewer Ratings | Tracks | Viewer Comments | Notes & Quotes
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  New Price: $78.00

  Sales Rank: 146206

  Avg. Rating: 4.00

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Filmtracks Recommends:

Buy it... if you have already enjoyed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and want something a little more spicy, but less coherent.

Avoid it... if your favorite parts of Star Trek II were the driving action cues, and the replacement of that action with mystic underscore doesn't interest you.



Filmtracks Editorial Review:

Horner
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: (James Horner) Shock and dismay had overwhelmed the nucleus of Star Trek fans in 1982; Spock was dead, and a beloved fixture of the television show and first two films was gone. Before even Star Trek II could be finished, the potential uproar of such an outcome was realized by the series' producers, and the bulk of the third film was devoted to bringing the character back to life. The film also re-introduced the hated Klingons into the mix and gave life to the cloaking Bird of Prey, which would become the most recognizable class of ship outside of the Federation for mainstream audiences. With Leonard Nimoy at the helm of this film, he made the wise choice to maintain continuity between the second and third films by utilizing James Horner's services once again for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Horner's score for the previous film had been a stunning success for the newcomer, a harsh, but bold sea-faring score worthy of adventures in space. Horner had also integrated a Spock-specific theme into the second film that could be elaborated upon as a central theme in the third film. As a story, Star Trek III achieved its main goals: to set the original cast back in motion and prepare the way for a newly designed Enterprise in the next film. Nimoy would take a series respite from dark dramatics and point the series in the direction of comedy in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home before returning once again to the troubles of the universe at large. In 1984, Horner would establish himself as the Trek franchise composer, briefly unseating Jerry Goldsmith. Horner's career would outgrow Star Trek after the third installment, though, and he would turn down several opportunities (according to Horner) to bring his sweeping theme back for another Star Trek film. Thus, Goldsmith gladly took back musical authority over the series.

Even though Star Trek III was a failure as a film, Horner's score was not to blame. Lord Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) was simply no match for Khan as a villain, and the filmmakers resorted to the death of a minor character and the self-destruction of the Enterprise to carry the film. Horner picked up the score right where he left off with Star Trek II. He began the prologue of the third film with the same contemplative tone that finished the previous film. He then launches into the recognizable sea-worthy title theme for the franchise --a theme that continues to rival Goldsmith's in quality. The theme for Spock and the Vulcans occupies a significant role in the score; their mysticism is accentuated by a synthetic aiding of the orchestra in order to create a religious ambience for the Katra ritual that occurs at the end of the film. The theme, while not boldly performed in the other films in which it appears (it is sadly missing in its entirety in the lackluster Star Trek IV score), is concluded in full majesty as the crew returns to Vulcan. The only significantly new development by Horner for Star Trek III is the theme for the brutish, haphazard Klingons. Horner handles this disgruntled group of glory-seeking warriors with a percussive approach that resembles the striking, clanging rhythms of Khan's theme. The melody of the Klingon line is oddly oriental in style while also maintaining a very unsophisticated edge. A solo horn wails away at will, without any guidance or attention to detail (and apparently guided only by how much breath the horn player has at a given moment), and this horn may or may not ruin the theme for fans who like the crisp performances of Goldsmith's established Klingon theme. That said, Horner's Klingon representation has a certain amount of quirky funk to it that better exposes the grungy side of Klingon life. Critics of the film laugh off Horner's attempt to score the Klingons, and there is reason to understand why they do it; with all the banging of silverware in that theme, one would think that it's constantly dinnertime.

In the end, the positive criticism of Star Trek III relates to its mere continuity in the series. Even though it cannot compare with Star Trek II, this score wins considerable praise for its ability to offer a consistent system of themes and orchestrations with the previous score. The recording quality of the two scores is remarkably similar, except perhaps for the two main Klingon sequences, which sound dull because of the instrumentation chosen for the cues. The score follows the trademark of making a magnificent announcement as the Entrprise leaves drydock. In this case, the ship is being stolen, and the chase cue for the Enterprise and Excelsior is rich with action motifs recognizable from Star Trek II (and perhaps Prokofiev, who Horner seemed to enjoy adapting ideas from in these early scores). Negative criticism of the score, outside of some people's obvious distaste for the Klingon theme, relates to the replacement of Khan's action music with an emphasis on the more subdued, euphoric Vulcan theme. While it contains plenty of potential, the theme doesn't achieve the magnitude of fantasy and awe as needed, and thus, the lengthy mind meld and katra ritual cues suffer from some underscore anonymity. On album, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is not as attractive of a product as its predecessor. Once again, the package from GNP is outdated, and the running time for the score is about 40 minutes. The end credits suite is missing the dialogue from Spock and instead listeners are treated to awkward and completely out of place pop rendition of Horner's title theme. It's not entirely clear who takes responsibility for this atrocious adaptation with an 1980's pop band. While Horner may have been responsible for it, the track sounds suspiciously similar to something that GNP's Neil Norman would produce with his band. That track aside, the Star Trek III score is still not as strong as its predecessor, by any means, and a weary potential-buyer should definitely investigate Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan first. ***

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   Viewer Ratings and Comments:



   Track Listings:
Total Time: 46:56

    • 1. Prologue and Main Title* (6:27)
    • 2. Klingons* (5:55)
    • 3. Stealing the Enterprise* (8:33)
    • 4. The Mind Meld (2:30)
    • 5. Bird of Prey Decloaks (3:37)
    • 6. Returning to Vulcan (4:49)
    • 7. The Katra Ritual (4:29)
    • 8. End Title* (6:12)
    • 9. The Search for Spock (3:43)

    * contains TV Theme by Alexander Courage




   Notes and Quotes:

    Insert includes a note about Horner's career up to 1990, as well as a synopsis of the film's plot (with spoilers!).







All artwork and sound clips from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock are Copyright © 1984, 1991, GNP Crescendo. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 6/16/03, updated 6/25/03. Review Version 4.2 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 2003-2008, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved.