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•	2007 Album

•	2020 Album

The general personality of the score for The Karate Kid: Part III is perhaps the most mature of the original three works, the orchestral element comfortable in its tasks, the contemporary elements largely absent, and the ethnic components spread more evenly through the mix. The returning exotic instruments are joined by suzu bells, but the most important improvement comes in the involvement of pan flute expert Gheorghe Zamfir, who could not be located for the second score's recording, forcing Conti to use a sampled alternative. The pan flute performances, as in The Karate Kid, return to the upper ranges that give it the sound of nearly a penny whistle at times, which could be obnoxious for some listeners. Interestingly, the Japanese ethnicity, which was so engrained in the setting of the prior film and Miyagi himself is somewhat flipped to represent the villains instead, the Cobra Kai interests provided the taiko drums and other percussive effects specifically in this score. (Conti took this approach with the character of Sato in the prior work, but it's intriguing to hear that strategy applied to the original bad guys here.) The narrative of The Karate Kid: Part III also allowed Conti to provide a few action cues of note, including the entertainingly robust "Miyagi Scores Well" and less palatable "Jessica's Slip," forcing string panic over taiko drums for the villains. Fans were treated to a better combination of old and new themes in this score as well, Conti mostly relying on his prior identities but supplying them in more satisfying ways. The main theme of the franchise is clearly the Miyagi teaching motif, its dominance of the second score reinforced by its frequent presence here, too. This nine-note motif defined in "Bonsai Tree" from the first score, with a repetitively plucked string intro motif underneath, is re-established throughout "Main Title" and "The Last Tree," coming to define the trees and their symbolism more than anything else in this score. (Nearly every moment involving the trees in the work utilizes some variation on this theme or its underlying figures.) The idea becomes a bit unnerved by "Getting the Tree" and "Save the Tree," turns darkly dramatic by "Miyagi's Shut Out" for strained relationships (joined by evil taiko rhythms), assumes power at the outset of "Miyagi Kicks Butt," and finally goes massive on brass in the middle of "The Final Blow" to inspire Daniel to fight. The motif highlights the string drama at the end of the cue, confirming its status as the primary franchise identity.

The improvement of thematic handling in The Karate Kid: Part III includes Daniel's theme, which was largely absent outside of the flashback sequence to open The Karate Kid: Part II but featuring prominently two times in the third score. It finally returns in full in the latter half of "The Hidden Tree" and regains its footing throughout "Kata Training" in original orchestral form plus the pan flute. The idea is truly Conti's most appealing theme from the franchise, so it's a pleasure to hear a full reprise in the latter cue. Two themes specific to the second film's score return for adapted purposes, including reprises of Conti's honor motif, re-introduced in "The Hidden Tree" and offering relief in "Save the Tree." The theme Conti supplied to Miyagi's lost love in the prior work shifts to underline the lost relationship with Daniel in The Karate Kid: Part III in "Miyagi's Prayer" on lower pan flute tones and more clearly on strings in "Jessica's Kiss." It becomes melodramatic early in "The Final Blow" as Daniel is dominated in the climactic fight. The new themes in this score are primarily aimed at the antagonists, highlighted by a new classical fugue for the Terry Silver character, a late addition to the plot. This stately fugue twists the tone of Daniel's material from the first score, its actual melody purposefully a bit elusive. The idea whips into a frenzy late in "Terry Silver," reinforces its more malicious intent on lower strings in "Terry's Next Move," is reduced to its descending phrasing alone in "Terry Sneaks In" before a crescendo at end, becomes oppressive in "Terry Owns Daniel," and is offset against the Miyagi and Cobra Kai instrumentation in "Miyagi Kicks Butt." That Cobra Kai motif consists of taiko rhythms, primarily, with metallic percussion, and it takes form in "Main Title" and "Miyagi's Shut Out." The idea nicely accompanies action in "Jessica's Slip" to recognize the villains' role in the fall, announces the exposure of evil in "Miyagi Kicks Butt," and makes a token contribution to "The Final Blow" but is overwhelmed by the heroic material. Overall, The Karate Kid: Part III is an improvement over its predecessor but remains in the shadow of the original entry. On album, the original soundtrack offering contained only one score track. In 2007, Varèse Sarabande released a 4-CD set of all of Conti's scores for the franchise, and the same basic, 42-minute presentation was released alone by the label in 2012. The La-La Land Records label expanded that experience to 44 minutes in 2020 and also included much of the score in an alternate mix that the label had discovered. Expect better highlights in the finale of the third score, Conti rediscovering some of the appeal of the first score's formula.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download