REVIEW: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

One of the very few times Horner has done a sequel score, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock brought Horner back to the themes and styles that got him noticed and recognized in such short order just a few years prior. I think it to be a blessing that Horner was brought back for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, for his score for The Wrath of Khan provided a fantastic musical tapestry covering the themes of life, death, and rebirth. TSFS continued on in with the same [attempt] to cover these themes with the birth and death of a new planet, and the rebirth of Spock, therefore, theme continuity was of the utmost necessity. Thankfully, Nimoy convinced Horner to return, and once more did we get to hear Horner contemplate the threads throughout the story. Sadly, Star Trek III was a vastly inferior movie, so was Horner up to the task?

Before I answer that, let me speak for a minute on the change here since TWOK. Considering that TSFS preceded Cocoon by a year, I almost feel like TSFS, not Cocoon was a first of the type for Horner as he would explore his slower, longer lined string melodies that would ultimately flourish into his primary composing style. With Brainstorm and Krull now behind him, Horner had finished with his layered-try-this-and-that experimental side, found what worked, what didn’t, and applied to Star Trek III those lessons. This allowed him to refine and target the music. Now, all the string swirls are still here, but there is far more emphasis on the strings, percussion, and even synths than there was in TWOK, where so much of it was on the brass. This is still an early prototype of what was to come, but there is a noticeable evolution in the two years since TWOK.

Now, to answer my above question, I would say yes and no. TSFS absolutely has its moments, but it also has its failures. The themes from TWOK are carried back over, but none of themes get a heck of a whole lot of playing time because they just wouldn’t fit the more subtle material and contemplative mood of the score. Since the emphasis in TSFS is mainly on the rebirth of Spock, the Spock theme (and to some extent, the rebirth theme... “Return to Vulcan,” for example) takes center stage of the returning themes (listen to “The Mind Meld,” a great example which also happens to end with classic Horner string figures you’d expect in something like Titanic...like I said, he’s really growing toward his modern instrumental applications here). The main title is a strong summation of what to expect. The score is launched with a tender, thoughtful, and yet sad string prologue, hinting at the Enterprise theme. Then it explodes into the rebirth theme (rather than the Enterprise theme as in TWOK), before then continuing into the Spock theme. As with TWOK, Horner tells the story of the movie using the main title, playing the rebirth theme in juxtaposition with the Spock theme just after a prologue which subtly hints at the Enterprise theme. As always, a brilliant move on Horner’s part. Considering the more contemplative mood of the score; the more thoughtful, subtle, peaceful orchestrations in these themes that are present; and the fact that these themes are meant to be contemplative anyway, Horner kicks the score off on just the right emotional note to prepare the listener for what I feel is a more mysterious score.

This score also has major highlights in the music regarding the Enterprise. The second half of “Klingons” is stunning, as the Enterprise theme is played triumphantly over swirling strings over strong brass pronouncements of the theme that has been extended to longer notes to draw out the heroism and honor of a ship scarred from battle. But as bold as it is, Horner keeps things restrained enough to remind the listener that this triumph came with great sacrifice. I will say this is my favorite usage of the Enterprise theme between Horner’s two Trek scores.

This score, and Horner himself, are at its/his finest in the track “Stealing the Enterprise,” which starts off with fast and powerful strings, yielding to the Enterprise theme, then giving way to amazing cat and mouse music as the Enterprise tries to avoid Excelsior and get out of the dock without ramming the doors. Fast strings, swirled and slow to emote tension and suspense, fear and alarm, overlayed with targeted brass, massive crescendos as things go right, lots of snares for power, the blaster beam for fear, and lots of statements of the Enterprise theme to show heroism and pride among the Enterprise crew are what this piece is made of. Pure Horner, pure excitement, a truly edge-of-your-seat listening experience. This may very well be the best track between any of the two Horner Trek scores...it is just that riveting and tense. Ironically enough, I think it is far too goofy sounding the movie, but I adore it here. This track is worth the price of the CD alone.

After “Stealing the Enterprise,” the track “The Bird of Prey Decloaks” is the last action piece of the music, and its merely okay. I’ll talk about the Klingon theme later, but this is the track that emotes the escape of the crew on the Enterprise as Kirk is about to destroy it, and it just lacks something. The countdown is scored just like “Genesis Countdown” in TWOK, which works well enough, but it sort of dilutes the effect and the emotions here (and the more restrained orchestrations somewhat prohibit it from doing its job). The actual escape is scored with a blunt repeat of “Cowboy and the Jackers” from Battle Beyond the Stars, which just doesn’t work at all here. The squealing, high pitched brass with very little backup just doesn’t create any real emotion or tenseness, falls flat, and never lets the music evolve into something more alarming.

As I said before, the score is mysterious, and this is where things go down hill fast. Horner accomplishes mystery by writing music that almost sounds Asian in nature (quite mysterious to me as a listener as to why he did this!) There’s a lot of emphasis on some sort of ethnic flute (or a piccolo played in the upper ranges) through what I think is a perfect fifth quite quickly to almost symbolize the almost religious nature of what is going on (almost as to what you would associate with Buddhist music). This is especially prevalent in “The Katra Ritual” where giant cymbol like gongs are juxtaposted with twinkling of chimes and a tender, frightening, yet exciting, increasingly prominent string figure. It works--its something that’s not a massive religious experience with choir and rising strings--but at the same time, it rather sort of falls flat because it feels lacking in depth. And any time you have music relating to the rebirth of Spock, this is the sort of music heard. Unfortunately, this is where the score falls flat. Sure it is mysterious, but its not an overpowering mystery. It is almost as though its a rather yawn inducing mystery that everyone is just ready to have over. I can’t quite say uninspired because to choose a different approach to scoring religious music, especially this one, is incredibly inspired to me. Its not bad, either. But, the musical and emotional fire just feels like embers here. I have trouble taking anything away from it.

I have waited to discuss the Klingon theme last. Horner’s take on the Klingon theme was marred by the utterly ridiculous depiction of the Klignons in the film (Christopher Lloyd?! John Larroquette?! What were they thinking?!) as goofy slobs. What the film needed to salvage the Klingons was something savage and powerful--exactly what the Klingons are. Sadly, Horner’s Klingon theme is a total failure and is just terrible as the theme plays the goofy slob depiction. Rolling horns played muted give way to a horn note that lasts until the player runs out of breath. Behind it is all sorts of random clanging percussion that sounds like a little kid when they discover, and subsequently bang the pots and pans in the kitchens. Its so noisy and directionless that I just squirm when I hear it. Even more bizarre is that it, too, is written with an Asian tone, just like the mysterious music, but it just sounds out of place in this theme. Thankfully, the Klingon theme appears twice--in “Klingons” and “The Bird of Prey Decloaks”--but comes close to ruining both tracks (saved by the Enterprise theme and so-so action music respectively). Horner would rewrite the theme and use it as an action motif in Aliens, where it is put to far superior use because it gains a sense of tension and propulsion there. But in TSFS, it is so awful it really borders on a joke.

The end titles are not really worth mentioning since they are exactly the same as from TWOK. Also, if you wish to scare off those around you, openly listen to “The Search for Spock,” which is an 80’s synth pop rendition of the main titles. Yes, its awful. Yes, its dated. Yes, its absurd. Yes, it doesn’t have any reason to be on this CD. Yes, it is a guilty pleasure.

I have to say, TSFS shines when it shines, stinks when it stinks, and is overall a rather mediocre score. The score is brilliant when it surrounds the Enterprise (where the action and grand music is), works when it is contemplative, becomes mediocre when the religious music shows up, and fails badly when the Klingons come around. As I said, the CD is worth the price of admission just for “Stealing the Enterprise,” one of Horner’s most amazing pieces of his career. The evolution of Horner into his present mode of scoring is evidenced here, and glimmers of what was to come are all over the place. The music is more targeted, long lined, ethnic, and there is more emphasis on the string melodies. However, it just falls flat as an overall experience, which is really too bad, because Horner was at his best in Star Trek II. I still would advise picking this score up because the likable moments are lovable, but just don’t expect this CD to get regular playtime.

*** out of 5.