Jerry Goldsmith's best work is "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", Re-released For Your Pleasure.
Written: Jan 17 '05 (Updated Jan 15 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: This is one of Jerry Goldsmith's defining scores.
Cons: Bundled with "Bonus" CD of unrelated material and questionable value.
The Bottom Line: Get your hailing frequencies OPEN!
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| thepremier's Full Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture [20th Anniversary Co... |
The year was 1979 and Star Trek was emerging from a 10-year cocoon of hibernation in a very big way. Paramount gave STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE an almost limitless budget to not only revive the universe of Star Trek, but also to compete with the other successful science fiction movie of the late '70s. The movie's success as a work of cinema can be debated, but the quality, the passion, and the emotion that Jerry Goldsmith's magnum opus (I LOVE that phrase) for the Star Trek universe cannot be. Nominated for Best Soundtrack in 1979 it was upset by A LITTLE ROMANCE - in my opinion, no other Star Trek soundtrack comes close to the raw energy and the otherworldly sounds of THE MOTION PICTURE.
Because of the exorbitant amount of time spent on the film's lavish special effects, Jerry Goldsmith enjoyed a particularly long time frame with which to write and re-work this symphonic masterpiece, which he eventually did rewrite several pieces upon seeing the special effects, to more effectively capture the spectacle on screen in sound.
Perhaps what is most enjoyable of THE MOTION PICTURE soundtrack is Goldsmith's fantastic talent for capturing the feel of the extraterrestrial and otherworldliness of the Star Trek universe. He makes full use of the awesome power of a 90-piece orchestra. His pieces are layered with many harmonies, sounds, and effects that all blend to form a strange, eerie, and cosmic collection of not just music, but sound design, musical effects, and atmosphere.
To achieve this, aside from using the full power of every known instrument and his own genius, Goldsmith enlisted the help of other artists. One such artist, Craig Huxley, went as far as inventing a new instrument for the film - christened "The Blaster Beam" - a truly outrageous stringed instrument composed of "highly polished artillery shell casings" and "motorized magnets on an instrument 15 feet long". Goldsmith utilizes this awesome and cosmic sound, which I can only describe as, however impossible, "thunder in outer space", as the symphonic voice of Vejur (also seen spelled "V'Ger"), the film's antagonist being of seemingly omnipotent power. In addition, Alexander Courage, who composed the immortal theme of the original Star Trek TV series, has also contributed ancillary material for THE MOTION PICTURE heard in the background but not of the caliber to merit their own tracks. For all these reasons, the soundtrack of THE MOTION PICTURE is the most ambitious and if I haven't said it enough, the best music to come from the Star Trek franchise.
Technical
This is the Special 20th Anniversary re-release of the soundtrack, a two-CD set which features additional pieces of music not released before, and in chronological movie order. The second CD contains a slew of interviews and bonus material, not all of it is necessarily geared solely to THE MOTION PICTURE, quite entertaining for Star Trek aficionados, mildly intriguing for everyone else with a passive interest as it is always most enjoyable to hear the words from the actors and Gene Roddenberry himself, and total crap if all you want is the music. Much of it consists of interviews in 1976 when THE MOTION PICTURE was announced.
This double CD album comes in a swanky, glossy case and the liner notes are filled with lots of insightful information (used in this review) about the movie and the score.
CD One
1) Ilia's Theme (3:01)
2) Main Title (1:23)
3) The Klingon Battle (5:27)
4) Total Logic (3:44)*
5) Floating Office (1:03)
6) The Enterprise (5:59)
7) Leaving Drydock (3:29)
8) Spock's Arrival (1:58)*
9) The Cloud (4:58)
10) Vejur Flyover (4:57)
11) The Force Field (5:03)*
12) Games (3:41)*
13) Spock Walk (4:19)
14) Inner Workings (3:01)
15) Vejur Speaks (3:50)*
16) The Meld (3:09)
17) A Good Start (2:26)*
18) End Title (3:16)
Run time: 1:05:04
CD Two
1) Star Trek Theme (1:34)
2) Introduction: Nichelle Nichols (1:13)
3) Inside Star Trek (1:04)
4) William Shatner Meets Captain Kirk (9:12)
5) Introduction to Live Show (0:25)
6) About Science Fiction (0:40)
7) The Origin of Spock (1:45)
8) Sarek's Son Spock (7:21)
9) The Questor Affair (3:49)
10) The Genesis II Pilot (2:34)
11) Cyborg Tools and E.T. Lifeforms (4:06)
12) McCoy's Rx for Life (6:14)
13) The Star Trek Philosophy (4:40)
14) Asimov's World of Science Fiction (6:27)
15) The Enterprise Runs Around (150)
16) A Letter From a Network Censor (5:03)
17) The Star Trek Dream (Balad I/BalladII) (5:43)
18) Sign Off: Nichelle Nichols (0:50)
Run Time: 1:04:27
Music Highlights
Goldsmith does several important things for TMP. The first is setting the standard of thematic material for which other composers for Star Trek movies would draw from - James Horner for WRATH OF KHAN and SEARCH FOR SPOCK being the most recognizable and to a lesser extent, Dennis McCarthy with his work on GENERATIONS. Goldsmith also revisits some of his themes here for his later work on FIRST CONTACT, INSURRECTION, and NEMESIS. The second thing he does, is brilliantly capture the mood, the ethos, the essence of whatever is being depicted for the scene - the loveliness and innocence of Ilia, the grand and bold military pomp of Starfleet. Even among alien cultures, he is able to give us clarity and insight as to the nature of the warrior society of the Klingons, or the deep, piety of ancient Vulcan ritual, and also the unfathomable power of the Vejur entity.
And lastly, the script for THE MOTION PICTURE is a (notoriously) cerebral affair - no one bothered to tell Goldsmith though, for he has crafted music that is fit for tales of the rise and fall of empires, or the saga of great warriors.
Ilia's Theme is the most beautiful piece in the soundtrack. I simply love this brief, but moving piece of music - I will go as far as to say that it is one of the most beautiful pieces of music composed that I have ever heard, sometimes moving me close to tears. A lovely melody carried by string is underscored with soft piano to represent the equally lovely Deltan crewmember. It plays before the film even begins, a sort of mellow overture.
Many will recognize the Main Title as the theme for the second Star Trek television series. Within this piece, Goldsmith imbibes all of the optimism, spirit, energy, and philosophy associated with Star Trek and in the context of the story, Starfleet. When the time came to decide on the opening credits for the show, Gene Roddenberry insisted that the opening theme be a marriage between Alexander Courage's original Star Trek cosmic fanfare, and Goldsmith's brassy march. Aww...
This transitions directly into The Klingon Battle, one of my favorite pieces. As Vejur makes its way toward Earth in search of "The Creator" from the depths of space, it happens to cross paths with a squadron of three Klingon battle cruisers. Goldsmith creates the great theme that would come to be forever associated with the Klingons - an arrogant and tribal war theme of primitive drums, horns, and really cool "click-click" sounds. The blaster beam also makes its first haunting appearance here, representing the angry fury of Vejur, as the Klingons converge on the massive energy cloud with a sweeping gusto of the Klingon theme from the orchestra. After a brief respite, the Klingon themes and the blaster beam sounds of Vejur battle each other ala "Peter and the Wolf", with Vejur emerging victorious as the piece ends with menacing bouts from the blaster beam. Here's an excellent example of Goldsmith adding real substance to the film. The "battle" in actuality is a massacre - but Goldsmith's score gives the script an added epic quality!
Bringing us light years away to the home planet of Spock, Total Logic creates a solemn and sacred atmosphere of ancient ritual and custom, as Spock undergoes the ritual of Kolinar - the purging of all emotions - on Vulcan. Quiet sounds and string blend to create an uneasy alien atmosphere and the blaster beam enters the fray, representing the entity's growing power and circle of influence - interrupting Spock from completion of the ritual. The piece ends with a particularly bombastic rendition of the Main Title as Admiral Kirk makes his way to Starfleet Headquarters.
Floating Office is light, airy, and dancey, symbolizing the futuristic grace of outer space living.
The Enterprise is quite simply put, a nautical love theme for the newly remodeled U.S.S. Enterprise. It is lavish, it is sweeping, and dripping with great emotional outpour over this glorious, but alas, inanimate object, the object that quite literally for the story and for Star Trek, carries the hopes and dreams of mankind. During the movie, Kirk is taken on an exterior tour of the Enterprise, as it is still in drydock in space. We are tantalized by only glimpses of the ship until finally, Kirk's shuttlepod turns around towards the front and we are finally presented with the mighty vessel in all her majestic glory - Goldsmith opens the floodgates to the orchestra.
Leaving Drydock continues on the themes of The Enterprise. As the ship "hoists anchor" and "raises it's sails" in futuristic Star Trek metaphors and manners, the Enterprise is given a tremendous musical bon voyage as it gracefully emerges from drydock, to meet its destiny - and the infinitely more impressive Vejur entity...
Spock's Arrival consists of eerie alien sounds, then becomes airy and flighty music, and a subdued Main Title theme is thrown in to the mix as Spock rendezvous with the Enterprise in a Vulcan craft.
When the Enterprise finally does rendezvous with the massive thing heading toward Earth, they are astounded to find it surrounded by a massive energy cloud whose width matches the solar system's. The Cloud represents the tentative initial foray of the Enterprise into this cloud. Some have alluded the scene of the tiny Enterprise flying inside the massive cloud as a metaphor for a sperm seeking out the egg, in keeping with the film's themes of evolution and rebirth. During the film, there's no dialogue during these scenes, and Goldsmith has the luxury and advantage of being able to tell the story himself through his mesmerizing sounds that become stranger as the ship goes deeper into the enormous cloud, including a bit of the blaster beam towards the end to spike the sense of awe and wonder with just a little bit of fear.
By now, it becomes clear that even the thing at the very center of the cloud dramatically dwarves the Enterprise, Vejur Flyover continues the strange sonic atmosphere of the previous piece and we try to comprehend the utter magnitude of the entity. The piece ends ominously with a mix of effects, music, and something sounding like a pipe organ.
Our sense of shock and awe is abruptly put to an end by angry bouts of the blaster beam at the very beginning of The Forcefield as the Enterprise is caught in a tractor beam by the entity. I really can't get enough of this instrument - it's so awesome!!!
The entity sends a probe to the ship which bonds with Ilia, turning her into a voice for the entity, and we finally learn its name, Vejur. In Games Commander Decker attempts to make a connection with Ilia (showing her her favorite game, hence the name of the piece), and her theme is the driving force of the piece, but it is tempered by effects and other instruments and droned out as the influence of Vejur reasserts its dominance.
Spock is obsessed with making a telepathic connection with this being of such great power, and Spock Walk chronicles his personal interstellar journey to meet Vejur mano a mano in a space suit. It has really flighty, dynamic, and explosive percussion and sounds.
During Inner Workings the gallant crew of the Enterprise and the Ilia probe beam down to Vejur (think The Wizard of Oz). Goldsmith pours more of the shock and awe music, effects, and atmosphere, (again, think The Wizard of Oz) on as the crew makes its way to the very "heart" of Vejur.
Vejur Speaks is quiet as it plays under dialogue, obviously, as the "Great and Powerful Oz" tells us what the deal is.
The Meld takes place during the film's (supposed) dramatic climax. What can I say about this piece other than wow. There is so much emotion crammed into this, and the orchestra plays with such enthusiasm that pieces of music like this are reserved for only the most dramatic events in human history. In other words, this is music to part the Red Sea with.
A Good Start puts a ribbon and a bow on the end of the movie, as the crew goes out to "boldly go where no one has gone before" to a light hearted Main Title theme.
The End Title consists of Ilia's Theme in between the Main Title
The cynical side of me is screaming at the rest of me that the second CD consisting of interviews of Gene Roddenberry and some of the cast is either a marketing ploy by Sony to sell more albums or as an excuse for setting the retail price of the re-release of the soundtrack (LONG AWAITED FOR and Sony knew it) at a disgustingly gouging price for those of us who just want the music and all its Goldsmithy glory. Probably both. If all you want is the music, the second CD is nothing more than a beverage coaster.
Having said that...
I found a small few of the interviews entertaining and several of them informative. Roddenberry has fatherly quality to his voice on audio and as it turns out is a capable lecturer. My favorite interview is the one in which he is asked to make up a "Letter from the Network Censor" similar to the kind of memos he would receive on his work. In this, Roddenberry takes his "submitted pilot script for the world's best-selling book, i.e. The Bible", and reports in all honesty how a TV censor would sanitize and make it proper for the American viewing audience. Roddenberry was much more than a prolific author, but an avid amateur philosopher, media critic, historian, reader and at heart, a very good people-watcher.
The interview with Isaac Asimov is also worth hearing.
Final Thoughts
Why do I have such love for this really bad movie? The fact that I first saw it as a little child on TV probably has to do with it, since I didn't know any better at the time. I was just mesmerized by the special effects, amazing compared to the Original Series of Star Trek I had only recently been introduced with at the time. But looking back on those years, I remember the music and the sounds I heard were equally impressive.
When I grew up, I searched for the music for this movie, and was unimpressed with the availability of the original release of the soundtrack, which lacked a bit of material but had all of the essentials. I was equally disappointed with the awful renditions of pieces of this soundtrack I heard in a multitude of compilation albums of various sci-fi movies.
Now, and fortunately in time before the passing of the late Jerry Goldsmith, one of his greatest works is complete. And I finally know that that incredible sound came from a real instrument, gotta love that beam! It's a shame that an instrument created for the Star Trek universe and so thunderous and awesome has not been heard again! In retrospect I thought for sure he would have used it in THE FINAL FRONTIER as the Enterprise encounters "God". But anyhoo. The bundling of the second CD and the initial retail price is simply atrocious and a slap in the face for Goldsmith and fans of his work. Years ago I've seen this retail as high as $27.99. The bundling of the re-release makes me give it a 4 star rating, but the music is worth a 5+. But if you can find this gem at a more reasonable price (which you most certainly can) you will not be disappointed. Jerry Goldsmith's music succeeds in establishing a level of emotional connection with the audience that does not ever occur again in the Star Trek movie legacy, even in his own later work.
Hailing frequencies closed.
The Premier
Epinions - January 2005
P.S.
I just had to find out just what a blaster beam looks like. Here it is.
http://www.gigapolis.com/silkroad/kitaro/english/equipment/beam.htm
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Listening
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thepremier
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Member: Constantinos Kolios
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