Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Star Trek: Dagger of the Mind

Episode: "Dagger of the Mind"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 9
Original Air Date: November 3, 1966
via Memory Alpha
The Enterprise makes a supply run to Tantalus V, a penal colony for the criminally insane.  An apparent inmate escapes the colony by getting himself transported aboard the ship, hidden inside a box.  In time, we learn that the escapee, Simon van Gelder, was actually a doctor at the colony, his madness the result of a treatment experiment gone wrong.  Captain Kirk transports to the surface with ship psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Noel, to investigate.

Dr. Tristan Adams, the highly regarded psychiatrist who directs Tantalus V, seems charming enough, welcoming Kirk and Noel warmly.  He introduces them to the neural neutralizer, a booth where a subject is bombarded by a hypnotizing beam.  Adams had van Gelder had tested the device on himself and the staff before subjecting the patients to it, explaining the vacant expressions of staff members.  Predictably, Kirk has to try for himself, sneaking into the booth with Noel at the controls.  Adams discovers this unauthorized experiment, subdues Noel, takes over Kirk's brainwashing, and the real trouble begins.

Trek culture note:
via Memory Alpha
  • "Dagger of the Mind" marks the first appearance of the Vulcan mind meld, a form of targeted telepathy, used by Spock in this instance to discover what really happened to van Gelder on Tantalus V.
"Theme from Star Trek," the piece played for both opening and closing credits of The Original Series, was composed by Alexander Courage (1919-2008).  Courage claimed Richard Whiting's "Beyond the Blue Horizon" as his initial inspiration of the piece.  Mahler and Bruckner influences are both prominent as well.  In an underhanded move, producer Gene Roddenberry wrote lyrics to the theme without Courage's knowledge with the intention of being able to claim half of the royalties.

The theme:



The story, in Courage's own words:



Courage was born in Philadelphia and went to conservatory at the Eastman School in Rochester, New York.  Beyond Trek, most of his high-profile work was as orchestrator for better-known film score composers like John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith.  Courage won an Emmy in 1988 as musical director of Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas.

via Film Music Magazine

20 comments:

  1. Thank you for a most instructive presentation! I had no idea that was Alexander Courage making the whizzing noise as the Enterprise flew through the opening credits. Always figured it was some sort of --I don't know-- high tech whiz machine. Also didn't know about "lyrics" to the theme, besides "Ahhhhhhhhahhhhaahaahahh..." from a female chorus. These are charming revelations. I can almost remember the episode, "Dagger Of The Mind", but only recall the forceful Simon Van Gelder. Must watch that one again!

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    1. I'd never really given much thought to where the whoosh came from before either. Sometimes the simple way truly is the best way.

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  2. I love stories about how people were influenced by things they listened to on the radio when they were children. Such a particular way of interacting with one's own imagination. Very romantic. (I'm speaking of Courage's story.)

    I also didn't know that space energy comes from Sugar Smacks ...

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    1. You lost me on the Sugar Smacks reference...

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    2. The answer, my friend, is featured in the theme video (which I had to listen to in its entirety since I love it so.)

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    3. Oh, now I get it... I was going through the Courage video for clues. Spock on the cereal box - ha!

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    4. There was an antiques shop I frequented in the Q that sometimes had, I kid you not, old cereal in stock. Now that I think about it, I believe it's entirely possible that I've seen that box 'in person.'

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    5. Someone probably jumped at the chance to buy it, too!

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    6. I did consider one of the old cereals myself--to resell. Thankfully I decided against that enterprise.

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  3. I need to be able to stop time or something. :/

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    1. One episode a week is pretty manageable. Then it's just like watching any show. My main limitation is that my family is not particularly interested in joining me so I have to wait until after they go to bed.

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  4. What a great episode and that was pretty underhanded of Roddenberry. I have the same problem watching some shows Squid.

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    1. You mean the not being able to watch with family? Yeah. The thing is, my wife is not anti-scifi. Quite the opposite, actually. But I think she's had enough Trek for one lifetime. It's okay. We still have Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica to watch together.

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  5. I remember watching Star Trek when It was first on TV but I don't remember this one.
    One episode a week is what we had when it was on TV so your doing pretty good.
    I love the back story to the music.
    I watched a few Dr. Who a super long time ago so I don't think without a real commitment on my part time wise I don't think I could catch up.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. I'm all about getting people hooked on the Doctor, parsnip...

      Start with the reboot - the Eccleston episodes in 2005.

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  6. I didn't know that tidbit about Roddenberry writing lyrics to the theme, interesting!

    The Eccleston episodes are when I started watching Doctor Who, he'll always be MY Doctor.

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    1. Regarding Who, I'm currently working on my teaching partner. He hasn't quite gotten to the first Stephen Moffat episode ("The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances"). I've told him if he's still lukewarm after that, there's no hope.

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  7. Roddenberry's lyrics are a bit creepy, too. "Strange love that a star-woman teaches..." Rly?

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    1. Yeah, I guess quality wasn't a major consideration. Just wanted to stake his claim.

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