I have some friends who are hardcore Disney fans. We are talking the people who see every Disney release in the cinema at least twice (yes, even John Carter), can list every movie alphabetically and chronologically, yearly pilgrimages to the Magic Kingdom sort of folk. This review is for you.
James Newton Howard, previously known for composing epic film scores as heard in the Hunger Games films, Snow White and the Huntsman, Green Lantern, I am Legend, and more, has returned to the fairy tale scene to grace us with the score for Maleficent.
This film, starring Angelina Jolie as Queen Maleficent herself and Elle Fanning as Aurora, was released this past week - no doubt you've read how Brad Pitt was assaulted by a violent "prankter" at the premier. Full disclosure: I have not yet seen the film, though I intend to - this review is solely about the film score.
The soundtrack, consisting of 23 tracks, can be heard for free (with commercials) on Spotify, or you can purchase them for cheap on Amazon for mobile playing, which is what I plan to do.
The overture, rich with harp arpeggios and fantastical dissonances, also features what sounds like a euphonium solo (it could be a tuba, I can't tell for sure). Euphoniums aren't generally used in an orchestral setting, and it's exciting to hear what they can do when given the chance.
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| Euphonium - image courtesy Wikipedia |
(And then an incredibly loud British Gas commercial, which temporarily deafened me and took about 5 years off of my life.)
The third track, "Maleficent Flies," is calming and mysterious with the prominence of reed instruments in the beginning, and the floating voice with harps and chimes as we reach the halfway point. (Due to the lack of vibrato, I'm going to guess that these voices are provided by a boys' choir). The action heats up with an extended orchestration and a snare drum, fading back to the oboe, harp, and strings.
Track 4, "Battle of the Moors," has a decidedly Howard Shore (composer for Lord of the Rings) feel, with the low angry vocals, heavy brass and percussion, and briefly what sounds like an anvil (which was used in the Isengarde track in LOTR). There's nothing I don't love more than beefy, gritty low brass and manic percussion, punctuated with with dissonant strings and a full choir singing. Delicious. Whoever says that you can't work out to "classical" music has never stomped around on the elliptical, pretending you are on your way to exact vengeance from your enemies. Don't judge me.
(Another deafening commercial, this time for baby safe laundry detergent. I think you're missing your advertising market, Spotify.)
In "The Christening," that satisfyingly devious euphonium/tuba solo returns, just in time to save the track from a skip. The boys' choir returns as well, along with the same build and release, but this time into an almost dance track percussive piece. It feels almost too modern in comparison with the rest of the music, but I love it - so I won't hear a single word against it (except that it dies out way too soon in favor of the previous orchestral sound, and makes me feel robbed).
The prominence of the boys' choir theme in many of the tracks is haunting, but I can't help thinking that Howard Shore did it first with the "Seduction of the Ring" theme. Still, as they say, the best composers steal all their work, and there is no denying the effectiveness of straight tone singing to imply evil.
Though it is a short track, I can't help loving the Viennese waltz feel of "The Army Dances." It may be an obvious choice, but it is certainly a clever one. Who doesn't love a creepy, out of control ballroom dance?
The track "True Love's Kiss" is not as heroic or tender as one might hope, but then I guess that's appropriate for a scene that involves kissing a sleeping woman without her consent. The twinkly bell sounds towards the end seems to pay homage to Disney's animated ancestry, but it certainly doesn't overwhelm the track.
(Another advertisement for fabric baby-safe fabric softener.)
"Maleficent is Captured" comes out with a literal bang, and I am loving the chomaticism with sliding around the scale, followed by hyper-percussive drums and manic brass. I'm not a big fan of the abrupt switch to heroic triumph and straight back again - but I'm sure it makes sense within the confines of the film. On the whole, this is an energizing track but I'm not sure it translates to listening to the soundtrack without the film as well as the rest of the tracks do. Presumably that is due to a high octane action sequence, and there's not much that can help that.
The next track, "Queen of Faerieland" is a welcome and consonant change to the mania of capturing Maleficent. The boys' choir is now singing a lovely melody instead of the previously chilling theme. I haven't seen the film, but I bet there's a picturesque waterfall in this scene (Feel free to correct me in the comments).
This soundtrack certainly deviates from the traditions of animated Disney films, but it does so in a deliciously fantastical way. If James Newton Howard did take any inspiration from Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings soundtrack, then he took the right bits and reformed them into something great. Not every track is great for solo listening, but the overture and "Maleficent Flies" are fantastic. I could listen to them all day long...and in fact, I have.
I'm not going to talk about "Once Upon a Dream" by Lana Del Rey, not because it is pop music, but because she has appropriated Native American culture, unapologetically, on a number of occasions, and I don't think she deserves attention or accolades (until she stops wearing headdresses and apologizes for her actions).
(Also the track is terrible - it sounds like karaoke night when everyone is too drunk to be singing.)
Finally saw Maleficent. You hit the nail right on the head! I loved the soundtrack and thought it was a very complementary score for the movie.
ReplyDeleteThe boys voices are Trinity Boys Choir from Trinity School, Croydon, UK.
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