The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Jerry here! I have taken a strong interest in the scores of Disney Pixar movies recently, namely Giacchino's Ratatouille, Newman's Finding Dory, and Beck's Frozen. I would like to further explore this branch of scores from Disney Pixar collaborations, Disney classics, and other movies of these sorts. I am going to try WALL-E this weekend, another work of Newman. Suggestions are much welcome. Please note that I am open to anything, and while I have enjoyed the scores of Disney movies, other movies outside of that umbrella are welcome. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,343 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I'm surprised you listened to Finding Dory before its superior original, Nemo (the score, that is. I actually like Dory, the movie, a little more than the original). Anyway, the obvious suggestion is the much beloved Menken/Ashman stuff. Of that branch, my favorite was always Little Mermaid, but the majority seem to be partial to Beauty and the Beast, so what the hey. Of the Walt Disney classics (as in, the ones Walt himself was involved in and all that), I'd point to Dumbo, Bambi and Pinocchio. My favorite Pixar score is probably Randy Newman's Monsters Inc. Up is such a good score, I'm still baffled it's a Giacchino (who I otherwise enjoy fine, but Up remains the only score of his I outright LOVE). There's a gorgeous wealth of good scoring in Disney films of all era, though. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,647 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 The Incredibles Up Moana (don't skip the songs - the one song includes a triumphant reprise of the score's hero theme which is sort of a culmination) Anything with Alan Menken's name on it (Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules, etc etc) It may be sacrilege, but pre-1990s I've never really enjoyed a Disney score outside of a surrounding for the songs. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,499 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 It's cheating a bit, but...do FANTASIA/FANTASIA 2000 count? Pre Pixar, nothing comes close to the humour, and joy, of THE JUNGLE BOOK. Pixar era, and it's my favourite score from my favourite Pixar film; THE INCREDIBLES. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 EPCOT Center Not Mr. Big and John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,471 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 For me, the main Disney thing is Alan Menken. No one better. But there are some great things in the past too. I did a webcast special on Disney music awhile back: http://celluloidtunes.no/celluloid-tunes-50-disney-spesial/ You won't understand a word, as it's in Norwegian, but you can see the playlist to see what we select. I've never been that enamoured with Pixar efforts, but there are some great things there too (especially Randy Newman's stuff). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 11 minutes ago, Batman's Diet Coke said: EPCOT Center Gee, EPCOT Center in Florida. That's kinda pale compared to our trip... we're goin' to England. AHAHAHA! Here, lemmie get another "Whoa England"... WHOOAAA ENGLAND! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Still no mention of The Lion King? ... The Lion King. geom_00 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 20 hours ago, mstrox said: may be sacrilege, but pre-1990s I've never really enjoyed a Disney score outside of a surrounding for the songs. Not even The Great Mouse Detective? It's got a singing Vincent Price, and this: 2:53 on? Crank it, baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,471 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE is fantastic, both score and film. I interviewed Musker and Clements about that film and their other work last year. Alas, translated to Norwegian, but you can always Google Translate: http://montages.no/2017/02/en-helt-ny-jord-en-samtale-med-de-legendariske-disney-regissorene-john-musker-og-ron-clements/ Anyways, plenty of great pre-90s Disney scores, of course. I wouldn't know where to start or stop. Once and Nick Parker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,801 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Brundlefly 2,385 Posted May 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2018 It's simple. Mulan. Pieter Boelen, Cerebral Cortex and Matt C 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pellaeon 593 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Sleeping Beauty. It’s Tchaikovsky (as adapted by George Bruns), so it’s a little unfair, but damn what a great film score. Bambi, of course. I am partial to Beauty and the Beast. Once 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,823 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 for me: Best disney classic score: Snowwhite Best disney renaissance score: The Hunchback of Notre Dame-Beauty and the Beast-The Lion King (almost tie between the 3) Best pixar: I'd say The Incredibles but I'm not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUlyssesian 2,473 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I think Pixar films have fantastic scores, they play very well in context and elevate the film. The films also typically provide lost of opportunities for the scores to shine. Gia is a great beneficiary. Inccredibles, Ratatouille, Up and even Inside Out all have tremendous impact in the film. The score of Up is effective beyond all imagination. You could say it is very manipulative but boy does it wreck people. I think Randy Newman's work on the Toy Storys is also good. Not super distinctive but nice specially since the Toy Storys are the talkiest and the most script driven Pixar films so they more need underscore and stuff. And lastly Newman has done nice work for them on the Finding films. The work is nice, gentle, elegant and sophisticated but a bit restrained. No large bursts of melody. Wall-E on the other hand is a more strident score. Again has terrific impact in the film specially since the film has very little dialog and the leads don't speak so large stretches function on the score. But all round super terrific work. Pixar is definitely committed to having great scores and hire quality composers. 12 hours ago, Koray Savas said: Still no mention of The Lion King? ... The Lion King. You dare besmirch this thread by taking the German's name? Kasey Kockroach and The Illustrious Jerry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,499 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 2 hours ago, filmmusic said: Best pixar: I'd say The Incredibles but I'm not sure Yes, you are filmmusic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,343 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I'm baffled the only time I hear any score in Coco is the bridge scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,823 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 1 hour ago, TheUlyssesian said: I think Pixar films have fantastic scores, they play very well in context and elevate the film. I don't know, they may have a couple of good themes, but on the whole most sound anonymous to me personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mrbellamy 6,272 Posted May 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2018 1 hour ago, TheUlyssesian said: Newman has done nice work for them on the Finding films. The work is nice, gentle, elegant and sophisticated but a bit restrained. No large bursts of melody. 6 That main theme really tugs at the heartstrings, though. Arpy, The Illustrious Jerry and Once 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Toy Story Trilogy, The Black Cauldron, The Incredibles, Up, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, WALL-E, Aladdin, Meet the Robinsons are a few that come to mind. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,499 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Hmmm. THE BLACK CAULDRON doesn't get enough love, imo, and probably for good reasons. That being said, it still has a lot to offer (John Hurt, and a terrific score, by Elmer Bernstein, to name but two things). @Arpy, did you ever see it in 70mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 6 minutes ago, Richard said: Hmmm. THE BLACK CAULDRON doesn't get enough love, imo, and probably for good reasons. That being said, it still has a lot to offer (John Hurt, and a terrific score, by Elmer Bernstein, to name but two things). @Arpy, did you ever see it in 70mm? I saw it on VHS back when I was a kid in the late 90's. Naïve Old Fart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,471 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I did do a Disney special on my webcast last year: http://celluloidtunes.no/celluloid-tunes-50-disney-spesial/ (again, in Norwegian, but you can click the 'playlist' under the player to see what titles we picked out to discuss and play). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 10 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said: You dare besmirch this thread by taking the German's name? There is no comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 For Disney, it is all about Menken. Beauty and the Beast, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are his finest. Must put in a good word for The Lion King and Mulan (but not the songs on either one). Frozen's pretty good too. For Pixar, nothing tops Finding Nemo. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share Posted May 15, 2018 Well I'm pretty well set with Pixar. I have listened to a wide range in the past few months- Finding Dory Frozen Finding Nemo WALLE Up Ratatouille As for Disney, Menken seems to be the best bet. I forgot about the great musical style of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which includes some truly superb songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 On 13/05/2018 at 2:22 AM, Brundlefly said: It's simple. Mulan. That! More than any of the others. By a long shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,471 Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Crikey! The youth of JWFAN strikes again. I mean, Menken is a great hero of mine, and late 80s and 90s Disney is probably my favourite too, but I'm surprised so few of you acknowledge the previous 60 years of brilliant Disney scores. Of those, I have a particular fondness for "The Five" (SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO, DUMBO, BAMBI and FANTASIA [OK, classical music, but still]), as well as LADY AND THE TRAMP, SLEEPING BEAUTY (gobsmackingly beautiful!), THE FOX AND THE HOUND, THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE (arguably Mancini's best orchestral score) and THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER (one of Broughton's alltime best, coinciding time-wise with the Menken revival). The Illustrious Jerry and Once 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted September 8, 2018 Author Share Posted September 8, 2018 After 4 months of listening I've decided the following for the Disney Classics. Alan Menken's Beauty and the Beast score is fantastic. The songs are also quite delightful. It's probably tops for the classics. Jerry Rank: 1st Alan Menken's The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a personal favourite. I call it Disney's choral spectacular. Jerry Rank: Close 2nd Hans Zimmer's The Lion King is quite good, but I don't care as much for the songs, unlike the former two who are strong musically and lyrically. Jerry Rank: Slightly Distant 3rd And for Disney Pixar... Thomas Newman's Finding Nemo is a stupendous score, utilizing a wide range of instrumental textures and creating simplistic tunes that beckon for complex demonstrations. Jerry Rank: 1st Michael Giacchino's UP is another standout. Many say it's his best score and that it very may well be. Jerry Rank: 2nd Michael Giacchino's Ratatouille is a very fun French oriented score not afraid to be creative. It's a personal favourite. Jerry Rank: Close 3rd Thomas Newman's Finding Dory isn't quite like its predecessor, but it was an instant love for me. Jerry Rank: Close 4th Christophe Beck's Frozen is a spectacular score, often forgotten due to the popular songs of the movie. Jerry Rank: 5th Michael Giacchino's The Incredibles is quite good, with a swinging big band style that's undeniable. Jerry Rank: Close 6th Again for Pixar, it's all so close. There are many more I've listened too, but these have been the highlights. Thanks all for the suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,037 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 All excellent choices. Check out the James Newton Howard trifecta, too (Dinosaur, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet). The films aren't high on most people's lists of favorites, but the scores are excellent. In the live action realm, two that I love are Bruce Broughton's Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and the classic Mary Poppins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted September 8, 2018 Author Share Posted September 8, 2018 Marry Poppins was a neat movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,499 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned THE BLACK HOLE, yet. Whatever you say about the film, JB's score is splendid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,174 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 9 hours ago, Jerry said: Christophe Beck's Frozen is a spectacular score, often forgotten due to the popular songs of the movie. Jerry Rank: 5th That's pure Disney, not Pixar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted September 9, 2018 Author Share Posted September 9, 2018 15 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: That's pure Disney, not Pixar. Quite right. I suppose that I meant recent Disney movies, most of which are Disney-Pixar, but not all. Thanks for the correction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,343 Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 I like Frozen, but Christophe Beck's score is mostly background noise in-between the songs (same can be said for his music for the two Muppet movies). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pellaeon 593 Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 The score of Frozen is like Star Wars, except once they go inside the Cantina they’re stuck there for the rest of the movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Pellaeon said: The score of Frozen is like Star Wars, except once they go inside the Cantina they’re stuck there for the rest of the movie. I fail to hear any of your connections. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pellaeon 593 Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 There are all these great, epic songs packed in the first 20 minutes of the movie, and after that it’s like they ran out of ideas or decided to switch genre — it’s all silly stuff like “Reindeers Are Better Than People” and “Fixer Upper” in the worst tradition of modern comic Broadway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 24 minutes ago, Pellaeon said: There are all these great, epic songs packed in the first 20 minutes of the movie, and after that it’s like they ran out of ideas or decided to switch genre — it’s all silly stuff like “Reindeers Are Better Than People” and “Fixer Upper” in the worst tradition of modern comic Broadway. Oh, you refer to the songs? Yes, they dropped the ball after "Let It Go." Though I have a soft spot for the Olaf song. Still, it all jars with the rather serious nature of the plot overall. As for the score itself, Beck delivers some interesting moments. His action music is rather solid. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 I'm about to listen to The Little Mermaid Legacy Collection. Can't seem to remember what the film was really about. Under the Sea is all that sticks at this point. Well, here we go! Once and Demondm810 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,037 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Mermaid's an interesting one. There's some really wonderful material there, even if the orchestration and the recording itself are significantly weaker than what you hear with all Menken's other Disney scores. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 . The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 The Sherman Brothers were great. The Illustrious Jerry and Fabulin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Disco Stu said: The Sherman Brothers were great. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Disney Classics: Fantasia Fantasia 2000 The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 Yes, because classical music is the root of film scores. I listen to scores more nowadays, but the classical composers of old (and even new) are always at the top for me. John Williams is the special exception- the only film composer who I'd esteem up there with my favourites of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balahkay 627 Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 The score of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs is quite good as well, particularly the music involving the Queen/hag. I just wish the music sounded better but that's what you get for an 80+ year recording. Once 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 I will be doing the Legacy Collection rounds this week with The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahonats. Anyone know if there's been any talk of furthering the Legacy Collection? I'd like Hunchback expanded, which I will add I am receiving the OST in a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,647 Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 Rumors of The Rescuers were floating around FSM for a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,343 Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 Chronologically-speaking, Little Mermaid is pretty much the last Disney film/soundtrack I love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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