Except for "Prologue," which are your Top 3 tracks on the Hook OS album?

[Josh500 1,615]

Obviously, Hook is regarded very highly on this board, but I have always been kind of ambivalent toward this score. It's great, sure, especially "Prologue," but the rest... there is not one track on the OS album where I immediately say, "Wow, this blows me away." In fact, Hook is not even in my Top 20 JW scores (I prefer all the Indy, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Jurassic Park scores over this one).

So which are your top 3 tracks on the Hook OS album, and why? I left out "Prologue" because I know this one's apt to be on (almost) everybody's top 3.

[Datameister 2,068]

Hard to say. Despite my initial ambivalence toward the score, I now love it. "The Ultimate War" definitely gets very high marks from me.

[TownerFan 4,991]

Difficult choice, but here it is:

"The Lost Boy Chase"

"Remembering Childhood"

"You are the Pan"

[Josh500 1,615]

I want to be able to appreciate this score more, that's why I started this thread, so I'd be grateful if you could all briefly tell me why you prefer the tracks you've chosen (what makes them so great).

[Koray Savas 2,251]

- Banning Back Home

- The Arrival Of Tink And Flight To Neverland

- The Ultimate War

[Datameister 2,068]

I love "The Ultimate War" for the way it so deftly weaves themes together with swashbuckling action music. It does what all action music should do - goes places you don't really expect it to, but places that make perfect sense when you hear them.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

How the hell could you have any ambivalence towards Hook? Maybe you don't like Banning Back Home or the songs, but this is Williams in overall top form.

Remembering Childhood

You Are the Pan

The Banquet

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

- Banning Back Home

Oh good, I'm NOT the only one who likes it then.

I wouldn't put it among my top tracks though. Nor the battle cue, it's a bit too over the top for me (and the lighter stuff is missing from the album). I might re-listen to the score (haven't played it in... months? years?) to pick my favourites.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

- Presenting the Hook/Captain James Hook

- The Ultimate War

- Banning Back Home

[Luke Skywalker 1,803]

Obviously, Hook is regarded very highly on this board, but I have always been kind of ambivalent toward this score. It's great, sure, especially "Prologue," but the rest... there is not one track on the OS album where I immediately say, "Wow, this blows me away."

The OST is rather weak as a presentation of the score...

The End Credits (not on the ost) are really good.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Can't think of just three off the top of my head, but "Presenting the Hook" comes to mind as but one of Williams' many irresistable melodic concoctions for the musical/film. Bouncy and infectious, it ranks among the the best of Williams' tongue-in-cheek villain themes.

There may be legitimate artistic critiques one could make against Williams' Hook both filmically and musically, but as a cumulative melodic achievement, few other works in Williams' compositional repertoire can compare.

[Richard Penna 3,723]

This is actually one score where I feel JW did a great job of selecting cues; I'd find it easier to name cues that are less memorable.

I've always had a feeling that a complete score would be overkill for Hook. Would I buy a full score? maybe.

[Henry B 50]

"Remembering Childhood."

[Red 75]

I can't pick three, because so many tracks on the album are solid gold. Same goes for the complete score, despite the two songs.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

We Don't Wanna Grow Up.

When You're Alone.

Childhood (unused song recorded by John Takis)

[King Mark 3,631]

Remembering Childhood

You Are the Pan

The Banquet/Neverfeast (film version)

[Jay 37,447]

Some picking are picking cues that were not on the OST; Josh was specifically asking about tracks on the OST only.

I guess my top 3 tracks from the OST would be:

The Ultimate War

Smee's Plan

Farewell Neverland

[TownerFan 4,991]

I want to be able to appreciate this score more, that's why I started this thread, so I'd be grateful if you could all briefly tell me why you prefer the tracks you've chosen (what makes them so great).

To appreciate this score more, you should only put on the CD, hit play, open up your ears and let immerse yourself into the magic symphonic web Williams concocted. It's a score brimful with ideas and musicality that you should only let the music speaks for you and your feelings. Forget about this or that, or the technicalities behind it. This is pure Williams gold.

However, if you really need some kind of explanation as for why I chose those particular three cues, here it is:

"The Lost Boy Chase"

It's one of those fanciful Williams' ballet-like pieces that only him seems able to produce: he carries the sequence with grace and lightness and succeed to make things more exciting than even Spielberg did. A lilting, catchy motif in 3/4 carries the composition all along, which is orchestrated with such great command and gusto (thanks also to Sandy Courage) that make this also a beautiful "homage" to the Russian school of music (i.e. Shostakovich, Prokofiev). Check out some great virtuoso playing, especially in the woodwinds section--the flute/piccolo players really earned their money on this one!

"Remembering Childhood"

Williams scores these pivotal 15 minutes of film with one continuous piece (even though it's techically 3 or 4 cues joined together), but the music really plays out like a mini-symphonic poem, linking perfectly to Spielberg's storybook visual narrative (this is probably the film's best sequence as well). Where to begin to describe this amazing piece? There's probably everything of Williams' celebrated big, huge, ear-candy symphonic writing that most of his fans love: bold heroic fanfares, stirring airs for strings, heartfelt melodies for woodwinds... All the major themes and motif of the score are found during this piece, wonderfully tied together like a true symphonic master would do.

"You Are The Pan"

The first minute of the track is a great cue for chorus and orchestra with a religioso-like style that celebrates the return of Pan between the Lost Boys (check out some bold horns writing). Again, Williams' scoring is pitch-perfect and dramatically powerful, giving the scene such gravitas that probably even Spielberg wouldn't have imagined at first. Then the track continues with the piece written for the "revelation of Pan" scene (right after the Lost Boys chase). Taking a nod (or even a bit more) from Georges Delerue's beautiful Agnes of God, Williams writes a nostalgic and melancholic theme for flute and orchestra that once again becomes the true heart of the sequence. Check out also Williams' own concert arrangement of this piece ("The Face of Pan", found on Sony's Williams on Williams CD), which furtherly expands and develops this beautiful theme.

[Andy 4,173]

Remembering Childhood - the first 3 minutes are stunning.

The Ultimate War - Always changing, always moving, yet still unified and not aimless.

The Never Feast / The Banquet - I cheated and combined these, because they are simply joyous.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

I can't fathom this thing not being a top 20 JW score. What is this? Some sort of Lord of the Flies preschool?

[indy4 155]

"Remebering Childhood"

"Presenting the Hook"

"Farewell Neverland"

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Well indy4 just stole my opinion. Those are my top three as well.

[indy4 155]

[Jay 37,447]

How am I the only one that mentioned Smee's Plan?

Hmmm, maybe my memory is thinking more about the brilliant expansion on the Williams on Williams CD than the OST version. I love the acting by Hoskins and Hoffman in that scene (which also includes another cue that is not on the OST)

[Josh500 1,615]

Can't think of just three off the top of my head, but "Presenting the Hook" comes to mind as but one of Williams' many irresistable melodic concoctions for the musical/film. Bouncy and infectious, it ranks among the the best of Williams' tongue-in-cheek villain themes.

Yes, this has recently become one of my favorites too. Especially the witch-y fiddle sound is awesome (kinda of Mischief Managed!, if you know which part I am talking about).

To appreciate this score more, you should only put on the CD, hit play, open up your ears and let immerse yourself into the magic symphonic web Williams concocted. It's a score brimful with ideas and musicality that you should only let the music speaks for you and your feelings. Forget about this or that, or the technicalities behind it. This is pure Williams gold.

However, if you really need some kind of explanation as for why I chose those particular three cues, here it is:

"The Lost Boy Chase"

It's one of those fanciful Williams' ballet-like pieces that only him seems able to produce: he carries the sequence with grace and lightness and succeed to make things more exciting than even Spielberg did. A lilting, catchy motif in 3/4 carries the composition all along, which is orchestrated with such great command and gusto (thanks also to Sandy Courage) that make this also a beautiful "homage" to the Russian school of music (i.e. Shostakovich, Prokofiev). Check out some great virtuoso playing, especially in the woodwinds section--the flute/piccolo players really earned their money on this one!

"Remembering Childhood"

Williams scores these pivotal 15 minutes of film with one continuous piece (even though it's techically 3 or 4 cues joined together), but the music really plays out like a mini-symphonic poem, linking perfectly to Spielberg's storybook visual narrative (this is probably the film's best sequence as well). Where to begin to describe this amazing piece? There's probably everything of Williams' celebrated big, huge, ear-candy symphonic writing that most of his fans love: bold heroic fanfares, stirring airs for strings, heartfelt melodies for woodwinds... All the major themes and motif of the score are found during this piece, wonderfully tied together like a true symphonic master would do.

"You Are The Pan"

The first minute of the track is a great cue for chorus and orchestra with a religioso-like style that celebrates the return of Pan between the Lost Boys (check out some bold horns writing). Again, Williams' scoring is pitch-perfect and dramatically powerful, giving the scene such gravitas that probably even Spielberg wouldn't have imagined at first. Then the track continues with the piece written for the "revelation of Pan" scene (right after the Lost Boys chase). Taking a nod (or even a bit more) from Georges Delerue's beautiful Agnes of God, Williams writes a nostalgic and melancholic theme for flute and orchestra that once again becomes the true heart of the sequence. Check out also Williams' own concert arrangement of this piece ("The Face of Pan", found on Sony's Williams on Williams CD), which furtherly expands and develops this beautiful theme.

Thanks for this great analysis!

By the way, does anybody else hear parallels between "Lost Boy" and "Mutt's Adventures"?

[Naïve Old Fart 9,635]

I'm going to p**s a lot of people off, when I say that "Hook" is one of my top 5 least favourite J.W. scores. To me, it simply comes over as overbearing, and ingratiating. I do not like music that tries to be funny, and, in that regard, "Hook" succeeds admirably. Having said that I do like "The Ultimate War" (pt. 2), and "Banning Back Home" (both versions). Whenever I listen to it, I have a generuos supply of insulin standing by.

[Ollie 1,063]

The Arrival Of Tink And Flight To Neverland

Remembering Childhood

The Ultimate War

[Josh500 1,615]

Hmmm, "The Ultimate War" seems to be very popular here. I'll have to listen to it again tonight, along with "You are the Pan."

[Wojo 2,453]

"Prologue" isn't one of my top 3 tracks, so I cannot proceed under such a false assumption.

[Ollie 1,063]

Most of the music I want remains unreleased and occurs after the Ultimate War cue as heard on the CD.

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

If I have to pick three:

The Lost Boy Chase - Because of that awesome pizzicato passage.

The Banquet - Because of that awesome tuba solo.

You Are the Pan - Because it's... awesome. Very emotional.

And that's leaving out all the central cues that really define the score; these are just set piece highlights. If I had to keep just three cues from the score, these probably wouldn't be them. But having the full album, I can single them out, knowing I can still keep the rest.

Many cues in Hook feel like Williams really was quite free in writing them, inspired by the visuals but not restricted by them in any way - they play like concert suite movements. Which is why the actual concert adaptations on Williams on Williams are hit and miss for me; one or two cues add worthwhile material (Smee's Plan comes to mind), but other changes just seem to throw the cues off balance or end up looping a bar here and there. Plus the Boston Pops seem a bit insecure about the pieces compared to the OST players.

Most of the music I want remains unreleased and occurs after the Ultimate War cue as heard on the CD.

Among the earlier cues, Pirates! is awesome, as far as I remember. And that a-cappella male choir (if memory serves) rendition of Hook's theme.

[Jay 37,447]

That was actually a rendition of the Pirates theme

I love that section!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

Most of the music I want remains unreleased and occurs after the Ultimate War cue as heard on the CD.

Yeah. Here's a great officially released moment, in Presenting the Hook. The part right before the pirates board Hook's ship when Tinkerbell peaks out from behind the hat and smiles. I love that. It's around 2:15.

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

Ok, I don't have the themes labeled cleanly in my head. I know what melody I was talking about, in any case.

[Jeff 10]

I love all the tracks so I can't pick my favorites, but I will highlight three that come to my head:

1) We Don't Wanna Grow Up - I like the playful piano melody that makes its debut at the beginning of this cue and is used in other places later on.

2) Banning Back Home - I'm surprised how many people mentioned this one. It's very different from typical Williams style, yet that type of sound was heard so frequently in the early 90s. It could have been the soundtrack to an Oscar Meyer commercial from the period (or it may have been playing in an elevator). I like it because it's a little cheesy, but fun.

3) When You're Alone - This is probably the only track I listen to out of the context of this score - sometimes I'll shuffle it into a non-soundtrack playlist. I'll even listen to it twice in a row on occasion. It's kind of mesmerizing, somewhat sleep-inducing, but it always makes me smile.

[Josh500 1,615]

3) When You're Alone - This is probably the only track I listen to out of the context of this score - sometimes I'll shuffle it into a non-soundtrack playlist. I'll even listen to it twice in a row on occasion. It's kind of mesmerizing, somewhat sleep-inducing, but it always makes me smile.

Was this sung by the actress who played the little girl?

The song may be great, but somehow the singer doesn't sound very professional (even though she's very young).

[indy4 155]

3) When You're Alone - This is probably the only track I listen to out of the context of this score - sometimes I'll shuffle it into a non-soundtrack playlist. I'll even listen to it twice in a row on occasion. It's kind of mesmerizing, somewhat sleep-inducing, but it always makes me smile.

Was this sung by the actress who played the little girl?

The song may be great, but somehow the singer doesn't sound very professional (even though she's very young).

I think the intonation problems were put there on purpose, because regardless of who actually sings it, it's supposed to be coming from a little girl in the film.

[Josh500 1,615]

Or maybe JW wrote the singing voice deliberately with intonation problems...

[publicist 4,643]

While i'm generally not the biggest fan of the more childish (not childlike, unfortunately) moments of HOOK, i would add all the Granny-Wendy stuff until Tinkerbell's arrival, which is hauntingly misterioso and still beautiful.

As soon as Williams enters Neverland, the score can become hard to swallow in places, like the movie itself. On the cd, Williams choose to release the inferior half of ULTIMATE WAR, while the real showstopper really comes after Hook kills the punk kid. This is best enjoyed in the movie until the november release of HOOK arrives....

[Mark_73 0]

> You are the Pan

> Farewell to Neverland

> The arrival of Tink and the Flight to Neverland

This portion of Stravinsky's Firebird must have inspired him a lot for the third one.

Especially the runs of the woodwinds. Start listening to it at 3:25 min.

[publicist 4,643]

This portion of Stravinsky's Firebird must have inspired him a lot for the third one.

Especially the runs of the woodwinds. Start listening to it at 3:25 min.

If you are going to measure HOOK for its numerous 'inspirations', you've got a lot of youtube-linking on your hands.

[TownerFan 4,991]

2) Banning Back Home - I'm surprised how many people mentioned this one. It's very different from typical Williams style, yet that type of sound was heard so frequently in the early 90s. It could have been the soundtrack to an Oscar Meyer commercial from the period (or it may have been playing in an elevator). I like it because it's a little cheesy, but fun.

That piece is clearly modeled on Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance", which became a staple of the 1980s light jazz/fusion genre (it was used also in the film Falling in Love, starring De Niro and Meryl Streep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNo6dyiIfQ

I guess this was a case of temp-track love from Spielberg. It's funny Williams titled this piece on the cue sheet "Yuppie Sounds".

[Naïve Old Fart 9,635]

How on God's green Earth would you get access to a J.W. cue sheet.

[Josh500 1,615]

2) Banning Back Home - I'm surprised how many people mentioned this one. It's very different from typical Williams style, yet that type of sound was heard so frequently in the early 90s. It could have been the soundtrack to an Oscar Meyer commercial from the period (or it may have been playing in an elevator). I like it because it's a little cheesy, but fun.

That piece is clearly modeled on Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance", which became a staple of the 1980s light jazz/fusion genre (it was used also in the film Falling in Love, starring De Niro and Meryl Streep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNo6dyiIfQ

I guess this was a case of temp-track love from Spielberg. It's funny Williams titled this piece on the cue sheet "Yuppie Sounds".

Wow, this sounds almost exactly like "Banning Back Home," even down to the drum beats. Now I am disappointed (about this track).

[TownerFan 4,991]

How on God's green Earth would you get access to a J.W. cue sheet.

The ways of the Lord are unending...

[Jay 37,447]

1) We Don't Wanna Grow Up - I like the playful piano melody that makes its debut at the beginning of this cue and is used in other places later on.

That's Tinkerbell's theme

[Andy 4,173]

2) Banning Back Home - I'm surprised how many people mentioned this one. It's very different from typical Williams style, yet that type of sound was heard so frequently in the early 90s. It could have been the soundtrack to an Oscar Meyer commercial from the period (or it may have been playing in an elevator). I like it because it's a little cheesy, but fun.

That piece is clearly modeled on Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance", which became a staple of the 1980s light jazz/fusion genre (it was used also in the film Falling in Love, starring De Niro and Meryl Streep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNo6dyiIfQ

I guess this was a case of temp-track love from Spielberg. It's funny Williams titled this piece on the cue sheet "Yuppie Sounds".

Wow, this sounds almost exactly like "Banning Back Home," even down to the drum beats. Now I am disappointed (about this track).

I'm not disappointed at all. Anytime Williams borrows, he makes it better.

[TownerFan 4,991]

You should also consider that it's likely this Grusin piece was used in the temp-track and they tried to license it, but they didn't got the rights in the end and then Williams composed something as similar as he could.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,635]

I'm sure they are, but it still doesn't explain how you came into posession of infomation which, IMO, would stay in the private domain. So...questions.

How on God's green Earth would you get access to a J.W. cue sheet.

The ways of the Lord are unending...

I'm sure they are, but it still doesn't explain how you came into posession of infomation which, IMO, would stay in the private domain. So...questions.

[Jay 37,447]

There is a book you can buy in stores that contains the sheet music to Banning Back Home, where it is called Yuppie Sounds