WampaRat 1,105 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I can hazard a guess as to which way the poll will lean in this forum. But which stellar score to the following 1998 animated films do you prefer? Jerry Goldsmith’s Mulan? Hans Zimmer’s The Prince of Egypt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Prince of Egypt all the way! Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,473 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 As much as I like Goldsmith and Mulan, but Prince of Egypt is a masterpiece. One of the best Zimmer scores ever. And the songs are amazing as well, my favorite being Through Heaven's Eyes. Anyway I watched both of these movies countless times on VHS/DVD when I was a kid. Maybe the poll should include Powell and HGW's Antz and Randy Newman's A Bug's Life? They're all from 98 as well. Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 The songs do not strengthen Mulan. Without the songs, Prince of Egypt flounders. Mulan for score, Egypt for songs. The Prince of Egypt is the only time Stephen Schwartz has been in charge of lyrics and music and not made a giant mess of things. Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WampaRat 1,105 Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 I’m sad Dreamworks never kept trying to push the envelope with their traditional 2-D animated work. The kernel of the idea for PoE came from Spielberg who pitched the idea of “why couldn’t we tell a story as potent as Schindler’s list in animated form?” But American audiences at the time seemed to only see animation as kiddie/Disney formula affair. And then Shrek happened not too long after. So everything was pop songs and fart jokes for DW after that. You can see them trying to do something a little different with 2002s Spirit (heaven forbid an animated horse doesn’t talk in the movie lol) and Road to El Dorado is a blast. But marketing to kiddos and not really delivering on that promise of a Disney-esque experience probably hurt them. Such a hit/miss animation studio But I if they rolled out something like Prince of Egypt today I would totally be on board. blondheim and Yavar Moradi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 What makes Prince of Egypt so compelling is that it is born out of the Disney musical framework but the subject matter is much deeper. That's its edgiest concept. It was very affecting to a Disney musical fan in 1998. That still impresses me. WampaRat and Holko 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,293 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 18 minutes ago, WampaRat said: I’m sad Dreamworks never kept trying to push the envelope with their traditional 2-D animated work. The kernel of the idea for PoE came from Spielberg who pitched the idea of “why couldn’t we tell a story as potent as Schindler’s list in animated form?” I think it came from Katzenberg who was trying to do it back when he was at Disney. WampaRat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WampaRat 1,105 Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 Good to know! BTW - anyone listen to the staged musics version of Prince of Egypt? I saw it performed live at the Tuacahn amphitheater in St. George Utah. Staging and acting was great. But the music doesn’t incorporate any Zimmer’s score sadly. And the new songs felt..mmm…odd(?) I wanted it to feel like the musical version of Hunchback they created. Now THERE’s a perfect complement to the original animated film. But the PoE musical I didn’t think held a candle to the animated movie. (sorry to derail my own thread). blondheim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 The German Hunchback, Der Glockner, is a masterpiece. The American cast of Hunchback... not so much. The London Prince of Egypt cast is also rather terrible. In both cases, there were too many new songs of a lower caliber. Couldn't agree more about Egypt. I mean, take a listen to what they did to The Plagues. If that's your cup of tea, drink up. Be my guest but blegh. With Hunchback it was especially disappointing because the original English lyrics of the Der Glockner von Notre Dame production were actually incredible and very much on par with the original songs. When I heard it was finally getting produced in English, I was ecstatic. Alas, we decided to change it yet again and we have the Hunchback equivalent of the 2017 Beauty and the Beast. An almost identical situation with a brilliant original score & song combo, a cast album that is deserving to stand beside it, and then... WampaRat and Yavar Moradi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,651 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I never really cared for either, but of the two, I like Mulan better across the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Prince of Egypt is one of the great animated films, as are the songs. Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Neither, neither, neither Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,473 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 If the world was fair, Zimmer would've won his Oscar not in 94 with Lion King, but in 98 for either Prince of Egypt or The Thin Red Line. Meanwhile, the 94 Oscar would've gone to Thomas Newman for Shawshank Redemption. WampaRat and LSH 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WampaRat 1,105 Posted June 29, 2021 Author Share Posted June 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Edmilson said: If the world was fair, Zimmer would've won his Oscar not in 94 with Lion King, but in 98 for either Prince of Egypt or The Thin Red Line. Meanwhile, the 94 Oscar would've gone to Thomas Newman for Shawshank Redemption. I fully second this^^^ Tallguy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Triple M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallguy 3,401 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I had forgotten how good the songs (and the score) to PoE are. The songs to Mulan aren't great. Except maybe I'll Make a Man Out of You. But WOW what a score. It always surprises me when I realize that Mulan is one of my favorite Goldsmith scores. Period. And then I remember the Burning Bush. Yeah, there's a whole tennis match in my head right now between these scores. Yavar Moradi and WampaRat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Disco Stu said: Neither, neither, neither Prince of Egypt is the best cinematic Moses film! Holko and Edmilson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,520 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 MULAN wins the first two categories, EGYPT the third. I have spoken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post blondheim 1,157 Posted June 29, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 29, 2021 I don't think any of the songs in Mulan can hold a candle to Deliver Us. Nor The Plagues for that matter. Thus sayeth the Lord. Tallguy, eitam, Not Mr. Big and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stark 316 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Prince of Egypt is one of the greatest animated films of all time in every regard, it wins all categories! Holko and Not Mr. Big 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,091 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Both are bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 9 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: Both are bad. It's true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,091 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I'm so tired of being right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Zimmer 211 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I hate Sharks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Edmilson 7,473 Posted June 29, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 29, 2021 2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: Both are amazing. Fixed. Jurassic Shark, Not Mr. Big, Tallguy and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,091 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 52 minutes ago, Lord Zimmer said: I hate Sharks. I'm used to your jealousy, HanZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,651 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I do wonder, for the people who have fond/positive feelings towards either of these movies or scores, whether you stumbled upon them in your formative years? Was 13-14 when these came out so I don’t have any particular nostalgia, and watching and listening to them now as an adult they are kinda just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I was nine. Saw them both in theatres. Owned the VHS. Had siblings. Watched them many many times over. I wouldn't call either one a masterpiece but I find Prince of Egypt to be on par with other strong 4-star Disney Renaissance pictures from the same period, of which Mulan is probably one. It's been a while. I'm not a live-in babysitter anymore but I still remember Mulan fondly. The score is absolutely incredible. I sincerely hope it gets a Special Collection or Legacy Collection soon. Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,603 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Both films are far from perfect, but both also have absolutely breathtaking parts and a lot of artistry. For me Prince of Egypt wins on songs and Mulan on score, though I like the score and songs for both. Yavar blondheim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephariel 451 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Mulan on all three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. A. Ron 1,742 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 The results of this poll closely match my feelings on these films. I first saw both of them when I was about 7 and I grew up watching them. Mulan has the better score. The Prince of Egypt has better songs (and it's not even close). I enjoy both films, but consider The Prince of Egypt the more powerful of the two. WampaRat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,520 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 19 hours ago, mstrox said: I do wonder, for the people who have fond/positive feelings towards either of these movies or scores, whether you stumbled upon them in your formative years? Was 13-14 when these came out so I don’t have any particular nostalgia, and watching and listening to them now as an adult they are kinda just fine. I was 20/21, so no. Formative years over. But I like both scores and films as they are. My classic karaoke number has been "Let's Get Down to Business" for at least a decade now. WampaRat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,373 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 6 minutes ago, Thor said: My classic karaoke number has been "Let's Get Down to Business" for at least a decade now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 14 minutes ago, Thor said: I was 20/21, so no. Formative years over. But I like both scores and films as they are. My classic karaoke number has been "Let's Get Down to Business" for at least a decade now. I'll Make a Man Out of You? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,651 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Let’s Get it On? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,520 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 2 hours ago, blondheim said: I'll Make a Man Out of You? Yeah. It has basically become “Let’s Get Down To Business” in my circles at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondheim 1,157 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Thor said: Yeah. It has basically become “Let’s Get Down To Business” in my circles at this point. My circle is fond of "Look at This Stuff" and "I Can Show You the World" Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,520 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 I don’t even call the song by its name anymore. In my karaoke days, people only said “Sing Mulan” and everyone knew what we were talking about. Probably belted it out 100 times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Guernsey 2,287 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Songs is pretty easy, where The Prince of Egypt wins hands down, and they even work with the fairly obviously Zimmer-esque arrangements. Mulan is one of those annoying halfway houses where Disney didn't seem ready to commit to having no songs (and the film didn't really need them, even though I do enjoy them) but they reduce them to a footnote of 4 songs that account for 11 minutes of the film (compared to, say Beauty and the Beast where about a third of the running time is sung - Prince of Egypt is only slightly less than that). I quite enjoyed the Prince of Egypt stage show cast recording and wouldn't mind seeing the show itself sometime. I think it was, sadly, a victim of C-19. Score is a much closer call as I love both equally. I find Zimmer's must much more affecting than many of the historical epics from the 50s and 60s - Bernstein's Ten Commandments is, obviously a classic, but it doesn't have the emotional impact of his smaller scores, yet Zimmer (despite his predilection for bombast) contributes some surprisingly moving music to Prince of Egypt, notably The Burning Bush which is one of my favourite Zimmer cues. Having said that, Mulan is Goldsmith on top form, with some equally moving cues (The Burned Out Village in particular) as well as some of his finest action writing of the period. I went to Mulan but it's pretty well a tie. Film wise, I've seen both a few times but couldn't really pick between them, but for sheer spectacle and the animation envelopes that it pushed (notably the Red Sea sequence which is still dazzling even though today you could probably knock that up on a standard PC/Mac - although I seem to recall it had whales in it... who know?!), Prince of Egypt just pips it. I would absolutely buy both in official expanded editions in a heartbeat. Mulan gets more attention, expansion wise, because the original album gives the score such short shrift (although the Academy promo isn't hard to track down) but there are some nice moments missing from Prince of Egypt, although the addition of the Chariot and Epilogue from the Target (I think) exclusive round things out nicely (even if they are featured as a single cue - one of the very few occasions I've done some audio editing as there's simply no effective way to introduce them meaningfully into the rest of the album sequence). WampaRat and Yavar Moradi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Goodbye Brother (film version) >>> everything else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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