James Newton Howard's Peter Pan (2003) - Now available

[HunterTech 992]

Received my set today, along with Alive. Seeing as I would've just heard the bootleg around the announcement, I'll listen to my items of interest for now before fully jumping in.

 

Here's info that I'm sure will prove useful:

Spoiler

 

[Frank Vincent 234]

Interesting to read the information about the end credits suite. I guess the filmmakers loved the version of "Fairy Dance" in the end credits so much that they also used it for the scene.

[Holko 9,525]

I gave this a... trial run to see if it's worth getting.

 

Well..

 

um...

 

how do I put this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I DO BELIEVE IN FAIRIES! I DO! I DOOOO!!!!!

 

Holy crap I loved it. Magical, fun, diverse, somewhere halfway between Williams and Powell maybe.

[Tallguy 3,386]

16 minutes ago, Holko said:

Magical, fun, diverse, somewhere halfway between Williams and Powell maybe.

 

So, James Newton Howard, then?

[crocodile 8,009]

Shitty day made somewhat better by this arrival. 😀

 

 

Karol

[crocodile 8,009]

There's a noticeable volume dip about 1:23 into Flying track. Can anyone else hear that? It wasn't like that on the old album. Is this supposed to sound like that? Don't mean to gripe, just curious.

 

In any case, I really like this score, it's one of my favourites from JNH that came out during this composer's finest writing period (1999-2006). While it is more breezy and carries less weight than Hook, it's nonetheless quite a charming and colourful entry that never fails to lift my mood. The ideal album for this would have been longer than the OST but shorter than this new expansion from Intrada. Still, I can always just create my own version so no harm done.

 

Karol

[Chewy 2,388]

38 minutes ago, crocodile said:

There's a noticeable volume dip about 1:23 into Flying track. Can anyone else hear that? It wasn't like that on the old album. Is this supposed to sound like that? Don't mean to gripe, just curious.

 

I can hear it too. This whole track sounds pretty different on the OST too, different mastering, maybe different performance also?

[crocodile 8,009]

That's possible.

 

Anyway, listening to the complete score again this morning. It's one of JNH's finest, for sure. In the similar genre, this is definitely better than anything he's doing these days with stuff like Fantastic Beasts or Willow, and up there with his three animated Disney features - Dinosaur, Atlantis: The Lost Empire and The Treasure Planet. In fact in my mind this score is the fourth entry into that "series". Yes, the music can be a tad twee and mickey-mouse-y in places but, unlike many other scores like this, it never loses me. there's always something just around the corner to spark interest and there are quite a few pretty themes in here. I think of it as Hook Light.

 

Karol

[Edmilson 7,436]

Just heard the score today.

 

For some reason, this score was never one of my favorite JNHs... until today. I still think some of the mickeymousing may be too silly, but that is compensated by some truly wonderful moments that rank among Howard's best. Flying and Fairy Dance are probably two of the best cues he wrote.

 

I truly think from Waterworld in 1995 (or maybe Wyatt Earp in 94) until Lady in the Water and Blood Diamond in 2006 is the best period of JNH's career and one of the best runs for any film composer in history, kinda like Williams between 1975 and 1984. In this period, we got his Kevin Costner epics, Shyamalan collaborations, Disney animations, romantic comedies like My Best Friend's Wedding, Runaway Bride, America's Sweethearts, and also Snow Falling on Cedars, The Emperor's Club, Peter Pan, Hidalgo, King Kong... There was some boring stuff in-between (like Dreamcatcher), but still, it was an amazing period for him.

[rough cut 1,714]

I love this score, but haven’t heard the expanded edition yet, but I bet it’s great!

[Jay 37,353]

Can anyone who received their copy say if the back cover matches the one on the website for CD2? 

[crocodile 8,009]

 

Karol

[Jay 37,353]

Thanks! 

[Chewy 2,388]

8 hours ago, Jay said:

Can anyone who received their copy say if the back cover matches the one on the website for CD2? 

Why would it differ? 

[Holko 9,525]

47 minutes ago, Chewy said:

Why would it differ? 

He was holding out hope that their standards are not actually this low.

[Amer 2,104]

I never saw this PETER PAN film. But if it comes recommended, I will seek it out.  Therefore, equally curious about the score. The presentation looks ideal, of course!

[HunterTech 992]

Doesn't seem to have too many fans here, but it generally tends to be agreed as being the most loyal adaptation of the original story, so it has value for that at least.

[Tallguy 3,386]

I wanted to be more dazzled than I was. If it wasn't for the score I wouldn't have given it a second thought in twenty years.

[Brando 1,863]

7 hours ago, Amer said:

I never saw this PETER PAN film. But if it comes recommended, I will seek it out.  Therefore, equally curious about the score. The presentation looks ideal, of course!

Important to remember is it’s a kids movie, so there are parts that are corny, but it follows the original story pretty well. Jason Isaac’s portrayal as Hook is really good. You can’t beat Dustin Hoffman IMO but Isaac does a great job.

[Bespin 8,480]

I've listened to the expansion today and I was again struck by the ability of JNH to avoid melodies at any cost. When we have a sentence of a melodious combination of 5 successive notes, it always sounds like if a miracle is happening. 

[Schilkeman 963]

I've never been super impressed by JNH. I really like King Kong, but that's about it. I have no memory of this movie coming out (I was in high school, might be why) but the samples sound great. I've always criticized his orchestration as being Schumann-esque, but what I've heard so far makes me wonder what's happened the last decade or so. His new stuff doesn't sound this colorful. I think I'll try and get this.

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

23 hours ago, Brando said:

Important to remember is it’s a kids movie, so there are parts that are corny, but it follows the original story pretty well. Jason Isaac’s portrayal as Hook is really good. You can’t beat Dustin Hoffman IMO but Isaac does a great job.

 

I love Hoffman but IMO Isaacs does beat him. And I love how he gets the dual role in the film, also playing Mr. Darling as many actors did for years in stage adaptations of Peter Pan.

 

Yavar

[Tallguy 3,386]

2 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said:

 

I love Hoffman but IMO Isaacs does beat him. And I love how he gets the dual role in the film, also playing Mr. Darling as many actors did for years in stage adaptations of Peter Pan.

 

Yavar

 

Isaacs is the only thing I remember at all. And not as well as I should.

[Brónach 1,302]

12 hours ago, Schilkeman said:

I've never been super impressed by JNH. I really like King Kong, but that's about it. I have no memory of this movie coming out (I was in high school, might be why) but the samples sound great. I've always criticized his orchestration as being Schumann-esque, but what I've heard so far makes me wonder what's happened the last decade or so. His new stuff doesn't sound this colorful. I think I'll try and get this.

 

he probably gets told to tone it down

[Smaug The Iron 513]

I really like this score, I grow up watching the film and always liked the soundtrack. And it is really nice to have the complete score now.

[Holko 9,525]

Finally received it and listened 2 more times. I love the magic, the playfulness, the almost mythic grandeur it achieves at times. I love how woodwind-heavy it is! And even with my keenly attuned ears, so far I didn't notice any Fakeisms, maybe aside from a transition or performance edit or two what were done with a fadeout/fadein a tad too quick for my taste, but that's really nitpicking. Even the front cover kinda grew on me enough that I don't want to switch it.