Animated movie soundtracks

[Morlock 11]

I just felt like posting my own opinion of the songs and scores of animated movies (the ones with songs). Please post your own review/ opinion of them.

The Little Mermaid Menken: I was never crazy about this one.

The songs were cute and the only one I really like is 'Kiss the girl', which I love for it's chill out feel, but would much rather the score to the song without the words.

The score is too much in tune with the songs for me.

Beauty and the beast Menken: A significant improvment over Memaid, this is my second favorite Menken score.

The songs: 'Belle' is way too light hearted for me. 'Beauty and the Beast' is another of those great chill out songs. 'Be our guest' is a fun one, which I love mainly for Jerry Aurbach's singing. But for me, I really love 'The Mob song'. It could really be a frightening song.

The Score: In the film it's great, but on the CD the score isn't much of an attraction. I wish we'd get more of the 'Prologue' type music. I love that track.

All in all, I like it- but I not nearly as much as I do The Huchback, which is darker, IMO has much better songs and voice acting, and the score is great, and represented well on the CD.

Aladdin Menken: A very good one.

The songs: I love 'Arabian Nights'. A great start to the movie. 'A whole New World' is a bit too mellow for me, and I think the vocal performances arn't as strong as they should be. 'Prince Ali' is an ok song, enhanced greatly by it's two singers. My favorite is 'Friend Like Me', in which you could really hear how much fun Williams is hving singing it. A fun song, neatly constructed and perfectly performed.

The score: I think the score is a bit uninteresting at points, but I love how he incorporates the parts from the songs. My favorite moment is in 'Legend of The Lamp' when that violin comes up with the 'Arabian Nights' motif.

The Lion King Zimmer: For a while I didn't get all the hype around this one, but listening a few months ago it just clicked.

The songs: Again, the standout for me it the dark song. 'Be prepared' is my favorite song. The music is great, the lyrics really work, and Irons' powerfull voice really great a great showcase. I really feel all the relish in which he's singing this. 'Can you feel the love tonight' is another fantastic chill out song, although I don't really like the woman's voice. I don't like the english lyrics to it, but I love 'Circle of life'. A great way to start of the movie, and the music i nthe song is great. I find both 'Can't wait to be king' and 'Hakuna Matata' very iritating.

The score: a fantastic score, one of Zimmer's best, but is tragicly under represented on the CD.

'...to Die for' is a great track, both the begining and that really imotional music as you see Mufasa strugling. 'The King of Pride rock' is also a great

track. All of it is great, and represents the different parts of the score. The last two minutes is some of the best inspiring music ever. I really want the Elephant Grave Yard music. I always loved that string motif there.

A really great Album, if incomplete. I feel as though the entire score works.

Pocahontas Menken: I hated the movie, and I really don't like the whole feel of the album. I hate 'Colors of the wind' in all it's variations, except of JW's fantastic version (together with the great one of 'Beauty and the Beast').

The only parts of the whole album I like are 'The Virginia Company'- a fun, short song, and 'Savages'. I love the bleakness of 'Savages', but I feel that the solos are horrible. Ogden Stier's and Cumming's voices do not work well with the songs. But the chorus parts are great.

The hunchback of Notre Dame Menken: By far my favorite on this list, and one of my all time favorite scores. I've always felt it was never given it's due credit. (I'm going more in depth here)

The songs:

'The Bells on Notre Dame': A fantastic track. I love the contrast between the solemness of this songs, introducing Paris, and the song from Beauty of the Beast, which is a bouncy light hearted song. Paul Kandel is great, the perfect voice for this, the music is great, the lyrics are great, Tony Jay is great, Ogden Stiers is great- everything works.

'Out there' is a great precurser for the rest of the score, both the great Tony Jay stuff at the start, and the optimistic part at end. I love the crescendo when Quasimoto reahces the words '...one day out there'.

'Topsy Turvey' is fun, but I generaly skip it. A bit too up beat compared to the rest of the score.

'God Help the outcasts' is really the only song I don't like.

'Heaven's Light/Hellfire' is an amazing track. The opening is nice, but I love the music in between both parts, and 'Hellfire' is one of Menken's very best songs. Tony Jay's performance is perfect, and it is probably Menken's darkest songs.

'A guy like you' is a song I used to mind, but now I sort of like it's playfulness. I love hearing singers having fun, and that's what I get from it.

'The Court of Miracles' is another great song. I can't help not to sing along to it. It really could be a Danny Elfman track- dark, yet so much fun.

The score: Also Menken's best score, with best CD representation. IMO 'Sanctuary' is lightyears a head of any other Menken score track. It is simply filled with great stuff. The choir is fantastic, and all the different variations of different motifs is great. I love the strings a minute before the end. One of my all time favorite tracks, from any source, and as wonderfully dramatic as any track.

'Into the sunlight' ends beautifully, and segways wonderfully into 'The Bells Of Notre Dame (Reprise)', which is a great bookend to the movie.

Again- my favorite Menken, and one of my all time favorites.

Hercules Menken: I don't have much to say about this one- it's fun and lighthearted. So, as a loyal Elfman fan, I don't like it.

Mulan Goldsmith: I never liked the songs one this one, but have recently grown more and more fond of the score.

Goldsmith does a great jobinfusing this with energy, and the score is not as heavy handed as many Goldsmith scores. My favorite track is 'The Huns attack'.

Non Disney:

Anastasia D. Newman: I despise the movie. It's probably one of the worst animated movies ever, with the worst animation I've ever seen. The songs suck too (except for 'In the Dark of the night').

The score on the other, is quite good. Not mouch more to say, but it's one of Newman's best (even though that's no amazing achievment)

The Prince of Egypt Zimmer: Another one of Zimmer's best scores.

The songs: I love 'Deliver us', both for the chorus part and Ofrah Haza'a beautiful solo. The music in the song is superb. I also love 'Playing with the Big boys', which is another of those dark songs. I love how it starts playfully, than builds to a dramatic and almost frightening climax. I like elements of 'The Plagues'. I don't like 'All I ever wanted' and I hate, I hate 'when you believe'.

The score: A fantastic score. It has some great insightfull, imotional and relativly quiet music, together with all out dramatic, authentic Zimmer tracks, with an ethnic twist. I especialy love 'Cry', 'Death of The first Born', 'Red Sea' and 'Chariot Race'.

BTW, I wanted to put Horner's American Tale and Fivel (SP) goes West, but I havn't seen the movies in about seven years, and I've never heard the scores.

So, here's my ranking:

'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'

'The Lion King'

'Beauty and the Beast'

'The Prince of Egypt'

'Mulan'

'Aladdin'

'Anastasia'

'The Little Mermaid'

'Pocahontas'

'Hercules'

This thread was mostly for me to just put my opinion out there, but I really do want peoples opinions.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

A thread that's mostly about Menken.... Do you come from Heaven above?

Here are a few non-constructive thoughts about your post.

The Little Mermaid Menken: I was never crazy about this one.

 The songs were cute and the only one I really like is 'Kiss the girl', which I love for it's chill out feel, but would much rather the score to the song without the words.  

 The score is too much in tune with the songs for me.

Right. It's an all right introduction to the world of animation scoring, though. And it has some great tracks. And songs with lyrics by the lost genius Howard Ashman. The score is fairly good, considering Menken was just being introduced to the genre of symphonic writing.

 Beauty and the beast Menken: A significant improvment over Memaid, this is my second favorite Menken score.

Yes, my friend. Great score, and most important, perfect blend of songs and score. A true masterpiece.

  The Score: In the film it's great, but on the CD the score isn't much of an attraction. I wish we'd get more of the 'Prologue' type music. I love that track.

Here's hope for a complete bootleg of some kind.

 Aladdin Menken: A very good one.  

 The songs: I love 'Arabian Nights'. A great start to the movie. 'A whole New World' is a bit too mellow for me, and I think the vocal performances arn't as strong as they should be. 'Prince Ali' is an ok song, enhanced greatly by it's two singers. My favorite is 'Friend Like Me', in which you could really hear how much fun Williams is hving singing it. A fun song, neatly constructed and perfectly performed.

What can I say that you haven't said already? 'Friend Like Me' and 'Prince Ali' are remembered whereas most other songs are not. Curiously enough, all the songs you like were the only ones written with Howard Ashman (that made it to the movie, he wrote a dozen that didn't, as you can see in the Boxset 'Music Behind the Magic' where 'Arabian Night' was extended).

 The score: I think the score is a bit uninteresting at points, but I love how he incorporates the parts from the songs. My favorite moment is in 'Legend of The Lamp' when that violin comes up with the 'Arabian Nights' motif.

This is Menken finally mastering the genre and having a little fun with it. That's why it's a fun score, but not really interesting. Doesn't add much new. All the Musker/Clemens scores are usually the same, must be in them.

The Lion King Zimmer: For a while I didn't get all the hype around this one, but listening a few months ago it just clicked.

 The songs: Again, the standout for me it the dark song. 'Be prepared' is my favorite song. The music is great, the lyrics really work, and Irons' powerfull voice really great a great showcase. I really feel all the relish in which he's singing this. 'Can you feel the love tonight' is another fantastic chill out song, although I don't really like the woman's voice. I don't like the english lyrics to it, but I love 'Circle of life'. A great way to start of the movie, and the music i nthe song is great. I find both 'Can't wait to be king' and 'Hakuna Matata' very iritating.

 The score: a fantastic score, one of Zimmer's best, but is tragicly under represented on the CD.

 '...to Die for' is a great track, both the begining and that really imotional music as you see Mufasa strugling. 'The King of Pride rock' is also a great

track. All of it is great, and represents the different parts of the score. The last two minutes is some of the best inspiring music ever. I really want the Elephant Grave Yard music. I always loved that string motif there.

 A really great Album, if incomplete. I feel as though the entire score works.  

The songs are all (except 'Be Prepared') better performed by both actor and orchestra in the Broadway Cast, which features interesting addiotional tribal music. Never a substitute for the soundtrack, it's good to have. Especially because Nala (the woman's voice in 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' and many others in the OBC) is played by no-one else than the extremely talented Heather Headley, who won a Tony for leading in Tim Rice and Elton John's next musical 'Aida'. She also and her version of the song 'Shadowland' (lyrics attached to Zimmer's score) is reason enough to get the CD.

I agree with the score, Zimmer's best (the one I actually like) because of its rythms and overall tone.

Pocahontas Menken: I hated the movie, and I really don't like the whole feel of the album. I hate 'Colors of the wind' in all it's variations, except of JW's fantastic version (together with the great one of 'Beauty and the Beast').

Even in the final track, "Farewell"? You can't get more epic and powerful than that. I can see why you hated the movie, though, and most songs are somewhat annoying (*coughcough*Stephen Schwartz*coughcough*) but the underscore was very interesting. A different pace and style for Menken.

   The songs:

 'The Bells on Notre Dame': A fantastic track. I love the contrast between the solemness of this songs, introducing Paris, and the song from Beauty of the Beast, which is a bouncy light hearted song. Paul Kandel is great, the perfect voice for this, the music is great, the lyrics are great, Tony Jay is great, Ogden Stiers is great- everything works.

Yes, great song, great opening sequence too. Can't think of a better way to start a movie than that. Sadly the movie doesn't live up to the expectations, whereas the music builds on them. Oh, and how could Ogden Stiers not be great?

 'Out there' is a great precurser for the rest of the score, both the great Tony Jay stuff at the start, and the optimistic part at end. I love the crescendo when Quasimoto reahces the words '...one day out there'.

I always hated Tom Hulce's whinning voice. It's never pleasant to listen to. Even Menken's demos of the song are better.

 'Topsy Turvey' is fun, but I generaly skip it. A bit too up beat compared to the rest of the score.

It is annoying too. Menken tried to go vast and fun in here. All he manages is to get loud and the lyrics are annoyingly unfunny.

 'God Help the outcasts' is really the only song I don't like.

It's nice. Much better than 'Somewhere', the original song.

'Heaven's Light/Hellfire' is an amazing track. The opening is nice, but I love the music in between both parts, and 'Hellfire' is one of Menken's very best songs. Tony Jay's performance is perfect, and it is probably Menken's darkest songs.

Indeed. Although I hated the visuals - they were never up to song's level. The whole "shapes in the fire" concept is terribly misused, as is the pacing and editting of the whole scene.

Menken did go into darker territory with his Broadway musicals, though. Songs like 'Saul's Death' from King David (his best show) and most of 'Der Glockner von Notre-Dame' (the German, expanded version of Hunchback) are Darkness put into music.

'A guy like you' is a song I used to mind, but now I sort of like it's playfulness. I love hearing singers having fun, and that's what I get from it.

Don't forget Jason Alexander and the excellent, witty and full-of-internal-rhymes lyrics.

'The Court of Miracles' is another great song. I can't help not to sing along to it. It really could be a Danny Elfman track- dark, yet so much fun.

It's too short for me. There were two cut songs after this one, two love songs for Phoebus and Esmeralda. They were Menken's best love songs ever. Really would've been the highlights of the album. Anyway, one of them 'As Long as There's a Moon', I believe it is, uses the 'Court of Miracles' theme for the introduction, before Clopin switches to more romantic (oh, so romantic) territory. Truly great songs.

The score: Also Menken's best score, with best CD representation. IMO 'Sanctuary' is lightyears a head of any other Menken score track. It is simply filled with great stuff. The choir is fantastic, and all the different variations of different motifs is great. I love the strings a minute before the end. One of my all time favorite tracks, from any source, and as wonderfully dramatic as any track.

 'Into the sunlight' ends beautifully, and segways wonderfully into 'The Bells Of Notre Dame (Reprise)', which is a great bookend to the movie.

  Again- my favorite Menken, and one of my all time favorites.

Never a Menken favorite (too dark for me), I have to admit I'm filled with awe and wonder everytime I play this CD. I know everyone I have sent it to without knowing who wrote it and for what agrees with me. Just this evening I was sending Sanctuary! to some friends to enjoy as the masterful action track it is.

 Hercules Menken: I don't have much to say about this one- it's fun and lighthearted. So, as a loyal Elfman fan, I don't like it.

Too repetitive to be enjoyed. But the songs are interesting, if you remove them from the music. Zippel did an okay job with the lyrics, but didn't knew how to exactly focus. Menken's tunes were great, but it was more of the same thing all over again to be considered a good score. Too mechanical. Too uninspired.

Mulan Goldsmith: I never liked the songs one this one, but have recently grown more and more fond of the score.

 Goldsmith does a great jobinfusing this with energy, and the score is not as heavy handed as many Goldsmith scores. My favorite track is 'The Huns attack'.

Yes, and the complete score bootleg is also awesome. Although I do wish they focused less on the non-action, pseudo-quiet parts, which are just plain boring. The kickass action tracks are really what the album is all about.

Anastasia D. Newman: I despise the movie. It's probably one of the worst animated movies ever, with the worst animation I've ever seen. The songs suck too (except for 'In the Dark of the night').

 The score on the other, is quite good. Not mouch more to say, but it's one of Newman's best (even though that's no amazing achievment)

Seen and hated the movie. The only things those two songwriters did well was far from Anastasia - it was a musical called 'Ragtime' which is excellent (at least during its first act, the second was just ridiculous). Anything else but that is only apt to go down the toilet.

The Prince of Egypt Zimmer: Another one of Zimmer's best scores.

 The songs: I love 'Deliver us', both for the chorus part and Ofrah Haza'a beautiful solo. The music in the song is superb. I also love 'Playing with the Big boys', which is another of those dark songs. I love how it starts playfully, than builds to a dramatic and almost frightening climax. I like elements of 'The Plagues'. I don't like 'All I ever wanted' and I hate, I hate 'when you believe'.

Stephen Schwartz went into too manipulative territory in the songs (although it was very well in the movie's spirit), especially the lyrics. And they have a clichéd quality to them that makes me not like them. It's as if Hans Zimmer was trying to be Menken. And the author was none of them.

 The score: A fantastic score. It has some great insightfull, imotional and relativly quiet music, together with all out dramatic, authentic Zimmer tracks, with an ethnic twist. I especialy love 'Cry', 'Death of The first Born', 'Red Sea' and 'Chariot Race'.

One more Zimmer score. Sorry, is it different?

This thread was mostly for me to just put my opinion out there, but I really do want peoples opinions.

And for me to post superficial comments and diverse, chat-like nonsense thoughts.

[Peio 0]

'The Court of Miracles' is another great song. I can't help not to sing along to it. It really could be a Danny Elfman track- dark, yet so much fun.

Sanctuary also seems to be written by Elfman (I first thought it was the score for Army of Darkness LOL)

[HPFAN 1]

I agree with everything you're saying but i would rank them like this.

'The Prince of Egypt'

''Aladdin'

The Hunchback of Notre Dame'

'The Lion King'

'Beauty and the Beast'

'Mulan'

'Anastasia'

'The Little Mermaid'

'Pocahontas'

'Hercules'

Eh just my opinion.

[CYPHER 1]

Unfortunately I don't actually own any of these scores on CD, though I have listened to a few of them on their own occasionally. Why oh why can't CDs be cheaper?!? Especially soundtrack CDs!

I was reasonably impressed by The Hunchback of Notre Dame though I in no way adore or appreciate it as much as you so obviously do Morlock. I guess showing the score some respect by listening to it on its own might help . "Heaven's Light/Hellfire" is an absolute barnstormer of a track though and Ross, I really did like the way it accompanied the visuals. Probably the hightlight of the film for me, although the touching, still scenes towards the climax come very close.

What I've heard of Mulan is excellent! The action cues are especially brilliant and so very frenetic too! Goldsmith really capured a distinct 'Eastern' flavour with this one. I couple of years back I passed on the opportunity to pick up this CD for $A5 ($US3) and I've been kicking myself since (whenever I think about it that is, which actually isn't too often )

Anastasia is a bit of a dud film, but I concur that the score is pretty good. I've listened extensively to the score for the prologue scene and I reckon it's just fantastic! I was also a pretty big fan of The Prince of Egypt when it was released (both the film and the score, though I could have done without some of the cheesy songs), but I've never heard the score solo. I must admit that I was terribly disturbed by the three (!!!) soundtrack albums concurrently released for this movie. Prince of Egypt: Nashville??? I don't f***ing think so! . Oh, and what about Tarzan? I've heard several tracks from Mark Mancina's score and they were nice, though obviously nothing too special. Anyway that's my two cents .

CYPHER

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Forget those scores. The best animated scores of ALL TIME are the ones done by Joe Hisaishi for the Hiyao Miyazaki films.

[Marian Schedenig 8,192]

I too like the Lion King songs a lot, and the score is quite nice as well. One of the few Zimmer scores I actually enjoy, though I wouldn't call it great. The Mozart ripoff isn't too annoying. And yes, Irons' song is the most impressive.

Mulan is awesome. I do like the matchmaker song, and I've kinda learnt to like some of the others, but the score is the standout of course - the academy promo is a must. I admit I still don't have a normal release though, and the LSO concert this year was the first time I heard the wonderful Suite from Mulan.

More to add to the list though:

The Secret of N.I.M.H. - Goldsmith's first score for an animated movie (I believe?), and a great one too (what else do you expect from an 82 Goldsmith score). Has two versions of the same song which is rather cheesy, but kinda enjoyable, though still a bit annoying at the same time.

Robin Hood - The Walt Disney version. Music by George Bruns, Floyd Huddleston and Roger Miller, according to the IMDb - no idea who did what. I like the Phoney King of England song and Not in Nottingham, but I don't care a lot for the others. The score however is great...Whistle Stop is one of those tunes that stick in your head without ever becoming annoying (and later became famous as the Hamster Dance...), the march music for Prince John's soldiers is equally great, and the rest of the score is a wonderful mix of sometimes jazzy, sometimes more dramatic music (the bit when Robin Hood climbs to the top of that tower always reminds me of King Kong). And the bad thing about it: There still isn't a score album. banghead

Marian - eagerly waiting for the Lion King DVD.

Superman

[HPFAN 1]

Forget those scores. The best animated scores of ALL TIME are the ones done by Joe Hisaishi for the Hiyao Miyazaki films.

He did Princess Mononoke right?

[Trumpeteer 302]

OK, Morlock, here goes.

If Ender tags you as a major Menken fan, I'd probably be second behind you. It's because of him that animation was so big in the 1990s. Only Pixar films have done well in a non-musical format (though they are helped by Randy Newman's musical sensibilities).

I'll give a briefer criticism of Menken's animated films, as well as a few others that I have paid attention to.

The Little Mermaid Looking back, it's a promising start for Menken and Ashman, who were no strangers to writing songs (remember they did "Little Shop of Horrors"). Menken's score shows some beginner sensibilities in terms of capturing emotion, but it also shows how well he can integrate the song themes into a score, without becoming too repetitive. Definitely worthy of its Oscars (for the score and "Under the Sea").

Beauty and the Beast Both Menken and Ashman matured with this film. Every note of Menken's underscore and song score were perfect. If there were standout moments, it had to be the fight with the wolves and the death scene. Truly magical moments, and with this, Menken lost a great collaborator, and probably a lot of inspiration on future projects.

Aladdin My favorite Menken score. And it includes my favorite song of all time: "Friend Like Me." Like Morlock said, it's great to hear singers having fun with the song. The melody is catchy, with a whole throwback to 50s style. The escape from the Cave of Wonders is the sole reason the score won an Oscar. I too have the box set "The Music Behind the Magic," and in it, Menken says writing the music for this was "like scoring a roller coaster ride." I can't wait to get a 5.1 DVD release of this. Everything worked wonderfully in those 15 minutes (from the arrival at the cave to Aladdin's escape with the Genie and Abu). Tim Rice helped a lot in trying to keep Ashman's spirit alive in the film, though you can tell the added pressure keeps Rice from creating lyrics that we know can come from him.

The Lion King Still the best animated film ever. The story is wonderful (I for one enjoyed the idea of borrowing from the pages of "Hamlet"). You can't ask for a better cast to provide voices and create rich songs. I remember seeing a preview of "Circle of Life" before a screening of "Sister Act 2," and knowing right then that the movie was going to be something great. John, Rice and Hans Zimmer don't disappoint. I saw this movie 10 times in the theater and twice on IMAX. I'm glad the DVD is coming; I've nearly worn out my VHS.

Pocahontas I didn't care much for the film when I first saw it, but it's grown on me. I still can't help but laugh when Mel Gibson sings, and I'm glad they cut his love song, which is sung in the end credits and gets a lovely theme woven through the score. Stephen Schwartz isn't as god as Tim Rice or Howard Ashman, but he keeps the lyrics faithful to the spirit of the film. Also of note: this is where animated musicals started to decline. The popularity waned with "The Lion King" and never fully recovered, although ...

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ... this film tried to liven things up. This score amazed me because it shows Menken's ability to create an underscore that is more memorable than the songs. The monastic choir was a great touch, and definitely helps in the emotional moments. Schwartz's lyrics may have hurt this score's chances at Oscar time (this film was Menken's first film since Mermaid that didn't give him an Oscar, an oversight he's said to be saddendd by because it was his most loved project). I was suprised that not many people took to this film, especially adults who wanted a little more than singing candelabras.

Hercules Let's just skip past this one.

The Prince of Egypt Stephen Schwartz's songs are terrible. The melodies don't work with the lyrics. Bottom line: songs in a musical should be hummable. None of them are because the melodies don't lend themselves to repeating. Even the only good song, "When You Believe," (sorry Morlock) feels disjointed in the rousing choral finale.

Mulan A much better animated score than "The Secret of Nimh." You only have to watch Mulan's transformation and the Huns' attack on the mountain to know this. The best thing is that every minute of Goldsmith's score feels like it belongs in a big budget action film, not a lovely animated film. I was worried that having a composer that doesn't write the songs would hurt the film, and I was right. The songs have a totally different feel from the score. It's like the songs were totally written for little girls, and the score for macho boys. Aladdin proved songs and score could work for both.

South Park Oh boy. My jaw hung open the entire time. Who knew Trey Parker was so musically gifted? Sure, Marc Shaiman probably helped a lot in parodying the great Broadway musicals, and their collaboration freed this film from the disaster it could have been. Every time I hear "Up There," "Mountain Town" and "Le Resistance" I can't help but wish Parker would give up his work on "South Park" and contribute to this surge in live-action musicals -- tastefully.

Tarzan Another case of songs and score not meshing. Phil Collins' songs are too gentle, even "Two Worlds," which has a lot of action in it. Mark Mancina toughens up the film with his brash work, and I'm not sure either composer were truly on the same page.

Jeff -- anxious for Menken's return to film

[UCFKevin 0]

Excellent call with South Park. It had SUCH an awesome score/soundtrack, truly is amazing.

If you're interested, Parker did another musical aptly titled "Cannibal the Musical" and it's HILARIOUS.

[Marian Schedenig 8,192]

True, how could I forget Southpark.

Marian - whose SP favourite is Mountain Town.

[Justin 2]

One more Zimmer score. Sorry, is it different?

Indeed it is. This is one of Zimmer's finest scores. Featuring massive choral, orchestral and rythmic sections, harnessing them all together for a truly AWEsome and inspiring listen.

Justin -Who thinks Ross is just wishing Menken could write something as amazing as the finale to Prince of Egypt. Oh wait Hunchback...nevermind.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Love Little Mermaid,

Loved Beauty and the Beast, the best Animated film ever, and the only one to be nominated for Best Picture, and was quite deserving.

Lion King, never got the hype, one of the most overrated and dull Star Wars ripoffs of all time.

Pocahontas, boring, but like V. Williams song.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, terrific in every way. Don't know why it was a boxoffice failure, it was so much better than Lion King and the best reviewed film of that year. I agree with all of Morlock's praises.

Tarzan, love the main song. Loved that it won over that freaky chick, Aimee Mann. She was livid, and devastated, and best yet she deserved to lose.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Forget those scores. The best animated scores of ALL TIME are the ones done by Joe Hisaishi for the Hiyao Miyazaki films.

He did Princess Mononoke right?

He sure did!!!

Man I love that score!!!

[Morlock 11]

@Rogue Leader: I also love Hisaishi's scores, but I'm talking about specificaly animated scores. A score sounds totaly different if it's influenced by songs. Spirited Away is my favorite animated movie, but the score isn't uniquely animated, despite it's greatness.

@Marian: I havn't seen Robin Hood in years. And I've never seen N.I.M.H, or heard the score. I find Paul Williams songs very annoying.

I forgot Tarzan, but I only saw it once, and recently listening to the CD I just didn't enjoy it. I don't like Collins' songs, I find them too optimistic, which would probably be ok if I liked the movie, but it doesn't work for me. Mancina has some nice stuff, but nothing showstopping.

I wanted Blame canada to take the oscar, so that's my opinion of Southpark.

BTW- about the Aimee Mann song- I'm not crazy about that particuar song (save me), but I do like a couple of her songsa from the movie. Magnolia is one of my favorites, with out a doubt my favorite of 99.

[Marian Schedenig 8,192]

And I've never seen N.I.M.H, or heard the score. I find Paul Williams songs very annoying.

It's a good movie. And Williams only sings one of the two versions of the song (written by Goldsmith)...although, while it's still a bit strange, his is the better one I think.

Marian - who wanted to play the score when he first mentioned it in this thread, but still hasn't.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

My favorite is Vince DiCola's "Transformers: The Movie".

heck, I like it more than most of my Williams collection... that's how crazy I am about that score. His Rocky 4 great too... why the guy can't get more score work is beyond me. He went 2 for 2 in my book.