Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you seek a well-conceived, refreshing resurrection of big band jazz and orchestral action that is intelligently matured as it progresses. Avoid it... if the 1960's caper or early James Bond scores produced only headaches for you, and a modern, beefier version of that sound would produce a migraine. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
The Incredibles: (Michael Giacchino) When writer and director Brad Bird had the idea for this film rumbling around in his head for several years before beginning production, you can easily see why he wanted to make it. While only the animated genre would really work for the story, The Incredibles is an opportunity to mesmerize the kids with Pixar's usual magic while also merging a dose of modern reality in the story for adults to chuckle about (Finding Nemo bridged this gap successfully and became a smash hit for the studio as well). A high-flying superhero of the 1950's is forced in a mundane, suburban lifestyle when faced with lawsuits from ungrateful people whom he had saved, raising a family (all budding superheroes, of course, along with Mr. Incredible's wife) that is attempting to maintain a normal lifestyle while adorned with special powers. Mr. Incredible himself is spotlighted as a study in the perils of early retirement, sneaking off with other older superhero buddies for occasional late night fun. As fate would have it, of course, The Incredibles has a villain who wants to unleash fearsome robots upon the earth from a Pacific island (no surprise), and our favorite family of superheroes is called upon to save the day. Bird claims that he had the music for the film in mind long before the writing was finished, and that the genre he envisioned was always that of big band jazz and orchestral action rolled into one. Such music was popular in capers of the 1960's, and probably best got its footing in the James Bond films, which, more than anything else, put that genre in the mainstream of film music. When thinking of a composer for The Incredibles, Bird also claimed to have difficulty finding an individual who would honor the big jazz action sound without reverting to more modern methodology, such as synthetics. This remark by Bird is interesting, because one obvious place to start looking would have been David Arnold, whose score for Tomorrow Never Dies, as well as his band experience and reverence for the 1960's, might have served as a strong calling card. But the call went to video game and television composer Michael Giacchino, whose studies of previous genres of music and abilities to reproduce them are equally strong, though noticed thus far on a smaller scale. For Giacchino, The Incredibles would be an excellent opportunity to bust out into the mainstream film music business with a Pixar film that's likely to bring him consider notice. The style that Giacchino has raised from the dead for The Incredibles turns out to not only be a smart idea by Bird, but also provides in its finished recording a piece of music that stands out with the glorious exuberance and unique perceptive that any feature cartoon deserves. What Giacchino has done is merge two sides of the same 1950's/1960's genre of spy thrillers, the silly caper music you'd often hear on television, and the larger ensemble of thrillers on the big screen, and offer them with a remarkable combination of genuine attitude and occasional tongue in cheek. Rambunctious themes are highlighted by wailing brass and wild percussion, and the rhythmic structure of the genre is expertly executed from beginning to end. Kids will likely devour the spirited explosions of jazzy themes, although Giacchino's thematic constructs mature as the score progresses, changing its perspective in much of the same way the film matures as well. This attention to the film's evolution alone requires recognition of Giacchino's ability to avoid getting caught up in the rapture of his own creation, although he does allow quite a celebratory arrangement of his themes over the end credits. For fans of John Barry and David Arnold's James Bond scores, there are moments of less loungey inspiration that you'll likely recognize (with maybe an intentional tip of the hat at a time or two by Giacchino). The fluttering string theme of the first cue offers perfect Barry whimsy, and the awesome character melding of jazz and action in "Bob vs. the Omnidroid" turns a twist on Arnold's more traditionally-minded Bond work (and Tomorrow Never Dies more specifically). The churning repetition of the evil mastermind's plot-thickening bravado in "New and Improved" and "Kronos Unveiled," highlighted by a rolling piano in the latter cue, represents the typical fashion in which Barry often built suspense in his own Bond efforts. Despite the press that the moments of outrageous, explosive action that the score for The Incredibles will receive, the diversity of its interpretations on the genre are what keep it interesting. Whether the jazzy element is intimate or soaring, its rhythmic foundation is always present, thus making Giacchino's effort an intelligently dynamic but consistent product. Even by itself on album, the affection that the music conveys projects itself as being perfect for a Pixar film about aging superheroes, but whether you will enjoy the music outside of context all together will depend on how easily you fall to the allure of the high jazz/action genre. No matter how masterfully Giacchino's work succeeds for some listeners, it's also pretty easy to picture the score for The Incredibles causing headaches for other listeners. It's one of those mood scores; a piece of music that will spark the right enthusiasm for you when you're in a particular, but also a piece of music that may be less tolerable in the second listen once you've satisfied your craving. Others, one may suspect, will run screaming from the room when The Incredibles is on the stereo, but such a mixed reaction could probably be expected given the intensity of the loyalty to the genre that Giacchino maintains. A few technical notes of interest should be mentioned about the recording. First, one of the reasons the score exhibits an authenticity beyond all other efforts to capture the genre is because it was intentionally recorded with analog technology. If you're seeking sound as crystal clear and vibrant as the recent Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (another similarly conceived score that went to a different era in its genre interpretation), then you might be disappointed with The Incredibles. Secondly, along those same lines, all of the elements of the orchestra were recorded together in the same room for The Incredibles, with none of the brass or percussion tracked at a later time. It's difficult to describe how this affects the sound precisely, although a more fluid, better integrated sound to the fuller moments may be the result. Finally, the score seems awkwardly balanced between the two sides of the soundscape, with more of the live percussion and additional brass elements coming clearly through on the left side with slightly more muted elements occupying the right side. This last observation isn't necessarily a detraction; it's simply something not heard often in scores today. Overall, The Incredibles is a well-conceived, refreshing resurrection of a genre long-deserving of such a thoughtful interpretation. Whether it fits you're current mood will likely determine everything about your liking for it. For a first feature score, a tip of the hat is warranted for Giacchino, who has long generated speculation that he would be an eventual force in Hollywood since his first Medal of Honor score five years ago. **** Track Listings:
Total Time: 55:21
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