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| • | Newest Major Reviews: | . | • | This Week's Most Popular Reviews: | • | Best-Selling Albums: | ||
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1. The Dark Knight 2. WALL·E 3. Kung Fu Panda 4. The Incredible Hulk 5. Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | . | . |
1. Moulin Rouge 2. Gladiator 3. POTC: Curse of the Black Pearl 4. Star Wars: A New Hope 5. Edward Scissorhands |
6. Pearl Harbor 7. Schindler's List 8. Titanic 9. Braveheart 10. Home Alone | . | . |
1. Varèse Sarabande 25th 2. The Last of the Mohicans 3. Legends of the Fall 4. Schindler's List 5. LOTR: Return of the King (Set) |
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Filmtracks Editorial Review:
...But enough about the film. The score was released ungloriously to extremely limited interest in the general populus. Disney Records' album contains a remarkable amount of McNeely's work and only one true pop song. Perhaps that last point is why there wasn't greater interest in the album from children and teenagers. The song "Do You Believe in Magic" is performed by the young male group BBMAK, and appears over the end titles of the film. The only other major selling points for the mainstream are the two song performances by folk artist Jonatha Brooke, whose voice lends itself well to the children's fantasy genre. Otherwise, the album alternates between character songs and score. The songs are typically short (around a minute in length, or less) and contain just a snippet of the story of Return to Neverland in musical form. Given how short these songs are, you can't classify the film as a musical. They unfortunately break up McNeely's score with regularity, which is a shame because McNeely's score could have made a strong album all by itself. With an impressively mixed orchestral ensemble performing at often breakneck speeds, the score is a rollercoaster ride of large themes, prancing comedy routines, and a handful of more somber recollection pieces about a "childhood lost." The balance between these elements makes it not only effective, but a varied and interesting listen on album. Since the late 1990's, John Debney and Joel McNeely have been the best orchestral interpreters and large orchestral conductors on the scoring market. McNeely manages to do several things that Debney also does with ease in children's scores. He pays attention to the music of the original Peter Pan and subsequently Disney itself. Pieces of "When You Wish Upon a Star" are integrated fully in the opening, as well as in pieces throughout. Snippets of the music heard from the original film are interpolated into Return to Neverland, and McNeely continues the same kind of swashbuckling spirit that you'd expect to hear. Several comedic solo performances by various instruments make the composition a complex one. The film probably doesn't deserve this score, but McNeely's effort in his work remains consistently high --even for less than desirable films. The album is somewhat in chronological order, and it would be a lot easier had the score been massed together without interruption. The packaging of the album is less than exciting as well, with a foul stink in its insert (discussed further in the "notes" section below). Fans of Joel McNeely's large orchestral work will be satisfied by Return to Neverland. Keep in mind, though, that this is no Cutthroat Island type of adult swashbuckler --it's still a kid's score, with all the slapstick kind of interruptions in its larger, thematic cues. Still, a solid listen.
Score as Heard on Album: *** Overall: ****
Insert includes no information about the score or film. However, if you unfold the insert to view its poster form, be prepared for a hideous, noxious stink to irradiate the room. Disney Records continues to use some of the smelliest production of its inserts in the entire recording industry. Keep small animals and houseplants away! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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