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| Elfman |
Mr. Peabody & Sherman: (Danny Elfman/Various)
Performing well enough with family audiences to be a success but not
really overwhelming either parents or critics was 2014's
Mr. Peabody
& Sherman, an animated take on the titular characters from the
original 1960's "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" on television. Several
production hiccups, the most major of which saw the film progress from
live action to animation, and constantly moving release dates plagued
Mr. Peabody & Sherman, but the finished product serves as an
affable history and culture lesson that isn't particularly kind to the
timeline of the world but still at least teaches kids some basics. The
anthropomorphic dog Mr. Peabody is the smartest puppy on the planet and
invents a time machine. When he adopts an equally shunned human baby and
that boy eventually becomes old enough to travel through time and cause
substantial disruptions to the space-time continuum, the adventurous
chase is on. Throw in the obligatory young girl as a budding love
interest, several humorous pokes at temporal paradoxes, and a range of
cameos of famous historical figures ranging from baby Moses up to Bill
Clinton (and Mel Brooks voicing Albert Einstein in between). Enthusiasts
of the concept were supposed to be treated to a theatrical short film
with Rocky and Bullwinkle attached to
Mr. Peabody & Sherman, but
it was withheld until the home video release. Director Rob Minkoff had
worked with a wide variety of composers over the previous ten years,
including Alan Silvestri and Mark Mancina, but he and Dreamworks turned
to Danny Elfman for
Mr. Peabody & Sherman, a relatively
conservative choice given the composer's expanded forays into animated
children's films in recent years. Elfman's approach to these kinds of
assignments only varies to the extent that he allows the wacky
mannerisms of his Tim Burton-associated projects to bleed through into
his otherwise standard take on the animated realm of music. His just
previous duo of
Epic and
Oz the Great and Powerful
featured above average output for this lighter side of life, and along
with
Frankenweenie this body of music always seems to provide for
a solid listening experience. While the score for
Mr. Peabody &
Sherman follows the same basic formula and has its fair share of
highlights, its frantic and constant shifting of gears to account for
the travels of the characters causes it to become a more challenging
experience.
Collectors of Elfman's work will note that he at times
cranks out serviceable but not necessarily memorably comedy and
children's music, ranging from
Flubber to
Meet the
Robinsons, reminiscent of John Powell's career in the sense that
their auto-pilot for some of these assignments is guaranteed to fetch a
three-star rating. In
Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Elfman lays waste to
several influences that are intentionally impressed upon the score,
including outward classical and anthemtic references. There are also
subtle allusions to possible temp track placements, especially in the
adherence to styles better attributed to both Powell and Silvestri. But,
on the whole, this score is absolutely saturated with Elfman's trademark
mainstream musical mannerisms. The bouncing sequences of upbeat melody
feature, for instance, the composer's expected bass string plucked
rhythms and slightly jazzy saxophone or brass themes on top. The
orchestra is well utilized in the soundscape, Elfman applying a wealth
of impressive compositional techniques, especially with the woodwinds,
that keeps the work technically superior. Despite the constantly
shifting destinations for the time machine, he doesn't go overboard with
instrumental creativity; only in the two non-Elfman, Brazil-related cues
and the wild ride of "History Mash-up" does he incorporate touches of
unique sound. The choir isn't frequently called upon in this work, but
when it does contribute, the score shines. The conclusions of "Off to
Egypt" and "The Wedding Exodus" are fantastic examples, the former
punching at David Arnold's
Independence Day and the latter
forcing Hans Zimmer's
The Prince of Egypt and Maurice Jarre's
Lawrence of Arabia into one monumental closing statement.
Thematically, the score remains very loyal to its primary idea, adapted
into several scenarios and emotional variants between "Mr. Peabody's
Prologue" and "Reign of Terror!" at the start of the score. All of this
is well handled by Elfman, but the theme isn't catchy enough to really
sustain the score, and the impression it will make upon you is one
defined by the style of the music's movement rather than any one motif.
The album presentation is an enthusiastic and consistent experience that
will entertain any hardcore Elfman collector (spot the quick
Batman
Returns allusion in "The Drop Off") but without a better-wrapped
narrative, it's difficult to award this score the four stars that it may
support. That album includes a few source songs (but not the Peter Andre
one from the end credits, oddly, causing fangirl consternation) and a
dialogue track. It's undeniable fun, but not memorable once it
finishes.
*** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
| Bias Check: |
For Danny Elfman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.23
(in 75 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 3.26
(in 130,906 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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The packaging varies by region. The American pressing contains a coloring book
and an insert with credits that are impossible to read. It includes no extra information
about the score or film.
