Nanny McPhee Returns
James Newton Howard
" James Newton Howard takes over from Patrick Doyle "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang is definitely a candidate for title of the year, if not the least because I associate it with Nanny McPhee and a bang. Then again Nanny McPhee Returns sounds more like a Superman spoof than a worthy sequel, so I guess I'll stick to Nanny McPhee 2. Yes, you've read it, the hideous at first, stunning looker later gets a sequel and this in another adventure directed by Susanna White. And her choice was to assign James Newton Howard as the composer in charge.
For me, that's where the problem lies. Nanny McPhee 2 is not only weaker than the first movie, it also lacks the amazing magical wit of the first, the stunning charismatic chemistry between Colin Firth and Kelly Macdonald but also the sprightly (inside the picture) score of composer Patrick Doyle. I'm not saying that James Newton Howard is not capable to do better, I'm saying Patrick Doyle had much more to work with. Meaning Nanny McPhee 2 is the lesser of the 2, the less interesting one and the less enjoyable one. And quite frankly, it shows once we listen to the score.
Nanny McPhee of Patrick Doyle wasn't perfect, but at least it functioned much better on disc. Nanny McPhee 2 is more a mess, and a disjointed one too. For the first half hour it delivers you almost non stop frenetic writing that has the ability to place almost every instrument on the forefront. From harpsichord to big band jazz, Nanny McPhee 2 offers it during the listen. The opening track "Coping Very Well" might predict otherwise, but once you start with "The Person you Need", you're introduced to one energetic ride after another.
"The Person you Need" offers you frenetic trumpets at the end, "The British Museum of Poo" orchestral marching fanfares, "Small C, Big P" magical choir that erupts in a fanfare ending and "Stop Fighting Immediately" offers both rushing orchestral as playful music. The same can be said for the playful "Animals on the Stairs", that's before "Sharing Nicely" even tries to insert the ideas of Peter and the Wolf into the music at a specific time. Either way, it may be functional but it doesn't click so easily on disc.
There are parts though that try to mimic the first score of Patrick Doyle. The occasional choir is a logical example, but there's a magical moment in "The Way I Work" that sounds remarkably like the music heard in "I Did Knock" of Nanny McPhee. It's from the middle of the album that the score gets some kind of form. In "Pursuit of the Piglets" there's more cohesion, making the orchestral marching fanfares as the Irish drums much more enjoyable (and did I hear a Star Trek hint?). The big band jazz in "Synchronized Snouts" is now suddenly much more aligned while soft scoring triggers some feelings in "Where's Mummy?" and "Triumphant Trappers" (main theme). Hell even the brief magical cry for "Nanny McPhee We Need You" suddenly works now.
Near the end we receive the most enjoyable music of the film. There's an obligatory version of the British National Anthem in "Speeding Through London", there's urgency and playfulness (a bit like Chicken Run sometimes) in "The Blue Wire" that continues to rise magically with a choir in "An Explosion-Free Day". Speaking of Chicken Run, there's also John Powell deja vu once we hear choir over a rushing orchestral cue in "The Burp Heard Round the World" (hello Rat Race anyone?). The finest music still comes during "The Harvest" and "Leap of Faith" when James at least brings us a stirring magical finale to another happy end, and another good looking Nanny McPhee.
But this all brings me to my point. Will I ever listen to Nanny McPhee 2 again? No because for that its disjointed and only acceptable in places. It is only in moments that James Newton Howard delivers some kicks, and that's quite frankly sad to hear. Of course James didn't have the magical material Patrick Doyle was able to work with, and it shows during the composition. The score is too crazy in the begin, something Patrick Doyle was able to bring forth a little better. And I must say that the magical material of the end doesn't reach what still is one of Patrick Doyle's most stirring finales, no matter how good it all here is. Of course James Newton Howard had to work with far lesser material. And yes, for the thousandth time, it shows.
Tracklisting
1. Coping Very Well (1.27)
2. The Person You Need (2.07)
3. Topsey and Turvey (1.02)
4. The British Museum of Poo (0.50)
5. It's Only Jam (1.51)
6. Small C, Big P (3.37)
7. The Way I Work (2.02)
8. Stop Fighting Immediately (4.43)
9. Animals on the Stairs (2.12)
10. Sharing Nicely (2.06)
11. Pursuit of the Piglets (2.17)
12. Synchronized Snouts (0.53)
13. Where's Mummy? (3.34)
14. Triumphant Trappers (4.06)
15. Phil's Contract (1.29)
16. Nanny McPhee We Need You (1.05)
17. The Telegram (1.57)
18. Speeding Through London (1.58)
19. The Blue Wire (4.46)
20. An Explosion-Free Day (2.29)
21. The Burp Heard Round the World (1.51)
22. The Harvest (2.05)
23. Leaps of Faith (5.47)
24. Animated Titles (2.58)
Total Length: 59.01
For me, that's where the problem lies. Nanny McPhee 2 is not only weaker than the first movie, it also lacks the amazing magical wit of the first, the stunning charismatic chemistry between Colin Firth and Kelly Macdonald but also the sprightly (inside the picture) score of composer Patrick Doyle. I'm not saying that James Newton Howard is not capable to do better, I'm saying Patrick Doyle had much more to work with. Meaning Nanny McPhee 2 is the lesser of the 2, the less interesting one and the less enjoyable one. And quite frankly, it shows once we listen to the score.
Nanny McPhee of Patrick Doyle wasn't perfect, but at least it functioned much better on disc. Nanny McPhee 2 is more a mess, and a disjointed one too. For the first half hour it delivers you almost non stop frenetic writing that has the ability to place almost every instrument on the forefront. From harpsichord to big band jazz, Nanny McPhee 2 offers it during the listen. The opening track "Coping Very Well" might predict otherwise, but once you start with "The Person you Need", you're introduced to one energetic ride after another.
"The Person you Need" offers you frenetic trumpets at the end, "The British Museum of Poo" orchestral marching fanfares, "Small C, Big P" magical choir that erupts in a fanfare ending and "Stop Fighting Immediately" offers both rushing orchestral as playful music. The same can be said for the playful "Animals on the Stairs", that's before "Sharing Nicely" even tries to insert the ideas of Peter and the Wolf into the music at a specific time. Either way, it may be functional but it doesn't click so easily on disc.
There are parts though that try to mimic the first score of Patrick Doyle. The occasional choir is a logical example, but there's a magical moment in "The Way I Work" that sounds remarkably like the music heard in "I Did Knock" of Nanny McPhee. It's from the middle of the album that the score gets some kind of form. In "Pursuit of the Piglets" there's more cohesion, making the orchestral marching fanfares as the Irish drums much more enjoyable (and did I hear a Star Trek hint?). The big band jazz in "Synchronized Snouts" is now suddenly much more aligned while soft scoring triggers some feelings in "Where's Mummy?" and "Triumphant Trappers" (main theme). Hell even the brief magical cry for "Nanny McPhee We Need You" suddenly works now.
Near the end we receive the most enjoyable music of the film. There's an obligatory version of the British National Anthem in "Speeding Through London", there's urgency and playfulness (a bit like Chicken Run sometimes) in "The Blue Wire" that continues to rise magically with a choir in "An Explosion-Free Day". Speaking of Chicken Run, there's also John Powell deja vu once we hear choir over a rushing orchestral cue in "The Burp Heard Round the World" (hello Rat Race anyone?). The finest music still comes during "The Harvest" and "Leap of Faith" when James at least brings us a stirring magical finale to another happy end, and another good looking Nanny McPhee.
But this all brings me to my point. Will I ever listen to Nanny McPhee 2 again? No because for that its disjointed and only acceptable in places. It is only in moments that James Newton Howard delivers some kicks, and that's quite frankly sad to hear. Of course James didn't have the magical material Patrick Doyle was able to work with, and it shows during the composition. The score is too crazy in the begin, something Patrick Doyle was able to bring forth a little better. And I must say that the magical material of the end doesn't reach what still is one of Patrick Doyle's most stirring finales, no matter how good it all here is. Of course James Newton Howard had to work with far lesser material. And yes, for the thousandth time, it shows.
Tracklisting
1. Coping Very Well (1.27)
2. The Person You Need (2.07)
3. Topsey and Turvey (1.02)
4. The British Museum of Poo (0.50)
5. It's Only Jam (1.51)
6. Small C, Big P (3.37)
7. The Way I Work (2.02)
8. Stop Fighting Immediately (4.43)
9. Animals on the Stairs (2.12)
10. Sharing Nicely (2.06)
11. Pursuit of the Piglets (2.17)
12. Synchronized Snouts (0.53)
13. Where's Mummy? (3.34)
14. Triumphant Trappers (4.06)
15. Phil's Contract (1.29)
16. Nanny McPhee We Need You (1.05)
17. The Telegram (1.57)
18. Speeding Through London (1.58)
19. The Blue Wire (4.46)
20. An Explosion-Free Day (2.29)
21. The Burp Heard Round the World (1.51)
22. The Harvest (2.05)
23. Leaps of Faith (5.47)
24. Animated Titles (2.58)
Total Length: 59.01