Return to Never Land
Joel McNeely
" For kids and adults, with the latter receiving some short but amazing material "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Joel McNeely is easily one of Hollywood's forgotten talents. Since like say forever, people have seen him as the next John Williams and the one that holds the candle when it concerns that special touch of movie music magic. Yet, unlike Williams it is McNeely's habit of getting attached to movies that basically stink or (when they are decent to good), are vanished without a trace from the theatres. I can consider then also Return to Never Land, to be a success at best, while being a straight to video release nonetheless.
The same can be said about the score on disc. While still animated in pace and in structure, sometimes the Williams touch takes over, giving you no mere animation anymore. One of the other welcome surprises is the fact that there is enough score to warrant a proper soundtrack release. Yet, as with any animated score, we have the basic returning signals, such as the main pop songs, the animated style sing a long songs and the usual use of Mickey Mouse scoring. Together, it actually hurts the listening experience, but you can't deny there is a tone of brilliance waiting around a corner from time to time.
Let me start by saying this, the songs are decent but that's basically it. "Second Star to the Right" has a short "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" moment and is based on one of the themes of McNeely, and "I'll Try" is for better or worse the best one of them all. Forget BBMak's opening song because it doesn't fit at all with what's preceding. Of the sing a long songs I can also be brief. They will listen like a hoot in the film, but are so over the top on disc that it distracts the rest of McNeely's score. Even a 20 second one can abruptly distress you.
Of that original score, we have surprisingly an abundance of themes. We have in fact a lot of them already in the first score track. "Main Title" uses I think in order the Disney logo theme, Tink's theme, the Crocodile theme, Hook's theme, The Lost Boys' theme and the main Peter Pan theme. All very briefly but it is a nice summarization of McNeely's handiwork. And then I'm even forgetting the other theme, for McNeely the most important factor of the movie, meaning the Home theme, which is introduced fully at the end of the score.
One of the first great tracks is the powerful, dark and fanfare terrific "Jane is Kidnapped", which already unleashes some wonderful ideas and tricks. Yet, the first to unleash the magical thematic firework is "Flight through Never Land", with a monumental display of John Williams' magical trademark sounding E.T. magnificence.
We do have several indications of temp music. Perhaps light but the names of Home Alone (track 4), Hook, Radio Flyer and Alive (track 7) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (track 10) were flying briefly through my head. Sometimes light like in 7, but the 'When you're Alone' theme of Hook is still clear as crystal. At the end, the last 4 tracks are thematically driven and end the score well, but perhaps too late for some after an exhausting middle mickey mouse part. The heroic "Jane Saves Tink and Pan" and the main theme in "Jane can Fly" will give you again that wonderful orchestral feeling.
This is not a bad score, in fact this is a good one. But one that suffers from the same things over and over again. The songs which are ordinary, the sing a long carols which aren't that enjoyable on disc and the sometimes overbearing animated Mickey Mouse music that keeps it from taking off. On the other hand, Return to Never Land is still recommended for many people, if they can handle all that.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Do You Believe in Magic?: BBMAK (2.57)
2. Main Title * (2.07)
3. Second Star to the Right: Jonatha Brooks (1.56)
4. The Tale of Pan * (1.43)
5. I'll Try: Jonatha Brooks (4.06)
6. Jane is Kidnapped * (3.32) Excellent track
7. A Childhood Lost * (2.34)
8. Here We Go Another Plan (0.23)
9. Summoning the Octopus / Pan Saves Jane * (2.40)
10. Flight Through Never Land * (2.40) Excellent track
11. So to be One of Us (1.26)
12. Meet the Lost Boys * (1.13)
13. Now That You're One of Us (0.36)
14. Longing for Home * (2.13)
15. Hook and the Lost Boys * (3.23)
16. Hook Deceives Jane * (2.55)
17. Jane Finds the Treasure * (1.58)
18. Pan is Captured * (2.14)
19. I'll Try (Reprise): Jonatha Brooks (1.07)
20. Jane Saves Tink and Pan * (3.28)
21. Jane Can Fly * (2.35)
22. Flying Home * (3.28)
23. Reunion * (2.20)
* Soundtrack composed by Joel McNeely
Total Length: 53.47
The same can be said about the score on disc. While still animated in pace and in structure, sometimes the Williams touch takes over, giving you no mere animation anymore. One of the other welcome surprises is the fact that there is enough score to warrant a proper soundtrack release. Yet, as with any animated score, we have the basic returning signals, such as the main pop songs, the animated style sing a long songs and the usual use of Mickey Mouse scoring. Together, it actually hurts the listening experience, but you can't deny there is a tone of brilliance waiting around a corner from time to time.
Let me start by saying this, the songs are decent but that's basically it. "Second Star to the Right" has a short "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" moment and is based on one of the themes of McNeely, and "I'll Try" is for better or worse the best one of them all. Forget BBMak's opening song because it doesn't fit at all with what's preceding. Of the sing a long songs I can also be brief. They will listen like a hoot in the film, but are so over the top on disc that it distracts the rest of McNeely's score. Even a 20 second one can abruptly distress you.
Of that original score, we have surprisingly an abundance of themes. We have in fact a lot of them already in the first score track. "Main Title" uses I think in order the Disney logo theme, Tink's theme, the Crocodile theme, Hook's theme, The Lost Boys' theme and the main Peter Pan theme. All very briefly but it is a nice summarization of McNeely's handiwork. And then I'm even forgetting the other theme, for McNeely the most important factor of the movie, meaning the Home theme, which is introduced fully at the end of the score.
One of the first great tracks is the powerful, dark and fanfare terrific "Jane is Kidnapped", which already unleashes some wonderful ideas and tricks. Yet, the first to unleash the magical thematic firework is "Flight through Never Land", with a monumental display of John Williams' magical trademark sounding E.T. magnificence.
We do have several indications of temp music. Perhaps light but the names of Home Alone (track 4), Hook, Radio Flyer and Alive (track 7) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (track 10) were flying briefly through my head. Sometimes light like in 7, but the 'When you're Alone' theme of Hook is still clear as crystal. At the end, the last 4 tracks are thematically driven and end the score well, but perhaps too late for some after an exhausting middle mickey mouse part. The heroic "Jane Saves Tink and Pan" and the main theme in "Jane can Fly" will give you again that wonderful orchestral feeling.
This is not a bad score, in fact this is a good one. But one that suffers from the same things over and over again. The songs which are ordinary, the sing a long carols which aren't that enjoyable on disc and the sometimes overbearing animated Mickey Mouse music that keeps it from taking off. On the other hand, Return to Never Land is still recommended for many people, if they can handle all that.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Do You Believe in Magic?: BBMAK (2.57)
2. Main Title * (2.07)
3. Second Star to the Right: Jonatha Brooks (1.56)
4. The Tale of Pan * (1.43)
5. I'll Try: Jonatha Brooks (4.06)
6. Jane is Kidnapped * (3.32) Excellent track
7. A Childhood Lost * (2.34)
8. Here We Go Another Plan (0.23)
9. Summoning the Octopus / Pan Saves Jane * (2.40)
10. Flight Through Never Land * (2.40) Excellent track
11. So to be One of Us (1.26)
12. Meet the Lost Boys * (1.13)
13. Now That You're One of Us (0.36)
14. Longing for Home * (2.13)
15. Hook and the Lost Boys * (3.23)
16. Hook Deceives Jane * (2.55)
17. Jane Finds the Treasure * (1.58)
18. Pan is Captured * (2.14)
19. I'll Try (Reprise): Jonatha Brooks (1.07)
20. Jane Saves Tink and Pan * (3.28)
21. Jane Can Fly * (2.35)
22. Flying Home * (3.28)
23. Reunion * (2.20)
* Soundtrack composed by Joel McNeely
Total Length: 53.47