Space Jam
James Newton Howard
" Now you know how they underscore spit shine! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
In a time where music celebrities, models and sport stars enter the American movie screen, it is without a doubt a question of taste of who you accept the most. But I always thought that Michael Jordan acted very normal and relaxed in the hilarious movie Space Jam. So, in the case of acting, it was a successful move. Now, those that wonder about the music of such a movie need to ask themselves one thing: is it Looney Tunes music? And the answer would be YES.
People that disliked the famous Mickey Mouse style in either movie or direction will not see eye to eye with the sound of James Newton Howard in Space Jam. Because if anything, the score sounded superbly in the movie but so difficult to enjoy on soundtrack. You know the Carl Stalling sound because we all grew up with it, and that's exactly what you get with this score. All well when you receive it in the movie because during it it fits and clicks, but it becomes troublesome when its departed from the movie. So Space Jam is an average score if you simply can't stand Mickey Mouse music, no sorry Looney Tunes' music.
First of all you have to remember that not everything in Space Jam is bad. No, there are a couple of good moments in this one, and they turn out to be the saving grace of the score. For instance the best couple of minutes are heard in "The Ultimate Game", which starts with the Monstars' theme (performed on electric guitar to give it that rough edge) before offering the fan a short but amusing fanfare around 1.30. Other to appreciate moments are discovered in the duo track "You the Duck" and "The Winning Shot" to name a couple of others.
But during the rest of the score we are either confronted to the occasional fanfare or the wacky tunes that precede it. The occasional hint is nice (like a Pulp Fiction moment or the famous memorial hymn), but mostly it is just one tune that's put after another, creating thereby the famous Mickey Mouse music. The best music resembling that Mickey Mouse sound is either to be found in "Michael in Tuneland" or "Stealing the Shorts".
In the end, Space Jam is not bad music but it is in fact hard music. Hard music to appreciate and hard music to listen to, just because it doesn't bring any musical satisfaction. The occasional stir of thematic material, the occasional interpretation of a particular style (by that meaning the love music on saxophone or French accordion) might deliver a nice change of pace, but without the visuals it already lost a huge part of its effectiveness. Making Space Jam a jam of tones, don't say I didn't warn you!
Tracklisting
1. Main Titles (0.36)
2. Moron Mountain (1.30)
3. Back to Earth (0.37)
4. We Seek Bugs Bunny (2.06)
5. Charles * (1.33)
6. Tuneland Meeting (1.27)
7. General Bugs (1.23)
8. Alien Transformation (1.39)
9. Hole in One (0.39)
10. Michael in Tuneland (2.18)
11. Spit Shine (0.54)
12. The Monstars (2.06)
13. The Tunes Practice (2.25)
14. Stealing the Shorts (4.18)
15. The Ultimate Game (3.58)
16. Monstars Locker Room (1.06)
17. Secret Stuff (1.27)
18. The Second Half (2.21)
19. You Get Me (1.18)
20. Crush 'Em (4.13)
21. You the Duck (1.24)
22. The Winning Shot (1.13)
23. Gimme the Ball (2.25)
24. Not Good at Cheatin' * (1.25)
25. Michael Jordan Returns (1.18)
* Portions include interpolations of "I Turn to You", music by Diane Warren
Total Length: 45.57
People that disliked the famous Mickey Mouse style in either movie or direction will not see eye to eye with the sound of James Newton Howard in Space Jam. Because if anything, the score sounded superbly in the movie but so difficult to enjoy on soundtrack. You know the Carl Stalling sound because we all grew up with it, and that's exactly what you get with this score. All well when you receive it in the movie because during it it fits and clicks, but it becomes troublesome when its departed from the movie. So Space Jam is an average score if you simply can't stand Mickey Mouse music, no sorry Looney Tunes' music.
First of all you have to remember that not everything in Space Jam is bad. No, there are a couple of good moments in this one, and they turn out to be the saving grace of the score. For instance the best couple of minutes are heard in "The Ultimate Game", which starts with the Monstars' theme (performed on electric guitar to give it that rough edge) before offering the fan a short but amusing fanfare around 1.30. Other to appreciate moments are discovered in the duo track "You the Duck" and "The Winning Shot" to name a couple of others.
But during the rest of the score we are either confronted to the occasional fanfare or the wacky tunes that precede it. The occasional hint is nice (like a Pulp Fiction moment or the famous memorial hymn), but mostly it is just one tune that's put after another, creating thereby the famous Mickey Mouse music. The best music resembling that Mickey Mouse sound is either to be found in "Michael in Tuneland" or "Stealing the Shorts".
In the end, Space Jam is not bad music but it is in fact hard music. Hard music to appreciate and hard music to listen to, just because it doesn't bring any musical satisfaction. The occasional stir of thematic material, the occasional interpretation of a particular style (by that meaning the love music on saxophone or French accordion) might deliver a nice change of pace, but without the visuals it already lost a huge part of its effectiveness. Making Space Jam a jam of tones, don't say I didn't warn you!
Tracklisting
1. Main Titles (0.36)
2. Moron Mountain (1.30)
3. Back to Earth (0.37)
4. We Seek Bugs Bunny (2.06)
5. Charles * (1.33)
6. Tuneland Meeting (1.27)
7. General Bugs (1.23)
8. Alien Transformation (1.39)
9. Hole in One (0.39)
10. Michael in Tuneland (2.18)
11. Spit Shine (0.54)
12. The Monstars (2.06)
13. The Tunes Practice (2.25)
14. Stealing the Shorts (4.18)
15. The Ultimate Game (3.58)
16. Monstars Locker Room (1.06)
17. Secret Stuff (1.27)
18. The Second Half (2.21)
19. You Get Me (1.18)
20. Crush 'Em (4.13)
21. You the Duck (1.24)
22. The Winning Shot (1.13)
23. Gimme the Ball (2.25)
24. Not Good at Cheatin' * (1.25)
25. Michael Jordan Returns (1.18)
* Portions include interpolations of "I Turn to You", music by Diane Warren
Total Length: 45.57