Tarzan
Mark Mancina
" Enjoyable take on the Tarzan business "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Back at those days, during each year we had another Mark Mancina score, proving to the community that he was one of the best of the (then) Media Ventures school. And each year, he was trying to differentiate himself. Scores like Moll Flanders and Return to Paradise made the difference quite clear and Tarzan is just another one in the right direction.
These 4 tracks prove that Mark Mancina is anything but a hack. But of course 4 tracks really isn't enough. I know animations covering a lot of songs are likely to cover more song than score, but still you have to understand our cry. So many of you will have looked for those Disney promos.
However not everything is picture perfect sometimes. You see, you hear the result in 4 tracks (some of them that have several tracks mixed together) and you assume the rest is of the same standard. For some the full picture is best, for some it is not. Talking about the Disney release we cover a lot of songs and score material that is worth an investigation.
"A Wondrous Place" is really the jewel of this tiny score, and ending with the ultimate blast it makes you wonder why he left us for so many years. "Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like a Man" offers another beautiful theme that sadly is shattered in several pieces during the entire promo. "The Gorillas" offers the main action material and the first half is very good (with a theme that resembles Money Train's action sound). And the soft but gentle "One Family" is another example of successfully mixing cues to create the best possible effect.
But there are of course songs as well, mainly sung by Phil Collins. These are not of the Lion King galore but are above standard of many lackluster songs nonetheless. The main asset and song theme is "Two Worlds", appearing 4 times on the soundtrack. It is effective with Mancina's underscore in the first track, enjoyable in Phil Collins' own take (without the actual underscore) and enlightening us when it ends the CD, with a children's choir making it a blast of the past.
There are also several duo songs. N'Sync handling already a song performed by the cast while one of Mancina's sub themes works as the backbone for the song "You'll be in my Heart", performed by Glenn Close in one and in Collins' own version in the other. But "Two Worlds" is the main song and is above anything else.
Tarzan as a short score is one of Mancina's lovelier entries. That's the impression when you hear the short revised product. When you hear everything, it is faulted due to the many short tracks and larger wealth of rougher action material. For the fans of Disney and Mancina, the promo is the answer to your question. But don't expect that you will hear the same stuff in double format. The original Tarzan beats the promo but Mancina delivers a proud score for the movie and for the fans nonetheless.
Score: ***12
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Two Worlds: Phil Collins (3.18)
2. You'll Be in my Heart: Phil Collins & Glenn Close (1.36)
3. Son of Man: Phil Collins (2.44)
4. Trashin' the Camp (2.16)
5. Strangers Like Me: Phil Collins (3.00)
6. Two Worlds Reprise: Phil Collins (0.51)
7. Trashin' the Camp: Phil Collins & N'Sync (2.23)
8. You'll Be in my Heart: Phil Collins (4.17)
9. Two Worlds: Phil Collins (2.42)
10. A Wondrous Place * (5.14) Excellent track
11. Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like a Man * (2.58)
12. The Gorillas * (4.29)
13. One Family * (3.49)
14. Two Worlds Finale: Phil Collins (1.16) Excellent track
* Original soundtrack by Mark Mancina
Total Length: 41.04
These 4 tracks prove that Mark Mancina is anything but a hack. But of course 4 tracks really isn't enough. I know animations covering a lot of songs are likely to cover more song than score, but still you have to understand our cry. So many of you will have looked for those Disney promos.
However not everything is picture perfect sometimes. You see, you hear the result in 4 tracks (some of them that have several tracks mixed together) and you assume the rest is of the same standard. For some the full picture is best, for some it is not. Talking about the Disney release we cover a lot of songs and score material that is worth an investigation.
"A Wondrous Place" is really the jewel of this tiny score, and ending with the ultimate blast it makes you wonder why he left us for so many years. "Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like a Man" offers another beautiful theme that sadly is shattered in several pieces during the entire promo. "The Gorillas" offers the main action material and the first half is very good (with a theme that resembles Money Train's action sound). And the soft but gentle "One Family" is another example of successfully mixing cues to create the best possible effect.
But there are of course songs as well, mainly sung by Phil Collins. These are not of the Lion King galore but are above standard of many lackluster songs nonetheless. The main asset and song theme is "Two Worlds", appearing 4 times on the soundtrack. It is effective with Mancina's underscore in the first track, enjoyable in Phil Collins' own take (without the actual underscore) and enlightening us when it ends the CD, with a children's choir making it a blast of the past.
There are also several duo songs. N'Sync handling already a song performed by the cast while one of Mancina's sub themes works as the backbone for the song "You'll be in my Heart", performed by Glenn Close in one and in Collins' own version in the other. But "Two Worlds" is the main song and is above anything else.
Tarzan as a short score is one of Mancina's lovelier entries. That's the impression when you hear the short revised product. When you hear everything, it is faulted due to the many short tracks and larger wealth of rougher action material. For the fans of Disney and Mancina, the promo is the answer to your question. But don't expect that you will hear the same stuff in double format. The original Tarzan beats the promo but Mancina delivers a proud score for the movie and for the fans nonetheless.
Score: ***12
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Two Worlds: Phil Collins (3.18)
2. You'll Be in my Heart: Phil Collins & Glenn Close (1.36)
3. Son of Man: Phil Collins (2.44)
4. Trashin' the Camp (2.16)
5. Strangers Like Me: Phil Collins (3.00)
6. Two Worlds Reprise: Phil Collins (0.51)
7. Trashin' the Camp: Phil Collins & N'Sync (2.23)
8. You'll Be in my Heart: Phil Collins (4.17)
9. Two Worlds: Phil Collins (2.42)
10. A Wondrous Place * (5.14) Excellent track
11. Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like a Man * (2.58)
12. The Gorillas * (4.29)
13. One Family * (3.49)
14. Two Worlds Finale: Phil Collins (1.16) Excellent track
* Original soundtrack by Mark Mancina
Total Length: 41.04