The Spiderwick Chronicles
James Horner
" The Casperwick Chronicles "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
It feels like ages ago that composer James Horner enriched the community with a good old fantasy score. Heck let's just think back to the last time he tackled such a project. I guess How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the first, and then Casper is next. The thing is, James Horner is a composer made for fantasy, and his orchestral pen could conjure up a whopping rhythm whenever the scene required it. So I guess a lot of people were looking forward when they heard he would compose The Spiderwick Chronicles.
The fantasy genre itself is alive and well. Stories from books to legends pop up like monthly updates in a never ever-growing world of belief and make belief. This one starring Freddie Highmore and Sarah Bolger is all about a book, and the mystical land that lies beyond its written borders. Basically right up the alley of one James Horner. Thing is, with Horner you just never know how much would return from those written before it. It would be convenient and understandable to return to the fantasy scores that were written before it. And I guess in that respect it's easy to mention one mustn't panic if they hear Casper, Star Trek II, Jumanji or Bicentennial Man during the music.
Truth is, the opening track alone states the mysterious tone the score is going to follow during the remainder of its path. In the opening "Writing the Chronicles", it is all about mystery (and then Star Trek II comes to mind a little bit). But it is the influence of Casper that will stir up the biggest controversy when listening to The Spiderwick Chronicles. An extremely nice but ever so soft "So Many New Worlds Revealed" is where the magical tone goes a step beyond the mystery. The ethereal choir or a wonderful theme is all that's needed for you to dream away.
In "Thimbletack and the Goblins" one of Horner's most reoccurring ideas returns. Namely the tinkling harpsichord for Thimbletack. The rest is the same eerie and sometimes dangerous music heard before in Jumanji. Basically, in the first cues there isn't much that's happening, but in "Hogsqueal's Warning of a Bargain with Mulgarath" we do encounter various other things. Like the theme of Casper that would return in its fullest form later on.
If you basically listen to "Discovering Spiderwick's Secret Workshop" it more or less could transcend into the Casper original soundtrack like that, because there isn't much that differs from it. And the on edge "Dark Armies from the Forest Attack" and the suspenseful brassy "Burning the Book" are a step in the right direction. Furthermore they are the promising start for what's to come.
Because "A Desperate Run Through the Tunnels" is excellent enough. The Casper melody is just the start for a wonderful, rhythmic and above all brassy ride where Horner throws in the Sneakers / Brainstorm / Uncommon Valor trick of rhythm and delight, forming the Horner we once thought was lost.
But it's not in that specific cue that we encounter the best of the best, it is when we listen to "The Flight of the Griffin". Think of surging flying moments, fanfares that hold magical moments, a moment where the Troy fanfare salutes us and a racing energy that basically makes it the best that James Horner can accomplish. In short words it is brilliant.
We continue with adventure in the magical "Escape from the Glade", when melancholy grows to some wonderful material. And there's some atonal stuff in "The Protective Circle is Broken ...!". However the stroke of genius lies within "Jared and Mulgarath Fight for the Chronicles", when the Casper melody is centered around all the action to finish the fight for the book. In "Coming Home" and "Closing Credits" the familiar Horner is definitely at work again. Casper statements, Bicentennial Man like dramatic music, and 5 minutes nothing but meandering strings that sign off like Horner has always done before.
Truthfully and honestly, there are moments in The Spiderwick Chronicles that pale with much that Horner has written the past several years. But it is not enough to basically place it alongside his other fantasy scores like Casper, Willow or god forbid Krull. For that most of the moments are still just moments in a nice flowing if slowly starting soundtrack. However the biggest treasure lies within the mere fact it sounds stunning in the movie. So, if fantasy's your thing and you want a second half of delightful entertainment, then The Spiderwick Chronicles surely isn't a bad way to go. Even more, it is one of Horner's most interesting works of the last couple of years.
Tracklisting
1. Writing the Chronicles (3.03)
2. So Many New Worlds Revealed (5.12)
3. Thimbletack and the Goblins (5.15)
4. Hogsqueal's Warning of a Bargain with Mulgarath (5.16)
5. Discovering Spiderwick's Secret Workshop (3.24)
6. Dark Armies from the Forest Attack (3.06)
7. Burning the Book (2.43)
8. A Desperate Run Through the Tunnels (4.47) Excellent track
9. Lucinda's Story (6.01)
10. The Flight of the Griffin (6.55) Excellent track
11. Escape from the Glade (4.44) Excellent track
12. The Protective Circle is Broken ...! (2.07)
13. Jared and Mulgarath Fight for the Chronicles (4.17) Excellent track
14. Coming Home (6.17) Excellent track
15. Closing Credits (8.23)
Total Length: 71.30
The fantasy genre itself is alive and well. Stories from books to legends pop up like monthly updates in a never ever-growing world of belief and make belief. This one starring Freddie Highmore and Sarah Bolger is all about a book, and the mystical land that lies beyond its written borders. Basically right up the alley of one James Horner. Thing is, with Horner you just never know how much would return from those written before it. It would be convenient and understandable to return to the fantasy scores that were written before it. And I guess in that respect it's easy to mention one mustn't panic if they hear Casper, Star Trek II, Jumanji or Bicentennial Man during the music.
Truth is, the opening track alone states the mysterious tone the score is going to follow during the remainder of its path. In the opening "Writing the Chronicles", it is all about mystery (and then Star Trek II comes to mind a little bit). But it is the influence of Casper that will stir up the biggest controversy when listening to The Spiderwick Chronicles. An extremely nice but ever so soft "So Many New Worlds Revealed" is where the magical tone goes a step beyond the mystery. The ethereal choir or a wonderful theme is all that's needed for you to dream away.
In "Thimbletack and the Goblins" one of Horner's most reoccurring ideas returns. Namely the tinkling harpsichord for Thimbletack. The rest is the same eerie and sometimes dangerous music heard before in Jumanji. Basically, in the first cues there isn't much that's happening, but in "Hogsqueal's Warning of a Bargain with Mulgarath" we do encounter various other things. Like the theme of Casper that would return in its fullest form later on.
If you basically listen to "Discovering Spiderwick's Secret Workshop" it more or less could transcend into the Casper original soundtrack like that, because there isn't much that differs from it. And the on edge "Dark Armies from the Forest Attack" and the suspenseful brassy "Burning the Book" are a step in the right direction. Furthermore they are the promising start for what's to come.
Because "A Desperate Run Through the Tunnels" is excellent enough. The Casper melody is just the start for a wonderful, rhythmic and above all brassy ride where Horner throws in the Sneakers / Brainstorm / Uncommon Valor trick of rhythm and delight, forming the Horner we once thought was lost.
But it's not in that specific cue that we encounter the best of the best, it is when we listen to "The Flight of the Griffin". Think of surging flying moments, fanfares that hold magical moments, a moment where the Troy fanfare salutes us and a racing energy that basically makes it the best that James Horner can accomplish. In short words it is brilliant.
We continue with adventure in the magical "Escape from the Glade", when melancholy grows to some wonderful material. And there's some atonal stuff in "The Protective Circle is Broken ...!". However the stroke of genius lies within "Jared and Mulgarath Fight for the Chronicles", when the Casper melody is centered around all the action to finish the fight for the book. In "Coming Home" and "Closing Credits" the familiar Horner is definitely at work again. Casper statements, Bicentennial Man like dramatic music, and 5 minutes nothing but meandering strings that sign off like Horner has always done before.
Truthfully and honestly, there are moments in The Spiderwick Chronicles that pale with much that Horner has written the past several years. But it is not enough to basically place it alongside his other fantasy scores like Casper, Willow or god forbid Krull. For that most of the moments are still just moments in a nice flowing if slowly starting soundtrack. However the biggest treasure lies within the mere fact it sounds stunning in the movie. So, if fantasy's your thing and you want a second half of delightful entertainment, then The Spiderwick Chronicles surely isn't a bad way to go. Even more, it is one of Horner's most interesting works of the last couple of years.
Tracklisting
1. Writing the Chronicles (3.03)
2. So Many New Worlds Revealed (5.12)
3. Thimbletack and the Goblins (5.15)
4. Hogsqueal's Warning of a Bargain with Mulgarath (5.16)
5. Discovering Spiderwick's Secret Workshop (3.24)
6. Dark Armies from the Forest Attack (3.06)
7. Burning the Book (2.43)
8. A Desperate Run Through the Tunnels (4.47) Excellent track
9. Lucinda's Story (6.01)
10. The Flight of the Griffin (6.55) Excellent track
11. Escape from the Glade (4.44) Excellent track
12. The Protective Circle is Broken ...! (2.07)
13. Jared and Mulgarath Fight for the Chronicles (4.17) Excellent track
14. Coming Home (6.17) Excellent track
15. Closing Credits (8.23)
Total Length: 71.30