Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
James Horner
" Trademark Horner delivers borrowings up the wazoo in an electrifying fun listen "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
One of James Horner's earlier highlights was for the motion picture Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. A terrific family adventure which took 4 kids to the brink of smallness, with an invention that had the ability to shrink anything. Therefore the kids went on a real adventure, battling scorpions, bees and ants twice their size and seeing cookies, toy dinosaurs, grass and water drops as a large object on their path. The way the movie deals around these small things being big, and therefore dangerous is pure adventurous fun. And this was going to be fun for whoever was going to compose it. In the end James Horner was the lucky camper who got it. Now the question is, was James Horner going to make us happy as well?
Back in those days, James Horner had the ability to make anything fun. From pure fun jazz to energized action tracks to threatening organ, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids delivers all kinds of twists that confront us that James Horner was really cool back then. Why such a commercial treat was unavailable for such a long time is beyond me. But Intrada now made that error disappear, by bringing forth a 50 minute album (a bit shorter than the bootleg version), making us all happy again.
Basically, this is Horner in a nutshell (which in those days was pure recommended fun). In a nutshell also means that this score is quite influential, not for other scores but from other scores. We know Horner likes using different ideas, but Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is one where too much reappears from others, even from non Horner works which is a surprise. Nonetheless, the score remains gigantically fun, leaving you enthralled from start to finish.
The score starts with one of the most obvious borrowings. For years I thought the fun jazz and energized rhythm in "Main Title" was the first time it ever appeared. But then I heard Project X, and then it became clear it wasn't. Still, this track brims with energy and underscores the animated opening sequence. This idea repeats itself calmer in the following "Strange Neighbors".
"Shrunk" has in the begin some Cocoon mystery before the jazz returns, finishing it off with pure brilliant Willow action. You also spot the organ theme which is used as a threatening sign, later appearing much much more. This happens briefly in a matter of seconds, but Horner's finish is supreme.
"A New World" does more. It begins with a soft Aliens like string opening, before the famous four note villain motif appears twice on shakuhachi (no Horner score back then could be without it). "Scorpion Attack" is a track which is put completely out of order, but unleashes a thundering action pace with some hints to The Rocketeer for good pleasure, until the inevitable slow mourning music underscores the heartfelt scene of Anty dying in the movie. Even for some now looking cheaper (but still) great special effects, the emotion is not to be overlooked.
In "Test Run" the main title goes jazzy and quirky, the Ant theme which has died by now is found at the end of "Flying Szalinsky" while "Night Time" is a tender soft cue, showing the Ant theme amongst other things. And in "Watering the Grass", comedy and danger are side by side.
The fun "Ant Rodeo" infuses Dave Grusin's own The Goonies with James Horner's American Tail like cowboy music, bringing forth a very fun track. But it are his final tracks that truly deliver. "Lawn Mower" has the jazzy sound and that returning organ tone growling to the death, enough to get the blood pumping for sure. And infusing his own The Rocketeer rhythms to the organ is what "Eaten Alive" does best of all. Ladies and gentlemen, the organ has never sounded any better than here. This is one of Horner's most overlooked career highlights. "Thanksgiving Dinner" restates the obvious with the jazz theme, Goonies like theme and the emotional Ant theme, all together forming as it supposed to do, a wonderful suite.
Basically with those the faults of non originality, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is still big fun. The borrowings from other scores are still used to the best possible effect, and the organ effect is one of the best ever produced. A Horner hater will swallow all these borrowings and spit them to Horner's face if he could. But when a score is that adventurous, ballsy, fun, wicked, threatening and diverse, it is easy to mention that Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a success no matter what. For a long time we had to discover this in a format most don't want to use. Now most of you will have their own copy of what is a Horner score delivering it fast, furious and with all the trademarks a Horner piece should have. Make of that what you will, because I don't give a ...
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (1.59) Excellent track
2. Strange Neighbors (1.49)
3. Shrunk (5.37) Excellent track
4. A New World (3.31)
5. Scorpion Attack (3.34)
6. Test Run (2.08)
7. Flying Szalinsky (1.59)
8. Night Time (5.04)
9. Watering the Grass (4.13)
10. Ant Rodeo (3.45) Excellent track
11. The Machine Works (2.05)
12. Lawn Mower (5.45) Excellent track
13. Eaten Alive (2.44) Excellent track
14. Big Russ Volunteers (1.24)
15. Thanksgiving Dinner (5.27) Excellent track
Total Length: 51.13
Back in those days, James Horner had the ability to make anything fun. From pure fun jazz to energized action tracks to threatening organ, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids delivers all kinds of twists that confront us that James Horner was really cool back then. Why such a commercial treat was unavailable for such a long time is beyond me. But Intrada now made that error disappear, by bringing forth a 50 minute album (a bit shorter than the bootleg version), making us all happy again.
Basically, this is Horner in a nutshell (which in those days was pure recommended fun). In a nutshell also means that this score is quite influential, not for other scores but from other scores. We know Horner likes using different ideas, but Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is one where too much reappears from others, even from non Horner works which is a surprise. Nonetheless, the score remains gigantically fun, leaving you enthralled from start to finish.
The score starts with one of the most obvious borrowings. For years I thought the fun jazz and energized rhythm in "Main Title" was the first time it ever appeared. But then I heard Project X, and then it became clear it wasn't. Still, this track brims with energy and underscores the animated opening sequence. This idea repeats itself calmer in the following "Strange Neighbors".
"Shrunk" has in the begin some Cocoon mystery before the jazz returns, finishing it off with pure brilliant Willow action. You also spot the organ theme which is used as a threatening sign, later appearing much much more. This happens briefly in a matter of seconds, but Horner's finish is supreme.
"A New World" does more. It begins with a soft Aliens like string opening, before the famous four note villain motif appears twice on shakuhachi (no Horner score back then could be without it). "Scorpion Attack" is a track which is put completely out of order, but unleashes a thundering action pace with some hints to The Rocketeer for good pleasure, until the inevitable slow mourning music underscores the heartfelt scene of Anty dying in the movie. Even for some now looking cheaper (but still) great special effects, the emotion is not to be overlooked.
In "Test Run" the main title goes jazzy and quirky, the Ant theme which has died by now is found at the end of "Flying Szalinsky" while "Night Time" is a tender soft cue, showing the Ant theme amongst other things. And in "Watering the Grass", comedy and danger are side by side.
The fun "Ant Rodeo" infuses Dave Grusin's own The Goonies with James Horner's American Tail like cowboy music, bringing forth a very fun track. But it are his final tracks that truly deliver. "Lawn Mower" has the jazzy sound and that returning organ tone growling to the death, enough to get the blood pumping for sure. And infusing his own The Rocketeer rhythms to the organ is what "Eaten Alive" does best of all. Ladies and gentlemen, the organ has never sounded any better than here. This is one of Horner's most overlooked career highlights. "Thanksgiving Dinner" restates the obvious with the jazz theme, Goonies like theme and the emotional Ant theme, all together forming as it supposed to do, a wonderful suite.
Basically with those the faults of non originality, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is still big fun. The borrowings from other scores are still used to the best possible effect, and the organ effect is one of the best ever produced. A Horner hater will swallow all these borrowings and spit them to Horner's face if he could. But when a score is that adventurous, ballsy, fun, wicked, threatening and diverse, it is easy to mention that Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a success no matter what. For a long time we had to discover this in a format most don't want to use. Now most of you will have their own copy of what is a Horner score delivering it fast, furious and with all the trademarks a Horner piece should have. Make of that what you will, because I don't give a ...
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (1.59) Excellent track
2. Strange Neighbors (1.49)
3. Shrunk (5.37) Excellent track
4. A New World (3.31)
5. Scorpion Attack (3.34)
6. Test Run (2.08)
7. Flying Szalinsky (1.59)
8. Night Time (5.04)
9. Watering the Grass (4.13)
10. Ant Rodeo (3.45) Excellent track
11. The Machine Works (2.05)
12. Lawn Mower (5.45) Excellent track
13. Eaten Alive (2.44) Excellent track
14. Big Russ Volunteers (1.24)
15. Thanksgiving Dinner (5.27) Excellent track
Total Length: 51.13