Night at the Museum

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

The winning fun project that closed off the year was Night at the Museum, always enough for a couple of hundred millions at the box office. And basically why not? Special effects, Ben Stiller, a T-Rex and the fact everything in the museum comes to live at night. Consider it freaking awesome? Perhaps not because response to this movie has been adequate and maybe Stephen Sommers would have made of it a complete overblown thing, but for once the script demanded just that. Anyhoo first onboard was John Ottman as composer but for whatever reason Alan Silvestri took on the role instead. Consider these 2 names now a perfect fit as composer for such a movie as this because Ottman proved with Eight Legged Freaks what the term overblown fun is and Silvestri, well this is just his ballgame. However why then is Night at the Museum not what it supposed to be? Fun? Gigantic fun? What's missing basically that justifies the words used by Varèse Sarabande to spice up their sales with the words (gargantuan action adventure and one of the most exciting soundtracks of the year). Before hearing the CD I would have agreed from the get go because the genre is just perfect for Alan. Now after the CD has finished mere lack of creativity and interesting new ideas is what makes Night at the Museum such a disappointment. Its not a big disappointment because moments still makes Night at the Museum somewhat worth it. But together the whole picture doesn't come off being terribly exiting. It starts with 'Night at the Museum', a basic summarization from the themes, with the main theme and dark theme softly whispering their status apart from a brief fanfare here and there. What isn't noticed here but later unravels itself is that the main theme is basically the Harry Potter theme from 'Harry in Winter' or its blazing performance in 'Golden Egg'. Its sad such a good theme from Doyle needs to be heard in Silvestri's writing. Of course where Doyle's version went further, Silvestri takes over yet still its clear where this one came from. His other theme, the Ben Stiller theme is more evidence that's its Silvestri's thing because that's his mambo beat and his tune, like in 'One of Those Days'.

The main theme works all around variations in this score, as underscore supporting the drums in 'Tour of the Museum', around the craziness in 'Meet Dexter', totally Harry Potter like in 'Sunrise', working around a mystery tune which crops up from time to time in 'Study up on History'. Its everywhere, sometimes in just mere 2 notes. 'Civil War Soldiers' is the longest track and apart from the choral dark theme this sounds like something out of Death Becomes Her with the fanfares, and sadly I didn't like that sound very much. Of course craziness isn't far away and that's clear in many of the very short tracks (6, 8, 9, 19, 20). Noticeable are the moments, the western Stiller theme version in 'The Iron Horse', a heroic explosion in 'Saved by Teddy', or the Tomb Raider 2 moments in 'Show you What I do'. Sadly nothing much really enlightens you merely because its either too short or deprived of creativity because we heard this stuff from Silvestri before. Some relief is spotted in 'Rally the Troops' or some electronic effects in 'Tire Take Down'. Luckily and in this case its really true, some moments still bring real enthusiasm to the music and whether totally Silvestri like in form, they at least make an attempt to cheer us up. 'Cecil's Escape' with a big main theme statement, 'Stage Coach' which is basically Van Helsing revisited but for at least a minute that ride thrills you more than anything you encountered before. And with 'Heroes Return' its totally galore with both choir and orchestra finally in blazing style. Again, this should have ended a Varèse disc, not their habit now to sign off a CD of theirs with more soft underscore (like Flyboys and now this one). Basically if it wasn't for some explosive moments like 12, 29 and 33) you wouldn't have experienced no fun at all during a listen as this, and considering the movie is fun from begin to end I wonder how on earth that is possible. Not only is Varèse completely besides the point with their big statements (sure will have paid off during the sales) but this is Silvestri's least sparkling release in years. Make of it what you will but at least Van Helsing was blazing off pure gothic adventure in its sound. Night at the Museum does it exactly with 10% of its material and only that makes the fuzz happen in this too unorganized never ending comedic tour where little sparkling is returned for its promised gargantuan action adventure.

\µµµ/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Night At The Museum (2.35)

2. One Of Those Days (0.49)

3. An Ordinary Guy? (1.27)

4. Tour Of The Museum (2.32)

5. Civil War Soldiers (4.08)

6. Out Of Africa (1.07)

7. Meet Dexter (1.27)

8. Mayan Warriors (0.57)

9. Where's Rexy? (0.49)

10. West From Africa (1.49)

11. The Iron Horse (1.06)

12. Saved By Teddy (1.57)

13. Tablet Of Akmenrah (0.37)

14. "Tracking, Dear Boy" (1.08)

15. Some Men Are Born Great (0.50)

16. Sunrise (0.42)

17. Study Up On History (2.15)

18. Teddy Likes Sacagawea (1.52)

19. Tearing Limbs (1.45)

20. Caveman On Fire (0.43)

21. Outrun The Sun (0.58)

22. Show You What I Do (2.55)

23. Tablet Gone (2.44)

24. "Theodore Roosevelt At Your Service" (1.11)

25. This Is Your Moment (2.10)

26. Rally The Troops (1.06)

27. Tire Take Down (1.21)

28. Cecil's Escape (1.26)

29. Stage Coach (2.28) Excellent Track

30. Teddy In Two (1.18)

31. Cab Ride (0.50)

32. Big Fan (1.03)

33. Heroes Return (0.54) Excellent Track

34. A Great Man (0.57)

35. Full House (1.21)

Total Length: 53.35

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Alan Silvestri ===