The Borrowers

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

The part of expecting too much of these type of soundtracks is always the risk. Comparisons will now draw the line closer to the successful scores of Antz and Chicken Run, heck let's count Shrek with it for good measure. Harry Gregson - Williams, the half brain of those successes has scored this number of assignments before and The Borrowers became his first real over the top project. Define "over the top project" please: something where he could allow his imagination to go wild in a typical fun way. Those parts cranked up the boundaries of fun with the other scores and I feel that somewhere its in this score, but in half the enjoyable manner. The composition can pick up the fantasy and adventurous parts of the movie. Still those that expect the same brilliance in fun will discover the negative parts of The Borrowers rather too soon, which is sad because Harry Gregson - Williams still delivers something worth hearing on occasions. To describe the main aspect why The Borrowers doesn't run so smoothly is seeing the main material and themes being performed in such a less then energetic way. There is too much underscoring (playful but soft stuff) and there is never a full development a la Chicken Run or Antz. Especially this is sad because you really grow with the main themes of The Borrowers rather quickly.

This isn't to say that there is nothing to enjoy of the entire score. 'Ocious P. Potter' is always a nice villain theme with its short bursts of motifs to spice up the evil mood or the heroic status of the tiny people. One of the highlights of the score is 'Borrower's Galore', a track full of fanfares. This is one of the few tracks that lets the themes do the talking and Gregson - Williams develops them in full Media Ventures style, worthy of the name "fun little fanfare". Perhaps THE track that portrays the main downside is 'Stealing the Will'. Those that expect pure energetic pleasure will discover quickly the lack of joy compared to the other soundtracks. Still, people will discover the sounds of Antz and the next track 'Hammered' exhibits some moments of Muppet Treasure Island. In other words, there is enough stuff that sounds great in theory but never develops to the ultimate result. The kind of development that mainstream fans would have undoubtedly wished for. We continue with other moments to remember, just because they are noticed rather easy. One of those is 'Dairy Montage', a energetic jazzy but extremely short cue. This is truly a piece of music where Gregson - Williams has fun. Things start to pick up the pace when we near the final part of the soundtrack. While they might sound extremely bold in construction, they can not deliver the pure thematic joy.

The only moments of pure fun are 'Life or Death for Peagreen' and a great theme (hardly encountered) spices things up in 'Pete to the Rescue'. True, the fun takes a sharp turn from the 16th track and delivers more energy. Still sadly never so developed. The last track brings all themes to a fitting close. In a way there is much that energizes the whole score. The powerful orchestral sound and the driving tempo of Gregson - Williams' music and its mainly this that makes the score the rather fun listen on its own. People see John Powell and Harry Gregson - Williams as a perfect collaborating duo. They have composed some of the most imaginative film music alive in the last couple of years. Yet on their own they haven't reached those boundaries and The Borrowers in a way confirms it further. Still, what this score has of ideas is more then enough and it shows the improvising look of one of Media Ventures' biggest talents. Oh oh, I've said Media Ventures and this is wrong. This doesn't sound Media Ventures' alike. So see The Borrowers as half the energy of Muppet Treasure Island, half of the pace of Antz and too less the pure fun of Chicken Run, creating ideas that sound good but miss the evolution of the two collaborators' minds. It isn't bad and when people see it as a non Antz or Chicken Run, they will enjoy the highlights with more then a smile on their face.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Opening Titles (1.31)

2. Pete Helps Out (2.14)

3. Ocious P. Potter (2.36)

4. Pod's Heroics (2.11)

5. Killer Hoover (0.54)

6. Arriety's Sadness (2.53)

7. A Plan Is Hatched (2.24)

8. The Policeman Arrivers (1.32)

9. Pod Saves Peagreen (1.57)

10. Borrower's Galore (2.00) Excellent Track

11. Stealing The Will (3.00)

12. Hammered (2.55)

13. The Borrower's Revenge (3.26)

14. Dairy Montage (1.03)

15. Arriety Is Seen And Caught (1.17)

16. Life Or Death For Peagreen (4.19)

17. Pete To The Rescue (4.26)

18. Potter's Entrance (1.41)

19. Potter's Angry Now (1.37)

20. Under The Floorboards (1.54)

21. Jeff The Exterminator (1.27)

22. Home & Dry / End Titles (6.17) Excellent Track

Total Length: 53.47

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=== Link to Composer Site: Harry Gregson - Williams ===