Treasure Planet

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

There are several conclusions you easily make when listening, purchasing and reviewing James Newton Howard's latest Disney effort. First of all, what has been said about the cover of the soundtrack is true. It is indeed one of the best looking covers to come out these last years, the colors and simply the scene of Jim looking at the stars and a pirate ship is fantastic in all its glory. An A for that. Secondly that the producers are beginning to return to the songs. Dinosaur had no songs, Atlantis one and Treasure Planet now two. It doesn't matter because the length of the score is equally large as the others but perhaps a foreboding of things to come. And last but not least the score of James Newton Howard, it doesn't come close to the standards of both Dinosaur and Atlantis. Unfair to judge it by its predecessors but Dinosaur had a long lasting effect, Atlantis contained it but not by its standards and Treasure Planet started by these standards but couldn't hold on to the end. Making Treasure Planet of James Newton Howard the least of three in score, the least of the three in effect after the listen, the least of the three in impression when listening to it and the least of the three in the listening experience. Perhaps I'm being very harsh on it but simply the anticipation I had for this score didn't exceed the expectations when finally hearing it for the first, second and third time.

The reason for this is simple, besides the not that superb score overall, it is simply the downfall that orchestral Mickey Mouse music is heard, especially after The Launch sequence. Nonetheless the score covers some attractive moments and a killer theme not used often to stunning effect. This theme blew me away when it appeared in the first two tracks of Howard's score. '12 Years Later' is good stuff, with its rather beautiful violin playing that reminds me each time of Legends of the Fall, moving to the thrust of the electric guitar and the appearance of the main theme. Yet this theme is oh so spectacular, it doesn't get the oomph like it appears in 'To the Spaceport' which states first the main theme in full brass before some choral magnitude in unleashed for the wonder on screen. Actually, 'Rooftop' begins to show short Mickey Mouse music and even if its not bad, its a sign all right. 'Billy Bones' is animated music but orchestral and furious at the same time, the main theme appears briefly and is rather good to hear in its pace, reminding me a bit of the orchestral grandeur in 'The Leviathan' of Atlantis. Furthermore, the rather unexpected Celtic tones appear more in 'Silver' which at times take steps into John Williams territory and 'The Launch' can't achieve the expectation, even with its promising title, just a sign of the theme and some accordion at the end make it pleasing but nothing more.

The next track is the beginning of a rather unpleasing form of music, 'Silver Comforts Jim' is beautiful with its calm array of fiddles, flutes and light dreamy background score so occasionally heard in The Postman. But then, the score rather unfortunately falls deep into orchestral music, but actually not containing a lot of cohesion, making it a rather boring experience that I listen through every time. Apart from several moments through the tracks, most of the score from 12 to 15 slips by me too easily. The occasional fanfare of wonder a la Atlantis, in 11 and 15 and the dissonant clangs in the weakest track 'The Back Door' pick up your attention, even for some that is good, for others is bad. The last tracks are again better, but don't get to the heights of the begin, or at least bring nothing new you heard in that part. 'Jim Saves the Crew' is orchestral animated at times but equally riveting after 1.30, appearing for the last with the electric guitar and the theme. To close the score, the fiddles and Irish jigs in 'Silver Leaves' lean close to the stuff heard in Far and Away, equally bouncy on its toes. It actually is pleasant and a welcome change to the Mickey Mouse stuff of the second part. That is the problem of Treasure Planet, the score is not that mature side like Dinosaur and the second part of Atlantis, doesn't contain the magic either of those amazing highlights and leaps indeed behind those efforts. The songs that open the score are decent but again, I don't connect to them and a slight piece of the score was used in the theatrical trailer (not the teaser that contained Far and Away in all its glory) but a short hint of Howard's music from track 3 was used nonetheless. In all fairness, Treasure Planet is more killed through the highest expectations not reaching the limits than the music itself, it captures both some glorious adventure moments, a great theme not enthralled enough (especially a choir is missing in this) and the animated parts take too much the space on the screen. Luckily the more calm sounds of Celtic nature take a nice change in the listen and it still is Howard doing a better stuff then most would have created instead.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme): John Rzeznik (4.11)

2. Always Know Where You Are: BBMAK (3.19)

3. 12 Years Later (2.44) Excellent Track

4. To The Spaceport (1.55) Excellent Track

5. Rooftop (2.32)

6. Billy Bones (2.24)

7. The Map (0.58)

8. Silver (2.39)

9. The Launch (2.42)

10. Silver Comforts Jim (3.23)

11. Jim Chases Morph (3.17)

12. Ben (2.30)

13. Silver Bargains (2.59)

14. The Back Door (4.18)

15. The Portal (5.04)

16. Jim Saves The Crew (4.37)

17. Silver Leaves * (5.11)

* Composed by James Newton Howard & Alasdair Fraser

Total Length: 54.53

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

=== Link to Composer Site: James Newton Howard ===