Just Visiting

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In the ever growing career of John Powell, there seems to be nothing that can stop its path. Not concerning the projects he seems to take, nothing concerning the music he writes for them. Fans all over the world have seen him as one of the most fun composers alive and even if one of 2001's projects isn't all that special, it is definitely that word "fun" for sure. Just Visiting is the American remake of the French blockbuster starring Jean Reno and Christian Clavier in their two most known roles, as the count Thibault and the henchman Andre. Since seeing the movie recently, I know what the music does in the film and there is nothing wrong about that. That people now have criticized this score for being, well electronic, is a complaint you should not attack John Powell for. With Rat Race, Evolution, I am Sam and Shrek, he has proven what orchestral sounds they produce and only a budgetary problem and the skillful style to make synthetic orchestral scores is only what is wrong with it, if you don't approve that of course. While Just Visiting tries to take several things from Chicken Run, it is still the own adventurous epic feel that gives the score the pleasure it most skillfully creates.

The one thing you will remember of the score after the last dying seconds have ceased playing is the main theme of the movie. As energetic as they have been coming of John Powell, it is a pleasurable theme that of course sidekicks partners Evolution and Chicken Run but still ever so keeps me alive on the foreground. The only complaint I would have is perhaps here the synthetic sound. While appreciating it for what it is, perhaps here a more orchestral arrangement would have made it even better and during the movie, I thought it sounded a whole lot less synthetic then how it sounds like on disc. The theme so gracefully delivers what adventure is all about and appears briefly or fully in 'Thibault goes to England', 'Kill the Car' and 'The Big Chase' among many other versions during the score. Just Visiting however has a lot more where that came from and of themes there are no more than 4 to be found on the score. Another attractive one is the love theme most fully enjoyed in 'Rosaline & Thibault', heartfelt and choral supported during 'Hallucination and Execution' and receiving a nice paste job in the song 'Your Time will Come' which I will come back at later. Another theme is for instance the era theme, heard only in the first two tracks.

The last theme which I feel really surprised me during the movie and still does is the theme for Julia, for her heritage and courageous spirit. During the first seconds of 'On the Bridge', it almost gets Meet Joe Black in sound but later it receives a lot more style and therefore it is also a theme that makes an impact on you, how brief it may be comparing to other themes of its time. It appears in 15, 21 and 26 to be completely accurate. Other things to mention is the additional music coming of three separate "MV" composers, Glennie - Smith, McKee Smith and Zanelli. They basically throw the already composed themes in a new suit but several are different, like 'Feel Like a Lady' with its Moll Flanders style and 'The Wizard pulls Himself Together' which contains a magical sound. And as promised the song version of the love theme is actually very enjoyable. Hearing it for the first time at the end of the movie, I thought that this was going to be another pop / stupid / techno version but in truth, Powell and the two other composers have delivered a fun piece, belonging with the spirit of the score. Overall, I am the first to mention that Just Visiting is not special, not orchestrally enchanting and perhaps a bit below par of Evolution, but on the other hand it is fun, enjoyable, bouncy and adventurous. That it is found in 27 tracks for just a 36 minute score might bother you too, but then I have to say you are disliking a whole lot of it to be truthfully honest about it.

\ЕЕЕ/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Thibault Goes To England (2.39)

2. The Hag's Hut (2.28)

3. Rosaline & Thibault (1.31)

4. Hallucination And Execution (1.10)

5. To Chicago (0.47)

6. Kill The Car (1.59)

7. Thibault Sees Julia * (1.16)

8. My Cousin, My Descendant * (1.29)

9. Ode De Toilet (0.26)

10. Tub For Two (1.03)

11. So Many Descendants * (0.21)

12. Kissing Cousins * (0.38)

13. Searching For A Wizard (0.50)

14. Another Visitor * (0.44)

15. On The Bridge (1.55)

16. Feel Like A Lady ** (1.04)

17. Andre Can't Ask ** (0.35)

18. The Wizard Pulls Himself Together * (1.02)

19. The Wizards Cooks + (0.39)

20. Andre Asks To Stay ** (0.57)

21. Not A Bunny (1.04)

22. The Big Chase (2.01)

23. What Will I Do Without You (1.45)

24. Thibault And The Wizard Return Home * (1.52)

25. In The Icehall (1.08)

26. Hunter Gets It / Julia Sees The Castle (1.43)

27. Your Time Will Come: Kudson Kai ++ (2.56)

* Additional music by Nick Glennie - Smith

** Additional music by James McKee Smith

+ Additional music by Geoff Zanelli

++ Written by John Powell, Gavin Greenaway & Jeff Pescetto

Total Length: 36.18

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

=== Link to Composer Site: John Powell ===