Around the World in 80 Days

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

When it was announced that a modern Disney version would be made of a classic as Around the World in 80 Days, people were somewhat intrigued. And more then film music happiness came when people heard someone like Trevor Jones would score it, a man that has the orchestral baton so strong in hand that the brass players alone in the world quiver for another workout. Now, to the day we say why bother to the film because Jackie Chan was absolutely unnecessary (doesn't fit in a film like this) and even the drag queen act of Governor Arnold Schzwarzenegger seems like an act of stupidity nowadays. But we could rejoice at least to a final blast of theme epic writing of Trevor Jones. And alone to the orchestral power coming of Jones writing, we can say at least that the adventure score we expected in the first place is what we got. Well, expected is the wrong word because we expected a Trevor Jones score, and not a Williams / Zimmer / Silvestri effort which we got in the end. Fan reaction to the score of Around the World in 80 Days is good and I can't blame them but several top notch review sites have missed big time with their review, since this score is a temp track jungle, where most of the temp track scores at least once revisited the stage. I'm against temp track, but you can't stop it and in the end you have to accept and appreciate it. But when people bash whatever composer for doing the same routine or ripping of themes, or basically being temp tracked, then simply write about it. If you miss several good, but any die hard fan will easily pick out several. I picked out a bunch, and I know there are others who will find out more that I missed in the end. Shame, because Jones' style is easy to spot and Around the World in 80 Days doesn't cover that one bit. And so inform you first by saying that this score is a wonderful orchestral film score of all sizes, but its seriously influenced by any score you heard in the last 10 years.

The first 3 tracks are songs and while the first is good and suitable for the film, the second is like a Turkish Eurovision song contestant and the third a more then Jamaican silly little kid's ditty. So for the songs at least an average recommendation. And then the score of Trevor Jones start, with a wonderful main adventure theme to say the least, that it is presenting half of Silvestri's great bus ride theme to a point is perhaps at the time of the beginning acceptable. But you had to see it coming, since Silvestri's music was covering the trailer of the movie, and even there they used temp music. Anyway, 'Around the World Overture' is rollicking and fun. 'Jetpack Journey' is a wild energy ride and fortunately has Jones' stylistics (Dark City and The Mighty at times) and even the 'The Wager' carries lighter background material with building moments at times, so Jones there is heard too. 'The Balloon Chase' actually restarts the temp track decease and here Hook is clearly heard, recall the track 'The Ultimate War' from that CD and hear it please in this score, and don't let it slip. Nonetheless, the orchestral power behind the temp track is startling and the playful variation on the theme and some comedic strokes are all dazzling in their orchestral might. '1st Class Waltz' has classical style and an orchestral flair too but 'Prince Hapi Escape' is more then its fair share of stylistic similarities. A Jones opening it has, true but then typical Doyle fanfares with a brief racing pound straight out of Needful Things, followed by clear Pirates of the Caribbean influenced action music. Don't ignore this too because at times its as clear as the Caribbean water. And follow further please with 'Agra to China' where first Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade takes a visit before a lovely ethnic main theme is heard on flute, yet sadly 70% based on the main theme of Hans Zimmer's Beyond Rangoon. How people could look over it, I don't know actually.

The following track is a beauty and perhaps I'm fantasizing to hear briefly the main theme of Far and Away in it but anyway, it moves further with Heaven and Earth of Kitaro and exploding in a truly wonderful main theme version of the ethnic scale, meaning the Beyond Rangoon theme. Its very grand and sweeping but call it what you will, I call it temp track staggering to say the least. The fun 'Lost in America' is another case in point, stating I think a brief Anna and the King opening, followed by some League of Extraordinary Gentlemen fanfares (of Trevor Jones for those who don't know all the scores) followed by playful western lounge music that leads to a statement of Gilligan's Island theme, by that leading way to a brief but western fanfare that doesn't sound far away from one that Randy Newman used in Maverick. Anyway, the theme returns and I counted several other influences too, but I don't know them all (shocking that may sound). 'Dismantling Carmen' by then uses choir (YES) and uses also Sinbad of Gregson - Williams and Beastmaster 2 of Folk. Nothing new here but good nonetheless. '"Exactly Like my Dream"' is the finale and Jones doesn't disappoint, it moves from a swashbuckling opening to a glorious finale with large choir, and whether true or not, at times I hear 'You are the Pan' of Hook in it, anyway what is clear is the wonderful finale main theme statements with choir and so ends the score large and exciting. Some of them sound perhaps close to previously written scores that it is a pure coincidence, but others are so clear, you just become paranoia and start hearing other scores too in the rest. Around the World in 80 Days is one of the finest orchestral played scores in a long time because it sounds big, adventurous and loud. And its got cohesion. But don't beat around the bush that Jones' style is far from to be heard. Thirteen Days, The Mighty, Dark City were all scores where you could here Trevor Jones, here you wonder if Jones was basically temp tracking it or someone for him. I love this score, I really do, but please say before it what it sounds like, because Trevor Jones like it doesn't sound at all.

\ตตตต/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Everybody All Over The World: Dave Stewart * (3.12)

2. River Of Dreams: Tina Sugandh (3.31)

3. It's A Small World: Baha Men (2.44)

4. Around The World Overture (5.20)

5. Jetpack Journey (2.19)

6. The Wager (5.03)

7. Rendezvous In Paris (3.51)

8. The Balloon Chase (4.49) Excellent Track

9. 1st Class Waltz (2.07)

10. Prince Hapi Escape (3.11)

11. Agra To China (6.42)

12. Return Of The Jade Buddha (3.38) Excellent Track

13. Lost In America (5.09) Excellent Track

14. Dismantling Carmen (1.45)

15. "Exactly Like My Dream" (4.45) Excellent Track

* Features the Sylvia Young Theater School Choir

Total Length: 58.42

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Trevor Jones ===