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FILMTRACKS.COM
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VIEW 
Review of The Incredibles (Michael Giacchino)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... if you seek a well-conceived, refreshing resurrection of
big band jazz and orchestral action from 1960's capers that
intelligently matures as the score progresses.
Avoid it... if the music for vintage, snazzy spy thrillers or early James Bond films produces only headaches for you, in which case the beefier version of that sound adapted here might give you a migraine.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
The Incredibles: (Michael Giacchino) When writer
and director Brad Bird had the idea for this film bouncing around in his
head for several years before beginning production, you can easily see
why he dedicated himself to making it. While only the animated genre
would really work for the story, The Incredibles is an
opportunity to mesmerize the kids with Pixar's usual magic while also
throwing a dose of modern reality into the story for adults to chuckle
about (Finding Nemo bridged this gap successfully and became a
smash hit for the studio as well). A high-flying superhero of the 1950's
is forced into a mundane, suburban lifestyle when faced with lawsuits
from ungrateful people whom he had saved, raising a family (all budding
superheroes, of course, along with Mr. Incredible's wife) that is
attempting to maintain a normal lifestyle while adorned with special
powers. Mr. Incredible himself is spotlighted as a study in the perils
of early retirement, sneaking off with other older superhero buddies for
occasional late night fun. As fate would have it, of course, The
Incredibles has a villain who wants to unleash fearsome robots upon
the earth from a Pacific island (no surprise), and our favorite family
of superheroes is called upon to save the day. The film was another
critical and popular triumph for the Disney/Pixar collaboration, earning
the top Academy Award for an animated film and raking in over $600
million at the box office. As confirmed by Bird, a sequel was long
rumored but eventually tabled. The director claimed that he had the
music for The Incredibles in mind long before his writing was
finished, and that the genre he envisioned was always that of big band
jazz and orchestral action rolled into one. Such music was immensely
popular in capers of the 1960's, and the style established its best
footing in the James Bond films, which, more than anything else, put
that genre in the mainstream of film music.
When thinking of a composer to hire for The Incredibles, Bird also claimed to have difficulty finding an individual who would honor the big jazz action sound without reverting to more modern methodology, including synthetic loops and other electronic enhancements. This remark by Bird is interesting, because one obvious place to start looking would have been David Arnold, whose score for Tomorrow Never Dies, as well as his band experience and reverence for the 1960's, might have served as a strong calling card. The call for The Incredibles went to video game and television composer Michael Giacchino, however, whose studies of previous genres of music and ability to reproduce them are equally strong, though noticed as of 2004 only on a smaller scale. For Giacchino, the film was an excellent opportunity to bust out into the mainstream film music business, and he took advantage of the assignment to establish himself as a reliable composer for Pixar and beyond, a reputation that led to multiple Oscar nominations and his stunning awards wins for Up within five years. The style that Giacchino raised from yesteryear for The Incredibles turned out to not only be a smart idea by Bird, but also provided in its finished recording a piece of music that stands apart with the glorious exuberance and uniquely perceptive appeal that any feature cartoon deserves. Giacchino merged two sides of the same 1950's/1960's genre of spy thrillers: the silly caper music you'd often hear on television, and the larger ensemble of related thrillers on the big screen. He offers that pairing with a remarkable combination of genuine attitude and occasional tongue in cheek humor. Rambunctious themes are highlighted by wailing brass and wild percussion, and the rhythmic structure of the genre is expertly executed from beginning to end. Kids will likely devour the spirited explosions of jazzy themes, although Giacchino's thematic constructs mature as the score progresses, changing its perspective in much of the same way as the characters mature as well. The score's attention to the film's evolution alone requires recognition of Giacchino's ability to avoid getting caught up in the rapture of his own creation, although he does allow quite a celebratory arrangement of his themes over the end credits (Gordon Goodwin won a Grammy Award for his work on "The Incredits"). For fans of John Barry and David Arnold's James Bond scores, there are moments of less loungey inspiration that you'll likely recognize (with maybe an intentional tip of the hat at a time or two by Giacchino). The fluttering string theme of "The Glory Days" resurrects perfect Barry whimsy, and the awesome character melding of jazz and action in "Bob vs. the Omnidroid" turns a twist on Arnold's more traditionally-minded Bond work (and Tomorrow Never Dies most specifically). The churning repetition of the evil mastermind's plot-thickening bravado in "New and Improved" and "Kronos Unveiled," highlighted by a rolling piano in the latter cue, represents the typical fashion in which Barry often built suspense in his own Bond efforts. Outside of this inspiration, you also hear the roots of general children's genre action motifs that would be expanded upon by the composer in his later animation scores. Despite the memorable placement of outrageous, explosive action in The Incredibles, the diversity of its interpretations of the genre are what keep it interesting. Whether the jazzy element is intimate or soaring, its rhythmic foundation is always present, thus making Giacchino's effort an intelligently dynamic but consistent product. Even outside of context, the affectionate style of the music projects itself as being perfect for a comedy film about aging superheroes, but whether or not you will enjoy that tone on album will depend on how easily you fall for the allure of the vintage high jazz and caper genre. No matter how masterfully Giacchino's work succeeds for some listeners, it's also pretty easy to imagine it causing headaches for others, if only because of its inherent parody stature. It's one of those mood scores, a piece of music that will spark the right enthusiasm when you're in a particular need for sonic flair, but also a work that may be less tolerable during the second listen once you've satisfied your craving. Others, one may suspect, will run screaming from the room when the album for The Incredibles is played, and such a mixed reaction could probably be expected given the intensity of the loyalty to the genre that Giacchino maintains. A few technical notes about the recording may influence your opinion as well. First, one of the reasons the score exhibits such authenticity in capturing the feel of the genre is because it was intentionally recorded with analog technology. If you're seeking sound quality as crystal clear and vibrant as the just previous (and similarly conceived) Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow by Edward Shearmur, then you might be disappointed with The Incredibles. Secondly, emulating Jerry Goldsmith's technique, all of the elements of the orchestra were recorded together in the same room for this score, none of the brass or percussion tracked in at a later time. It's difficult to describe how this affects the recording precisely, although a more fluid, better integrated ambience in the fuller moments may be the result. Finally, the score seems awkwardly balanced between the two sides of the soundscape, with more of the live percussion and additional brass elements coming clearly through on the left side and the slightly more muted elements occupying the right side. This last observation will not necessarily detract from the score for casual listeners, but it's simply something not heard often in scores today, and it gives more ammunition to collectors of Giacchino's music who insist that engineer Dan Wallin's recording and mixing techniques for these scores often ruin them (if not in poor arrangement of the elements, then with a ridiculously dry and muted ambience). Overall, The Incredibles is a well-conceived, refreshing resurrection of a genre long-deserving of such a thoughtful interpretation. Whether it fits your current mood will likely determine everything about your liking of or tolerance for it. For a first feature score of this quality, a tip of the hat was warranted for Giacchino, who had long generated speculation that he would be an eventual force in Hollywood since his first "Medal of Honor" video game score five years prior. Little did his collectors know just how important The Incredibles would be in sending the composer down the direct track to widespread success. ****
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 55:21
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert includes extensive notation about the score and
its creation process.
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