Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #485
Written 6/29/07
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Buy it... if you're prepared to be absolutely drenched in a syrupy
French style that at the very least confirms Michael Giacchino's talents
in the animated film score genre.
Avoid it... if a wild blend of high-class parody of French waltzes,
a slick sense of jazz and salsa, and a fiendishly incessant accordion
sends you in a defiant search for 'freedom fries.'
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| Giacchino |
Ratatouille: (Michael Giacchino) Even the most
ardent detractors of the animated genre of film must admit that Pixar
has been on a remarkable run of quality offerings since its creation a
dozen years ago. Their careful production choices have almost always
yielded critical and popular success stories on the big screen, and
while the process of finalizing the script for Ratatouille may
have provided more excitement for the crews than they would have liked,
the finished product has once again been an immense crowd pleaser. With
the kind of comedy and action to surely entertain the kids,
Ratatouille offers some larger conceptual parallels to challenge
adults, straddling the line between audiences very effectively. Only
viewers with rat phobias need fret, for this film lovingly crosses the
worlds of vermanity and humanity and follows the nose of one cute rat
who becomes Paris' best gourmet chef. Hiding under the hat of the
janitor-turned-cook who's the front for the duo, the charade is bound to
have its moments of turmoil and triumph, and Ratatouille manages
to overcome its lengthy running time with a truly engaging story. Writer
and director Brad Bird would turn once again to his collaborator from
The Incredibles for the score; Michael Giacchino's music for the
2004 smash hit was considered by many film music critics to be among the
best of the year, perfectly emulating the high style of the early James
Bond scores by John Barry and giving the sound a healthy dose of extra
meat. For Ratatouille, the result is as predictable as you could
possibly make it, with Giacchino writing a score that is both a constant
parody of French stylings and strongly reminiscent of the Carl Stallings
book of animated action technique. Perhaps the most important element in
Giacchino's score, however, is its immense heart, though its upbeat
nature is sure to drive some listeners mad. It's a score that was
obviously fun to write and record, and that enthusiasm carries over to
the listeners. The key to the infectiously positive attitude of
Ratatouille is easily Giacchino's wide variety of creative
instrumentation.
An orchestra with sizeable string and brass sections is
joined by a collection of soloists that perform a delightfully witty
combination of specialty instruments throughout the score, all of which
mixed with expert precision. The French stylings touch upon the
arrogance often associated with the culture, but Giacchino overwhelms
them with a sense of jazz accessible to most ears. The lines between
loungey jazz and high class waltz rhythms are blurred significantly in
Ratatouille, bordering on salsa in its most spirited parts.
Whereas
Pink Panther music seems so outdated in its most recent
incarnation, Giacchino conveys the same ideas with a sense of coolness
that only perhaps the larger ensemble can achieve. The all-out parody
performances in the film open with a bang in "Welcome to Gusteau's" and
continue through "Dinner Rush," with snippets of traditional pieces and
their inspiration spread throughout. Giacchino's title theme is a bit
lost in all the action, though a lengthy suite for the "End
Creditouilles" and a romantic piano and high string performance at the
end of the album (suitable for any romantic restaurant) serve as
redirection at the end. Fans of Giacchino's playful action in
The
Incredibles will delight in carry-over performances of that brass
over electric bass sound in "The Paper Chase." But for many listeners,
the most memorable cues will be a trio in the middle of the score.
Between "Remy Drives a Linguini" and "Special Order," Giacchino lets rip
with the specialty instruments. His wild rhythms are built with a jazz
band foundation and are led by accordion, sax, muted trumpet, acoustic
guitar, banjo, mandolin, and musette, among others. A surfing atmosphere
in "Remy Drives a Linguini" is hilariously aided by whistling,
harmonica, and sliding guitar. At some point during these salsa-flavored
cues, some listeners may bleed from the ears, and these will likely be
the folks --and there are many of them-- who simply can't stand
accordions to begin with, much less their sonic relatives. The song "Le
Festin" gives a Giacchino theme the
8 Femmes treatment and will
be sure to annoy some listeners. But overall, Giacchino's music for
Ratatouille is everything you expect and want it to be, and even
if you can't really digest its overwhelming sense of style, the score
accomplishes what it needs to do. Giacchino has officially established
himself as a master of the animated score.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For Michael Giacchino reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.46
(in 43 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.21
(in 23,476 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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