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| Desplat |
Rise of the Guardians: (Alexandre Desplat) Although
not rigidly loyal to the storylines of William Joyce's "The Guardians of
Childhood" series of books, the 2012 adaptation
Rise of the
Guardians was whole-heartedly approved by the author. The events in
the film take place hundreds of years after those of the books, bringing
the setting into line with today's society while retaining the core
characters and the concept of a group of guardians that protects the
dreams of young boys and girls. This clan, consisting of Santa Claus,
the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman, keep children safe
from nightmares caused by the Boogeyman. When this force of evil
launches an attempt to dominate the dream world, the Guardians unite
with winter-obsessed Jack Frost, in this context a rebellious young man,
to restore their universe. The DreamWorks production is decidedly darker
than most animation topics aimed at kids, the graphics strikingly
scarier than usual, the characters somewhat menacing by design, and the
performing talent including beefy, muscular voices in counterintuitive
ways (including Hugh Jackman as, of all things, the Easter Bunny). While
the concept of colliding holiday icons may raise concerns about overlap
with Tim Burton's
The Nightmare Before Christmas, director Peter
Ramsey and his team take Joyce's ideas in a fresh enough new direction
to warrant interest. The project was met with significant anticipation
from fans of French composer Alexandre Desplat, who triumphed in his
major entry to the genre when tackling
The Golden Compass in
2007. The absence of sequels to that film left Desplat enthusiasts
wondering what else the composer could offer to serious children's
fantasy concepts, and
Rise of the Guardians finally answers those
questions. Few will argue against the notion that
The Golden
Compass, regardless of its ability to attach itself to (or alienate)
the listener, is a technically marvelous, melodically complicated
achievement. Desplat's capacity for intellectual structural development
and instrumental creativity is always a pleasure to behold in the
composer's larger, more ambitious projects.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of
Rise of the
Guardians is that Desplat, while maintaining nearly all of his
trademark writing techniques, actually manages to tone back the
complexities to yield a more mainstream children's score. There are
certainly enough of the composer's mannerisms remaining in
Rise of
the Guardians to firmly establish it as a Desplat work, and
listeners will encounter a few moments of hair-raising orchestral
mastery along the way, but equally surprising is how much of the score
resembles a merging of the conventional children's film score mechanisms
and tone of James Horner and John Williams' equivalent efforts of the
1990's. As such,
Rise of the Guardians is likely to be considered
a more readily accessible work for those not always enthralled with the
technically precise and sometimes emotionally cold nature of Desplat's
writing. His instrumental palette is as varied as always, featuring
accent players and a touch of electronics at times. The orchestra
receives a healthy workout, Desplat's usual multiple lines of activity
requiring close attention by the London Symphony Orchestra. His
application of a chorus is very judicious, saving the singers for
specific cues of particular importance in the fantasy element. Not
surprisingly, the piano and the woodwinds carry the bulk of the
emotional weight in
Rise of the Guardians. When the piano doesn't
convey one of the score's two softer themes, you'll always encounter a
clarinet, oboe, or flute taking that lead. Those enthused by Desplat's
ability to use the piano, fluttering woodwinds, and triangle to convey
magical dreaminess will love portions of this work, especially early
(accenting Santa's workshop). The existence of the villain, Pitch, and
his associated shrouds of darkness, allows the composer to let rip with
trombones and French horns with particularly awesome force at times.
True to Desplat's knack for spreading the wealth, however, expect to
hear a solo tuba convey the character themes with a touch of humor as
well, a throwback to one of Horner's favorite techniques. Varied drums
provide forceful rhythms at the forefront of the mix in a few cues. That
mix is extremely dry, a normal choice for Desplat, forcing all the
elements to the front and sometimes diminishing the fantasy
atmosphere.
The demeanor of
Rise of the Guardians is a clear
deviation from
The Golden Compass. Rather than embroil the score
in layers of obfuscation, Desplat plays his ideas in relatively straight
forward fashion, developing one theme for the end credits song and
keeping the overall number of melodies down. There is no doubt a much
stronger feeling of innocence at the heart of this work, the two tender
themes countered by accessible fanfares for the noble concepts and the
whole seemingly friendlier and more genuinely caring than what Desplat
has produced in similar situations in the past. There also exists a fair
amount of "Mickey Mousing" in
Rise of the Guardians, the cue
"Tooth Collection" wildly passing through several genres and utilizing
parody mechanisms to reflect, once again, Horner's vintage wacky moments
in prior circumstances (
We're Back! A Dinosuar's Story actually
comes to mind most frequently). There is no mistaking the villain's
material, either, the ensemble matching Jude Law's snarling attitude
with dissonance and familiar descending figures. When it comes to the
themes for
Rise of the Guardians, Desplat seems to have followed
the Williams playbook when constructing the core of his ideas for the
wholesome side of the story, consulting at times with the Alan Menken
playbook as well. You can't fault Desplat for taking this route, even if
the result is a main theme that has more than a pinch of flowing
Broadway personality to it. There are technically two major themes in
Rise of the Guardians, joined by two clearly delineated secondary
ideas and a couple of vague lines that recur as well. Listeners will be
pleased that the two primary themes include one of pretty drama and
another of heroic bombast, applied in almost equal time during the work.
On the other hand, the arguably more impactful themes are the two
secondary ones, and as with so many scores that leave their best
thematic constructs to duty buried in fragments and expressed in too few
places,
Rise of the Guardians has the capacity to frustrate in
this regard. The primary ideas represent the dream world as a whole on
the sensitive side and the heroism of the Guardians on the other, while
the secondary melodies are dedicated to Jack Frost (for the other soft
theme) and the evil Pitch, whose musical identity has difficulty
remaining defined for much of the work. Additional motifs include one
for the elves and another seemingly denoting the magic applied to
real-life kids by the Guardians.
The main theme of
Rise of the Guardians serves as
the primary phrase of Desplat's end credits song, "Still Dream." While
this phrase is easily memorable, interestingly, the rest of the theme
and song is not. Desplat uses extremely fluid and counterintuitive
movements in his progressions to emphasize the beauty of each moment
rather than a coherent flow for the whole. As such, you get a song for
soprano Renee Fleming (of
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the
King fame in the film music world) that seems perfectly suited for a
Broadway stage or, with the especially pronounced high notes, a Barbra
Streisand romance. It makes for a lovely performance but not the most
easily memorable melody. In its interpolation into the score, the
theme's primary phrase almost exclusively represents the idea until the
second half of the film. It's introduced at 0:18 in "Dreamsand" on
pleasant strings under frenetic supporting activity from woodwinds
before being twisted when cue turns dark. A humorous statement on tuba
at 1:05 in "Busy Workshop" is later reprised at 0:59 in "Jack &
Sandman." Aside from a lovely piccolo at 3:02 into "Nightmares Attack,"
the theme is provided a subtle, alarming tone at 1:55 and 3:38. The mood
turns prancing and playful in "Jamie's Bedroom," during which woodwinds
and harp open the fun and fragments are unleashed with gusto towards the
end. The theme serves as a dramatic string interlude at 2:33 into "Jack
& Sandman" before the secondary phrases of the "Still Dream" song are
finally heard melodramatically at 2:52 into that cue. Those extended
passages from the song inform most of "Memorial," albeit in despair. The
second half of "Easter" explores even more of the song's phrases for
extremely pretty piano and soft strings, usage that continues at 0:54
into "Jamie Believes" and becomes increasingly magical in instrumental
touch, especially by the wholesome ensemble expression at 1:18. Desplat
doesn't shy away from tormenting the progressions of this full idea,
either, its brief reference at 1:10 into "Jack's Center" forced into
huge and menacing forms later in the cue. In the resolution sequnce of
"Dreamsand Miracles," Desplat wastes no time immediately launching into
the full song format of the theme, a flighty performance that definitely
resembles vintage Horner children's tunes. The composer bids farewell to
the idea in "Oath of the Guardians," notable references at 1:00 for full
strings and 1:46 for a solo violin. Aside from these overt applications,
you can hear especially the main phrase adapted by Desplat into numerous
other places, sometimes in just three or four-note fragments.
The heroic theme for the Guardians is the other major
idea in
Rise of the Guardians, and this is likely the identity
that will carry the soundtrack for most casual listeners. Its immediate
and full announcement in "Calling the Guardians" makes it easy to
identify, though some listeners may be disappointing by its generic
progressions. In some ways, it sounds like a John Ottman adaptation of
Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" into a superhero context... not
brilliant, but sufficient. The idea returns for wild variations and some
steam-building in "Sleigh Launch." Its usage in "Nightmares Attack" is
extensive, a tragic statement of loss at 0:56 and a subtle reference on
woodwinds at 3:58 leading to a handful of big, frantic, and martial
performances later in the cue. After the aforementioned playful,
bouncing variations in "Tooth Collection," the theme returns to full
action hero mode at 1:53 into "Jack & Sandman." In the short "Guardians
Regroup," Desplat literally pulls the theme together into increasingly
coherent form. Its representation of the Easter Bunny in "Easter" is
truly obnoxious, the prancing staccato, royal personality (especially
with the vocals) difficult to tolerate in the first half of the cue.
Conversely, a sad rendition on flute at 2:39 into "Jack Betrays" and the
full brass-blasting mode with swirling strings and crashing cymbals at
2:01 into "Jack's Memories" are more engaging. A similar progression
from woodwind hints to stomping, full fanfare starts at 1:03 into "Pitch
at North Pole." The final two references to the idea by Desplat feature
over-the-top martial heroics that are almost too enthusiastic,
resembling
Superman purity. These performances at 0:22 into
"Sandman Returns" and 2:38 into "Oath of the Guardians" build up to a
majestic closing statement aided by choir. One of the offshoots of this
theme, though it one time extends out of the "Still Dream" melody, is
one of Desplat's recurring minor motifs that adds tremendously to
Rise of the Guardians. This descending piano figure is key to
closing out the sentimentality of a scene, meandering down through a
major fifth on piano at 1:12 into "Nightmares Attack," at 2:56 into
"Jack Betrays" on flute, and again on piano to conclude "Jamie Believes"
(at 2:34). It's a nice touch, even if it comes directly out of Rachel
Portman's
Only You. Another idea that extends out of the
Guardians' general thematic core is the music for the elves, heard in
full in "Fanfare of the Elves" and reprised with tongue in cheek at 0:41
into "Oath of the Guardians." The proportion of this theme is
appropriate for a procession at the Olympic Games, meant as pure fun
even if it's hard to swallow on album.
The two secondary themes that are more elusive but
ultimately more rewarding in
Rise of the Guardians are led by the
identity for Jack Frost. Introduced at 0:28 into "Alone in the World,"
this very fluid idea has significant structural similarities to both
Horner and Williams, and its redemptive, fuller performance at 1:35 into
the cue is a highlight of the score, especially with Desplat's tingling
rhythmic accompaniment. Another enthusiastic performance over drums at
0:47 into "Wind Take Me Home!" is followed by a less cohesive but still
flighty rendition at 0:40 into "Snowballs." The theme becomes
increasingly solemn as the score progresses, its reference for flute at
5:21 in "Nightmares Attack" tender and plaintive. At the end of "Jack &
Sandman," a sudden choral-backed reference is lovely. Most
interestingly, Desplat really puts the theme through an ordeal in
"Jack's Memories," when at 0:37 he states the underlying string
progressions of the theme without the actual melody, later allowing the
theme to be fully stated. Unfortunately, the subtle reemergence of the
idea at 3:04 into "Jack's Center" represents the end of this theme's
presence. Equally unsatisfying in its infrequent incorporation is
Desplat's theme for Pitch, a series of seven repeating, descending notes
introduced at 1:43 into "Dreamsand." This figure, sometimes truncated,
is heard at the end of "The Moon," at 2:41 into "Nightmares Attack," and
with final resolution at 2:39 and 4:29 into "Jack's Center" (the former
massive on brass over pulsating rhythms while the latter extends up to
mostly the trumpets). Overall, Desplat is very loyal to these themes and
does not let much time pass without utilizing one of them.
Unfortunately, the two less frequently referenced ideas are more
interesting than the two primary ones, and the softer identities do seem
to owe a bit to Horner and Williams. Even Danny Elfman trademarks enter
the equation in "Guardians Regroup." It's intriguing to hear Desplat
"come back to the middle," so to speak, in making
Rise of the
Guardians more accessible than
The Golden Compass. The song
has more than a little Broadway and Menken feel to it as well,
completing the shift. All of that said, there is still a significant
amount of Desplat complexity woven into the fabric of this score, making
it a clear winner for his collectors. Had the various phrases of "Still
Dream" been condensed into an easier form and better integrated with the
great potential of Jack's theme,
Rise of the Guardians could have
been a five-star score. But the elusiveness of these themes and that of
Pitch, as well as the countering transparency of the overly-heroic
Guardians identity and a very, very dry mix, leave a slight sense of
dissatisfaction with the whole. One thing is certain, though: you can't
question Desplat's chops in the children's genre from here forward.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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| Bias Check: |
For Alexandre Desplat reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.38
(in 29 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 3.24
(in 14,779 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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