Search - Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell :: Shrek: Original Motion Picture Score

Great music but not enough cohesiveness

wayneoon | 01/10/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must say, I was waiting for the score to be released ever since the day I set my eyes upon the movie. I would say, I was delighted when the score was finally released. Unfortunately, in my country where pop and rock are considered gods, there ain't much of choices when it comes to scores. Soundtracks flooded the market here but few choice scores only made it across the Pacific. Now, this score has its magical moments especially the opening track. Sad but not sorrowful, happy but not joyful. There is a sense of yearning. Personally speaking, I wouldn't have thought of a better tune to kick-start a fairytale than this tune. You can almost hear the music narrating the tale, "Once upon a time there was a princess....". The second track depicts the scene whereby the villagers hunted for ogres in the movie and Shrek sneaked up behind them. Cleverly written, with cues to highlight the action, this track hits it climax when a dramatic tune approaches and you can almost hear the seven dwarves being herded away. :)The third track has two catchy tunes, one being the cue where Donkey was chased and a quieter and jocular tune when Donkey was trying his best to make a nuisance of himself and convincing Shrek to let him stay. An unexpected ending but interesting twist.The fourth track(Eating Alone) renders a lonesome tune with cello strings and guitar droning at the background while the fifth track(Uninvited Guests) really hits the magical genius button. Clever use of woodwind instruments and the whistle to depict the comical effect of Shrek's home being overran by fairy tale creatures. The climax with a full orchestra shows the bustling activities of the recently immigrated fairy tale creatures.The sixth(March of Farquuad) and seventh track(The Perfect King) has the sinister tune which associates the personality of this character. A triumphant march-like tune is carried throughout the eight track(Tournament Speech) but once again, JP and HGW managed to tickle the ribs by ending this tune in a surprising manner.From here onwards, the tune is recycled to suit the different cues and scenes. Notable tracks to be mentioned are "Dragon!/Fiona Awakens" which carries a frantic and bombastic pace and a great tune to boot,"Escape from the Dragon" is a cult favourite by many reviewers as well. Great techno track. "Helmet Hair" shows the serenity that follows after escaping from the dragon and the disappointment when the Princess found out that Shrek wasn't the knight that she was hoping for. "Singing Princess" was featured in the movie and believe it or not, you can hear the explosion as well :) Great for laughs. "Ride the Dragon" and "Transformation" was heard in partialty in the soundtrack release track "Love's first kiss".If you want my opinion, I would say, great and superb music. Different from the usual Disney fare of percussions galore. The tracks was well-orchestrated and you can very well say that this score is the icing on the cake for this movie. I would be interested to wait for the next JP and HGW collaboration. Just wondering though, how would they have fared if they were to compose for Lord of the Rings instead of Howard Shore?"

Five Star Music; Subpar Album!

Zachary S. Houp | Fleetwood, PA USA | 12/10/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By far the most consistently pleasing composers in the film industry have to be the twofold powerhouse of Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell. Every collaboration, every film, every score, every track is an absolute treasure, so diverse, so thematic, so perfectly composed and integrated into the film. Obviously, since there efforts have thus far culminated in only animated films, there is a wacky and lighthearted style that the more somber listener might not find appealing, but with even the slightest ambition towards music that is intentionally this fun and silly, Shrek will appeal with unlimited satisfaction. In fact, the only downside to this CD that so abundantly encompasses all of the major, minor, and splendid passages from the film--including the hilarious songs--is that the style of the film, intentionally melding the crude parody of medieval fantasy and pop culture, focuses to a far greater extent on the soundtrack as opposed to the far superior work exemplified in the score. Williams and Powell are THE best scorers for animated films in all of Hollywood, so it is somewhat disappointing that they were not utilized to their fullest capacity. And so the detriment that this introduces to the album is that most tracks are under a minute; none are longer than three.Regardless, however, of the unfortunate but unavoidable state of the CD, every track is diverse, introducing new music, themes, styles, sounds that are all splendid listens in their own right, and yet still work to form a seamless whole. Starting simply and beautifully with the Princess/Love theme, transitioning to Farquaad's brash brass march, and concluding with Shrek's techno/heroic masterpiece, this CD never fails to impress. It addresses every possible style and sound, creating new ones, and works to provide such a well-rounded whole that it effects equally as heavily divided symphony. This is definitely one of the few albums that can be listened to from beginning to end, without hesitation, redundancy, or boredom. Behind every second or moment is a major theme reimagined or redeveloped; or a completely new theme that comes out of nowhere, pleasing equally, and developed just as well. Likewise, this is one of the few CD's with NO superfluous noise that is intended to flesh out the length of the CD; everything is listenable, everything is beautiful, everything is creative, well scored, and perfectly tells the story in an audio poem.And so I cannot help but give the MUSIC a five, while the inevitable construction of the CD gets a three. This is a perfect listen alongside Williams' and Powell's other great scores for Antz and Chicken Run. In fact, it probably COULD have been the greatest of these scores, if not for the misguided devotion to a soundtrack throughout the film; but, alas, it is understandable since it was more an aspect of style than selling-out, which is too often the case. In short, what these two fabulous composers have written here is a truly superb jaunt into a fantasy world, complete with ogres, princesses, vertically challenged kings--and modern-day depravity to boot. In this film score, as well as their previous efforts, Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell have brought revitalized life back into the animated film score, changing from a once frivolous and unimportant entity, to an entirely pleasing and fun experience that models and greatly influences the film itself. Every work that they produce is a success, and the only criticism I can attribute to them is that they are not prolific enough in the genre; but when they are, you can be sure I'll be at the store waiting to pick it up!"

Good but did not live up to expectations

Keith Hahn | Warrensburg, NY United States | 12/06/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, after waiting for months, the Shrek score finally came out. While it's definitely a great listen, I was disappointed by the length of the cues. Most are less than two minutes and barely long enough to enjoy.
Nevertheless, I am thoroughly enjoying my continued listening of the cd. The best track is #14: "Escape From the Dragon." It's a kind of rock/techno track with the main theme worked in."