Soundtrack Outcasts (Vol. 2)

Welcome to Volume 2 of Soundtrack Outcasts! (To read the goals and manifesto for of this series, click here.)

Instead of looking at one film this time, I wanted to give prime, meaty examples of a single composer: James Newton Howard. He has great themes and works across all film genres. You might have only recently heard about him with a movie called The Dark Knight in ’08, but this talented musician has 20 years of work under his belt, much of it thrilling.

Let’s start with the 2000 Disney film Dinosaur. The theme doesn’t kick in till the end, but it’s a worth-the-wait whopper. There are very playful oboes and jungle chanting in the beginning, as well as odd percussion sounds, before swelling to a memorable grandeur. Have a listen:

"The Egg Travels"



Next up is M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village. Delicate piano, intoxicating strings throughout, and the bells and winds halfway in have a hushed danger about them. It’s a very cathartic theme, at once melancholy and bittersweet in its beauty. Haunting is used in excess to describe music like this, but I bet you'll find it hard-pressed to not be worthy here:

"The Gravel Road"



Lastly, let’s revive the 2001 Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire. It has a fantastic album, with great recurring themes start to finish. This specific track is ethereal/choral, echoic, mysterious, tribal, and relishes in resounding brass declarations--gorgeous all around, and incredibly hum-able:

"The Crystal Chamber"



Excellent soundscapes, right? James Newton Howard truly has a wonderful repertoire of skills, and his popularity only continues to mount around La-La-Land. I hope you enjoyed these examples, and please check out his complete soundtracks when you get the chance. Stay sharp for Volume 3!

--The Last Moslow

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