Gold is a 2016 American crime drama film loosely based on a true story about a fraudulent gold mine established in Indonesia and the aftermath when the fraud is uncovered. The film was directed by Stephen Gaghan and stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, and Bryce Dallas Howard. The musical score for Gold was composed by Daniel Pemberton (Steve Jobs, The Man from U.N.C.L.E) and in this video Pemberton talks at length about how he got started with creating the music for this film.
Daniel Pemberton explains that his initial concept for the score was the sound of bells (which in themselves can create a myriad of sounds). What fascinated me about Pemberton’s approach to the score is the way he incorporated the sound of the New York Stock Exchange opening bell into the music. That sound is, as Pemberton puts it, the essence of capitalism and greed, which makes it perfect for the score. What’s also interesting is the way the composer manipulates the sound of the stock exchange bell. By altering the sound, the composer can create entirely different effects and meanings. This is one of the reasons Daniel Pemberton is quickly becoming one of my favorite film composers, he can take unusual sounds and instruments and fully incorporate them into the score (and you’d never know unless he told you).
Let me know what you think about Gold and Daniel Pemberton’s interview in the comments below and have a great day!
“Pink Elephants on Parade” might possibly be one of the most psychedelic and mind-twisting pieces of animation that early Disney ever produced. The song comes after Dumbo has been forced to become a circus clown and is still deeply depressed over being separated from his mother. The well-meaning Timothy Q. Mouse takes Dumbo to get a drink of water to help him feel better, not realizing that a bottle of champagne has been added to the watering trough. As a result, both Dumbo and Timothy quickly become intoxicated (remember, this is 1941, different time, different standards) and begin seeing things, particularly strange pink elephants that quickly take over the screen. The song “Pink Elephants On Parade” comments on how unnatural it is to see pink elephants and what a disturbing sight it is. The song’s purpose is to 1) lighten the mood after all of the terrible things that have happened to Dumbo and 2) transition the story to the eventual discovery that Dumbo can fly.
Look out! Look out! Pink elephants on parade. Here they come! Hippety hoppety.
They’re here, and there. Pink elephants ev’rywhere!
Look out! Look out! They’re walking around the bed. On their head! Clippety cloppety.
Arrayed in braid. Pink elephants on parade!
What’ll I do? What’ll I do? What an unusual view!
I could stand the sight of worms And look at microscopic germs But technicolor pachyderms Is really too much for me!
I am not the type to faint When things are odd or things are quaint But seeing things you know that ain’t Can certainly give you an awful fright! What a sight!
Chase ’em away! Chase ’em away! I’m afraid need your aid Pink elephants on parade!
Hey hey hey
Pink elephants! Pink elephants! Pink elephants….
Once the elephants take over, Dumbo and Timothy disappear from the song and are not seen again until the elephants fade away. Until then, the screen is full of multi-colored elephants twisting and turning into different shapes. I know some people have commented on finding this scene scary or even a little disturbing, but I don’t personally remember being scared, if anything I thought it was funny. That being said, the song does contain some very surreal animation; for example a snake becomes an elephant dancer, which transforms into a ball, which becomes a floating eye (definitely not something you see every day). Also, if some of the footage looks familiar, it’s because part of it was recycled for “Heffalumps and Woozles” from Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968).
Let me know what you think about “Pink Elephants on Parade” in the comments below and have a great day!
The original Dumbo film was released in 1941 and followed the adventures of the titular baby elephant, who for some reason was born with enormous ears. The story begins the night before the circus is due to leave for the next town, but before the train leaves the storks arrive to deliver a plethora of babies to all of the circus animals. This is the scene for “Look Out For Mr. Stork.” The premise of this song is that the stork delivers babies to everyone, rich or poor, whether you want it or not (that’s actually a little disturbing if you think about it, imagine if these baby animals were sent to parents that didn’t want them!)
Look out for Mr. Stork That persevering chap He’ll come along and drop A bundle in your lap You may be poor or rich It doesn’t matter which Millionaires, they get theirs Like the butcher and the baker So look out for Mr. Stork And let me tell you, friend Don’t try to get away He’ll find you in the end He’ll spot you out in China or he’ll fly to County Cork So you better look out for Mr. Stork
Look out for Mr. Stork He’s got you on his list And when he comes around It’s useless to resist Remember those quintuplets and the woman in the shoe Maybe he’s got his eye on you
Well, almost all of the circus animals receive babies. While newborn babies are sent to their parents left and right, Mrs. Jumbo, one of the elephants, doesn’t receive a baby that she is clearly expecting (not to worry, he arrives the next morning, that particular stork was running late). However, knowing in hindsight that Mrs. Jumbo will get her baby doesn’t change the fact that seeing her be disappointed again and again is very heartbreaking to watch. This is yet another example of how good early Disney was with incorporating some really sad material into their animated films.
Despite the sadness of Mrs. Jumbo, it is fun to watch all the baby animals arrive. One of my favorite moments is when the litter of tiger cubs come crawling out and wake up their mother. Though, as a child, part of me always wondered what the circus staff would make of all the babies the next day.
Let me know what you think about “Look Out For Mr. Stork” in the comments below and have a great day!
Brother Bear is another example of a Disney animated film that has slowly but surely been forgotten. The 44th animated feature produced by Disney, Brother Bear was one of the last traditionally animated films produced by the company until The Princess and the Frog (2009), as the company was transitioning to computer animated features during this time. Like Tarzan (1999), Brother Bear features a Phil Collins musical soundtrack.
Set at the end of the last Ice Age, Brother Bear follows three Inuit brothers, Sitka, Denahi, and Kenai as they go about their lives in their village. The film particularly focuses on Kenai, who is receiving his totem that he must fulfill in order to become a man. While Sitka receives the eagle of guidance, and Denahi the wolf of wisdom, Kenai receives the bear of love (much to his embarrassment) and ends up going on a long journey to learn the meaning of his totem.
The story begins with “Great Spirits,” a song that feels very similar to “Steady As the Beating Drum” in Pocahontas. The lyrics, like many Disney songs, contain the lesson that Kenai will have to learn, that “we are all the same, brothers to each other.”
When the earth was young And the air was sweet And the mountains kissed the sky In the far beyond, with its many paths Man and nature lived side by side
In this wilderness of danger and beauty Lived three brothers, bonded by love Their hearts full of joy They ask now for guidance Reaching out to the skies up above
Great Spirits of all who lived before Take our hands and lead us Fill our hearts and souls with all you know Show us that in your eyes We are all the same Brothers to each other In this world we remain truly brothers all the same
Give us wisdom to pass to each other Give us strength so we understand That the things we do The choices we make Give direction to all life’s plan
To look in wonder at all we’ve been given In a world that’s not always as it seems Every corner we turn Only leads to another A journey ends But another begins
Great Spirits of all who lived before Take our hands and lead us Fill our hearts and souls with all you know Show us that in your eyes We are all the same Brothers to each other In this world we remain truly brothers all the same
The post-Ice Age world is beautifully animated, with gorgeous landscapes and subtle reminders that this isn’t quite the world we’re familiar with (views of the receding glaciers, Kenai riding a mammoth). It’s a shame this film doesn’t get more attention because it really is beautiful and “Great Spirits” is a wonderful song.
Let me know what you think about “Great Spirits” in the comments below and have a great day!
After Bambi is taken in by his father, the story moves forward presumably to the following spring and there’s a humorous song called “Let’s Sing a Gay Little Spring Song” (featuring extensive use of the word “gay” when it referred to one being “happy”). This song is performed by all the birds of the forest as they flitter about and find mates, to the unending consternation of Friend Owl, who is just trying to get some sleep. This song has one of my favorite funny moments in it. Mid-song, Owl starts hooting to try and get the birds to be quiet. After a giant HOOT-HOOT! all of the birds go silent, momentarily placating Owl into thinking he’s gotten his peace and quiet. Wrong! The song restarts without warning and Owl finally gives up, flying to a distant tree to try and get some sleep.
Let’s sing a gay little spring song This is the season to sing So I’d like to suggest That we all do our best And warble a song about spring Spring, spring, spring Let’s get together and sing
Let’s sing a gay little spring song Just like the bird on the wing Things always seem right When you’re chipper and bright So let’s get together and sing Sing, sing, sing Let’s sing a song about spring
Let’s twitter and tweet Like the birdies in May Get into the mood And be merry today Forget all your troubles and warble away Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do Oh!
Let’s sing a gay little spring song Music’s a wonderful thing Come on and rejoice At the top of your voice Oh, let’s sing a song about spring Spring, spring, spring Let’s get together and sing
Let’s sing a gay little spring song This is the season to sing
I know some people like to titter about the name of this song, but it really is fun to listen to. If birds could sing with human voices, I’d imagine this is exactly what they’d sound like. Another funny thing is, when I was little, I felt really bad for Friend Owl, but also laughed at him too. Now that I’m getting older, I find myself understanding how the poor bird feels (especially when he launches into his line at the end of the scene: “Same thing every spring….love’s sweet song…humph! Pain in the pinfeathers I call it!”)
After the extremely dark moment where Bambi loses his mother, it made sense to transition to a bright moment full of laughter and bright colors (which is an extreme contrast with the winter scene that preceded this one). As much as I enjoy this scene, there are times where I feel like it’s almost too much, like sometimes I feel like the song is too happy. However, for the most part, I enjoy listening to it.
Let me know what you think of “Let’s Sing a Gay Little Spring Song” in the comments below and have a great day!
When last we saw Bambi and company, the young Prince had just won a hard-fought battle so he could claim Faline as his mate. Now that they’re together, it’s time for the obligatory Disney love song between the new couple. I owe Disney a great apology regarding this song. When I was younger, I was bored STIFF by this section because we’d just had this awesome fight and now we have this “mushy stuff” that seems to go on forever and ever before the story gets good again. But now that I’m much, much older, I can appreciate the animation and the song itself. “Looking for Romance” is ostensibly sung by Bambi and Faline as they run through the meadow at night together, and travel through other parts of the forest. In reality, the song is performed by Donald Novis and the Disney Chorus.
I bring you a song And I sing as I go For I want you to know That I’m looking for romance
I bring you a song In the hope that you’ll see When you’re looking at me That I’m looking for love
I’m seeking that glow Only found when you’re young and it’s May Only found on that wonderful day When all longing is through
I’m seeking that glow Only found when a thrill is complete Only found when two hearts gently beat To the strains of a waltz that’s both tender and new
I bring you a song For I’m seeking romance You’re by my side
There’s a moon up above It shines with a light that’s so mellow and bright It’s easy to see that tonight we shall fall in love
I bring you a song For I’m seeking romance And you
Watching this scene, it’s beautiful how the animators were able to realize moonlight so convincingly. One of my favorite moments (apart from the music) is when you see two birds go flying through the night, with the moonlight causing them to glow. It’s a gorgeous moment and the last real slow moment of the film because things are about to get very dangerous once again for Bambi and all his friends.
Let me know what you think about “Looking For Romance” in the comments below and have a great day!
On August 13th, 1942, RKO Radio Pictures released Walt Disney’s fifth animated classic Bambi, based on the 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods, by Felix Salten. Disney actually acquired the rights to Bambi in 1937, after MGM’s attempts to turn the book into a live-action film proved to be unfeasible. Originally meant to be Disney’s second animated feature, the project became delayed (among other things, the animators discovered that animating deer realistically was no easy task) and work didn’t really get going until 1939. The score for this film proved to be the final work of composer Frank Churchill (1901-1942), who died after committing suicide following a severe bout of depression.
The film went through many stages, but the following main characters emerged:
Bambi: the son of the Great Prince of the Forest (Fred Shields); spends the first half of the story living with his unnamed mother (Paula Winslowe). Bambi’s closest friends are Thumper, a gray rabbit, and Flower, a male skunk (the name is based on a joke where Bambi, learning to speak, mistakenly thinks that Flower is, well, a flower, much to Thumper’s amusement).
The film’s opening song (referenced again as the film closes) is “Love is a Song,” performed as the opening credits roll. The song speaks to an enduring theme in the story that love takes many forms and despite changes in life, it never really goes away.
Love is a song that never ends Life may be swift and fleeting Hope may die yet love’s beautiful music Comes each day like the dawn
Love is a song that never ends One simple theme repeating Like the voice of a heavenly choir Love’s sweet music flows on
Like the voice of a heavenly choir Love’s sweet music flows on
I actually didn’t like this opening when I was younger because the themes about love went over my head (plus I wanted to get on with the story). Years later I can appreciate what “Love is a Song” is trying to say. Let me know what you think of “Love is a Song” in the comments below and have a great day!
As I said in my official review of the film, one of the great things about Frozen is the way it subverts the traditional Disney love story. At first, it looks like Anna and Hans are going to have the “love at first sight” relationship that has (for better or worse) defined Disney for most of its history. They meet on Elsa’s coronation day, appear to be instantly smitten, and have a wonderful time at the following party. During this latter time, they also engage in the traditional Disney love song, which usually goes something along the lines of “my life was incomplete before I met you, now I’m so happy, etc.”
The presence of “Love is an Open Door” at the beginning of the film should in hindsight be a big clue that things are not going to end well between Anna and Hans. Seriously, think about the nature of this song. Doesn’t it sound like something you’d hear at the end of the story, after going through trials and tribulations and the couple realize they’ve found that perfect one? It sounds exactly like that, only Anna and Hans have literally just met.
Okay, can I just, say something crazy? I love crazy!
All my life has been a series of doors in my face And then suddenly I bump into you
I was thinking the same thing! ‘Cause like… I’ve been searching my whole life to find my own place And maybe it’s the party talking or the chocolate fondue
But with you… But with you I found my place I see your face
And it’s nothing like I’ve ever known before Love is an open door Love is an open door
Right here we can see that Anna’s definition of love is way off base. Since her only sister has stayed behind her closed bedroom door, Anna now defines love as “an open door” which translates to anyone paying her attention. Not to state the obvious, but that isn’t love. Poor Anna is so excited that someone (an admittedly handsome someone) is paying attention to her that she falls in love (or at least thinks she does) on the spot.
Love is an open door
With you! With you! With you! With you! Love is an open door…
I mean it’s crazy What? We finish each other’s— Sandwiches! That’s what I was gonna say!
I’ve never met someone Who thinks so much like me! Jinx! Jinx again! Our mental synch-ro-ni-zation Can have but one explanation:
You- And I- Were- Just- Meant to be!
Here’s another detail that suggests there really isn’t anything to this whirlwind “romance.” Notice that for most of the song, Hans is following Anna’s lead with what to say. The best example might be when he says “We finish each other’s-” and you expect the finish to be “sentences” but as soon as Anna blurts out “sandwiches” Hans is like “Yes I was going to say that!” Right…because everyone talks about finishing each other’s sandwiches. Again, in hindsight, it’s clear that Hans is only saying what Anna wants to hear (and the smitten princess is oblivious).
Say goodbye… Say goodbye…
To the pain of the past We don’t have to feel it anymore Love is an open door Love is an open door Life can be so much more
With you! With you! With you! With you! Love is an open door… Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me? Can I say something even crazier? Yes!
With all of this being said, I love “Love is an Open Door.” It’s a brilliant parody of Disney romance songs and provides some levity before everything goes south with Elsa and her ice powers (which is literally the next big development in the story once Anna and Hans drop the bombshell that they want to get married despite having just met each other).
Let me know what you think about “Love is an Open Door” in the comments below and have a great day!
Bambi opens, as several Disney films do, with a birth, Bambi’s birth that is. All the animals of the forest are gathering to greet the young Prince (in the original novel, deer are regarded as “Princes” of the forest, while elk are “kings.”) The movie quickly flashes forward to Bambi strolling around the forest with his mother, but still mute. This changes when Bambi meets Thumper, a hyperactive young rabbit, who proceeds to teach him how to talk (there is a humorous exchange where Bambi learns to say “Bird.”) Shortly afterward, thunder rings out in the distance and the two go their separate ways and head home. This leads to the introduction of “Little April Shower,” a song about a rainstorm. Interestingly, this song was originally going to be called “I like Falling” (referring to the raindrops).
If you watch the opening the song you’ll hear four separate notes in the introduction as the raindrops begin falling. In a previous version, those notes were supposed to be words (something like this): “I, I, I, I, like, fall, -ing, I, Iike, fall, -ing, I like falling, I like falling, etc.) Ultimately, the animators decided that this was detracting from the quality of the song and the song was modified into its current version.
Drip, drip, drop Little April shower Beating a tune as you fall all around
Drip, drip, drop Little April shower What can compare with your beautiful sound? Beautiful sound, beautiful sound Drip, drop, drip, drop
Drip, drip, drop When the sky is cloudy Your pretty music will Brighten the day
Drip, drip, drop When the sky is cloudy You come along with a Song right away Come with your beautiful music
Drip, drip, drop Little April shower Beating a tune as you fall all around Drip, drip, drop Little April shower What can compare with your beautiful sound?
As the rain picks up in intensity, we see various animals running for cover, including a little field mouse who takes shelter under various objects or animals until he reaches the safety of his nest.
Drip, drip, drop When the sky is cloudy You come along, come along with your Pretty little song Drip, drip, drop When the sky is cloudy You come along, come along with your Pretty little song
Gay little roundelay Gay little roundelay Song of the rainy day Song of the rainy day How I love to hear your patter Pretty little pitter patter Helter-skelter when you pelter Troubles always seem to scatter
Bambi finally tries to sleep, but as Bambi’s mom suddenly looks upward, you know something is about to happen. And sure enough, as the song briefly fades away, the sky fills with lightning! When I was very young, this scene used to scare me because it’s filled with bright flashes and loud noises (and I used to be terrified of thunderstorms). Poor Bambi is petrified and we see various scenes of the the forest reacting to the storm. Eventually, the storm passes with a last roll of thunder and Bambi and his mother go back to sleep, while the song slowly fades away (as do the increasingly slow drops of rain).
Drip, drip, drop Little April shower Beating a tune as you fall all around Drip, drip, drop Little April shower What can compare with your beautiful sound?
Drip, drip, drop Little April shower Beating a tune as you fall all around Drip, drip, drop Little April shower What can compare with your beautiful sound? Beautiful sound
One of the things I like about this song is it ends as it began, with the rain drops slowly plunking down one by one, until all you hear is the “plink” of the clarinet that becomes slower and slower, until finally it fades away.
Let me know what you think about “Little April Shower” in the comments below and have a great day!
Of all the ways I thought Frozen would begin, I didn’t expect it to be with a group of ice harvesters hauling up huge blocks of ice. However, in retrospect, this opening absolutely works because it lays out the major themes of the film before we’ve even met any of the main characters (sure we do see young Kristoff and Sven but we don’t know who they are yet).
In “Frozen Heart,” the harvesters are sawing away on top of a frozen lake and singing about the dangers of a frozen heart:
Born of cold and winter air And mountain rain combining This icy force both foul and fair Has a frozen heart worth mining
So cut through the heart, cold and clear Strike for love and strike for fear See the beauty, sharp and sheer Split the ice apart! And break the frozen heart
Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go! Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!
Beautiful! Powerful! Dangerous! Cold!
Ice has a magic, can’t be controlled Stronger than one! Stronger than ten! Stronger than a hundred men!
Hyup!
Born of cold and winter air And mountain rain combining! This icy force both foul and fair Has a frozen heart worth mining
Cut through the heart, cold and clear Strike for love and strike for fear There’s beauty and there’s danger here Split the ice apart! Beware the frozen heart…
It’s immediately clear that this song is referring to Elsa and her ice powers, which are both beautiful and dangerous. The power of ice is stronger than a hundred men and should be feared. However, looking back after the film, some of the lines can also be interpreted as referring to Hans, who most definitely has a “frozen heart” given how he used Anna and left her to die in an attempt to usurp Arendelle’s throne for himself.
While listening to this song, something about it felt familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. Then I learned that “Frozen Heart” is a tribute to Dumbo’s “Song of the Roustabouts” and it all made sense: the heavy cadence, the rhythmic singing, both songs are performed the same way (albeit with wildly different subject matter). Also, like the song in Dumbo, “Frozen Heart” is performed in the evening, with low light. This really is the kind of musical performance that sucks you right into the story.
“Frozen Heart” is a great prologue/introduction to the film and is the first of several great songs in Frozen. Let me know what you think of “Frozen Heart” in the comments below and have a great day!
Film Music Central 