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A Bug's Life |
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Music Composed by Randy Newman Orchestrations by Jonathan Sacks, Don Davis, and Ira Hearshen Release Date: 1998
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The year 1998 saw two similarly themed CG movies released within a relatively short period of each other. Dreamworks released their first computer-animated film, AntZ, while Pixar/Disney saw their second animated feature hitting the theaters only a short time later. In a way, I believe this hurt the box office performance a little as parents would confuse AntZ (which was not really a kid’s movie) with A Bug’s Life. While the two movies offered the same setting, that was pretty much where the similarities ended. From overall plot development, humor, and especially the look and techniques of the CG animation, both movies stood wide apart, especially in the styles of the musical scores. AntZ utilized the talents of Hans Zimmer protégés Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell. Randy Newman, who had provided the music for Toy Story, Pixar’s first animated film, was called back to score A Bug’s Life. While Gregson-Williams and Powell approached their assignment with a lighthearted, and oftentimes madcap, score, Newman worked his magic for a more grandiose work, calling in several Western genre influences, and his trademark jazzy style. The CD opens with Newman’s performance of The Time of Your Life, the only song that appears in the movie (though during the end credits role). While the song fits the movie adequately enough, it really isn’t all that good. The track right after it really gets things hopping by jumping right into a bouncy jazz number. This track is an extended performance of the Flik Machine sequence, and doesn’t appear in its entirety in the movie, but it is very good. After that, the pace is toned down a bit as Newman introduces the main orchestra passages. They are well composed and offer a wide variety of themes, but it just makes the jazzy portions seem out of place. The orchestral pieces culminate in the last four tracks, of which The Bird Flies has to be one of the best. It is one of the best orchestral action pieces I’ve heard and the first minute is absolutely incredible. One major drawback with this release was made evident with the Collector’s Edition DVD; certain portions of the score where either omitted, or chopped down in the CD release. As these spots where often very good, it really is a shame that they are not on the CD. However, this CD is also the only place that I’ve seen that has the extended Flik Machine sequence. Despite that problem, I did enjoy the score as it was presented on this CD. It is different from AntZ, but in a refreshing sort of way. If you liked Toy Story, you’ll certainly have a good time with this score. ****
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Track Listing 1 - The Time of Your Life (3:16) 2 - The Flik Machine (2:54) 3 - Seed to Tree (1:01) 4 - Red Alert (1:49) 5 - Hopper and His Gang (3:21) 6 - Flik Leaves (2:37) 7 - Circus Bugs (1:27) 8 - The City (2:35) 9 - Robin Hood (0:59) 10 - Return to Colony (1:33) 11 - Flik's Return (1:24) 12 - Loser (2:43) 13 - Dot's Rescue (4:00) 14 - Atta (1:08) 15 - Don't Come Back (1:07) 16 - Grasshoppers' Return (3:01) 17 - The Bird Flies (2:38) 18 - Ants Fight Back (2:14) 19 - Victory (2:33) 20 - A Bug's Life Suite (5:12) Total Running Time: 47:40 |
