As expected Michael Giacchino has won over James Horner in Golden Globes this year with his classic score for Pixar’s ‘Up', and he is definitely a front runner in Oscars too. Though ‘Avatar’ score reminds us of so many other scores of James Horner, it also is really a special score which managed to peep through its head out of all those huge multi layered visual spectacle and the meticulous sound design. However, as I had already mentioned, the simplistic charm of ‘UP’ score wins over the exoticism of ‘Avatar’ score.
Now, here is one of my favourite cues from ‘Up’ which wasn’t a part of the Original Soundtrack release. It is a dramatic music piece scored for the scene in which Carl Fredrieksen is shown doing his daily chores alone after Emilie’s death. Conventionally any composer would have played the Emilie’s theme on a sober scale in a solo piano to evoke a sense of loneliness but for the way this scene is cut showing the boredom of Carl, this approach works and makes us feel that he has learnt to get on with his life. The grand bangs fit aptly as we witness how the surroundings of Carl’s house have changed for worse.
Michael Giacchino has got 3 Grammy Nominations for his ‘UP’ score in Best Original Score for a Motion Picture, Best Instrumental Composition (Married Life) and Best Instrumental Arrangement (Up with End Credits) categories. Though I haven’t heard all the tracks nominated in these categories, I hope Michael Giacchino wins all the three Grammies.
‘UP’ is one of those special soundtracks I fell madly in love with instantly on very first listening. I could hum through every single cue of this film soundtrack, which is very rare in these days when film scores are becoming more and more abstract, strictly action based without any prominent themes. I strongly feel an animation film brings the best out of a composer as it is these films that require bold orchestral music with strong melodies. It is the dramatic score that makes the animated stories grounded and makes the audience instantly connect with the emotions of the characters no matter if that character is a piece of wood or a flesh and blood human being.
A.R.Rahman is not competing with Michael Giacchino as Grammies have a separate category for film soundtracks with songs.
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In case you haven't gotten it yet, I recommend you to check out the recently leaked promotional copy of Up. Not only is the quality much better than the official digital download (I managed to grab a lossless quality version!) but it has 51 tracks featuring the complete score in great quality.
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