Unlike Antz, Shrek contained a fairly decent number of pop songs, although thankfully avoiding too much bland teeny pop and containing a some edgier rock songs that worked really well. As a result, the score itself is a little more fragmented, but is certainly not without its moments. The main romantic theme is quite inspired; a quasi medieval lullaby that suggests a distant time in the past with a sad, wistful quality that is really quite wonderful. It appears often enough to be remembered, but not to the point of distraction, although it would have been nice if it could have been developed a little further.
The songs do dominate in the film and only a few sections of the score actually stood out in context. One particularly memorable passage was the fight with the Dragon which pitches some more typical Media Ventures style brass and synths. Powell and Gregson-Williams seem to be about the only composers aside from Hans Zimmer that are able to pick up the style and run with it and the result is quite spectacular, particularly the rather funky - a few 70's guitar riffs in there somewhere - Escape from the Dragon. Again, the only downside is that these cues are a little short and seem to be over before they've begun.
The comedic musical interludes are included here; the very silly, but quite pointed satire Disneyland welcome song, Welcome to Duloc and the silly, but fun Merry Men which still makes me wonder why they made Robin Hood French. Most curious. Also, Princess Fiona's duet with a bird is included, although without the visuals, the joke is rather lost, but still an amusing twist on the main theme. Not quite in the same league as either of their previous efforts, almost entirely attributable to the shortness of some of the cues. Having said that, there are plenty of highlights and once more demonstrates that composers really do have much more fun and use more imagination when let loose on family films than the latest testosterone filled drivel.
Rating ~ Total Time ~ 44:28
Up until Harry Potter, Shrek was the family film of 2001 and to be honest, is probably a better entertainment than the worthy, but occasionally leaden Harry Potter. In yet another up yours to Disney, Shrek truly trounced Atlantis in the animated film stakes. Its remarkable CGI animation is every bit as good as Pixar's work and in some ways, more natural looking. It also turned the fairy tail genre upside down and with plenty of below the belt jokes at the expense of the House of Mouse and an unlikely, but likeable hero, it's hardly a surprise it did so well. As Randy Newman is doing for Pixar, John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams are doing for Dreamworks and after the success of their score to Antz their return for Shrek was a welcome certainty.
