Pan (John Powell)

In Brief:
John Powell, a rather cheeky chap who, refreshingly, doesn't seem to give a hoot about proper interview decorum, writes some of the most breathlessly irrepressible, exhilarating music on the planet. Unfortunately, many of his solo animation scores (especially the Blue Sky efforts) switch styles and tones at such a head-spinning rate (a technique known as "Mickey-Mousing") that they fail to create a sense of momentum, making them difficult to enjoy. You could call them ADHD scores. But when Powell creates (or is allowed to create) a score with coherent development, the results are sensational: the How to Train Your Dragon series (referred to as HTTYD for the rest of this post), Bolt, X-Men: The Last Stand, and (with Harry Gregson-Williams) Antz and Chicken Run are among the finest scores written today. His score for Pan sits somewhere between his sublime scores and his schizophrenic ones, incorporating elements of both.

Pan, starring Hugh Jackman, is an origin story of the famed Greek god with Jackman as the eponymous hero; he won the role over James McAvoy in a bitter, hard-fought contest. Just kidding; of course, it's a prequel to James Barrie's renowned play about the Boy Who you know the rest. (No, not "Lived.") Director Joe Wright normally works with talented composer Dario Marianelli (Oscar-winner for his score to Wright's Atonement), but the studio, presciently concerned about the appeal of the film, replaced Marianelli with Powell. Because as Troy and the 2013 Romeo and Juliet proved, when a film fares poorly with test audiences, changing the score will fix everything.

Pan's score starts out rather nondescriptly, but it gains strength, vitality, and consistency as it goes along. Many of the early cues are plagued by abrupt shifts, I assume to reflect the comic nature of the on-screen action; just as you think the music is going to burst forth in a glorious explosion of melody, it stops and changes gears to more slapstick music. But by the time the climactic action cues "Flying Ship Fight" (how descriptive) and "A Boy Who Could Fly" roll around, the tone becomes more consistently adventurous and swashbuckling. I was able to discern three themes, though to be honest, I only picked out the main theme on my first listen. Peter's theme and what I call the "origin" theme are short motifs of only a few notes each; the former theme does have a B section, but it's seldom used--I only hear it in "Floating/Neverland Ahoy!" and "Transfiguration." The main theme, while rousing, has an opening phrase very similar to the flying theme from HTTYD. But hey, the opening to Miklós Rózsa's main themes for Knights of the Round Table, El Cid, and Judah's theme for Ben-Hur sound similar; they're all masterpieces, so I won't give Powell too much grief.

"Kidnapped/Galleon Dog Fight" contains the toe-tapping, stylish, rhythmically peppy kind of music that practically screams Powell; it'll bring a smile to the face of anyone who likes and is familiar with his work. The poignant material lacks emotional depth, but perhaps that's just reflecting the film itself. The aforementioned climactic action tracks are like Powell's HTTYD scores on a diet, but they still feature the composer's busy orchestral figures, intense choral writing, radiant fanfares, and fantastic build-ups to thunderous renditions of thrilling melodies. Those unfamiliar with Powell's work would be better off listening to his How to Train Your Dragon scores (or the portion of Kung Fu Panda 2 linked below), and those familiar with his work will probably be reminded of some of his other, superior scores. Still, some cues did give me an adrenaline rush, impressing me with their surging vibrancy and only slightly restrained grandeur. Though tempered in parts by its comic mood shifts, Powell's score to Pan, when at its best, gushes with verve.

Playlist-Worthy Tracks:
Kidnapped/Galleon Dog Fight
Inverted Galleon
Pirates vs Heroes vs Natives vs Chickens
A Warrior's Fate
Flying Ship Fight
A Boy Who Could Fly
Transfiguration

Analysis Begins with Anal:

Prefatory Note: The CD includes four songs (you know, those things with lyrics), but other than a dark, stentorian rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for choir, none of them grabbed me at all.

Opening Overture: A piano solo introduces the main theme. Although this main theme mainly appears in an adventurous guise, this first statement is almost melancholy. Dancing, pulsing strings take over before becoming more tender (like meat). A delicate flute and then strings play a meandering melody over glittering harp, mallet percussion, and subtle guitar.

Air Raid/Office Raid: Pizzicato strings, snare drum, and high strings frolic over fluttery flute interjections. Lower instruments take over, followed by a tuba allusion to the main theme. Clarinet plays a florid, more recognizable development of the main theme.

Kidnapped/Galleon Dog Fight: Piano and brass chorale trade phrases, introducing what I'll call Peter's theme (but who knows, it could be Batman's theme). Snare and churning orchestra hurtle into a massive downward glissando that in turn leads to Powell's signature rhythmic, effervescent action, complete with an array of percussion. The main theme enters on strings before an almost mariachi-like brass outburst at 1:26. The jazzy Powell groove continues with an energetic two-note high string phrase. At 3:49 a more dramatic melody enters on brass, but flute keeps the tone lighthearted. The energy increases as a meandering melody continues above swirling string and woodwind runs. Brimming with the zest of Powell's animation scores (Kung Fu Panda, Bolt), this track reminds me why Powell's music can be so irresistible.

Floating/Neverland Ahoy!: Shimmering harp and flutes lead to a beautiful string statement of Peter's theme. With a sudden sting, the score turns playful again. Subtle electric guitar and orchestra state one of the most complete statements of Peter's theme over snazzy percussion.

Murmurs of Love and Death: A fiddle-like violin plays under string swells. The strings start a cyclical ostinato as instruments play off each other's beats--this would probably sound like a mess if played by a middle-school orchestra. This passage reminds me a bit of the track "Sphere and Loathing" from Michael Giacchino's Tomorrowland. A sudden col legno hit at 1:19 has significant startle potential if you play the score at high volume like I did. Strings take their time playing a slow melody.

Mine Escape: Acoustic guitar and strings lead to a hint of the main theme. Fluttering flute and guitar continue as flute, oboe, brass, then full orchestra continue to develop the main theme, including an agile, "pirate-jig" variation starting at 1:49. Invigorating string swirls lend energy, but the comical stop and go nature of the music interrupts the momentum slightly. In the final minute, a tubular bell toll and pause precede the boldest statement of the main theme yet.

Inverted Galleon: An exuberant version of the main theme missing the tenth note (lending a dynamic vigor to the theme) gives way to an adventurous variation of Peter's theme. Robust descending brass phrases recall the action music from HTTYD. Another pause leads to a triumphant statement of Peter's theme and a brief rhythmically energetic section, almost like Powell's "Zen Ball Master" from Kung Fu Panda 2, (0:50-3:30) but not as rousing (or long--it lasts for less than 10 seconds).

Neverbirds: Bagpipe-like instruments lead to a jig-like theme. "Tribal" percussion leads to keening strings. Orchestral Mickey-Mousing dominates the cue until a guitar softly states the main theme.

Tramp Stamp: More exotic percussion and hand clapping percolate for a minute before the orchestra enters with a semi-fanfare. Strings trade phrases of the main theme before brass and then orchestra belt radiant renditions of the same.

Origin Story: Piano introduces what I'll call the "origin" theme against menacing low brass. (I don't know what or who this theme represents, but I'm not about to see the movie to find out.) Choir enters with a doleful but sadly brief requiem before the lonely piano takes over. Strings seesaw as the origin theme hovers above. Harp and guitar strum under Peter's theme on strings.

Pirates vs Natives vs Heroes vs Chickens: An ominous circular phrase leads to a skittering ostinato, then Powell percussion rhythms take over. Almost frantic runs from various orchestral sections--string here, flutes there--cascade beneath outbursts of the main theme. The concluding descending phrase receives some particularly rousing workouts at 2:30 and 2:53, with an uncharacteristically ebullient version of the origin theme intervening at 2:40. Flute over a quiet string ostinato leads to a somewhat sinister rendition of the main theme.

Crocodiles and Mermaids: Acoustic guitar plays Peter's theme before baleful brass--for what must be the mermaids--enters. Incomplete main theme fragments poke through before ethereal voices--for what must be the crocodiles--coo over sweeping strings, harp, and an oboe phrase of the main theme.

A Warrior's Fate: The opening features a double bait-and-switch that you'll find either clever or annoying. A poignant choir note quickly makes way for a playful dance-like rhythm with Peter's theme on strings. Choir accompanies wistfully before pulling an about-face, crescendoing as male voices enter, pulling the music into menacing action mode. The voices eventually quiet down with warm strings and minor statement of Peter's theme. The main theme travels among clarinet, flute, and French horn. A rendition of the origin theme on ethnic flute (starting at 2:51), with "tribal" percussion and choral accompaniment, highlights an oddly energetic yet poignant section at cue's end.

Flying Ship Fight: The Glorious Boss Battle Part 1. Low brass and strings over clanking percussion play dangerously before main theme asserts itself. Here, stripped down to its essence, the main theme sounds even more like the flying theme from HTTYD. Fateful choir statements (at 0:48) punctuate a delicate/driving percussion ostinato--one of my favorite passages of the score. The cascading string ostinato continues as male choir takes over, amping up the energy further before momentarily quieting for Peter's theme. An utterly joyous, swashbuckling outburst of the main theme finally interrupts the cascading ostinato. At 3:05, the main theme ends with an ascending phase instead of a descending one, and then  the dynamic "missing note" version of the theme from "Inverted Galleon" starts at 3:26. The soaring origin theme plays in action mode at 4:05. Nautical rhythms abound as the action continues, chime flourishes punctuating the orchestral fireworks throughout.  A minor, exotic sounding variation of Peter's theme enters 6 minutes in with the missing note variation of the main theme following soon after. The main theme breaks down into an ostinato, flutes trilling above as the cue hurtles to an abrupt conclusion.

A Boy Who Could Fly: The Glorious Boss Battle Part 2. The melancholy piano statement of the main theme from the overture returns. Another cascading string ostinato enters with ominous bass drum beats. A fanfare-like brass statement of Peter's theme ushers in a celebratory mood. At 1:40, low brass and strings (I think) reference the origin theme. Choir (first women, then men), add to the steadily increasing pyrotechnics--impressively, the rhythm of their melody is different from what the orchestra's playing. More HTTYD-esque statements of the main theme play at 2:51. The choir continues cataclysmically, reaching almost Lord of the Rings/Mt. Doom proportions, but Powell's upbeat percussion grooves and chime runs are never too far away. About 4:08 in, an unadorned, portentous choir phrase enters, quite similar to a phrase from the cue "Phoenix Rises" from Powell's X-Men: The Last Stand. The choir continues raging alongside the origin theme. Peter's theme over humming choir (reminiscent of "Toothless Lost" from HTTYD 2) closes the cue.

Transfiguration: In this cue, which I assume plays under Blackbeard's transfiguration into Wolverine, the lush apotheosis of Peter's theme for the string section highlights the cue. French horn joins for the final statement. Piano, then harp and humming chorus follow.

Fetching the Boys: Playful pizzicato phrases start things off. French horn and strings briefly play the main theme in a noble guise. The snazzy energy from "Kidnapped/Galleon Dog Fight" returns (including the mariachi-like phrase). French horn, oboe, then strings play a content version of the main theme. Strings play a wandering melody before the orchestra and choir swell, fading out to a false ending. A final cadence from the orchestra provides the real ending, with a final cheeky note on glockenspiel.