Meet The Robinsons

Post by **SPACEHERO55** » April 8th, 2007, 4:06 am

I just have one question.

How is the music? What I mean by that is if it's the type of movie with wall to wall contemperary pop and rock songs with almost no orchestral musical score to speak of like most of Dreamwork's Animated CGI Films and Chicken Little. Basically spitting in the face of the musical genious that is Danny Elfman or is it mostly brilliant and wacky music score by Elfman with no more than 3 songs that really compliment the movie and fit the sequences they are in such as like in Over The Hedge which had only 3 songs all of which were very fitting and well intergrated into the score. No jerky stops and no lame fade outs. The songs intergrated perfectly into the music score. They blended.

So which is it? Bealive it or not this will effect my decision to go see it. I know Im a wierdo.

Post by **ShyViolet** » April 8th, 2007, 4:26 am

Nah, you're not weird.

I know how you feel.

I think there are some pop songs, but I didn't really notice them. The score was very good, although I don't remember it all that well. (It's not like one of Tim Burton's movies where the Elfman score just jumps out at you and is like a character itself in the film.)

But there were some nice (non-pop) music moments.

Post by **PixarVixen** » April 8th, 2007, 5:04 am

The soundtrack includes 10 tracks by Danny Elfman and 8 songs by Rufus Wainwright, Rob Thomas, The All-American Rejects, Jamie Cullum, They Might Be Giants, and Jonas Brothers.

I've been listening to it infrequently. It's no Incredibles soundtrack, but it's good. It'll probably catch on if I listen to it more often. So far, my favorite song is "The Future Has Arrived" by The All-American Rejects.

~~=oP

Post by **droosan** » April 8th, 2007, 5:28 am

Actually, there are no 'pop' songs in the sense you're talking about, SPACEHERO55 .. that is to say, no 'pre-existing' songs from top-40 radio 'needle-dropped' into the film, for no good reason.

There are two gentle songs sung over montage sequences: "Another Believer" (sung by Rufus Wainwright) and "Little Wonders" (by Rob Thomas) .. both of which were written especially for the movie, and each of which has a 'positive' message that emphasizes the important themes of the story (and are also darn good songs, by themselves). Rest assured that both songs are also 'well-integrated' into the storytelling of the film; it's hard to imagine either montage working as well with only an 'orchestral' accompaniment.

There are also two songs featuring the frog band: "Where Is Your Heart At?" and "Give Me the Simple Life". The latter is a jazz/big-band 'standard', but both recordings are new, unique to the film, and are beautifully sung by Jamie Cullem. Only a couple of verses from each is actually heard in the movie, but the full songs can be heard on the CD soundtrack.

There are two other songs played over the end credits: "The Future Has Arrived" (by the All-American Rejects) and "The Motion Waltz" (by Rufus Wainwright), with the former track being the closest thing to a 'rock' song in the film. Both are, again, unique to Meet the Robinsons; they were created especially for the movie.

Also on the CD soundtrack, but not featured in the film, is "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" (an upbeat ditty by They Might Be Giants .. which is actually the track which sounds the most like a 'classic' Disney song) and "Kids of the Future" (an absolutely horrendous 'cover' version of the 'new wave' anthem, "Kids In America", by the Jonas Brothers).

Danny Elfman's score is one of his most diverse; some of the themes are recognizably 'Elfman' (such as the 'la-la-la-la' chorus of "To The Future!"); other themes seem evocative of spy movies, circus music, or even 'game show'-style organs .. and there are lush orchestral sections which occasionally pay auditory 'homage' to Back to the Future, in the same way some of the visuals do. All in all, a very satisfactory score, which I've enjoyed listening to over the past couple of days.

As Sullivan pointed out a few pages back, though: the 'commercial' CD soundtrack doesn't have everything Elfman created for the film. But apparently, there is a CD featuring the 'complete' Elfman score, which was given to MTR crew members as gifts. I've kept a sharp eye on eBay

, but I haven't seen one of those become 'available', yet.

Post by **Ben** » April 8th, 2007, 8:56 am

droosan wrote:Also on the CD soundtrack, but not featured in the film, is "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" (an upbeat ditty by They Might Be Giants .. which is actually the track which sounds the most like a 'classic' Disney song)

"There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" was a song created for the Theme Parks, so if it is an update of the same song, it <I>is</I> a classic Disney track!

Post by **Therese** » April 8th, 2007, 9:06 am

Hi, all - I hope you don't mind a newbie popping in, but I love "Meet the Robinsons" and have enjoyed reading the discussion on it.

Yes, the "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" bonus track on the soundtrack is the Sherman Brothers song written for the Carousel of Progress attraction at Disneyland and WDW, and I really enjoy the version by They Might Be Giants - it's actually a pretty straight cover.

Let me tell you, I know next to nothing about current music, sort of knew the name Rufus Wainwright but couldn't tell you anything about him, but I LOVE "Another Believer," which underscores the montage of Lewis building the memory scanner. It's a really lovely song.

Post by **ShyViolet** » April 8th, 2007, 9:24 am

Hey, welcome aboard!

Post by **Sullivan** » April 8th, 2007, 11:00 am

One thing to mention is that the song "The Future Has Arrived" is the same theme as the Elfman "To the Future." There are also parts of "Another Believer" woven in to the score. In other words, Elfman integrates the song score into his score.

Elfman wrote over an hour of score. Don't worry, his genius was well-utilized!

Post by **Therese** » April 8th, 2007, 1:44 pm

Thanks for the welcome, Violet.

Here's an odd question, but I'm sure someone with a better memory than mine will know the answer: What is the name of the pastel-pony-playtime-place restaurant? (You know what I'm talking about.) I've seen the movie twice, and I just can't remember.

I love the movie as a whole, but the entire "Bowler Hat Guy" saga is my favorite part.

Post by **Jeroen** » April 8th, 2007, 1:58 pm

I'm not sure but I think it was "playtime planet"

Post by **SPACEHERO55** » April 8th, 2007, 2:12 pm

Hey everybody

Thanks for all the music news. I really appritiate your answers, Oh and Sullivan if that us the case? If Elfman actually did work the songs into the context of the score it'self thats great. Im gonna go see it now for sure.

Thanks again guys

Ronald C

Post by **Daniel** » April 9th, 2007, 3:10 am

Therese wrote:Hi, all - I hope you don't mind a newbie popping in, but I love "Meet the Robinsons" and have enjoyed reading the discussion on it.

I bet you got a kick out of the plushie discussion, right? J/k

Welcome to the boards, Therese!

Post by **Groaning** » April 9th, 2007, 2:28 pm

Man.... I still haven't seen it.........

Post by **JV IS TIZ!!! PIXAR** » April 9th, 2007, 3:28 pm

I saw the movie a few days ago!

The 1st part of the movie was okay, the middle and the last part of the movie was the best parts.

Post by **Ben** » April 9th, 2007, 6:35 pm

Sounds like it builds and builds...great!

Must. See. This. Soon. All attempts so far have been scuppered. Soon. Soooooon...!