Why Michael Giacchino Might Be The Perfect Guide For JURASSIC WORLD
A couple weeks ago, it was announced that Academy Award® winning composer Michael Giacchino will scribe the score for Colin Trevorrow’s upcoming dino-epic Jurassic World (2015). On the heels of several years of blockbusting films fostering flat scores, I find this news to be particularly invigorating. As a vocal champion of his work since he first burst onto the cinematic scene with The Incredibles (2004), I relish any opportunity to indulge my senses with his music.
This particular announcement has me more excited then I might have initially realized. The first time I ever heard the name Michael Giacchino was for the Steven Spielberg-produced video game The Lost World (1997) which was a truly ground-breaking score for the industry at the time (not bad considering it was Giacchino’s first composing job). While fans might look to potential comparisons between his score for The Lost World video game and what he might bring to Jurassic World, the score that actually offers me the clearest crystal ball, is his music for Land of the Lost (2009).
These two films couldn’t be further apart (so I have to assume), making it foolish to surmise that whatever Giacchino composed for Land of the Lost might possibly translate verbatim to Jurassic World; however, I’m certainly elated that it’s the same composer. Check out the tracks “Sleestak Attack,” “When Piss On Your Head Is A Bad Idea,” “Stakbusters,” “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” or “The Devil’s Canyon Mystery Cave.” The musical acrobatics on display in this score are extraordinarily dizzying. It’s chock-full of exploding orchestral colors coming from a seemingly infinite arsenal of instruments which include, but are not limited to, a chorus of conch shells. It also harbors a plucky theme that has the muscular swagger of a pint-size badass ready to rumble in the jungle.
Of course, Land of the Lost is a comedy, so not everything translates; however, Giacchino has the skills to capture ridiculous senses of adventure unparalleled by any composer since John Williams. Even in its darkest times, the music Williams’ wrote for Jurassic Park (1993) is extraordinarily fun! We’re missing that in a lot of modern film scores these days. Dark and brooding is in, while fun and adventurous is out. If Jurassic World is to be a success, it absolutely has to whisk us away on a magnificent adventure which should at least attempt to equal the first film. Michael Giacchino could be the one to do it. He captures fun adventures with his music better than most which is evident in Sky High (2005), Speed Racer (2008), Star Trek (2009), Land of the Lost and John Carter (2012), just to name a few.
Earlier this week, it was also announced that Giacchino is reuniting with Pete Doctor to score Pixar’s next feature film entitled Inside Out (2015). Along with Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland (2015), next year is shaping up to be a potentially incredible year for Giacchino. Count me among those who are looking forward to each and every one of these scores.
With Giacchino leading the way, I’m ready for these adventures.
