MK2
12-18-2008, 13:43
The score for “Bolt” required a composer who was adept at writing music for intense action scenes as well as for the gamut of emotions that are needed for a Disney animated feature. The filmmakers found everything they were looking for with acclaimed composer John Powell.
Clark Spencer explains, “‘Bolt’ is really like two movies in one. You have the TV show and then there’s the real world. We needed someone who could compose a theme for that TV show and a whole musicology for what happens on that show, and then music to fit Bolt’s journey. John has scored big action films like ‘The Bourne Identity’ and ‘The Italian Job,’ and has also had phenomenal success with such animated hits as ‘Ice Age 2.’ He really understands animation and was kind of a natural choice for this film. He’s done an absolutely phenomenal job and I think moviegoers will enjoy and appreciate the transition from TV show to real world. He takes those themes from the TV show and slowly weaves them back into the real world.”
“John’s contribution to the film is incredible,” adds Howard. “He plays both sides of the emotional palette with equal strength. The music for the TV show is super action-oriented with a lot of synthesizer, percussion and some avant-garde musical choices. He’s come up with some great symphonic stuff for the rest of the film that feels more hand-made. It’s more relaxed and more emotional. Music is so important to animated films.
With the emotional moments, if you put too much in or too little, you can miss the mark with the audience and they won’t feel it. With John’s music, there are no missed opportunities.”
One of the musical highlights is the original song “I Thought I Lost You,” performed by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus. “I wrote it with one of my buddies, Jeff Steele,” says Cyrus. “We wrote the song to go with the script, but it ended up being so much more.”
“We needed a song that transcended that and could talk about what the journey meant for each of them,” says Spencer. “It’s a very sweet song and it’s not just about these two characters in the film. I think everyone has had that moment in their life where they felt they lost somebody and then they actually came back into their life. This song speaks to everyone.”
Says Cyrus about her singing partner, “It was so fun being able to sing a song with John Travolta. It’s something I’m going to be able to brag about for the rest of my life.”
The film’s soundtrack features a second song called “Barking at the Moon,” which is heard during the film as the unlikely trio of Bolt, Mittens and Rhino travel across the country on their way to Las Vegas. The song is written and performed by Jenny Lewis, a popular indie rock performer who founded and is the co-singer for Rilo Kiley. “Jenny really understood the thematic idea of ‘Bolt’ and came to us with an amazing demo for her song,” recalls director Williams. “A few weeks later, we were in the recording studio and we got to watch her put the song together. The musician’s creative process felt very much like watching our storyboard
artists at work. Jenny is so talented; we’re thrilled to have her as part of the movie.”
Director Howard adds, “The great thing about Jenny’s style of music is that it feels handcrafted. It was the perfect fit for going from the ‘Bolt’ TV show where we tried to make everything feel aggressive and shiny—to being out in the country where things are more real and homemade. Her music has a true Americana feel to it.”
Clark Spencer explains, “‘Bolt’ is really like two movies in one. You have the TV show and then there’s the real world. We needed someone who could compose a theme for that TV show and a whole musicology for what happens on that show, and then music to fit Bolt’s journey. John has scored big action films like ‘The Bourne Identity’ and ‘The Italian Job,’ and has also had phenomenal success with such animated hits as ‘Ice Age 2.’ He really understands animation and was kind of a natural choice for this film. He’s done an absolutely phenomenal job and I think moviegoers will enjoy and appreciate the transition from TV show to real world. He takes those themes from the TV show and slowly weaves them back into the real world.”
“John’s contribution to the film is incredible,” adds Howard. “He plays both sides of the emotional palette with equal strength. The music for the TV show is super action-oriented with a lot of synthesizer, percussion and some avant-garde musical choices. He’s come up with some great symphonic stuff for the rest of the film that feels more hand-made. It’s more relaxed and more emotional. Music is so important to animated films.
With the emotional moments, if you put too much in or too little, you can miss the mark with the audience and they won’t feel it. With John’s music, there are no missed opportunities.”
One of the musical highlights is the original song “I Thought I Lost You,” performed by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus. “I wrote it with one of my buddies, Jeff Steele,” says Cyrus. “We wrote the song to go with the script, but it ended up being so much more.”
“We needed a song that transcended that and could talk about what the journey meant for each of them,” says Spencer. “It’s a very sweet song and it’s not just about these two characters in the film. I think everyone has had that moment in their life where they felt they lost somebody and then they actually came back into their life. This song speaks to everyone.”
Says Cyrus about her singing partner, “It was so fun being able to sing a song with John Travolta. It’s something I’m going to be able to brag about for the rest of my life.”
The film’s soundtrack features a second song called “Barking at the Moon,” which is heard during the film as the unlikely trio of Bolt, Mittens and Rhino travel across the country on their way to Las Vegas. The song is written and performed by Jenny Lewis, a popular indie rock performer who founded and is the co-singer for Rilo Kiley. “Jenny really understood the thematic idea of ‘Bolt’ and came to us with an amazing demo for her song,” recalls director Williams. “A few weeks later, we were in the recording studio and we got to watch her put the song together. The musician’s creative process felt very much like watching our storyboard
artists at work. Jenny is so talented; we’re thrilled to have her as part of the movie.”
Director Howard adds, “The great thing about Jenny’s style of music is that it feels handcrafted. It was the perfect fit for going from the ‘Bolt’ TV show where we tried to make everything feel aggressive and shiny—to being out in the country where things are more real and homemade. Her music has a true Americana feel to it.”