Super 8

2011 has sure been a busy year for Michael Giacchino. After providing a cool spy/surf soundtrack for Cars 2, another effort for Monte Carlo, and scoring the Disney attraction Star Tours, Giacchino stepped in to score the J.J. Abrams nostalgic monster film; Super 8. The movie itself has created alot of buzz and has been shrouded in mystery even after it's large release. Super 8 itself revolves around a group of small town kids (who happen to be aspiring film-makers) stumbling upon a government secret that ends up putting the entire town of Lillian in danger. More than anything else, Super 8 is a nostalgic look at monster movies and home films the director himself made as a kid. Michael Giacchino's job was to perfectly convey all of that musically.

When asked to score the film, Giacchino was told by J.J. Abrams to avoid a 'John William Sound' and rather be original and provide his own sound. Despite that, there are small traces of Williams and even James Horner throughout the score. On the immediate outset, three primary themes for the film are introduced. The first is the main theme for the creature itself; a rising brassy motif that signifies danger. The second is the family theme; a three note motif usually played on the piano throughout the course of the score. The third theme is for the kids themselves and may very well be the main theme for the film as well; a fast paced motif that sounds very much like James Horner's adventure scores. The themes, like most other Giacchino soundtracks, are instantly recognizable and do get alot of uses throughout the score.

For a monster-invading a small town score, there isn't much thrill music. Occasionally Giacchino bursts out with brassy chase music (especially during the dark sequence 'Creature Comforts'). Most of the underscore consists of variations on the main themes. This is where the album drags. Unlike most other Giacchino scores, which are fun and consistent throughout, Super 8 drags it's feet during the entire middle portion. It's a shame, really, considering how good the themes are. The highlight of the score comes with 'Letting Go', a great finale piece that combines all of the themes together in a grand John William's-esque way. It really is impressive. The conclusion of the album is 'The Case', a short piece that spoofs old fashioned horror scores.

Super 8 is probably Giacchino's most anticipated scores of the year, and it's not hard to see why. Given the source material of monster attack on a small town, Giacchino definitely has his work cut out for him (not to mention his spectacular suite for Cloverfield). For the most part, Super 8 lives up to it's expectations in terms of themes and such. The rest of the album is somewhat bland, though, only delivering when Giacchino writes action or suspense. Overall a better effort than most could come up with but not up to usual Giacchino standards.