Enchanted - Various Artists

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==~~~ ENCHANTED ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ~~~==
===_~~Songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; Score by Alan Menken~~_===

I was brought up in a family dominated by classical music, hymns, songs and tunes from Gilbert and Sullivan; nursery rhymes and barbershop quartets; Burl Ives and Spike Jones. Everything was always a cue for a song, or one of us was practicing the piano.

I am not very good at ...
...head, but l felt that in the context of the film, the entire soundtrack as performed in the film really carried the show, setting moods excellently. l really don't understand genre ~ this is a Disney fairytale ~ but any attempt to classify genre is an over-simplification, as the different moods and themes, like life, are a combination of genres, and don't really pigeon-hole easily.

I will try to express my feelings without giving away ... more

When you really enjoy a musical you have seen at the cinema, you are likely to want to see or even hear it again. In fact, you probably wouldn't want to re-watch it too many times, even though you might want to hear the soundtrack and the songs over and over again as background music while you do housework. Even if you do want to purchase the DVD for further viewing, you might not want to watch the whole movie again if all you really want to hear is the music, particularly not if you haven't got the time to pay attention. Apart from the fact that the DVD wasn't even due for release in the USA until 18th March 2008, after watching ENCHANTED at the cinema on my birthday, 14th February 2008, (and, on my husband's suggestion, watching the film again, on Saturday the 16th), I decided to order the soundtrack from Amazon.co.uk.

As it happens, I decided to buy the Official Book of the Movie, the OST (Original Sound Track) which I am reviewing here, the Movie Storybook (for children), and the "Read-Along" Audio CD plus 24-page Book ~ thus qualifying for Amazon's "Free Super-Saver Delivery" on orders over £15 on the first three items.

l wanted the soundtrack to listen to the full sequence as if l was watching the film without the dialogue, as it was so good in moving you through the emotional nuances of what was happening in front of you, with certain portions indicating which characters are involved by their 'theme' coming into play. l never visualised this as being individual tracks, but rather in relation to their position in the film, and l will be discussing the tracks in this light.

~~ Did it live up to Expectations? ~~

My first thought, while waiting for the CD to arrive, and looking up the Soundtrack on Ciao! was that Ciao had got the details wrong again, as the songs were listed first, and then the sections from the original score. Looking up similar details on IMdB gave a different list of songs, although IMdB did mention that their list might be different than what would be available on the OST, as they derive their list of songs from the film credits, and some songs would not be available on OST due to copyright restrictions.

When my package arrived, I took out the CD and put it on to play.

The beginning was delightful, with the introduction to TRUE LOVE'S KISS starting with a "mini-overture" and the half-talking, half-singing, discussion between the animated character Giselle (voiced by Amy Adams) and her animated woodland friends, before breaking fully into the song. She is joined in the final duet of the song by Prince Edward (James Marsden) as they sing together
". . . Since first we knew love
Through true love's kiss!"

When the next thing I heard was the HAPPY WORKING SONG I thought, "hang on here ~ whatever has happened to the soundtrack? We've not been off to the palace for the wedding, nor been pushed into the 'wishing well' which took Giselle to the land where '...there ARE no Happily Ever Afters...' ~ the real world."

This song just didn't fit there for me . . . it wasn't in context.

At this point, I looked at the back of the CD case and realised that Ciao! had been partially correct in its listing: the songs DID indeed appear before Alan Menken's original score; there were also two sections of original score not included in the Ciao! list which appeared on the OST, and, as intimated on IMdB, the three songs not written by Stephen Schwartz were not included.

~~ Next Step? ~~

I stopped the CD. It's a good thing that my CD player can be programmed. I re-arranged the order of the playlist to more accurately mirror the film sequence.

I could not bear to listen to the songs in sequence; then to go back to the beginning of the original score and play through WITHOUT hearing the songs in order; then finishing with the sixth song, which really belonged somewhere in the middle. That hadn't been my intention when l bought the soundtrack.

It might be that someone who has never seen the film might not mind just listening to the three songs performed by Amy Adams, then SO CLOSE performed by Jon McLaughlin, and EVER EVER AFTER performed by Carrie Underwood, bunched together; these followed by the nine instrumental pieces, and then the final song THAT'S AMORE performed by James Marsden (and Various artists). I must admit that my daughter certainly didn't seem to mind playing the CD as background music on "repeat all", listening with half an ear while decorating two birthday cakes and looking after 2 year old Abigail while we took her three boys to the swimming baths last Tuesday. It was still playing when we got home to collect the two of them, after swimming, to take everyone to McDonalds in Towcester for a double party for Reuben (6) and Zachary (8). She certainly appeared to have enjoyed it!

The problem was that I minded. I had wanted to re-live the musical, re-visualise the film while listening to the soundtrack, and as this CD was organised, it wasn't possible to do it. Of course I could sing along with the first five songs, as the words were included in the insert leaflet, but that was hardly the point, was it?

So l programmed my CD player to alter the track order.

lncidentally, if you have never done this ~ programming a CD player is relatively simple if you have a simple player (like mine) with a 'program' button, 'skip forward' and 'skip back' buttons: press 'program' skip forward or back to the track number, press 'program' and skip to next chosen track, press 'program' ~ remembering to press 'program' again after final chosen track. Pressing 'program' one further time should make the CD player display track numbers chosen (in order) if you want to make sure you have included what you want, although you don't need to do this step. Pressing the 'Play' (or 'Play/Pause') button should play the chosen tracks in order ~~~ of course, if your player is more complicated and technologically advanced, l cannot help you ~~~

In the end, I tried several variations of song/score order before deciding on the final arrangement that suited my memories and moods.

This was the order I decided suited me:
1, 6, 7, 2, 8, 3, 9, 10, 15, 11, 12, 4, 13, 14, 5

~~~ ENCHANTED ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ~~~

~~Songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; Score by Alan Menken~~

I was brought up in a family dominated by classical music, hymns, songs and tunes from Gilbert and Sullivan; nursery rhymes and barbershop quartets; Burl Ives and Spike Jones. Everything was always a cue for a song, or one of us was practicing the piano.

I am not very good at describing music, as l mostly let it pass over my head, but l felt that in the context of the film, the entire soundtrack as performed in the film really carried the show, setting moods excellently. l really don't understand genre ~ this is a Disney fairytale ~ but any attempt to classify genre is an over-simplification, as the different moods and themes, like life, are a combination of genres, and don't really pigeon-hole easily.

I will try to express my feelings without giving away the plot and nuances of the film. The film centres around the character of Giselle, voiced and then played beautifully by Amy Adams.

Track 1
As I said before, TRUE LOVE'S KISS performed by Amy Adams was a brilliant way to start the soundtrack, as it mirrored the film's animated beginning, and leads us into the typical Disney suggestion of "Happily Ever After" as the song concludes.

Track 6
Original Score ANDALASIA takes us through some of the basic "fairyland magic" themes, including a pre-suggestion of "Happy Working Song" and strains from the wedding march, and makes us believe that we are about to enter a promised conclusion. It starts to get a bit intense as Giselle is being enticed to the wishing well by Queen Narissa, disguised as an old crone.

Track 7
Original Score INTO THE WELL It starts with a hollow sound and a haunting space-like minor version of 'true-love's kiss', Narissa's Wagnerian theme, a delicate tinkling of keys and then strings and choir singing without words as Giselle becomes a human ~ then a dissonance and clashing to represent the bustle and reality of the REAL world as Giselle comes out from a man-hole in the middle of the traffic in Times Square in New York City. This is where the film really begins, when fantasy and reality collide.

Track 2
Giselle (Amy Adams) sings HAPPY WORKING SONG, calling on the creatures of the city to help her clean the apartment where she is staying, just as she was accustomed to calling woodland creatures to come to her aid. She expresses her belief that Prince Edward will be there soon to take her back to her 'Happily Ever After' as she cleans. The lyrics are cheerful and very catchy, and she finishes off with, "Aaah, Wasn't this fun?"

Track 8
Original Score ROBERT SAYS GOODBYE. This is a delicate moody keyboard and strings piece with a plaintive echo of other tunes. Here you are introduced to the sensitive tunes that represent 'Robert' in this film. As the piece progresses, it seems to express bewilderment. You can sense his reluctance to abandon this naïve girl, yet not knowing what else to do.

Track 3
Giselle is surprised that Robert and Nancy have known each other for five years and he hasn't asked her to marry him yet, and sings THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW in an ensemble in the park, embarrassing Robert, who doesn't believe in all this impractical "happy ever after" business. This song was nominated for 2008 Critics' Choice Award, and is a very bouncy, clever song which makes you want to pick up your feet and sing and dance along.

Amy Adams, as Giselle, starts unaccompanied, with "How does she know you love her? How does she know she's yours?" She is joined by a three person steel band from the Caribbean, with a calypso-like beat; in point and counterpoint. Then, as more instruments join in, Amy and the steel band start moving through Central Park singing, and more people join in the song. Soon, a chorus of dancers and other people participate more and more in the song. ln the film, this is THE big number with the whole screen eventually filled with a happy singing dancing throng. She applies actions to her words in a magical way, somehow making dreams of others start to come to life.

The song and dance work together here ~ in fact there is a portion of it as video on YouTube (l linked to it from a discount DVD seller), which is worth seeking out and watching.

Track 9
Original Score: NATHANIEL AND PIP combines a delicate sombre funereal representation of Nathaniel the Valet and the aspects of a 'cat and mouse'-like chase between Pip, the chipmunk, who has found himself without the power of speech in the REAL world, and cannot warn Prince Edward of the scheming against Giselle. l didn't like this piece on itself much, but it fit its place in the film well.

Track 10
Original Score: PRINCE EDWARD'S SEARCH ~ this has a mincing nature like travelling and climbing stairs, then a triumphal questing, stopping, posing (da da!) and then carrying on as Prince Edward knocks at first one door and then another and climbs floor after floor knocking on doors trying to narrow down the place where Giselle has been taken. Prince Edward's theme is full of self importance.

Track 15
Performed by James Marsden, and "Various artists", THAT'S AMORE is a latin-beat seranade-like song in which they sing about love. This particular song really did nothing for me, but it does show off James Marsden's voice.

Track 11
Original Score: GIRLS GO SHOPPING Strumming on a guitar or similar, with strings coming in behind. This piece gives the sensation of a frivolous expedition as Giselle and Morgan go on a frantic shopping spree to dress Giselle for the King and Queen's Ball.

Track 12
Original Score: NARISSA ARRIVES is an evil triumphal orchestral choir which announces Narissa's arrival in Our World as she imperiously stops traffic in her quest to find and to destroy Giselle herself. The music is confident and forceful. You can imagine Susan Sarandon, head high in her high collar striding out in supreme confidence and knowledge of her own importance.

Track 4
SO CLOSE is performed by Jon McLaughlin as couples dance at the Ball. It is announced by the compere as a waltz, in the film. However romantic the song though, at 4/4 time, it might become a suitable Y-dance (woman shaped like a "Y" with arms up and man's arms around her, swaying from side to side ~ "Why dance?") it is CERTAINLY NOT a waltz, which has always had THREE beats to a measure, not four. As a song, it is deep and evocative; had it not been billed as a waltz, l'd have enjoyed it more. lt is full of nostalgia and you can hear part of the strains of Robert's theme in it.

Track 13
Original Score: STORYBOOK ENDING starts out with a bit of Narissa's theme, then goes to some of the Haunting tones we heard in "Into The Well" with some eerie echoes, and hints of "True Love's Kiss" as a battle of themes goes on, with Narissa's theme deriding the attempts to win over. Pip's theme comes in as well like tiny tinkling footsteps before Narissa's theme stops, and echoes of "so close" and "True Love's Kiss" finish the section. It was certainly a twist on traditional 'storybook' endings, with some interesting reflections from other tales being gently mocked.

Track 14
Original Score: ENCHANTED SUITE ties all the positive themes together with nothing left of Narissa's theme, finishing with "Ever Ever After" ~ this was very expressive and led beautifully into the final (for me) track.

Track 5
The Record Version of Carrie Underwood singing EVER EVER AFTER. She added extra material to Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz' song (and has also performed a video version of the song, where she goes from animation to reality, finds her true love, and goes back to the animated world again).

~~ Missing Tracks ~~
There are three tracks credited to the film (listed on IMdB) not included on the OST ~ PART OF YOUR WORLD and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: both of which have music by Alan Menkin and lyrics by Howard Ashman; also PINK ELEPHANTS ON PARADE written by Frank Churchill & Oliver Wallace.

~~ Presentation and Case ~~

The single CD comes in a standard plastic case with a booklet/front cover. The front picture is of a changing Giselle twirling in her journey to our terrifying world as she becomes three-dimensional.

The middle spread of the leaflet shows a montage of still photographs from the film: a lost-looking Giselle in fairytale wedding dress emerging from the man-hole; Susan Sarandon as a scornful Queen Narissa; Patrick Dempsey (as Robert Philip) with Giselle (who is wearing a dress clearly cut out from his lounge curtains); Robert with his daughter Morgan riding on his back; Robert and Nancy dressed up for the Ball; Giselle transformed for the Ball; Prince Edward; Giselle in 'How Does She Know' in Central Park; the old crone with a Poisoned Apple; and Prince Edward arriving fantastically in our world through the man-hole.

The remaining five blue flower-print design pages with tiny white writing feature the lyrics of the first five tracks, with copyright and production credits; Titles of the nine tracks of Original Score Composed and Produced by Alan Merken; title and production lists for track 15 ("That's Amore"); and a list of names of the 'Various Artists" who made up the Chorus Vocals, with full musical credits and special thanks on the back page

The Back Cover Insert of the Plastic box has inset portraits of Amy Adams as Giselle, James Marsden as Prince Edward, Patrick Dempsey as Robert Philip, and Carrie Underwood.

The pack is attractive without really being anything special.

~~ Further Comments and Recommendations? ~~

Although l loved the music, and the way it was presented in the film, l took off one star beause l had to programme the CD to play the tracks in the order l wanted to hear them.

The Soundtrack lasts for just under an hour, but there is no indication just how long each track lasts, which to me is another slight disappointment with this CD.

l expect to get the DVD as soon as it is released in the UK. My husband enjoyed it so much that even after watching it twice he has expressed interest in watching the film again. I would like to watch it and see what extras it includes, as well as double-checking my track order preference.

This is a simple CD with Simple, Joyous songs and Possibilities.

l find myself bursting into song at the oddest moments, and this CD suits my moods. l like to believe in true love's kiss, happy working songs, romantic gestures and the healing of relationships. But then, my life is like a musical, and l'm occasionally embarrassingly like Giselle, with a song to fit any occasion (usually worship songs and scripture set to music . . . ) and a belief things can become positive. As a Valentine's Day child, I like clean, loving relationships, and simplicity rather than over-complication.

If underneath it all, you are an over-grown kid and not ashamed of it, this CD will suit you, as will the film.

© 2008 jesi . . . . . . . . . ~ ! ♥♥ ! ~

PS: To see Ciao's track listing, click on 'Product Information' link above. The list misses "lnto the Well" and "Nathaniel and Pip" and credits Alan Menken incorrectly as the composer of "That's Amore", but that might be because the listing on Ciao! predates release by a week.

PPS: On 7th April the Region2 DVD was released.

Although my order isn't quite correct ~ Ever Ever After was sung after the Storybook Ending while the story finishes; and Enchanted Suite plays over the credits; certain pieces play (with slight variations) more than once; and That's Amore is sung BEFORE Prince Edward's Search not after ~ l still think the order l chose suits me best. 

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