I have always admired the unique collaboration between Glenn Slater and Alan Menken, two brilliant minds who have created some of the most memorable songs in animated films. Their partnership is a testament to their shared passion for storytelling and their ability to work seamlessly together, despite their differences.
As a movie reviewer with a penchant for enchanting melodies, I must acknowledge that no one in the realm of princess songs commands such grandeur as Alan Menken. It’s only fitting then, that Skydance Animation sought out this eight-time Oscar winner to pen the music and score their breathtaking new animated musical, “Spellbound.
The movie currently streaming on Netflix features Rachel Zegler as Princess Ellian, a young girl determined to lift a curse that transformed her royal parents (portrayed by Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem) into monstrous beings. In addition, John Lithgow, Jennifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, and Nathan Lane provide their voices for this enchanting fairy tale adventure.
As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that the composer behind “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” Alan Menken, joined forces with his frequent collaborator Glenn Slater (“Tangled”). In an exclusive sneak peek into the film’s music creation, Zegler praises Slater, stating, “Glenn Slater truly encapsulates the emotion that resonates in Alan’s music so beautifully.” She continues, “Pairing Alan and Glenn is like a match made in heaven.
Zegler initially joined the project as a temporary vocalist for demo recordings, but later landed the role of voicing Ellian for real, which she worked on for almost five years. During this period, she consistently contributed to the project while working on ‘Shazam’ and ‘Snow White’, traveling to various studios worldwide. Zegler shared her enthusiasm about the flexibility of recording voiceovers remotely during an interview with EbMaster earlier this year, revealing that Javier Bardem would often record his lines immediately after wrapping up filming for ‘Dune’, covered in sand from the desert set.
Nicole Kidman praises Zegler, stating, ‘She’s truly remarkable. Her voice is simply outstanding.’ The music is enchanting, and it carries a timeless charm.
As a movie enthusiast, stepping into the magical world of Menken and Slater’s music feels like living my own enchanting fairy tale. I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful. You see, Alan was the maestro behind the soundtracks that filled my childhood with wonder, and now, he’s the one composing the melodies for my first animated movie – simply breathtaking!
In a conversation with EbMaster, Menken and Slater outline their method for composing “Spellbound”‘s music.
In crafting Ellian’s intriguing introduction, I chose a playful and engaging approach by having her sing an unconventional song titled “My Parents are Monsters.” The choice to break the fourth wall in this way stemmed from my desire to immediately establish Ellian as a unique character who isn’t afraid to challenge conventions and express herself boldly. As a movie lover, I always appreciate characters that make an impact right from the start!
One key aspect we kept in mind while developing this character was reflecting authentic family dynamics as they occur in real life. To ensure accuracy, we aimed to portray characters behaving exactly as people would in everyday situations. We imagined Ellian as a 15-year-old girl who communicates like a contemporary teenage girl would – using her phone and breaking the fourth wall, for example. Our goal was to capture the casual, conversational tone of social media interactions and give insight into her world through her eyes. This is not a storybook princess, but a relatable teenager.
In your next major track titled “The Way It Was Before,” the lively spark transforms into a deep yearning. Can you tell us about the process of composing this poignant ballad, understanding its significance as the emotional heart of the movie?
Alan Menken explains: In the animation itself, notice the dilapidated piano with water droplets striking its keys. This depicts something once beautiful being shattered, which subtly infuses the intro of the song. The tune embodies a yearning for what was broken and an attempt to mend it again.
Slater: The first tune we composed for the project originated before we fully developed the plot. We were gathered around a table, discussing the character’s traits and her unique qualities compared to typical fairy tale characters. Words like “longing and sad,” but also “hopeful and grand,” emerged. Alan then simply sat at the piano and played, “How about something like this?” Moments like that are unforgettable.
Menken: Usually it takes a little more prompting!
Slater: Alan functions similar to the world’s most advanced music AI. When you give him hints such as “she’s happy, yet courageous, and she hasn’t met her parents in a while, and it’s somewhat like the sensation when you unwrap a gift, but it’s not what you expected,” he responds with something like, “Ah, something like this!
Menken: I’m actually an audio animatronic representation of Alan Menken.
Why was Rachel Zegler the right choice for Princess Ellian’s voice?
Slater: Vicky Jenson’s top pick from the beginning was likely our leading actress, and everyone was thrilled when she agreed to join us, as she’s truly exceptional. Being of the generation raised on Disney films, she inherently understands what a Disney heroine appears like and sounds like. Yet, she’s not just an excellent actress, but she managed to put her unique touch on this template while delving deeply into the specific traits of this character, making her feel genuine. As soon as she stepped into the studio, she delivered flawlessly.
Another standout number is John Lithgow’s showstopping “I Could Get Used to This.” It just sounds like you two had a blast working on it, with lyrics like “It’s more than marvelous / How have I lived my whole live larva-less?”
Menken: Or “I could get used to this / Somehow I can’t help but shake my big fat caboose to this!”
Slater: The song you just heard was our final composition. At this point in the storyline, we were developing a more somber second act filled with numerous dramatic twists and turns carrying significant emotional weight. We found ourselves repeatedly thinking, “This scene needs a big musical number!” Then, we realized we had John Lithgow on board. Given his exceptional vocal abilities and impeccable comic timing, we capitalized on his unique sound to create that production number.
In simpler terms, Menken used the Flinks to bridge a scene where this refined gentleman, surprised by his new experience of consuming larvae, exclaims “Oh!
On that note, is there a specific lyric from these songs that you’re particularly proud of?
Menken: “Larva-less.”
Slater: I think that’s going on my tombstone. “Here lies Glenn Slater: Larva-less.”
The ones that truly impact us are often those we don’t consciously recognize. It’s those poignant instances that tug at our hearts, which hold the greatest significance.
Slater: Typically, we aim for our work to blend seamlessly with a character’s voice and emotions in a song. The lines that stick are often those that reflect the character’s intelligence or wit. However, when dealing with less articulate characters like the ones in this film, the lyrics may not be as clever, but they should embody their struggle to communicate effectively and search for the right words to create an emotional bond. It won’t have the feel of Sondheim, but it should resonate authentically from those specific characters at that particular moment.
Over the years, you’ve worked together on numerous projects such as “Tangled” and “Galavant.” Can you tell me what it is that continually draws you to collaborate with one another and keeps you both interested in working together repeatedly?
Our creative process is wonderful. We’re quite different when working together – I focus on the overall emotional impact and the narrative flow of the song, while Glenn concentrates on the structural aspect and how to make it effective. Over the years, we’ve collaborated extensively, reminding me a lot of my partnership with [late collaborator Howard Ashman]. With each new project, we know that we will need to dismantle our previous work and start anew to find the unique voice for this specific piece. There were many songs we discarded during this process, which could have formed another musical on their own!
Trust in a collaborator and the belief that joint efforts will always result in better outcomes is crucial for any project or collaboration. With Alan Menken, I’m confident that regardless of the idea or its iterations, we’ll produce a memorable melody that you can’t stop humming.
This conversation has been shortened and made clearer for the purpose of this article. Selome Hailu assisted with the reporting on this piece.
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2024-11-22 20:17