Up: Michael Giacchino

What a year Michael Giacchino is having.  He was the conductor to the 81st Academy Awards, he provided scores for the TV show Fringe and another season of LOST. Earlier this month his score for J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek was released and now he is celebrating his third feature film with Pixar Animation Studios, Up.

Up is another fine achievement for Giacchino.  The score is touching, moving, gripping, exciting, and so uplifting.  I have never been such an emotional wreck while watching a movie.  But then again, I’m always an emotional wreck; I’m not surprised I keep sobbing during this film.  But, that is why I like this film and the score; it’s character driven, and Giacchino’s music is the force behind it.  Gosh, I was so invested in these characters and their adventures.  Basically, the score revolves around two main themes.  However, Giacchino constantly changes the themes to coincide with the character’s development.  It helps attach the audience to these characters and constantly reminds them of what our hero’s ambitions and the many obstacles he is forced to deal with.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The first theme you hear in the film is Charles Muntz’ theme set to lyrics in the track “The Spirit of Adventure.”  Giacchino describes it as a celebratory theme, very innocent, and embraces that excitement of discovering a New World.  When our old protagonist, Carl Fredricksen, finds Muntz in his cave he is so excited to see his beloved childhood hero and again we hear his theme.  However, when Muntz shows his true colors, the theme suddenly changes.  It almost sounds like a LOST episode.  No sudden ‘boom’ sounds here, though.  What a drastic change a minor chord can do.  Suddenly the opening theme to the movie isn’t so bright and innocent anymore.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The main theme to the film is Ellie’s theme.  Ellie is Carl’s wife and reason for him to up and move his house to the remote Paradise Falls in South America.  The film’s director, Pete Docter, told Giacchino to keep the theme nice and simple.  And it is.  A nice little melody, however it has a bit of depth to it.  Giacchino added, what he called, a “tinge of sadness to it.”  The theme starts out so light and simple because it’s introduced when Carl and Ellie are little kids.  Again, the theme changes with them as they live their lives together.  So, brilliantly in just over 4 minutes, Ellie’s theme showcases her life story without a word of dialogue.  “Married Life” is a moving piece of music.  A great composition.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The theme is carried out in the film, honoring Ellie’s spirit.  And anytime you hear it, you are reminded of Ellie and why Carl sets out on his adventure.  However, Giacchino doesn’t just repeat the theme, he builds it into something grand.  In “Carl Goes Up”, the simple theme grows into a grand movement full of life and color and the balloons pulling Carl’s house out of its foundation means more than just turning the house into a big Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade float.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Finally, the two themes battle each other during the film’s climax.  What a gripping and exciting way to wrap up the film.  You have these two old geezers giving it all they got with the culmination of their scores in the background.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Giacchino has proved, yet again what a brilliant composer he is and has become.  His scores tell a story and bring characters to life.  And this is just the beginning of his career.  I hope we hear more of his work for years to come.

Music by Michael Giacchino
Music orchestrated and conducted by Tim Simonec
Music recorded and mixed by Dan Wallin
Music Editor: Stephen M. Davis

(P) 2009 Walt Disney Records/Pixar © 2009 Disney Enterprises, Inc./Pixar Burbank, CA 91521