"The Incredibles"

asio · June 2003

John Barry's fantastic instrumental title piece, OHMSS, can now be heard on the trailer for the new Disney/Pixar film "The Incredibles".
It's a mok comic book movie and looks very humourous. You can see the trailer at www.apple.com/trailers

ABurgess · June 2003

John Barry is scoring the film. Could there be another Acadamy Award nom. or win in Barry's future? I hope so.

Felix · February 2004

I'm dragging up and old thread here, but I saw the trailer for "The Incredibles" today when I took my kids to see "Teachers Pet" (which is very funny by the way, I recommend it to other parents out there) and I rememberd the Barry connection.

Man, the OHMSS music is so great. Even slightly reworked and sped up a little for that trailer, its instantly recognizable and exciting. I read that Barry is now off the project, replaced by Michael Giacchino. Does anyone know if Barry quit or what? He's still cashing a check every time that preview with OHMSS plays, though, I'm sure.

NAOMI_FAN 1 · February 2004

Hmmm, I didn't even realize that John Barry was going to score the film! It certainly was quite a treat to hear the OHMSS music in the trailer! I wish he was still on the project!

shone · February 2004

That trailer is friggin' hilarious!! Disney have made a big mistake not continuing their relationship with Pixar. BTW. OHMSS is one of my favourite Bond themes.

NAOMI_FAN 1 · February 2004

It is a real shame that Disney and Pixar are splitting up! Just one more reason that CEO Eisner has to GO!! I think they are contractually obligated to two more pictures, "The Incredibles" and one other!

Felix · February 2004

I think it is a big mistake too, for both sides. Nobody has the marketing muscle, especially for Pixar's target audience, that Disney has. Having 25 different Toy Story items for sale in every Disney store in the world doesn't hurt the film. Not to mention Happy Meal toys at McDonalds and Disney Channel promotion. I am really suprised they couldn't work it out. It seems very much a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Back to the subject of "The Incredibles," I went to the premier (IMO) John Barry Web Site and it says that as of January 15 he is still on "The Incredibles" project "despite recent stories to the contrary."

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Kerim Bey · May 2004

They have released the full length trailer and it looks REALLY good.

The OHMSS music is still in there, too! I think that is part of what makes the trailer so good.

Elias · May 2004

Hi i have seen the trailer too and the music in it is not made just for the trailer it is off of a james bond remix album. I have the album and it is really good, the track is called "On her majesty's secret service" By "Propellerheads" and it is off the "Shaken and stirred" album whitch is a album put togeather by David Arnold who does all the music for the new bond films, his albums for "The world is not enough" and "tomorrow never dies" are so good and i still listen to them and im not bord of them (and i get bord of songs so easy). But on the other hand his album for "Die another day" is the worst one just like the movie.

Felix · May 2004

You are right Elias, the new trailer does feature the Propellerheads version of OHMSS. Nice to hear from another fan of Shaken and Stirred. I have championed that album on AJB for a while without much response.

Just to clarify, though, the music in the teaser trailer seen last fall is from the OHMSS score. You can check them both out at The Incredibles web site.

You certainly can't believe what you read, but most everything seems to indicate that Barry did not produce the final score for the Incredibles, but will receive co-writing credit since he had already written some of the main themes. I guess we will know for sure when it comes out in November.

Tracy · September 2004

Hmmm, as far as I can tell at the moment Barry was/is (?) on the project. The trailer definitely made my day; "modern" audiences might not recognize the music, but it's still a great idea to reuse it.

TGO_ · September 2004

John Barry is not, and I repeat not scoring the Incredibles. He was replaced months ago by a guy who used to score video games. I believe his name is Michael Giacchanno(sp?).

Tracy · September 2004

Quoting TGO_:
John Barry is not, and I repeat not scoring the Incredibles. He was replaced months ago by a guy who used to score video games. I believe his name is Michael Giacchanno(sp?).

Argh! I've been wanting to see Barry score something new for awhile. Isn't Giacchanno (sp?) the guy who scores the Alias TV series? The name sounds pretty similar.

aminnj · November 2004

you are right michael giacchino does the score for the incredibles, i know this to be true b/c he is my cousin, he's extremely talented and and im sure no one will be disappointed in what you hear. he also does the score for the show lost,alias,and the up comming muppets in the wizard of oz.

Tracy · November 2004

From what I've heard from another film score community, as far as we know - Barry's material was removed completely. Giacchino was brought on after doing a short for Pixar that they were very pleased with.

That's a pity, because I really wanted to see it just to listen to Barry's latest score. He hasn't done anything since Engima (2001). I'm still puzzled why Barry left the Incredibles in the first place.

Could you possibly verify this for me, aminnj?

Sir Hillary Bray · November 2004

Having seen the film last weekend, I can say it without a doubt one of the most Bond-esque scores I have ever heard. During one scene in which the hero penetrates the villain's lair, the music is amazingly similar to Barry's stylized Bond theme in the Goldfinger PTS.

In fact, the entire film is HUGELY influenced by the early Bond films -- homages to Ken Adam as well as John Barry.

spectre7 · November 2004

The last I heard, Barry wrote some thematic material for the film which he then presented to Pixar. It is rumoured/alleged etc. that the theme was dangerously similar to the OHMSS theme.

There is also a rumour that John Barry is on a "blacklist" of sorts at a number of studios. As well as having scores rejected, he has walked from a large number of films.

The Cat · November 2004

Quoting spectre7:
There is also a rumour that John Barry is on a "blacklist" of sorts at a number of studios. As well as having scores rejected, he has walked from a large number of films.

Why would studios do that? Did he do something in the past?

Tracy · November 2004

Barry can be pretty demanding as a composer from what I've heard...he asks for something like $1 million per film (or at least did for a few some time ago...I can't remember which ones), won't work with "pop stars," refuses to have a music supervisor on any of the scores that he does, and generally won't take any criticism from directors, producers, and the like. The last big project he did was on Michael Apted's Enigma in either 2001 or 2002, which was actually quite good compared to some of his other work in the 90s (*coughs* The Specialist!).

darenhat · November 2004

After having seen The Incredibles I was seriously contemplating finding the score on CD, but I realized why buy a soundtrack that seems to be a rip-off of John Barry's 007 scores when I've already got the real thing? Although imitation is the highest form of flattery, sometimes I feel that people kind of "mock" the old Connery/Barry music (Austin Powers, to name one). I know that wasn't the intent of The Incredibles, hence the actually attempts to have John Barry score it originally, but part of me feels that too many people treat the 60's Bond aspects as being "Old-School" and therefore ridiculous and worth laughing at.

scaramanga1 · December 2004

Quoting Sir Hillary Bray:
Having seen the film last weekend, I can say it without a doubt one of the most Bond-esque scores I have ever heard. During one scene in which the hero penetrates the villain's lair, the music is amazingly similar to Barry's stylized Bond theme in the Goldfinger PTS.

In fact, the entire film is HUGELY influenced by the early Bond films -- homages to Ken Adam as well as John Barry.

Can't agree with you more - I watched this film last week and loved it! It is a must see for all Bondfans and big kids alike!

007_nich · December 2004

I would really like to see it. I've seen the trailer. I've heard YOLT and the Bond & 007 themes in there.

Tracy · December 2004

I just got the Incredibles soundtrack for Christmas

, and I swear that some of John Barry's actual work appears on the CD uncredited (he doesn't appear in any of the film's credits; I literally stayed for all seven minutes and forty one seconds of it). Barry was originally signed on to do the film's score and did some of the secondary (and possibly main? The five note Mr. Incredible theme sounds like it's roughly an adaptation of the Bond theme) themes until he mysteriously went off the project and handed the scoring over to Michael Giacchino.

Even if his work isn't credited, the soundtrack is quite excellent, and Giacchino is a worthy successor.

The Cat · December 2004

Quoting Tracy:
I just got the Incredibles soundtrack for Christmas , and I swear that some of John Barry's actual work appears on the CD uncredited (he doesn't appear in any of the film's credits; I literally stayed for all seven minutes and forty one seconds of it).

Any Bond-related cues in particluar? Oh, and did they put up the Propellerhead OHMSS mix, which was so dominantly featured on the trailer?

Tracy · December 2004

Sadly there's no Propellerhead OHMSS-very rarely does the trailer music make it into the soundtrack anyway; Pixar is trying to eliminate any obvious musical traces of John Barry. You can hear a reworking of the Space March from YOLT in "Kronos Unveiled." I haven't done a comprehensive Bond cue matchup yet, but from a rough listening "The Glory Days," "Life's Incredible Again," "A Whole Family of Supers," "Escaping Nomansian," the beginning of "Saving Metroville," and "The Incredits" have some Barry Bond elements, especially in the brass (though you can also hear a lot of Jerry Goldsmith's influence, especially from his Man from UNCLE work). Plus, the flute bits practically scream Barry-Barry flute themes are stupefyingly easy to identify-do they really expect us to believe that Giacchino did them? There's one cue that sounds like it got lifted from Thunderball when Bond is sneaking around Palmyra, but I can't remember its name at the moment.

delon64 · January 2005

probably inspired by its use in the film...the bbc is currently running a splendid advert for its childrens cable channel...with the ohmss theme and a bespectacled child dressed as the prisoner complete with piped blazer and circular 60s chair...i cant see the connection but its a fun advert nonetheless

Sir Miles · January 2005

Quoting delon64:
probably inspired by its use in the film...the bbc is currently running a splendid advert for its childrens cable channel...with the ohmss theme and a bespectacled child dressed as the prisoner complete with piped blazer and circular 60s chair...i cant see the connection but its a fun advert nonetheless

If you see the full advert there is a few other Bond references in there as well - it is a fun advert.

Tracy · March 2005

Apparently the version of OHMSS used in the first trailer is from the CD "Bond: Back in Action"(Escape From Piz Gloria and Ski Chase). I only remember hearing the remix by David Arnold featuring The Propellerheads as it appears on "Shaken and Stirred." Does anyone remember if the more authentic instrumental version of OHMSS was actually used in one of the trailers?

The Cat · March 2005

Quoting Tracy:
I haven't done a comprehensive Bond cue matchup yet, but from a rough listening "The Glory Days," "Life's Incredible Again," "A Whole Family of Supers," "Escaping Nomansian," the beginning of "Saving Metroville," and "The Incredits" have some Barry Bond elements...

Try Martital Rescue. It is a rip-off of Dawn Raid of Fort Knox. There's also the Moonbuggy music in The Glory Days and DAF in Adventure Calling. I'll do the comprehensive analysis as soon as this movie appears on DVD.

largo_7 · March 2005

I saw this film for the first time last weekend and I was amazed at what I heard: Bond music in an animated movie. I heard lovely strains I would think to be from GFs Dawn Raid (as the Cat pointed out), TBs Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (or something like it), and music that was very close to YOLT. I finally understand why everyone thinks this is a Barry score.

Tracy · March 2005

Quoting The Cat:

Quoting The Cat:
Quoting Tracy:
I haven't done a comprehensive Bond cue matchup yet, but from a rough listening "The Glory Days," "Life's Incredible Again," "A Whole Family of Supers," "Escaping Nomansian," the beginning of "Saving Metroville," and "The Incredits" have some Barry Bond elements...

Try Martital Rescue. It is a rip-off of Dawn Raid of Fort Knox. There's also the Moonbuggy music in The Glory Days and DAF in Adventure Calling. I'll do the comprehensive analysis as soon as this movie appears on DVD.

Ack, Cat, you're taking over my month long project of identifying all of the Bond-ripoffs in the Incredibles! :P Martial Rescue is most definitely a variation on Dawn Raid as I have mentioned previously. Unfortunately I don't have the DAF soundtrack so I didn't notice Moonbuggy. I wouldn't be surprised if more DAF is on the soundtrack.

This is what I've got so far:
1. The Glory Days: 0:00 to 0:05 is the opening brass notes of the OHMSS theme after the orchestral hits and the secondary descending melody line. The five note glory days/Mr. Incredible hero motif is almost note-for-note the Bond vamp. 0:25-0:54 is a jazzy brassy repetition of the hero motif with the sax echoing the motif.
5. Lava in the Afternoon: A bit of a quieter, slower Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Ban feel, but the style also resembles Barry's Ipcress File stuff.
6. Life's Incredible Again: This sounds more like a Henry Mancini/Edwin Astley tribute, but you can hear elements of Into Miami with the whoa-whoa brass.
9. Kronos Unveiled: starting from 0:58 it's a variation on the YOLT Space March, with the strings, flute, and harp as it slowly builds up in intensity.
13. Lithe or Death: I am almost positive that the material on this track was all written by Giacchino, especially the suspense music stuff which is obviously influenced by his work on Alias. However, 0:00-0:58 reminded me a bit of the softer strings and flute on "Journey to Draco's Hideaway" and "We Have All The Time in the World-James Bond Theme" (the strings from that) from OHMSS.

Bond-ish missing cues:
-Mr. Incredible swimming up the tunnel in the cave avoiding the gigantic mass of water rushing up behind him: rather like that scene with the swimming ninjas in YOLT
-Mr. Incredible sneaks out of the cave and tries to infiltrate Syndrome's island lair; the music is a lot like Bond sneaking around Goldfinger's factory, plus there's some similar music when Bond is sneaking around Palmyra in the dark at night in TB.
-Reprise of YOLT like music (Bond Averts WW3 possibly? It's one of the Bond pretending to be an astronaut cues, but I can't remember which one) for when the rockets are first being launched and Dash explores the cave.
-The flute love theme is very Barry-like when Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl are reunited.

-Another Bond-ish sort of musical reference: Mr. Incredible hums his own hero motif from "Glory Days" which reminded me of Vijay playing the Bond theme.

"The Incredibles"

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