Chicken Run (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album composed by John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams for the film of the same name and released by RCA Victor on 20 June 2000.
Contents
Background
The film score is composed by John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams, who previously collaborated on the DreamWorks Animation film Antz (1998). Like their previous film, Gregson-Williams wrote the primary themes whereas Powell would work on the large character themes, and both composers worked on the main theme. The score was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London. Powell incorporated the use of kazoos and whistles for more fun elements, and added that in the track "Building the Crate", he had used a kazoo orchestra to record the cue, which the players had enjoyed. The score further emphasized the use of brass, owing to Powell liking the sound of brass, having mentioned his father being a brass player. The opening sequences had the score from The Great Escape (1963) as a placeholder, which the composers tried hard to crack and it took them months to work on the opening piece. At one point, the directors had tried to acquire the piece, as they didn't think about the composers cracking the theme.
Release
RCA Victor released the Chicken Run soundtrack on 20 June 2000, featuring 18 tracks from Powell and Gregson-Williams' score, and two songs "Flip, Flip and Fly" by Ellis Hall and "The Wanderer" by Dion DiMucci.
Reception
Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK wrote "Jaded collectors who thought that innovation was dead in modern film scoring need look no further than the work of John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams for proof that, when presented with the right project and the right set of circumstances, the composers of today can compete with the best that film music has ever offered." Thomas Glorieux of Maintitles wrote "Frankly, it is still a sign that Chicken Run works so well even after all this time, showing Harry Gregson-Williams was back then a lot more inspired than today, and that John Powell was just warming up what was going to become one amazing career. Yet both complemented each other so well that I don't mind seeing them together in one movie once again, because even the collaboration after that (Shrek) was worthy of some acclaim. However giving some acclaim is the least you can do when hearing, adoring and liking everything that Chicken Run has to offer" calling it "one of the biggest fun scores ever written".
Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks wrote "Chicken Run is extremely likable in character and a technical marvel in its orchestration and outstanding recording quality. It is, however, an overload of orchestral bombast and energy, with just too much flair to hold together for some listeners. As well as the composers succeed in their satirical tributes, it is this exact constant throughout Chicken Run that makes it a difficult score to enjoy unless you're looking for music that will consume all of your concentration [...] for enthusiasts of highly sophisticated orchestral comedy and satire, Chicken Run will crank you up." Heather Phares of AllMusic wrote "Chicken Run's soaring, symphonic pieces—which were composed and arranged by John Powell and Harry Gregson-Willamson—are an affectionate homage to the golden age of film music. A must for fans of the movie, as well as aficionados of great movie music in general." David A. Koran of Soundtrack.Net wrote "Chicken Run proves that pairing these two guys up again can prove better than their work on their last collaboration Antz, which was also released by Dreamworks."
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes: