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Can I talk about the Shrek score for a second?

Several years ago, I was listening to a podcast called Sideshow Sound Radio, a podcast that focuses primarily on discussing original scores. They had recently released their episode on Shrek (2001), co-composed by Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell (yes, THAT John Powell of How to Train Your Dragon fame). As they worked their way closer to the end of the movie, they began discussing the scene where Shrek's kiss breaks Fiona's curse and she rises into the air - a la the Beast in Beauty and the Beast - to be cemented into her ogre form for the rest of time. A beautiful moment story-wise, animation-wise, and yes, even score-wise. However, the podcast hosts (both composers) found themselves confused. "Why would the dragons theme be playing during this moment?" they wondered. Admittedly, this melody choice had also always bothered me as well though this was the first time I'd ever heard anyone refer to it as 'the dragon's theme.' The reason this piece of music had always bugged me personally was because it is not the melody you're expecting it to be but if it's playing at such a poignant moment in the story, I highly doubt it's the dragon's theme but if it's not the dragon's theme then... what is it? With that in mind, I began listening to the full released Shrek score for the first time in my life and since then, it has become one of my favorite film scores of all time and yes, I mean that completely unironically. The Shrek score, much like the film itself, thrives on its simplicity.

Everybody knows the Shrek theme and even if you think you don't, you'd definitely recognize it if you heard it. This piece of music went on to become Dreamworks version of Disney's When You Wish Upon A Star, the melody represented the company for years... but what does this theme represent outside of Dreamworks as a company and Shrek as a franchise? What I mean to say is, if you analyze the first Shrek as one singular film entity, what does this piece of music mean within the context of that story?

It is, in fact, Fiona's theme and it is an extremely personal piece of music to her as a character.

The opening of the film is the only time we hear this melody until she is introduced about 20 minutes later and only then does it become a staple of the score, representing both her and her curse. It plays romantically after she's been rescued, it tragically falls apart upon her realization that her rescuer is an ogre, it's used as an action cue when she kicks Robin Hood's merry ass, it's played when her curse is revealed to both Donkey and the audience (finally adding context to the story told to you at the beginning), it's the very last thing you hear score-wise...etc. She even sings it twice over the course of the film, most famously when that poor bird explodes. You get the gist. It's a very personal theme to Fiona, it's heard all over the film, and it is the melody you are wholly expecting to hear upon the moment her curse breaks but that's not what was chosen, so... what is playing there and what does it mean?

In order to get a better grasp on what a composer might want a theme to represent or what it's meant to signify, you must first search the score and film for other moments it plays. For instance, the most well-known other instance of this melody in the film is when Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey escape the dragon - the entire track is just made up of variations of this theme - which is exactly what prompted the two composers of that podcast to assume the melody is the dragons. Makes sense, I suppose but where else is the theme heard? In another instance that could lend credence to the theme belonging to the dragon, it plays when Shrek and Donkey fly on the dragon in attempts to interrupt Fiona and Farquaad's wedding. It's then played when Shrek objects to the wedding and very briefly when he's trying to fight off the guards after Farquaad demands they both be arrested. At that, I figured, perhaps the melody was simply a generic action cue... but that still wouldn't explain why it plays when Fiona's curse is broken...

It wasn't until I was listening to the score in chronological order and came to the track titled Eating Alone that I finally figured it out. This track plays in film when Shrek is eating at his table by himself and there, very deep on the cello, was the theme played very differently compared to how it's heard anywhere else and can be easily missed if you don't have an ear for melodies. This gave me an understanding of what to listen for in other areas of the score. Where else is this theme played this way? Nowhere other than when Shrek and Donkey have that conversation under the moonlight.

Suddenly, I got it. This is not the dragons theme, this is not a generic action cue, this is quite literally Shrek's theme that sometimes plays in what I call his heroic rendition. Suddenly, this piece of music playing the moment Fiona's curse is broken makes perfect sense and feels like a genius choice because yes, it is Fiona's curse but now it's broken and who was the one to break it exactly?

Shrek.

And that, my friends, is why I adore film scores.

(since I know people are gonna ask: Yes, Donkey has a theme)

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Anidala piece inspired by that light/dark concept art for the prequels that I’ve always loved

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endless moments of claire fraser 6/∞

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How To Train Your Dragon doodles

It’s been really cool seeing other people’s interpretations lately and it’s inspired me to try a few!

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Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965) dir. Robert Wise

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It indeed is

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I keep seeing people say that the male and female leads on [insert popular show being released currently] are “JUST LIKE Mulder and Scully from The X-Files (1993-2018),” and while I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I’m afraid I must inform you that whatever Faustian bargain Chris Carter made to put so many Vibes in the pilot episode of The X-Files (1993-2018) actually prevents Mulder and Scully from ever being replicated ever again in any form of media. They may be the blueprint, but they cannot be touched by modern television no matter how hard people try. Sincerest condolences.

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The Aristocats (1970) dir. Wolfgang Reitherman

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Look, I know The X-Files wasn’t intended to be binged the way we can now. I get it. But can we talk about how much funnier it makes it that Scully is seeing a woman floating on a ceiling with her own eyes one episode and that like two episodes later she’s back to acting like Mulder’s some weirdo for believing in aliens?? Girl is compartmentalizing and gaslighting herself at the speed of light

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the biggest crime the x files writers ever did was totally forgetting about Mulder's Oxford psychology degree. like what do you mean he was an excellent behavioral profiler and then Scully had to explain to him what SAD disorder is??? you literally graduated Oxford with honours. wake up

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BD-1 and Cal Kestis hugging in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023)

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Love these guys what was going on with their old photoshoots

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Tarzan (1999) Dir. Chris Buck & Kevin Lima

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A detail I love that they added for the film is the way Fiyero talks to/about his horse using "we" instead of "I". It's a wonderful little indication that he's going to be an ally in the fight for animal rights.