Film on Vinyl: The Lego Movie
Welcome to another installment of Film on Vinyl, Joe Donohue’s column that celebrates the blending of his love for film and music by reviewing and dissecting movie soundtracks pressed on the oh-so-sweet vinyl record. Next up on the playlist: Spacelab 9’s release of the "The Lego Movie" soundtrack.
With “Jurassic World” breaking records and gobbling up the competition, everything is pretty awesome for Chris Pratt. So, to celebrate the success of Mr. Pratt, I’m going to take a look at the soundtrack of another one of his box-office hits, “The Lego Movie.” This animated classic did something that very few have done before, take a child’s toy and make it into a film that’s actually entertaining. I mean come on, have you seen: “G.I. Joe,” “Quiji,” “Transformers,” “Dungeons and Dragons,” or “Battleship?” The titles speak for themselves.
What made this movie so fantastically awesome, beyond the hilarious script, and outstanding cast, was one of the catchiest tunes in the last ten years. Not only that, but Mark Mothersbaugh’s score was so outrageously over the top, that it was the perfect complement to the film’s absurdness. I honestly loved every single track to this film, and to be able to own it on sweet vinyl is an absolute pleasure for my eardrums.
Sit back, enjoy the ride, and remember…everything really is awesome!
Packaging:
There’s no denying that the good people of Spacelab 9 know their way around a vinyl release. They’ve constructed some of the best soundtrack releases on the market, and run such a wide gambit of genres, that vinyl collectors will never be bored. Normally, in my album artwork I like to see original artwork. I think it adds a little something to the release, but in the case of “The Lego Movie,” using the movie poster in spot-on. The original artwork beautifully captures the insanity that trying to recreate it would never fully recapture the magic. The same goes for the centerfold and cover. Both are adorned with hilarious shots from the film that need no explanation. As the old saying goes, ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’
Everything on this end of the release perfect-o!
Tracks:
To achieve cinematic bliss, it’s extremely important for a film’s score to seamlessly interweave with the narrative. The score should create a certain tone, and really help to bring the filmmakers’ vision to life. That is why Mothersbaugh’s score is downright brilliant. Each track tells a story on it’s own, and in the end brings every piece – yep, I totally used a Lego pun, so sue me. Okay, please don’t really sue me – together to tell one complete narrative.
Some of my favorite tracks are “Emmet’s Morning,” “Emmet’s Mind,” “Batman,” and “I Am A Master Builder,” to name a few. I love “Emmet’s Morning” because it’s so cheery and pure, much like Emmet. The track paints a pretty clear picture of who our hero really is at the beginning of his journey. “Batman” is awesome because, well, it’s Batman. How is that not awesome? “I Am A Master Builder” is great too, because once again we’re given a clear picture of who our hero is after his journey. The score is much larger and possesses an aura of confidence.
Thoughts in a nutshell:
Spacelab 9’s release of “The Lego Movie” soundtrack is another homerun. The packaging is awesome. The cool, crisp sound is awesome. And the beautiful black – Emmet and Wild Style variants also available – vinyl is awesome. If you really stop and think about it…EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! This is a must-own for all cinephiles and audiophiles alike.
Until next time, make sure you’re using the appropriate cartridge. Remember to always spin responsibly.