Happy Birthday, Alan Menken!

This is a little off-beat, but we had two big names celebrating birthdays today, so there was no way I could leave both of them off the posts. We're also celebrating the 62nd birthday of composer and songwriter Alan Menken, who forged his career by crafting some of the most memorable songs and scores for some rather iconic Disney films. Sure, he's dabbled here and there on some other projects with other studios, but anyone who knows about Alan Menken can't deny the fact that he owes a lot of his success to Disney. So what I've done here is list my five favorite cinematic scores that Menken has produced over the years. Not so ironically, they are all from his times with Disney, but that's neither here nor there. He's been able to craft some of the most magical musical compositions I've ever heard, and I hope you enjoy these just as much as I do. Once again, happy birthday, Alan Menken!

5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1996


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4. Enchanted
2007


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3. The Little Mermaid
1989


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2. Aladdin
1992


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1. Beauty and the Beast
1991


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Awards
2007: Nominee - Best Original Score
2010: Nominee - Best Original Score

DVD Challenge #3: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1996
G
Run-time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Directed by: Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise
Starring: (voices of) Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Tony Jay, Kevin Kline & Jason Alexander



For those of you who either don't know me or have yet to figure it out, I'm a bit of a Disney freak. I've been an annual pass-holder at the Disneyland Resort for the past two years, and I simply can't get enough of it. I tend to enjoy all Disney films - I have yet to find one that I absolutely hate - but The Hunchback of Notre Dame had never been one that had truly stuck strongly with me personally. However, I saw the DVD on sale for five bucks at a store a few months back, so I figured I'd grab it while I could. This was the first time I've watched the movie in its entirety since its original theatrical run, and I must say that I was rather blown away.

The first thing you're going to notice about Hunchback is that it's a little bit darker than your standard Disney fare. Yeah, Disney has delved into the dark and dreary, but there's something about this one that really sticks it home. A friend of mine called it "Phantom of the Opera meets Disney," and I'd have to agree for a couple reasons: first, it takes place in Paris; second, the characters are definitely correlational, to a degree; and third, the over-arching musical composition is entirely operatic.

Speaking of music, I have to say that in the past, none of the songs from Hunchback ever stood out to me, but having watched it again tonight, I'd have to say that some of the music is downright brilliant. While all of the music works well within the film, there are a few songs that stand above the rest: the opener ("The Bells of Notre Dame"), Quasimodo's lament for freedom ("Out There"), and Esmeralda's prayer ("God Help the Outcasts") are all fantastic compositions that should be applauded.

Despite being a little bit on the dark side, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is still a fantastic addition to the Disney franchise and definitely worth a watch. The characters aren't as memorable as other Disney films, but the story and the music are so powerful that this film ultimately succeeds.

Rankings
Best Animated: #38

Previous DVD Challenge: NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION (1983)