Various Artists - Pete's Dragon

Marrying animation to live action had been experimented with in the '30s and '40s, perfected in the '60s for Mary Poppins, and elevated to tour-de-force status on Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, but Disney's 1976 feature Pete's Dragon helped pioneer the use of the technique as feature-film vehicle. The song-score of Al Kasha and Joel Hirschorn occasionally rises to the level of the Sherman brothers, their daunting predecessors at the studio, but it also graced one of the last of the old-school Disney musical films. Indeed, it's likely the most consistent element of a much-troubled production (its animation was originally intended for a brief segment at the end, then steadily expanded after the fact). Indeed, there's an almost schizophrenic sense of the traditional Disney musical ethos occasionally clashing with the changing musical mores of the late '70s. The mature, Helen Reddy-performed ballad "Candle on the Water" won a Best Song Oscar^®, but other tunes like "Passamashloddy" and "Boo Bop Bopbop (I Love You Too)" sometimes feel like they could have been outtakes from any six previous Disney musicals. But if the studio's impossibly sunny, marvelously crafted song ethos of its '40s-'60s prime is what you're after, you'll find a familiar friend here. -–Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

Pete's Dragon

Could not find this DVD in any store, but Amazon certainly had it. My grandsons just adore this movie, thank you. February 7, 2007

Wonderful soundtrack.

Pete's Dragon has a truly wondeful soundtrack, it's one of those that is very cleverly written, with wondefully creative musical themes, which unfortunately doesn't always get the celebration it deserves.

Now Disney have provided all the songs from opening score from the film. The tone of the music, has a calm feeling to it, even though there are upbeat numbers they are not 'razzle dazzle' and stay close to the almost sombre feeling of the film.

One reason why I did not give this 5 stars is because the songs are not identical to the versions in the film, the running times for the songs on the CD are in most cases shorter than you'll find on the DVD, with mostly the instrumental parts of the songs being omitted, although there is some difference in lyrics for a couple of tunes.

But all in all Pete's Dragon is a stunning soundtrack.
February 3, 2007

Pete's Dragon Soundtrack

I've read some of these reviews and I Pulled out my old dusty LP of Pete's dragon and compared it to the list on the CD. Disney took the songs as they were on the album and put it directly remastered onto the CD.

The original album does not have them on chrono order and has the times listed on it with the artists, so for those who feel they did it intentionally, they did not It was taken directly from the original LP album.

Nuff said. March 26, 2006

Brazzle Dazzle Score

Even though there is room for improvement, the soundtrack to Disney's "Pete's Dragon" has never sounded better. The film may have its detractors, but it's hard to argue with these bouncy, catchy songs and the talented performers who sing them. Among the highlights are Helen Reddy's beautiful reading of "Candle on the Water," which more than makes up for her wooden acting in the film, and the brilliant Jim Dale's duet with the loveable Red Buttons. Unfortunately, this CD release pretty much mirrors the original LP, differing only in the absence of "Candle on the Water's" commercial single.. For some mysterious reason the songs do not appear in their on-screen order, a tremendous annoyance to any one who knows the story. Apparently, Red Button's line in "Passamashloddy" was recorded live on the set and is not on the soundtrack master, but it certainly should have been added to the mix as the song's rhyme scheme and momentum are greatly harmed by its absence. Some of the songs have also been abridged. But, since this is the best release of this score to date, I have to say that it will keep kids and their parents humming. December 16, 2004

Could Use a Touch of Brazzle Dazzle

Although the songs on this CD are highly entertainling and sure to get stuck in your head once you've heard them, the CD is poorly produced. As others have noted the songs are not presented in the order they apear in the film. Worse, some have been edited. Below is the odrer in which they appear in the film (edited songs are marked with an asterisk).

1. Main Title
* 2. The Happiest Home In These Hills
3. Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You, Too)
4. I Saw a Dragon
5. It's Not Easy
* 6. Passamasholddy
7. Candle on the Water
8. There's Room for Everyone
9. Every Little Piece
* 10. Brazzle Dazzle Day
11. Bill of Sale
12. Candle on the Water (reprise)

Unfortunately, the reprise of "I Saw a Dragon" is not even on the CD. On the plus side, the booklet includes all the lyrics for each song and the digital remastering has produced a very clear and vibrant sound. It's unlikely this CD will be released again, so if you're a fan of Pete's Dragon or just want to hear some good, fun music, you'll have to deal with shortened versions and a confusing track listing. August 1, 2004

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