The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Music composed by Brian Tyler
Original Nintendo themes by Koji Kondo
Score conducted by Brian Tyler
Score recorded at Warner Bros Studios - Eastwood Stage
Album running time: 87 minutes
Available on Back Lot Music
Here we go! Of course the music of the Mario games is iconic as the characters. As part of the references and major nostalgia, there are tons of classic Mario themes used. I'm sure Mario music experts will be digging through the soundtrack second-by-second even more than I tried to do.
Thankfully, Brian Tyler added his own themes into the Mario universe - a theme for Mario & Luigi, Peach, Donkey Kong and of course over-the-top villain theme for Bowser. Tyler was able to blend the new and old themes together into a cohesive listening experience that is just plain fun for Nintendo fans. I'm going into the album track-by track and seeing what's in store.
Super Mario Bros. Opus is a suite of the main Tyler material, with little snippets of classic Kondo bits. Right after the classic Mario theme opening, we get the peppy new Mario Bros theme (which I think is intentionally written to mix nicely with the game theme). Next is the grand Peach/Mushroom Kingdom theme and a quiet, piano-led section for Peach and Mario before returning to the Peach theme with choir layered with the Super Star motif. We transition into the menacing Bowser music which plays a large part in score. The Mario theme returns and builds to a big finish and a wink to classic Mario. It's a great album suite, full of what Tyler has to offer.
Next up is Press Start - Mario's theme is right upfront with some light orchestration with some 8-bit sound effects and overlays of Kondo motifs - the best moment is the orchestra speeding up after we hear the classic Hurry Up motif with the Super Star and Death motifs to close the track. King of the Koopas brings a militaristic rhythm to Airship and Bowser's theme, in addition to some serious villain writing and a rock interlude. Plumbin' Aint Easy brings the cheerful Mario theme back with some orchestral flourishes. It's a Dog Eat Plumber World starts off with a cool jazz version of Super Mario 3's Ground before jumping into some big hits and charging strings and choir. We get a bit of tension building in Saving Brooklyn with drums and strings.
The Warp Pipe begins with some suspense and bits of the original Underground motif before taken over by choir and racing strings. Strange New World starts with original Mario theme in choir. A change of orchestration brings us Captain Toad's theme (heard prominently in Super Mario 3D World), and later a brief statement of Bowser's theme and fanfare version of the Castle theme (Mario 64). The Darklands explores the darker side of Bowser's kingdom and features plenty of references in the mix including Deep Dark Galaxy (Galaxy), Fortress (Super Mario 3), Ghost House (Super Mario World) and dark version of music from Luigi's Mansion.
Welcome to the Mushroom Kingdom references original Mario themes (Fossil Falls from Odyssey, Mario Bros 3, World, Super Mario Bros, Galaxy and 64) at a breakneck speed - it's an amazing feat to blend them together. 2 Player Game lets the new Mario theme shine, first on solo violin followed by the whole orchestra with little interludes of the original Mario theme. Bits of the Mushroom Kingdom theme appear and eventually Bowser's theme stomps in which is then replaced by a large reprise of Mario's theme with the classic theme mixed in. The Mushroom Council jumps around with styles, but includes Bowser's theme, Mushroom Kingdom and a nod to Peronza Plaza from Odyssey. The Plumber and the Peach leads with Tyler's original themes and builds up to Mario's theme.
Platforming Princess naturally gives Peach's theme a workout ending with the classic flag Course Clear. World 1-1 uses a strong version of Mario's theme with classic Mario sprinkled in. The theme gets a little waltz variation and at this point, the new theme is definitely stuck in your head and feels like it belongs alongside the original game music. The Adventure Begins starts right off with the Course Clear motif, Castle theme (64) and the Mushroom Kingdom theme in various fanfares with Bowser's theme near the end of the track. Bowser sits at a piano singing Peaches, it's pretty funny moment that works better in theater than on album.
Lost and Crowned is used in some of the quieter moments, with Peach's backstory. Imprisoned features more ominous Bowser material and some light underscoring moments. The change of location in Courting the Kongs gives us jungle percussion and serious version of Jungle Hijinx from Donkey Kong Country. The fun jungle rhythms continue in Drivin' Me Bananas, with Mario's theme getting a jungle rock variation. The percussion and chants continue in Rumble in the Jungle, with plenty of thrilling fanfares of Peach and Mario's themes.
The next bunch of tracks feature the Mario Kart race. We start off with Karts! featuring a great reference to the kart selection from Mario Kart 8 before really kicking it into gear with Tyler's signature rock drums with Mario's theme. In the middle of the race, we cut to Bowser's wedding speech "rehearsal" in Practice Makes Perfect. Buckle Up builds back up the race leading into the classic Rainbow Road music combined with Mario and Peach's themes. Rainbow Road Rage brings Bowser's theme into the action which keeps ratcheting up the tension leading up to a heroic Mario theme right before leading into the next track. Blue Shelled has some fantastic choir moments with running strings and the original Tyler themes in some new variations.
An Indecent Proposal naturally combines Peach and Bowser's themes, with a few comic moments tossed in the middle of the over-the-top drama. The Belly of the Beast sees our heroes in....the belly of a beast, not before escaping with a heroic Mario fanfare. Fighting Tooth and Nail is the first Bowser fight and it culminates in a bunch of game themes like the ending of Super Mario Bros, the Airship (Mario 3), lively remix of Ground (Super Mario Bros), Athletic (Mario 3) and even some Galaxy mixed with Tyler's Mario theme.
Tactical Tanooki builds back up the frantic pace as Mario flies in his raccoon suit away from Banzai Bill. Next up is the Mario Brothers Rap, their commercial heard also earlier in the film (originally from The New Super Mario Brothers Super Show). The big battle continues in Grapple in the Big Apple. The sweeter moments between Mario and Luigi are a highlight.
Superstars brings back the Super Star motif combined with Mario's theme in the big finale of their boss battle with Bowser. The Super Mario Brothers reprises Mario and Peach's themes. Bonus Level is from the end credit scene features a bit of mystery with jungle drums and flute and then a Mario theme reprise. Level Complete is the beginning of the credits with a payload of classic Mario themes like Super Mario Bros theme, Super Mario Bros 2 Overworld theme, Underground, Captain Toad, Super Mario Bros 3 Bonus, Underwater theme, Castle motif from Super Mario World and Gusty Garden Galaxy from Mario Galaxy before ending with one finale statement of Tyler's Mario theme. The arrangements are a blast!
The film and score are pure fun. There's almost 40 years worth of nostalgic Mario music that Brian Tyler and Koji Kondo were able to [lovingly] cram into the film. The album is a bit out of order and has some music not used in the film - not to mention the now infamous pop songs instead of score. The large orchestra is cranked up to the max throughout the whole film - Tyler is known for his rock style orchestra that really shines here. His new material also gets lots of play, but fits brilliantly into the Nintendo world - his Mario theme is one of the catchiest he's written since Iron Man 3 in my opinion. It's a sugary-sweet score to a candy of a film, already liked by fans of all ages.
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