A fun and enlightening exclusive interview with composers JEFF DANNA and MYCHAEL DANNA talking about scoring music for THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2.
It’s no secret that JEFF and MYCHAEL DANNA are two of my favorite composers, individually and collectively. They inject creativity into every composition and score be it for television or film, and do it with tonally perfect emotion through the music and the instrumentation used to perform that music. Their work is unforgettable with everything from Onward to The Good Dinosaur to Storks to The Breadwinner on the big screen or series like Alias Grace and Guillermo del Toro’s Tales from Arcadia. And of course, Jeff and Mychael added another layer of creepy, kooky, ooky, spooky fun to THE ADDAMS FAMILY first animated feature and then returned to score THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 (and hopefully, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 3).
Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 takes on a challenge that every parent can relate to, especially parents with teenaged kids. Wednesday and Pugsley are growing up a bit too fast to suit Morticia and Gomez. No more sit down family dinners. “Scream time” is the priority. Wednesday is obsessing with her neverending science projects and dealing with the jealousy of classmates while Pugsley only wants to get a girlfriend. What’s a parent to do! The answer is simple for Morticia and Gomez. Pack up the Addams RV and hit the road! A summer of fun with just the family; well, all but Grandmama who stays home and comes up with a fun game plan all her own. But of course, along the way, adventure and hijinks ensue that ultimately lead to everyone’s realization that family matters.
With The Addamses hitting the road on a cross-country vacation this go-round, the door opened wide for Jeff and Mychael to infuse new musical elements into the music, celebrating the culture clash of the Eastern European immigrant Addamses with the touristy locales of the United States. As you listen to the score, you’ll notice fabulous signature character motifs that incorporate cultural musical elements both in style and instrumentation, as well as specific locales and themes like Miami Beach or the Alamo. But above all, the Dannas keep emotion at the forefront; emotion for the audience and the emotionality of the characters. As with many films, scoring also requires compositions to serve as lead-ins or outros for needledrops and THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2. It’s not easy to lead into or out of the “1812 Overture”, but the Dannas do it beautifully!
I got to reconnect with JEFF DANNA and MYCHAEL DANNA for the first time since our last sitdown for The Good Dinosaur and talk all things Addams including, motifs and themes, instrumentation, collaboration, working with and around needle drops, creating scene and character specific emotion with music – including teen angst, upping the ante for this sequel, “writing a story that goes alongside the story of the movie”, the approach to scoring, and more.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview Janaury 13, 2022
Starring the voice talents of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bette Midler, Nick Kroll, Javon “Wanna” Walton, Wallace Shawn, Bill Hader, and Snoop Dogg, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 is now available on Blu-ray/DVD, jam-packed with lots of fun extras. And with the purchase of THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 on disc, fans are eligible to earn points towards special rewards via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, signed collectables, box sets, win exclusive prizes and more! For FREE registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.
