It might be there inadvertently!
Oh, I will tell you where!
Ill give you a clue.
Its in the film, and its almost in an analogous spot from the spot inEnchanted.
Ive followed your scores for a long time.
Im going score specifically, because I think we talk about the songs a lot.
But they never seem to make the round-up albums!
Is that how you see it?
Well, the job when you write film underscore is to be ignored.
That comes with the gig, no question about it.
The thing that intrigues me about your work is that its across so many different collaborations and tones.
You take your work onHunchback Of Notre Dame, which goes to some really dark places, for instance.
Presumably, the differing collaborations work very well for you?
Most of my collaborations, certainly post-Howard Ashman but even with Howard, are music first.
Before I met any of these collaborators, I was a lyricist, and a good one.
When I write the music for any of my songs, I write as a composer-lyricist in my head.
I know whether or not Im writing the words in my head or not.
I know the conversation.
I know what is going on dramatically, and I know what my pre-conceptions.
Yeah, thats a temptation.
After Howard died, I wrote some of the songs forAladdin.
Ive been blessed by having wonderful lyricists.
But when Im liberated from worrying about the words, frankly, I feel Im a better composer.
You clearly have a lot of fun picking the over-arching theme of the film.
Is that your first decision?
[sings loudly again.
He is more tuneful than your interviewer].
I just go, What can I use?
what can I use?
Oh, Ill use that!
And at the end of the day, it adds up to a score, thank goodness.
They really wanted to minimise it.
So, we minimised it.
I really had to pick my spots to bring theme in.
Its doing the distillation of the storytelling.
Its condensing lots of really important things about character, such as in the opening song.
It feels like youre putting across 10, 20 pages of screenplay in a song?
One is, is there a compelling song moment here?
What is the conceit of the song?
Do we get it because its ironic and funny?
Or is it touching?
If its going to be exciting, why is it exciting?
And also, is it a clear genre?
Do people understand what the song is, so that youre helped by that.
In terms of composition, thats arguably one of the most overlooked skills?
[Laughs] Yeah.
And the directors are not shy about recommending that!
Nathan Greno and Byron Howard are young, very driven, and seem almost fearless.
You have a far more extensive backlog of credits and experience.
So, how does the mechanic change for you?
Presumably, the directors are respectful of your work?
And were separated by at least 20 years of age.
People want to establish their own ground.
So, when you bring in the sort of old master, that can be a little bit daunted.
So, on the one hand theyre respectful, and on the other they go, No, Alan.
We dont want that, we want this.
And there are times I have to go [zips mouth].
Theres a place in the movie where I had a concept for the score.
We had initially had a song for the character Flynn.
Where he sang a sea shanty.
He was singing about what he wanted in his life and his father used to sing him this lullaby.
And the song got cut.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Sorry, Ill try it again…!
Disney as a company, you mean?
Disney as a film company.
Certainly the way that animation has gone.
There seems a fear.
Do you think were getting the anti-reaction now?
The way I see it is that theres a wide spectrum of what a musical is.
At one end of the spectrum you could say isHunchbackandBeauty And The Beast.
And then theres all the stuff in between.
And at any given part of the process, theyre going to be going, We want this.
No, we want that.
So, its always navigating what kind of musical is this.
And frankly,Tangledis certainly far from your classic break into song musical.
Its essentially an action-adventure, romantic comedy with songs.
If people respond to the songs, it could become a musical.
At the same time, it could almost be something that exists without songs.
There is, at Disney, always a constant questioning about what is a musical.
Musicals can be very dangerous.
Were in danger of losing an art.
InTangled, we have a proper score, a different score, one with its own identity.
Presumably, there must be a reason for that?
I came from theatre, of course.
But yes, right now, I have nothing in the pipeline for Disney.
No.Snow Queenis not happening.
That could turn around like that.
The film version of theBeauty And The BeastBroadway musical?
Im on [stage musicals]Sister Act,Leap Of Faith.
Im developing a musical.
Its an original idea Im working on, with David Zippel.
With Disney, whether theres going to be a sequel toEnchanted?
Would you like there to be?
Youre not a sequel person, really.
Ive never had a sequel.
I dont know whats going to be.
But honestly, Im fine with or without there being more!
And with that, sadly, our time was up.Alan Menken, thank you very much!
Tangled is released in the UK on 28thJanuary.
