Composing Greatness: #2.The Musical or Comedy Scores - "The American President" (1995)

Scene from The American President (1995)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: Marc Shaiman

Entry: The American President (1995)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score

Did They Win: No

Other Nominees:
-Pocahontas (Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz)*Winner
-Sabrina (John Williams)
-Toy Story (Randy Newman)
-Unstrung Heroes (Thomas Newman)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 2

Oscar Wins: 0

Track List

1. "Main Titles"
2. "Call Me Andy"
3. "I Like Her"
4. "It's Meatloaf Night"
5. "The First Kiss"
6. "The Slow Down Plan"
7. "The Morning After/Meet the Press"
8. "Politics As Usual"
9. "Never Have An Airline Strike at Christmas"
10. "I Have Dreamed"
11. "Camp David"
12. "Gathering Votes"
13. "Make The Deal"
14. "Decisions"
15. "President Shepherd"

Note: Listen to here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

Theme Exploration:

"Main Titles"

Without regaling the popular motifs of classic presidential music, Marc Shaiman is able to create this interesting balance between the soaring melodies of a leader and the fluttering undertones of a romantic comedy. It's beautiful in its simplicity, managing to convey perfectly what the tone of this story will be. While this is a position full of serious goals, it's still a story about a man eager to find love an feel like his life matters. It's a bit muted and simple, but overall gets the point across.

Interesting Standout:
"Gathering Votes"

For the most part, the score exists in this quieter area, reflecting on something more insular and longing. When required to express leadership, this is the type of motif that Marc Shaiman gives us, finding abruptness in the shift to a quicker pace, finding urgency without totally changing the ambiance of the piece. It's assertive and engaging, managing to convey how much this job means to him. It reminds us why he's president and those notes do a lot of incredible work of helping you focus on this intense, career-making move that is necessary to the third act of the plot.

Best Moment:
"The First Kiss"

As it has been mentioned before, this is a romantic comedy. That is why it should be emphasized that the best piece of music be used during a meeting of the loving couple. Music has the power to inform implicit desires, and Marc Shaiman has found a way to make us care by making us feel the innocence and awe of this moment, making us root for him as they begin to dance, forming something cinematic in their passion for each other. Without the music doing its wonderful dance, the whole moment wouldn't work. Because of this, it's a centerpiece to why the whole story is not just cornball nonsense. 

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
Yes

I suppose one thing to argue is that there's not much of a score here. It's abrupt and short in ways that take away from any momentum. However, the longer tracks (often two to three minutes) have this urgency and focus to them that makes you forgive how sleight it all feels. It may not have the immediacy of other nominees, but Marc Shaiman is great at his job and helps to balance a tone between Americana and above-average romantic comedy motifs that manage to capture the audience's interest in this premise. It's all a bit silly, but because of this score it manages to feel a whole lot more sincere and necessary. 

Up Next: Best Original Musical or Comedy Score - John Williams, Sabrina (1995)

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by The Best Original Musical or Comedy Score nominees.

1. Marc Shaiman: "Main Titles" - The American President (1995)
2. Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz: "Pocahontas" - Pocahontas (1995)

Best Winner

A ranking of all themes composed by The Best Original Musical or Comedy Score winners.

1. Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz: "Pocahontas" - Pocahontas (1995)