It's your friendly neighbourhood music columnist coming at you for a Marvelistic musical update! So, you're a superhero. Gotcha. You have the talent, the snazzy skills, the witty comebacks, and you're featured in you're own action packed movie, but can you deliver the sound? Can you grip your fanbase with a plethora of earwigs? That's what I set out to explore and answer. So sit back, and let's come home as we explore the music in "Spider-Man: Homecoming".
Composed by Michael Giacchino, this spidertastic score contains 23 orchestral soundtracks. An additional track features the theme from the original 1960's Spider-Man cartoon composed by Paul Francis Webster and Robert Harris. The opening scene is certainly a welcomed addition to the action packed, and comedy rich, Homecoming movie. As a young teen, I was enthralled with the Spidey cartoon. Listening to the opening theme filled me with a sense of nostalgia and excitement. It's a classic for any Spidey fan, and as an upcoming prelude to what will prove to be a fantastic film, it is certainly much appreciated.
We see Spidey being treated like an underdog in this movie. Having been invited by Tony Stark to help with "real" missions, but subsequently dumped back home, with a chaperon, no less, we find Peter uneasy about the whole situation. He wants to be called back to a mission, any mission, but failing that, he returns to the streets of his friendly neighbourhood. As we see him return to school, we hear a cameo from the American rock band, Spoon, featuring the beginning of their aptly named song, "Underdog". As you'll soon find out watching the rest of the movie, this song perfectly helps to foreshadow the upcoming battle Parker and Spidey must face, as they try to prove themselves both to their friends and Stark, and to take down Sinister Six's very own, Vulture.
Throughout this film, Spidey tries to take down the bad guys. In doing so, though, we notice that he doesn't always think things through. From banging around the neighbourhood and enticing a yelling match by the locals, to inadvertently splitting a whole ship in half, Spidey certainly is not without pitfalls and epic recoveries. Giacchino's score does not fail to deliver, either. Having escaped school and beginning his renewed heroic crusade, we hear the "Academic Decommitment" track that adequately gets your blood pumping and prepares you for the whitty action that is to ensue. Combined with the "Blitzkrieg Bop" song by the punk rock band, Ramones, this track opens up the movie in classic Spider-Man fashion; witty, charming, and comedic gold. Psst, did I mention a Stan Lee Easter Egg?
Spidey gets dragged around a lot. Let's face it, getting dragged through the mud as an underdog is no fun, but neither is literally getting dragged through the mud. What better way to see him smashing through trashcans, marathoning across the park, or plunging face first into a river, then to listen to some epic chase music? "The Drag Racing" track certainly does not let us down as it keeps you in the action and raises your excitement level 5 notches. It also doesn't hurt that the track is prominently featured for you to enjoy either.
Spidey's the underdog in this movie right? I mean, he has his pitfalls, epic mistakes, hard lessons to learn, and a not-so-demeaning and snarky Stark, barking down on him to stay put. With any underdog movie, the underdog eventually becomes the top dog, or at least a smidge of a bit closer up. Saving a decathlon from an epic catastrophic failure in the Washington Monument - which is inadvertently Spidey's fault, too - helps bring this next track into focus. Listening closely, you can hear a potential earwig forming when listening to the "Monument Meltdown" track. At least that was the case for me, it might even make it onto my LSS playlist. Something about an epic jump, helicopter swing, and near miss save really draws you in. When you throw in the soundtrack? You wonder if you were actually there, and that the city itself is playing your theme song. This was my favourite track by Michael in the movie, and the epic helicopter-backflip by Spidey is certainly not going to dissuade me from liking it, either.
A certain distinct melody can be heard in a lot of Giacchino's tracks. He changes it up and remixes it, but you can hear the music snippet featured throughout the movie. It's the part of the tracks that I think really gives that sense of thrill that the movie in general tries to showcase during its action sequences. However, you will also hear an upbeat remix of it that helps bring together Spidey's witty remarks and reactions. Tom Holland - the actor who plays Peter and Spidey - helps staccato the score as well, by playing a classic rendition of the Spidey character many love and care about. You can listen to this melody featured in the "No Frills Proto COOL" track - which is in its own right is a fantastic track.
I could on and on about the soundtrack and epic underdog near miss Catastro-Saves that "Spider-Man: Homecoming" delivers on a silver platter, but we would be here all day. While I wouldn't mind going on and doing this by explaining all the hilarious music enhanced moments of this movie, I think the SOUP editors Nikky, Nicole, and Hannah would like me to save some room for all of the other great columns and articles that this Marvelistic edition promises to deliver. Plus, if I didn't end it here, I wouldn't get to tease you by saying there are even more epic scenes and thrilling sounds left to experience. Spider-Thor, or flying Spidey anyone?
If you get the chance, I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did. In writing this article, I managed to watch it 3 times, and I enjoyed each rewatch thoroughly. I also hope you get to check out the official "Spider-Man: Homecoming" soundtrack to listen to Michael Giacchino's thrilling score in raw musical glory.
With a witty remark, and a snarky retort, it's your friendly neighbourhood music columnist, signing out.