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The Trumpet of the Swan
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E. B.
White's The Trumpet of the Swan is
one of those classic stories for children concerning a misfitting youth – in
this case, a trumpeter swan who is sadly born mute.
Mocked by
friends and pitied by family, Louis (whose inner thoughts are spoken by Jeffrey
Schoeney) must find his own artificial voice – and does so by becoming a
popular, soulful trumpet player.
As directed
by Richard Rich and Terry Noss, this feature animation is no-frills but
charming. Jason Alexander gives a lot of vocal character to the role of Louis'
hammy father; likewise, the parts given to Carol Burnett, Reese Witherspoon and
Joe Mantegna are shaped around their well-known screen personae.
This is not
as sanctimonious as larger budget animation spectaculars of recent years. And
some of its plot moves are actually cleverer: a thread concerning the father's
guilt over stealing a musical instrument from the city, and its dramatic
consequences, is especially deftly managed.
The most
pleasant aspect of this movie is its music. Offering us relief from the
bombastic, dreary, old-fashioned show tunes that fill similar fare for
children, Marcus Miller's bright score takes its cues from swing, funk, soul
and rap – stopping for only one Whitney Houston-style ballad.
Kids are
likely to enjoy this spirited concoction – although their parents (especially
those versed in a little Cultural Studies) may occasionally wonder why songs
belted out by the likes of Little Richard are being placed in the mouths of
pristine, white swans.
© Adrian Martin March 2001 |
