It’s Film Score Friday! Today, we’re watching Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!

This was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I mean, how could it not be? Kids being shrunk down to the size of ants and having an amazing adventure in their backyard?! I remember seeing behind-the-scenes videos of the set, thinking how awesome it would be to run around and slide down the giant blades of grass…or sleep in the giant Lego piece!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was the directorial debut of Joe Johnston, who went on to direct Jumanji (1995), October Sky, and Captain America: The First Avenger. His resume is full of fantasy adventures as a visual effects artist! Clearly, he has an eye for this genre.

Again, we are listening to James Horner’s score! Apparently, he used some music from other sources (notably Raymond Scott’s “Powerhouse B”), so Disney was in hot water. Everything was settled and credit was given where credit was due.

The music is fun and adventurous. The themes around the “quirky scientist” stand out the most. But my favorite scene has to be the night time scene…

The movie is comedic with adventure, but there’s a reality that hits at night time. The parents are worried about their kids. The kids (who all have contrasting personalities) realize they are stuck together and they don’t know if they can return to their normal size. So, this is a tender moment where connections are made. For each set of parents, they have that moment of “I could’ve been a better parent, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get that chance.”

The track is softer and slower to show that the mania of having shrunk the kids/having been shrunk is gone. This represents a shift in the movie’s mood. After this, all the characters become solution-focused and determined. It’s like when you are suddenly presented with a problem, and you kinda freak out…then you take a deep breath before you handle things. This track symbolizes that deep breath.

I love the layers in this movie!