Danny Elfman, who scored the previous Men in Black films, returned for International. His protégé and fellow composer Chris Bacon, who worked with Elfman on co-producing and arranging his scores, served as the co-composer. He felt it as a pleasure to return to the franchise, as it allowed him "to visit this unique musical world where I’m combining retro and contemporary music in a playful way".[1] Like his previous films, Elfman reused the themes and melodies from the predecessor while also wrote new themes for this film, adding that it was a "sonic element that feels fresh but really delivers an element that the audience would love to hear".[1]
The eventual combination was a result of a brass, percussion and string music that is featured in his composition "Viper Room". Elfman wanted to provide a theme for Molly/Agent M (Tessa Thompson) as her journey is part of an emotional connection with the audience, and also as she was a newcomer in the team. However, he did not do the same for Henry/Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) fearing that it would clutter the score, in the same way as the protagonists of their original franchise, Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) as Henry was part of the Men in Black team.[1]
Elfman retrieved the "old-school spy" sensibility of the film by tapping on the 1960s ultralounge music that provided a conscious throwback to that era. Despite the characters travelling across the globe and the film has subtitled International in the film, Elfman refrained from leaning geographically, despite the team's attempts. He recalled that, "even though there are a few moments in Morocco where they asked me to bring in some Moroccan flavor [...] I tried as much as I could without going too on-the-nose with that."[1]
Release
Sony Masterworks released the soundtrack on June 7, 2019, a week ahead of the film's theatrical release.[2][3]
Reception
Filmtracks.com wrote "The work is a sufficiently competent and enjoyable supplement with about fifteen minutes of truly worthwhile material."[4] William Bibbiani of TheWrap wrote "composer Chris Bacon gives Danny Elfman's original, eclectic Men in Black score an action movie punch-up."[5] Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail deciphered it as a "bouncy score".[6] Karen Han of Polygon complimented the use of the theme music from the predecessors, provide a "considerable amount of goodwill".[7]
Diamond Fudge of KCCI criticized it as "a bland imitation of Danny Elfman's original score".[8] Oliver Jones of The Observer wrote "the score—written by original series composer Danny Elfman aided by Chris Bacon bubbles with a pulsing irony and self-awareness that the script only wishes it possessed. But there is too much of it. Smothering every last scene, the music ends up feeling like the gravy in Navy boat cream chipped beef, meant chiefly to distract you from what lies beneath."[9]
Track listing
Men in Black: International (Original Motion Picture Score) track listing
Orchestrators – Dave Slonaker, Ed Trybek, Pete Anthony
Concertmaster – Bruce Dukov
Conductor – Pete Anthony
Orchestra contractor – Gina Zimmitti, Whitney Martin
Copyist – Joann Kane Music Service, Josef Zimmermann
Instrumentalists
Bass – David Parmeter, Drew Dembowski, Ed Meares, Geoff Osika, Ian Walker, Oscar Hidalgo
Bassoon – Alex Rosales Garcia, Damian Montano, Evan Kuhlmann, Ken Munday
Cello – Charlie Tyler, Dennis Karmazyn, Giovanna Clayton, Jacob Braun, Ross Gasworth, Steve Erdody, Tim Loo, Trevor Handy, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith
Clarinet – Dan Higgins, Don Foster, Josh Ranz
Flute – Heather Clark, Jenni Olson, Johanna Borenstein
French horn – Dan Kelley, Dylan Hart, Jenny Kim, Laura Brenes, Mark Adams, Teag Reaves
Guitar – George Doering
Harp – Katie Kirkpatrick
Oboe – Lelie Resnick, Leslie Reed
Percussion – Bob Zimmitti, Dan Greco, Pete Korpela, Sidney Hopson
Timpani – Greg Goodall
Trombone – Alan Kaplan, Alex Iles, Nicholas Daley, Phil Keen, Steve Holtman
Trumpet – Dan Rosenboom, Jon Lewis, Rob Schaer
Tuba – Doug Tornquist, Gabriel Sears
Viola – Aaron Oltman, Andrew Duckles, Caroline Buckman, David Walther, Erik Rynearson, Jonathan Moerschel, Luke Maurer, Matt Funes, Rob Brophy, Shawn Mann
Violin – Alwyn Wright, Amy Hershberger, Andrew Bulbrook, Ben Jacobson, Carol Pool, Daphne Chen, Darius Campo, Grace Oh, Ina Veli, Jackie Brand, Joel Pargman, Katie Sloan, Kevin Kumar, Luanne Homzy, Lucia Micarelli, Maia Jasper, Marisa Kuney, Mark Robertson, Natalie Leggett, Neel Hammond, Nina Evtuhov, Paul Cartwright, Roger Wilkie, Sandy Cameron, Shalini Vijayan, Songa Lee, Tammy Hatwan
Vocalists
Vocals contractor – Bobbi Page
Alto – Amy Fogerson, Ann Sheridan, Baraka May, Bobbi Page, Charissa Neilsen, Clydene Jackson, Donna Medine, Jennifer Haydn-Jones, Katharine Hoye, Katie Hampton, Laura Jackman, Monica Lee
Bass – Alvin Chea, Eric Bradley, Guy Maeda, Michael Geiger, Reid Bruton, Will Goldman
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