Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio soundtrack, composed by Alexandre Desplat, featuring original songs by Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, and Christoph Waltz, is a dazzling, whimsical joy ride from start to finish. Desplat’s original scores are some of our all-time favorites here at Marvelous Geeks, frequently on repeat while we write, and it’s thrilling to add another one to the playlist.
Comprised of 41 songs that span one hour and twenty-seven minutes, the original score provides the best escapism into a grim and hopeful world. The various character themes, as well as crucial moments that heighten significant beats in the film’s climax, are extraordinary. Desplat is best at bringing to our ears original scores that are both fun and emotionally moving, and like the Little Women (2019) original soundtrack, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio soundtrack is no exception. It’s wondrous, moving, and timeless.
There’s also something to be said about how the album opens up with Ewan McGregor’s “Better Tomorrows” and ends with the short but evocative “Farewell to Geppetto.” It allows the soundtrack to have the necessary storytelling beats that anyone listening, with film context or not, to feel the ramifications and the weight of what a life lived indeed looks like.
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The essence of Disney soundtracks, for instance, is that they could be played through loudspeakers over people chattering away, and you’ll still catch yourself hearing the music above. This is what Alexandre Desplat achieves with Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio soundtrack. It’s the type of original score where, no matter how loud your surroundings, you can catch a single note in the background and immediately find yourself enamored by what’s coming from the speakers.
Almost every track is gorgeously unique, even when there are moments that repeat and bleed into other paths. Desplat achieves something breathtaking through each number, making it the kind of original score that’s lovely and unforgettable. And while it’s tough to choose a favorite, in this house, we’re going to go with the “Pinocchio” theme—because, oof, the rush of heartbreakingly hopeful emotions in that one remains unmatched.
Listen to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio soundtrack below, and let us know which tracks are your favorites in the comments.