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Family Films

A wholesome mixture of film music written to enhance the shared experience of the 'family film', introduced by Matthew Sweet.

Of all the genre titles the 'family film' is perhaps the trickiest to define. Its intention, clearly, is to entertain and appeal to the whole family - togetherness. But what are the specific ingredients that make it so? Nevertheless, cinema goers seem to have a good sense of what an advertised family film might have to offer.

Matthew Sweet looks back at this category of film, which seemed to spring into existence in America around the 1930s, and he foregrounds the music of some of the best and most defining examples.

The programme includes music from Home Alone, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Gulliver's Travels, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, ET - The Extra Terrestrial, Kiki's Delivery Service, Paddington 2 and the Classical Score of the Week - the Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell score for Shrek.

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25 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Aug 2025 16:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Harry Gregson鈥怶illiams

    Shrek "Fairytale"

    Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • Var猫se Sarabande.

  • John Williams

    Home Alone (1990): The House

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • CBS.

  • Frank Churchill

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - Animal Friends / With a Smile and a Song

    Composer: Leigh Harline. Singer: Ardiana Caselotti. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • Walt Disney Records.

  • Victor Young

    Gulliver's Travels "Prelude", "Giant in Tow"

    Orchestra: The Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William T. Stromberg.
    • Marco Polo.

  • James Horner

    Honey, I Shrunk The Kids "Main Title"

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.
    • Walt Disney Records.

  • Bernard Herrmann

    The 7th Voyage of Sinbad "Overture / Baghdad

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Herrmann.
    • Classic Soundtracks.

  • Richard M. Sherman

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang "Overture"

    Composer: Robert B. Sherman. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Irwin Kostal.
    • Var猫se Sarabande.

  • John Williams

    E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial "Searching for E.T."

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • Geffen.

  • Joe Hisaishi

    Kiki's Delivery Service "A Town with a View"

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Dario Marianelli

    Paddington 2 "The Pop-Up Book"

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Dario Marianelli.
    • Decca (UMO) (Classics).

  • Harry Gregson鈥怶illiams

    Shrek "Singing Princess", "Fiona's Secret", "Ride the Dragon"

    Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • Var猫se Sarabande.

  • Leonard Cohen

    Shrek "Hallelujah"

    Performer: Rufus Wainwright.
    • Geffen.

  • Harry Gregson鈥怶illiams

    Shrek "Transformation / The End"

    Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • Var猫se Sarabande.

  • John Williams

    Eastwood Overture

    Composer: Kyle Eastwood. Composer: Ennio Morricone. Composer: Clint Eastwood. Composer: Michael Stevens. Orchestra: Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Ensemble: Kyle Eastwood Band.
    • Discograph.

  • Darius Milhaud

    This Classical Life theme - Brazileira (Scaramouche)

    Performer: Jess Gillam. Ensemble: Jess Gillam Ensemble.

Broadcasts

  • Sat 23 Sep 2023 15:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3
  • Sat 16 Aug 2025 16:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3

Podcast

  • Sound of Cinema

    Your weekly roundup of the finest film scores and movie music with Edith Bowman.