Ice Age: Continental Drift (soundtrack)

Did You Know?

• Filmtracks wrote that the score straddles the line where the composer's sense of humor ceases to appeal to anyone outside his dedicated fanbase.
• Peter Debruge of Variety called the score 'exciting'.
• Megan Lehmann of The Hollywood Reporter described the score as 'enjoyable'.

Background

John Powell, who had composed the second and third installments, returned for Continental Drift. The film also uses Beethoven's 9th Symphony; Powell stated that the concept of creating the geographical world seemed so immense that he abandoned his own efforts and employed Beethoven's work instead, using what he described as crass re-orchestration and cheap arranging tricks to fit the action. He claimed this led to a fatwa being issued against him by the Beethoven Society. For the score, Powell used 20 bass accordions, choosing them to subvert pirate clichés. He replaced trombones with a large group of accordions to create a frightening sound. According to Powell, so many accordionists were gathered that Italian restaurants within fifty miles had to close, and the players were surprised to encounter other accordionists, having not played with any since childhood.