Released in August of 1996, Matilda, based on the book by Roald Dahl, told the story of Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson), a young girl whose intelligence goes unappreciated by her boorish parents, Harry and Zinnia (director/co-producer/narrator Danny DeVito and real-life wife Rhea Perlman). Her desire to go to school is met in the form of Crunchem Hall, a foreboding institute run by the cruel Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris). However, Matilda finds a kindred spirit in her teacher, Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz). The same off-kilter style that DeVito brought to Throw Momma from the Train and The War of the Roses is in full flower here, from Stefan Czapsky’s cinematography to the music of longtime collaborator David Newman.

Newman (whose birthday it is today; yep, I did it again), for his talent, occasionally hews a little close to the temp-track (witness the opening of The Nutty Professor), but, in this score, he makes it work for him. Borrowing from Rachel Portman’s A Pyromaniac’s Love Story, he created a bustling main theme that ably captures the wide-eyed feeling of childhood. "To the Library and Beyond" shows this theme at its most lovely.

Another temp-track borrowing (and another beaut) is "Hair Tonic", which takes none other than brother Thomas’ theme from The Player and runs it through a wringer of electronics, percussion and piano. The result is a nice bit of quirk that amusingly underscores Matilda’s attempt at pulling a prank.

Swaggering horns play under Harry’s underhanded sales techniques in "Wormwood Motors", while "Crunchem Hall" hurries along with horns, percussion and a mock-baroque trumpet solo as Matilda first sees her school. The Thomas Newmanisms that earmarked "Hair Tonic" run rampant throughout "Let Him Eat Cake" and "Brucie Eats it All" (the latter with David’s weird but wonderful orchestral effects building to triumph).

Things get frantic in "Trunchbull Teaches Class" as the music scurries about, growing nervous with its strange percussion and halting horns. As the teacher reveals her life to her prize student, "Miss Honey’s Story" wafts about with warm strings and horns. "Trunchbull’s House" and "A Narrow Escape" follow Matilda and Miss Honey into the spacious home of the film’s antagonist. The former percolates with quivering strings and percussion, intercut with booming, almost violent-sounding music for the shots of the Trunchbull. The latter, however, is a full-on action cue. As Trunchbull gives chase against the intruders, the strings chop away and the horns blare at the characters, 'Get the hell out of there!'.

"The Haunting" sees another return to Trunchbull’s house on an unusual rescue mission. Newman carries the scene on his shoulders with his music: woodwinds, electronics, strings, horns and percussion float about to create an ethereal feel. However, "End of the Trunchbull" is the show-stopper. As Matilda brings her telekinesis to bear on the brutish headmistress, Newman goes from militaristic unease to fluttering harps (for a "ghostly" message) to an explosion of wackiness, uniting, among other elements, big-band swing, the swaggering horns of "Wormwood Motors" and warm strings before leading to a heroic finale.

A jazzy sub-theme on Hammond organ and electric guitars represents the FBI agents (Paul Reubens and Tracey Walter) watching the Wormwood home, appearing in "The FBI" and "FBI in the Garage". The same instrumentation figures in the "Green Onions"-inspired "Home from the Hospital". The game show "Million Dollar Sticky" (hosted by an uncredited Jon Lovitz) is treated to appropriately brassy music.

Once available on a promo bootleg, the score recently received a release from the Varese Sarabande CD Club. As a fan of the composer, I consider this to be one of their finest releases. At this writing, there are less than 500 copies, so if you have even a passing interest in the music, now is the time to get it. An entertaining score from a remarkable composer.