Men in Black: International (Original Motion Picture Score) is the score album to the 2019 film Men in Black: International directed by F. Gary Gray, a standalone sequel and the fourth instalment in the Men in Black franchise. The film's musical score is composed by Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon and released through Sony Classical Records on June 7, 2019.

Development 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". 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".

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.

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."

The Japanese version uses a song by Yoshimotozaka46, titled "Konya wa Eeyan".

Release Sony Masterworks released the soundtrack on June 7, 2019, a week ahead of the film's theatrical release.*

Reception Filmtracks.com wrote "The work is a sufficiently competent and enjoyable supplement with about fifteen minutes of truly worthwhile material." William Bibbiani of TheWrap wrote "composer Chris Bacon gives Danny Elfman's original, eclectic Men in Black score an action movie punch-up." Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail deciphered it as a "bouncy score". Karen Han of Polygon complimented the use of the theme music from the predecessors, provide a "considerable amount of goodwill".

Diamond Fudge of KCCI criticized it as "a bland imitation of Danny Elfman's original score". 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."

Track listing

Personnel Credits adapted from liner notes.

Music – Chris Bacon, Danny Elfman Additional music – TJ Lindgren Producer – Chris Bacon, Danny Elfman, Noah Snyder Programming – Michael Tuller Recording – Dennis Sands Digital recordist – Larry Mah Mixing – Noah Snyder Mastering – Patricia Sullivan Score editor – David Channing Music editor – Bill Abbott, Robbie Boyd Assistant music editor – Denise Okimoto Pro-tools operator – Adam Olmstead, Tim Lauber MIDI controller – Marc Mann Technician – Mikel Hurwitz Music coordinator – Melisa McGregor Musical assistance – Melissa Karaban

Orchestra Supervising orchestrator – Steve Bartek 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 Soprano – Allie Feder, Ayana Haviv, Diane Reynolds, Elin Carlson, Holly Sedillos, Jessica Freedman, Joanna Bushnell, Meredith Pyle, Monique Donnelly, Sandie Hall, Susie Stevens Logan, Suzanne Waters Tenor – Amick Byram, Fletcher Sheridan, Gerald White, Greg Whipple, Josh Bedlion, Walt Harrah

Notes

References