Depressing story about Gabriel Yared's rejected Troy score... (1 Viewer)

[Michael Holmes]

musicfromthemovies.com/article.asp?ID=278&newsmonth=1/3/2004

(Sorry, I can't post an HTML link)

While I haven't heard the music personally, and I'm sure the author is slightly biased, I was looking forward to hearing what Yared had cooked up.

Now, if the score was rejected due to quality it wouldn't bother me as much, but something about that story just seems really fishy. If the director is in absolute love with the music, why would he let it slip so easily due to some lame test screening (Which never seem to do any good in the first place)? Did Warner Bros. have veto power over any changes they requested after the test screening?

And the descriptions from the focus group are just plain moronic... "overpowering and too big, old fashioned and dated the film"? Sorry, DATED THE FILM? Overpowering and too big? Is there such a thing for film music? Did "Ben-Hur" or "Star Wars" suffer from overpowering and big music?

Anyways, it's a big bummer, no doubt about it. What makes things even worse is the replacement, Mr. James Horner, but I guess that's for another topic (Which I just happened to stumble upon, coincidentally enough).

Oh, and if this belongs in some previously existing Troy thread, I apologize ahead of time and the moderators can feel free to lock.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Hmmm... Isn't that what Columbia said about Randy Newman's original Air Force One score, that it was too intense?

 

[JonBoriss]

Haven't even heard the score or seen the film so how do you know they aren't right?

 

[Paul_D]

The strangest thing about that story is Petersen's supposed enthusiasm. Either he was putting it on, or the feedback from the test screening was heavily sugar coated in the linked article and induced a complete turnaround in him and WB.

Either that or late in the project there was a dramatic change in the tone they wanted the film to have and Yared's score simply didn't fit. Having it completely re-done by someone else only a few months before release does see rather drastic though.

Still, love Yared's work and definitely hope his complete score gets officially released one day!

 

[Dennis Pagoulatos]

Didn't something similar happen last year with the score for "HULK"? Wasn't Danny Elfman's score basically a last minute replacement for a more esoteric score (that got some great comments from people that had the opportunity to hear it)? It's a shame this sort of thing happens, but I guess it does...it would be nice if there was an outlet (like on CD!) to release unused or scrapped film scores.

-Dennis

 

[richardWI]

Well, that's showbiz. I've heard enough composers pontificate about their Art to grow cyncial about them. It's WB's dime and they thought it would be better to spend more money on a whole new score. If it isn't better they may reinstate the first score. Everybody's still getting paid so I don't see much to get upset over. Bruised egos are par for the course.

 

[Malcolm R]

And wasn't it this same composer? The name is familiar for some reason....

 

[Paul.S]

I think its problematic to rationalize this kind of egregious unprofessionalism as "showbiz." I also resent the idea that whoever's financing a project gets carte blanche to engage in boorish behavior (I'm reminded of the exchange between Bud and Lindsey in The Abyss in which she's pissed about Benthic moving 'her' rig; Bud tells her, "As long as Benthic is paying the bills . . ."; Linds replies, "So they bought you? More like rented you cheap!" ). Although I acknowledge that this unfortunately happens in the business (Hans Z. replaced I think Alan Silvestri very late in the process on Pirates of the Caribbean), there's a way to handle these kinds of situations . . . and, IF Yared's account is accurate, this is NOT a good example. Yes egos are bruised in this town all the time . . . but egos are also stroked in this town all the time. There are other successful ways of doing business, particularly with an Oscar-winning composer.

We don't know if Yared's deal was "pay or play." Its possible that he was contractually entitled to additional compensation if his score was used. But perhaps more importantly, imagine how you might feel as an artist who'd just spent over a year exercising your craft in concert with about 200 other people, staff and musicians only to have the director (and studio) not even have the professional courtesy to meet with you face-to-your-Oscar-winning-face and let you know that there had been a change in vision and attempt to explain why.

It will be very interesting to see if Petersen addresses the issue in a DVD commentary.

-p

 

[Holadem]

So did Zimmer actually score Pirates? I remember noticing the Zimmer-like score immediately, then being shocked by his absence on the DVD cover. Perhaps I didn't look correctly?

--
H

 

[ThomasC]

Hans Zimmer produced the score for Pirates, but the man that got top composer billing was one of his protégés under Media Ventures, Klaus Badelt.

 

[Ray H]

I believe the original composer on Hulk was Michael Dana. Yared recently got nominated for his work for Cold Mountain so maybe that's where you heard it.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

It's shocking how much composers are taken for granted anymore. This kind of thing is happening more and more, and closer and closer to release date.

If composers were smart, they'd get together en masse and refuse to score a film once one of their colleagues had already gotten to a certain point through the process. Then the studio would be forced to choose between the existing score and a hack job by some no name flack.

 

[Holadem]

Thanks, this makes sense. His mentors' influence on that score is undeniable, borderline ripoff actually.

--
H

 

[Paul.S]

This has been the case for many years amongst many of Hans' proteges at Media Ventures. Ghostwriting accusations are part of the messy $10M lawsuit and countersuit between Hans and Jay Rifkin in which Hans is seeking the dissolution of MV.

-p

 

[TheLongshot]

I remember something similar happening to "What Dreams May Come". Ennio Morricone did the original score, but it was replaced with a Michael Kamen score. I remember this because I remember Harry Knowles going off about it, since he saw a test screening with Morricone's score and he thought it was wonderful.

Then there is the whole Legend thing, which is probably one of the few films where you can hear both scores and judge for yourself. Personally, I really like Goldsmith's score.

Jason

 

[Paul.S]

Hmmm. I don't know the story, but I'm sure enough AICN digging would turn up the tale, if there is one. What I do know is who directed AFO: Wolfgang Petersen.

IF Randy got screwed on AFO, Wolfie is perhaps developing a bad reputation in the scoring community.

-p

 

[richardWI]

I had no opinion on this guy going into reading the article. Once I read it I realized this must have been the sixth time I've read about movie composer who comes across as being extremely taken with himself. His attitude did not generate any sympathy from me.

 

[TheBat]

it also happened with the new garfield movie. christophe beck from buffy and cheaper by the dozen is going to do the score for the garfield movie.. the other guy did some work on prince of egypt.

JACOB

 

[Paul.S]

In the broader scheme of things, I think Yared scored about a 1.0 on the Hollywood Attitude Richter Scale in his comments.

And God knows we've all heard from attitudinal people involved in filmmaking far less 'entitled' to have one. If I'd won an Oscar for my work and felt I was being treated shabbily, I'd probably have way more 'tude than Yared purportedly has in those comments.

-p

 

[Paul.S]

POE is Hans again. Is that "the other guy" you're referring to?

-p