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Patrick Doyle's original score for Stepmom


Josh500

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According to this Wikipedia article (see trivia), Patrick Doyle wrote a score for Stepmom, which was rejected. That's how John Williams came onboard.

Has anyone heard the original score? Was it ever recorded?

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It is well known lore that Doyle was replaced by Williams, while he was recovring from Leukemia. What exactly happened there is not clear, there have been insinuations that Doyle was only replaced because Williams expressed an interest.

Either way, I do not believe that the score was ever recorded.

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Clemmenson over at filmtracks suggested that Williams saw an early screening of the film (presumably with score in it already) and really liked it, and used his reputation to get Doyle kicked off.

I'm not going to make any judgements here - just what I read (http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/stepmom.html).

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heh... wonder if that's the source of his animosity towards williams when it came to Harry Potter

:blink:

Clemmenson over at filmtracks suggested that Williams saw an early screening of the film (presumably with score in it already) and really liked it, and used his reputation to get Doyle kicked off.

I'm not going to make any judgements here - just what I read (http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/stepmom.html).

Whether John Williams expresses an interest or not, he can't muscle push anybody.

It's up to the director who gets hired or replaced or rejected.

So maybe Chris Columbus muscle pushed Patrick Doyle out the door!

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What is that if not muscle-pushing? When JW tells you he'd love to score your piece of crap movie, that is probably as good as getting the other composer fired.

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What is that if not muscle-pushing? When JW tells you he'd love to score your piece of crap movie, that is probably as good as getting the other compsoer fired.

So? Welcome to the real world!

And besides, if you were a film director, would you pass up an opportunity to work with JW?

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Stepmom was not a 'piece of crap movie'. I saw it on TV a few years ago and what I remember was really heartwarming.

I agree, although this is far from my favorite Williams-scored movie. :blink:

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It preaches that dying from cancer is okay if Julia Roberts is shacking up with your ex-husband and kids. I found the movie to be very offensive to the Susan Sarandon character. It's a Julia Robert vehicle, in the worst way.

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Stepmom was not a 'piece of crap movie'. I saw it on TV a few years ago and what I remember was really heartwarming.

sorry,it was a piece of crap.One of the worst movies of all time

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Stepmom was not a 'piece of crap movie'. I saw it on TV a few years ago and what I remember was really heartwarming.

sorry,it was a piece of crap.One of the worst movies of all time

and you would place it on the same level as Epic Movie and AVP2? no. It's bad, but it's not the worst...

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At least Epic Movie and AVP2 don't take themselves seriously. That's the difference.

Incidentally, what animosity? Or was that just an attempt at wit that has no basis in fiction let alone fact whatsoever

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It preaches that dying from cancer is okay if Julia Roberts is shacking up with your ex-husband and kids. I found the movie to be very offensive to the Susan Sarandon character. It's a Julia Robert vehicle, in the worst way.

I don't think Julia's character was portrayed as superior to the Sarandon one... quite the opposite. And Sarandon's passing was the focal point of the film. That the family accepted the inevitability of her demise did not mean any of them thought it was "okay".

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I felt like Sarandon's character was significantly short-changed by the Roberts one. I got the distinct sense watching the movie that it was geared toward 'We just need the annoyingly human Sarandon to die, than we'll be one big, pretty, happy family'.

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Stepmom was not a 'piece of crap movie'. I saw it on TV a few years ago and what I remember was really heartwarming.

sorry,it was a piece of crap.One of the worst movies of all time

and you would place it on the same level as Epic Movie and AVP2? no. It's bad, but it's not the worst...

epic movie was apiece of crap,but I enjoyed AVP2.

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Was Doyle unfriendly to Williams regarding Harry Potter?

In the minds of some, certain fans? Definetly. I mean, he composed his own music rather than using Williams' - how more unfriendly can you get as a composer?

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At least Epic Movie and AVP2 don't take themselves seriously. That's the difference.

I'm pretty sure they do try to be serious movies. IMO Epic Movie is the worst movie ever made, but Meet The Spartans looks like it can take it's place. Actually, I know it will.

Meet The Spartans is the worst movie ever made...EVER!

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I've seen parts of 1941, but I'm pretty sure it's not worse than the s**t parody movies being made today. Maybe Uwe Boll has the title for worst movie ever made, but I wouldn't dare see any of his films. Ed Wood made some pretty bad films, but at least he understood film and did his best.

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So? Welcome to the real world!

I'm sure you'd say the same if Doyle somehow managed to replace Williams on some film.

That point is moot because it will never happen. Welcome to the real world!

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Was Doyle unfriendly to Williams regarding Harry Potter?

In the minds of some, certain fans? Definetly. I mean, he composed his own music rather than using Williams' - how more unfriendly can you get as a composer?

You really think that whatever happened with Stepmom affected what he wrote for Potter?

So the director, producers, story and Doyle's style all had nothing to do with the change of direction at all? I really would have loved to hear a Williams score for GoF, but do you really have to go to this length to 'prove' Doyle produced crap?

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Was Doyle unfriendly to Williams regarding Harry Potter?

In the minds of some, certain fans? Definetly. I mean, he composed his own music rather than using Williams' - how more unfriendly can you get as a composer?

And Doyle has had only very, very, nice things to say about Williams in all the interviews I've heard from him.

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Stepmom was not a 'piece of crap movie'. I saw it on TV a few years ago and what I remember was really heartwarming.

I agree, although this is far from my favorite Williams-scored movie. :(

Man, I LOVE Stepmom, simple but really well thought out. Beautiful

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Was Doyle unfriendly to Williams regarding Harry Potter?

In the minds of some, certain fans? Definetly. I mean, he composed his own music rather than using Williams' - how more unfriendly can you get as a composer?

You really think that whatever happened with Stepmom affected what he wrote for Potter?

So the director, producers, story and Doyle's style all had nothing to do with the change of direction at all? I really would have loved to hear a Williams score for GoF, but do you really have to go to this length to 'prove' Doyle produced crap?

I think we need some sort of box (similar to the quote box) for sarcastic posts.

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Do you ever read what you write in this board?

I've been wondering about that myself.

At the time of the film's release the story was that Williams attended a private screening of the film and mentioned he enjoyed it. Columbus then asked him to score it.

I seriously doubt Williams could force another composer off a picture, nor would he do something like that.

Columbus must have not liked Doyle's score to start with or really wanted Williams in the first place.

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Do you ever read what you write in this board?

I've been wondering about that myself.

At the time of the film's release the story was that Williams attended a private screening of the film and mentioned he enjoyed it. Columbus then asked him to score it.

I seriously doubt Williams could force another composer off a picture, nor would he do something like that.

Columbus must have not liked Doyle's score to start with or really wanted Williams in the first place.

What the f*** is your problem? Get off the high horse, will ya? I've been saying the same thing:

Whether John Williams expresses an interest or not, he can't muscle push anybody.

It's up to the director who gets hired or replaced or rejected.

So maybe Chris Columbus muscle pushed Patrick Doyle out the door!

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Well, I for one, am thankful for this Williams score. I saw the film (because of the score), and remember I found it to be OK, rather mediocre perhaps, but certainly not painfully bad, and not without some sentimental power (I believe sentimentality, if used succesfully, is a good thing. It is good to feel).)

Not to open a can of rancid worms, but I think Doyle's Potter effort was quite embarassing, and if Williams is chosen to replace anyone, well, then musically speaking, (and certainly if we are dealing with living film composers, and frankly most living composers in general), that can only be a good thing.

(Although the leukemia-bit adds a bit of an unpleasant aftertaste, no matter what. May we all be blessed with good health!)

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Well, I for one, am thankful for this Williams score. I saw the film (because of the score), and remember I found it to be OK, rather mediocre perhaps, but certainly not painfully bad, and not without some sentimental power (I believe sentimentality, if used succesfully, is a good thing. It is good to feel).)

Not to open a can of rancid worms, but I think Doyle's Potter effort was quite embarassing, and if Williams is chosen to replace anyone, well, then musically speaking, (and certainly if we are dealing with living film composers, and frankly most living composers in general), that can only be a good thing.

(Although the leukemia-bit adds a bit of an unpleasant aftertaste, no matter what. May we all be blessed with good health!)

My exact same feelings...

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  • 8 years later...

I love this thread. The humour was so good that I decided it was worth reviving.

 

Personally, I think Doyle's score might have worked just as well, if not better, for Stepmom, because it seems like an assignment Doyle could have nailed. But then again, I would say that because I'm a big Doyle fan.

 

As for his HP effort, it will Always be my favourite Potter score and it was this score that taught me to listen to film music. Yes, Doyle dropped themes, but Williams did so for HP3 as well. If you want to find embarassing Potter scores, look no further, you've got HP5 and 6.

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19 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

I love this thread. The humour was so good that I decided it was worth reviving.

 

Personally, I think Doyle's score might have worked just as well, if not better, for Stepmom, because it seems like an assignment Doyle could have nailed. But then again, I would say that because I'm a big Doyle fan.

 

As for his HP effort, it will Always be my favourite Potter score

Ahem, if you wanted us to take you seriously when you say that Doyle could even had written a better Steptom score, your opinion on Harry Potter killed it. :P

 

You really continued the humouristic approach ;)

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I don't mind Doyle's Potter score but he really should have tried for a bit of musical continuity. I think I've heard an interview with Mike Newell where he says Doyle only used Hedwig's Theme because the producers forced him to. I think Mike Newell had a pretty ignorant view of Williams' music if I remember correctly.

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