Corigliano's upcoming score replaced...

[Musica42 0]

I was crushed by the news last week of John Corigliano's score getting dropped from Mel Gibson's upcoming movie The Edge of Darkness. It's being replaced by Howard Shore, which is still something to look forward to, but as little work as Corigliano does for film (this would have been his fourth score to date) and as fiercely original as his output is I was REALLY anticipating this soundtrack.

He does have a habit of making concert arrangements of his film music, though, so hope fully something of this project will still arise.

[Morlock 11]

I heard about this last week, and was bummed by it. I don't know a huge deal of Corigliano's music (well, I know practically nothing), but I was looking forward to something interesting. Still, you can do worse than Shore.

[A24 4,348]

Mel Gibson chickened out and went for a more safe choice. Already he makes compromises.

[Morlock 11]

Obviously he's compromising- Shore wasn't good enough for him a decade ago on Ransom...

[Wojo 2,453]

Mel Gibson chickened out and went for a more safe choice. Already he makes compromises.

IMDB doesn't credit Mel Gibson as a director or producer on this film, just an actor. Can an actor really have that kind of pull regarding composer?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Not really.

[A24 4,348]

Mel Gibson chickened out and went for a more safe choice. Already he makes compromises.

IMDB doesn't credit Mel Gibson as a director or producer on this film, just an actor. Can an actor really have that kind of pull regarding composer?

With "Mel Gibson's upcoming movie" I understood he was the director. So it wasn't Mel but the director or the producers that chickened out. In any case, a compromise has been made. BTW, Mel Gibson has power even when he's not directing. Chances are big that he's the reason why people will go see this movie.

Alex

[ETMusic 1]

Mel Gibson chickened out and went for a more safe choice. Already he makes compromises.

IMDB doesn't credit Mel Gibson as a director or producer on this film, just an actor. Can an actor really have that kind of pull regarding composer?

Actors can have that kind of pull. Also, I find it hard to believe that Mel Gibson would star in a film and NOT be credited as a producer or executive producer for royalties.

The good news is that Corigliano is a big enough name that his score will most likely be released eventually (possibly recomposed/arranged by Corigliano for the concert stage).

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Still, you can do worse than Shore.

You certainly can. But Corigliano's score would likely have been much more interesting musically.

The good news is that Corigliano is a big enough name that his score will most likely be released eventually (possibly recomposed/arranged by Corigliano for the concert stage).

I guess the biggest question here is whether he can secure the rights so he can use the music he wrote. I hope he can.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

BTW, Mel Gibson has power even when he's not directing. Chances are big that he's the reason why people will go see this movie.

Uh, yah. He's the lead actor. That's the case for a lot of films.

[Wojo 2,453]

Will this movie at least be recorded using a living language?

[King Mark 3,631]

ah ,a who cares? thread

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Ah, a 'who cares?' post.

[Jay 37,378]

ha!

[A24 4,348]

BTW, Mel Gibson has power even when he's not directing. Chances are big that he's the reason why people will go see this movie.

Uh, yah. He's the lead actor. That's the case for a lot of films.

So you kinda understand that Gibson has power in Hollywood, even when he's not the director but an actor? In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Gibson as an actor has more power than many a director. At least ETMusic understands it, he or she even thought it was worth to make it his or her first post.

Alex

[Ollie 1,059]

I'm going to go with the "there were some problems with the film to begin with and the score is usually the first thing to be replaced" route, regardless of the quality of the music.

There have been some sugestions that the film didn't test well and was pushed back due to changes other than the music.

[ETMusic 1]

So you kinda understand that Gibson has power in Hollywood, even when he's not the director but an actor? In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Gibson as an actor has more power than many a director. At least ETMusic understands it, he or she even thought it was worth to make it his or her first post.

Alex

I usually just lurk (also, someone else usually seems to post what I would have said before I see the thread).

[Alejandro 26]

I've heard about this film for some time now. It's been director Martin Campbell's pet project. I wanted to see it because Robert DeNiro was going to star opposite Mel Gibson, but DeNiro dropped. I'm glad Stuart Baird is editor. Should be pretty good.

[Morn 8]

This sucks, Corigliano writes better quality music than almost everyone else, and I'm sure the replacement score will be less interesting.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Am I the only one that is happy that Shore is now on the project?

[TownerFan 4,984]

Corigliano speaks out candidly about the rejection of his score:

http://moviescoremagazine.com/2009/10/corigliano-speaks-out-on-darkness-rejection/

[A24 4,348]

Well, I was wrong about Mel declining the score but I was right about the compromising of this film. Warner Brothers just wants to give the audience what they expect, namely, ordinary machoism. The same thing happened to Troy.

Alex

[Wojo 2,453]

He doesn't sound too sore about it. He seems to be saying "it is what it is."

The one comment below that article implies that he was in it for the money. While he could be saying "I spent all that time writing a score, and they didn't use it," if he was paid decently, it was not time wasted. That's the nature of the business, sometimes. If he had been paid a paltry sum, then he would be sore because he would never stand to benefit from the sale of an album. We don't know the particulars of the deal to know if he will be able to release his score or perform it live or something, unless his up-front payment more than makes up for it.

[A24 4,348]

In any case, it's a valuable lesson for Corigliano not to take on score assignments about cops taking revenge.

Alex

[scissorhands 16]

He doesn't sound too sore about it. He seems to be saying "it is what it is."

The one comment below that article implies that he was in it for the money.

Yeah, he was in for the money (better paid than commissions for the concert hall), but while he's at it, he tries to show the best of his craftsmanship. Corigliano has always stated that he only works in the movie business when he feels he has something to say, because there are already a lot of great composers working there already (I would like to know his view on the current state of movie music though).

[ChrisAfonso 186]

With the background on this presented like this by Corigliano, there could be the possibility of a restored Director's Cut if the film does well, as it sounds like Campbell had a different vision for this film than what will now be released. I hope we'll get to hear Corigliano's score eventually, in whatever form.

[Morlock 11]

His comments don't mean it wasn't a big deal... supposedly, Alex North was crushed by the 2001 debacle, but he had nothing but kind words to say about the experience. It's impossible to take these things at face value, except with Yared's situation, where he did something that was extremely unwise career wise and said what he really thought.

And the problem with Troy was not so much the studio- it was the director. Peterson keeps on asking for scores that his movies can't handle. Horner's Troy was better for the film. So was Goldsmith's Air Force One. A delusional director with $150 million can be just as problematic as a studio.

[Kevin 22]

Corigliano speaks out candidly about the rejection of his score:

http://moviescoremagazine.com/2009/10/corigliano-speaks-out-on-darkness-rejection/

Throw it out!

Get James Horner!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

Hopefully the score will be released in some form or another. Personally, I like "The Red Violin", and I adore "Altered States". Hey, guys, why this "who cares" attitude? Let's face it, there is precious little truely great, original, film music out there, at the moment. His score would have been a hilight of the year. I'm sure that Shore's score wil service the film just fine, but I'm saddened that another potentially great piece of music will probably never be heard.

[Morn 8]

I'd love it if he could read these comments of ours, something Alex North surely wouldn't have been able to do in 1968.