Remains Of The Day by Richard Robbins

[TheUlyssesian 2,103]

Anybody else seen this film? And what did you think of the score by Richard Robbins in the film and on the album?

The film itself is a hugely acclaimed Merchant Ivory production of a Booker Prize Winning Novel and was nominated for many Oscars including Best Picture in 1993. I think the film is a masterpiece and this has to be probably the most restrained film ever made. The central romance is so thwarted, so awfully introverted and so British that the film absolutely devastates you by the time it reaches its ending.

Inspite of the levels of restraint there is a lot of tension in the film because of clashing wills and personalities and this tension is magnificently scored by Richard Robbins. The score does not have a main theme as such, it does have a primary idea, a rhythmic structure more than a theme that is oft reprised within the score and creates a kind of minimalist propulsive brooding atmosphere that perfectly captures the tone of the film. The score is never dissonant and very listen-able throughout. Infact some of it is very beautiful specially when the orchestra soars in the end credits. I find its quietly anticipatory tone quite addictive.

Here are the main titles and the end titles respectively.

[filmmusic 925]

I love the film (and the music very much - it was among my first soundtrack purchases), although maybe I love Maurice (another Ivory-Robbins collaboration) more.

I'm looking forward to this being released in BLuray..

Too bad RIchard Robbins is not active anymore.. Does anyone know what happened?

He's absent since 2005.

He's much better composer than some of today that get to score tons and tons of films...

[Augie 1]

Agreed, absolute masterpiece, both film and score. One of the best films of the 90s. Back in the day,

everybody was talking about "Howard's End", which is just a boring costume thing compared to

"The Remains of the Day". The novel on which the film is based on is also an interesting read, but

I prefer the movie.

I'm collecting all the Richard Robbins albums. Also a highlight is his dramatic music for the completely

undramatic "Surviving Picasso", very similar in style to TROTD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tj_WIzRyp0

What happened to Robbins? I think he retired from the screen after "The White Countess". He's 71,

who knows. Robbins probably fell out with James Ivory, I think I read about this somewhere. Ivory used

another composer for his last film in 2009. I recall that the Merchant-Ivory films, as expensive as they

were always looking, were produced on very tiny budgets. Music budgets suffered. I recall having read

years ago that Robbins wasn't paid for one of his scores, and that he sued Ivory. Which also meant the

end of this fruitful collaboration.

Augie

[filmmusic 925]

Thanks for the information.

But, my question is, why noone else hired him? Can't they understand that he writes good film music?

Or maybe they did make him propositions, but it was his own decision to withdraw?

[Augie 1]

Most filmmakers probably thought that he was "just the Merchant/Ivory-guy". He very rarely worked for

someone else, if you are checking his filmography. It took me only 15 years to get all the records that

exist. Fabulous composer, but my guess is that many people thought that Robbins' range (regarding

movies) was limited. Which was, of course, wrong. So his career was exclusively dedicated to the

Wandering Company. It happens a lot; just take Ronald Stein, Richard Band, Shirley Walker. They

call it typecasting. An oddly unheralded composer.

Richard Robbins wasn't even a British composer, as many people thought. He was from Massachusetts.

Ivory, in turn, was born in California. So they weren't even Brits.

Just found an audio interview with James Ivory, about their musical collaboration!

Listen to this:

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/programs/movies/2011/may/28/

One hour, sound clips and interview with the director.

Sadly, Richard Robbins has Parkinson's disease.

[AC1 3,565]

I'm a big fan of the scores of Maurice, Remains Of The Day and Howards End. With Maurice being the most romantic and Remains Of The Day being the most minimalistic of the lot, I suppose. Listening to the rhythmic sequences and strings of Remains has an almost healing effect.

Remains Of The Day and Howards End are also Ivory's best films. Love them both but I prefer Howards End, which is actually one of my all time favorite movies. The film asks a little more from the viewer (the drama and content are less apparent than in Remains Of The Day) but if you delve into it, you'll find it's an incredibly rich film, thematically and metaphorically. The rewards upon revisiting are tremendous. I can't wait for it to appear on Blu-ray.

The film itself is a hugely acclaimed Merchant Ivory production of a Booker Prize Winning Novel and was nominated for many Oscars including Best Picture in 1993. I think the film is a masterpiece and this has to be probably the most restrained film ever made. The central romance is so thwarted, so awfully introverted and so British that the film absolutely devastates you by the time it reaches its ending.

Very well said, TheUlyssesian.

BTW, has anyone noticed how mediocre the films of James Ivory became after he summited with Howards End and Remains? However, the scores of Robbins are almost always worth it.

Alex

[Naïve Old Fart 6,637]

The film is art.

The score is beautiful.

[Thor 5,273]

I'll join the chorus of salutations.

A superb film and arguably Hopkins' best performance (which is saying much, since he's my second favourite actors after Nicholson). I love the score too, and play the soundtrack quite often. Beautiful mix of Robbins' score and the classical/source music.

[filmmusic 925]

Is there anyone very aquainted with the score in the film and knows if the OST is missing much?

From what i remember I think it didn't miss much (or anything)..

I just got a shipping notification for the TT Bluray which has an isolated score track, and i was wondering if it'll contain any unreleased music.

[Romão 1,931]

I adore this score and film, I guess it was after this thread was started. I'm curious about that isolated track, as good as the album is

[AC1 3,565]

I don't think there's much missing, if anything.


I'm still waiting for Howards End (Ivory's masterpiece) to be released on Blu-ray over here. I know there's a Criterion version in the US.




Alex

[filmmusic 925]

I know there's a Criterion version in the US.

Which is now OOP.

I have it. It's gorgeous (though there were many concerns on its release that the picture wasn't good, that it was too grainy/noisy or something).

Which reminds me, I should watch it again soon.

I love watching Ivory films in the Spring! They're so suitable!

Still looking forward to a Maurice Bluray.

(it's my favourite score for an Ivory film too)

[FunnyML 45]

Is there anyone very aquainted with the score in the film and knows if the OST is missing much?

From what i remember I think it didn't miss much (or anything)..

I just got a shipping notification for the TT Bluray which has an isolated score track, and i was wondering if it'll contain any unreleased music.

I have the OST and had the Twilight Time bluray (sent it back). The isolated score is a joke, a forgery - they rearranged the OST in chronological order and what was missing, they just added with the help of a dubbing track (SFX+music) that is even worse than ripping the back channels of the Bluray.

Anyway, Robbins composed 50 minutes for the picture, 29 cues. 6 cues are unreleased in their entirety, some others have been microedited. Alternate cues couldn't be considered, since TT used the album versions only. Here is a tracklist:

01. Opening Titles** //OST TRACK 01A 5:10

02. Darlington Hall //OST TRACK 01B 3:20

03. Ms. Kenton** //OST TRACK 02A 1:27

04. The Dustpan* 1:45

05. The Keyhole And The Chinaman //OST TRACK 02B 3:00

06. Stevens, Sr. //OST TRACK 07C 1:24

07. At The Window //OST TRACK 03A 0:51

08. Tradition And Order //OST TRACK 03B 1:03

09. The Conference Begins //OST TRACK 04 1:32

10. A Stroke Of Fate* 0:42

11. The Cooks In The Kitchen //OST TRACK 06 1:33

12. A Good Son //OST TRACK 09C 0:57

13. The Letter* 2:10

14. Sir Geoffrey Wren //OST TRACK 07B 0:51

15. Jewish Housemaids* 1:15

16. You Mean A Great Deal To This House //OST TRACK 08B 0:50

17. Countryside Drive //OST TRACK 08B 0:34

18. Conscience //OST TRACK 07A 0:27

19. Confession //OST TRACK 09D 3:41

20. Sentimental Love Story** //OST TRACK 11A 0:52

21. Day Off //OST TRACK 08B 1:02

22. Appeasement** //OST TRACK 11B 3:13

23. Separation //OST TRACK 09A 1:01

24. Mannerisms //OST TRACK 09B 0:42

25. Arrival At Seaview Hotel* 1:27

26. In The Rain //OST TRACK 11C 1:25

27. Last Goodbye* 0:34

28. A Portrait Returns / Darlington Hall //OST TRACK 12A 3:24

29. End Credits //OST TRACK 12B 3:27

* unreleased

** extended in film or on OST

[filmmusic 925]

Oh, thank you very much!

So, it seems they didn't have the isolated score but just the film stems.

YOu sent it back just for that?

Or because you weren't happy with the Bluray overall?

By the way, an isolated score track can't have alternates, since it uses the music used in the film and not the alternates.

Unless you meant that the film versions of the cues are different recordings than the album versions.

or unless you meant the unused cues, which in some instances have been used in an iso score.

[FunnyML 45]

YOu sent it back just for that?

Or because you weren't happy with the Bluray overall?

By the way, an isolated score track can't have alternates, since it uses the music used in the film and not the alternates.

Unless you meant that the film versions of the cues are different recordings than the album versions.

or unless you meant the unused cues, which in some instances have been used in an iso score.

I didn't care much for the audio commentary, so I got the much cheaper first release instead. The image quality is pretty identical anyway. Forgery has to be punished, if you ask me.

Yes, that is what I meant, they used the album versions, even though some cues were different in the movie.

By the way, if you hope to get the album cues with the beginnings and endings intact at least (they were fading into each other on the OST), don't be surprised if you don't. They simply fade out early.

[Naïve Old Fart 6,637]

YOu sent it back just for that?

Or because you weren't happy with the Bluray overall?

By the way, an isolated score track can't have alternates, since it uses the music used in the film and not the alternates.

Unless you meant that the film versions of the cues are different recordings than the album versions.

or unless you meant the unused cues, which in some instances have been used in an iso score.

I didn't care much for the audio commentary, so I got the much cheaper first release instead. The image quality is pretty identical anyway. Forgery has to be punished, if you ask me.

Yes, that is what I meant, they used the album versions, even though some cues were different in the movie.

By the way, if you hope to get the album cues with the beginnings and endings intact at least (they were fading into each other on the OST), don't be surprised if you don't. They simply fade out early.

An iso score can have alternatives. Both the "Alien", and "Aliens" Blu-ray have 2 iso scores.

I'll join the chorus of salutations.

A superb film and arguably Hopkins' best performance (which is saying much, since he's my second favourite actors after Nicholson). I love the score too, and play the soundtrack quite often. Beautiful mix of Robbins' score and the classical/source music.

It's equal Hopkins' best performance, along with "Magic".

[filmmusic 925]

YOu sent it back just for that?

Or because you weren't happy with the Bluray overall?

By the way, an isolated score track can't have alternates, since it uses the music used in the film and not the alternates.

Unless you meant that the film versions of the cues are different recordings than the album versions.

or unless you meant the unused cues, which in some instances have been used in an iso score.

I didn't care much for the audio commentary, so I got the much cheaper first release instead. The image quality is pretty identical anyway. Forgery has to be punished, if you ask me.

Yes, that is what I meant, they used the album versions, even though some cues were different in the movie.

By the way, if you hope to get the album cues with the beginnings and endings intact at least (they were fading into each other on the OST), don't be surprised if you don't. They simply fade out early.

Ok, I just received my disc. it seems that even in previously released cues, they used the iso + FX track.

Actually its a bit of both.

1st and 2nd cue have FX.

3rd cue doesn't have FX at the start although it should have (so I guess they used the OST), but it has near the end.

Haven't checked the others.

[FunnyML 45]

Ok, I just received my disc. it seems that even in previously released cues, they used the iso + FX track.

Actually its a bit of both.

1st and 2nd cue have FX.

3rd cue doesn't have FX at the start although it should have (so I guess they used the OST), but it has near the end.

Haven't checked the others.

The third cue is longer in the movie, so they had to include the SFX-track. Yes, even previously released segments have SFX.

So, what do you think of it? You can't advertise an isolated score, if you don't have the music, my opinion

[filmmusic 925]

Ok, I just received my disc. it seems that even in previously released cues, they used the iso + FX track.

Actually its a bit of both.

1st and 2nd cue have FX.

3rd cue doesn't have FX at the start although it should have (so I guess they used the OST), but it has near the end.

Haven't checked the others.

The third cue is longer in the movie, so they had to include the SFX-track. Yes, even previously released segments have SFX.

So, what do you think of it? You can't advertise an isolated score, if you don't have the music, my opinion

Yes, I've mentioned that too in another relevant forum.

TT's response:

Effects are heard in only a few cues that had to be taken from the m&e track - which is why we called it an "isolated score track" - when the majority of cues have to come from the m&e (in those cases where the music stems have been lost), we label it an "isolated music and effects track."

[FunnyML 45]

TT's response:

Effects are heard in only a few cues that had to be taken from the m&e track - which is why we called it an "isolated score track" - when the majority of cues have to come from the m&e (in those cases where the music stems have been lost), we label it an "isolated music and effects track."

Not sure if 8 from 29 cues can be called "few"... Where did they post this?

[filmmusic 925]

TT's response:

Effects are heard in only a few cues that had to be taken from the m&e track - which is why we called it an "isolated score track" - when the majority of cues have to come from the m&e (in those cases where the music stems have been lost), we label it an "isolated music and effects track."

Not sure if 8 from 29 cues can be called "few"... Where did they post this?

At hometheaterforum, in the Remains of the Day thread.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/340195-a-few-words-about%E2%84%A2-the-remains-of-the-day-in-blu-ray/page-2