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Keeping score
The other music of 'Troy'

By Nick Nunziata
CNN Headline News
Tuesday, May 18, 2004 Posted: 1721 GMT (0121 HKT)

(CNN) -- "Troy" is the number one movie this week in a lot of countries thanks to an aggressive, simultaneous worldwide release.

Wolfgang Petersen's epic retelling of "The Iliad" made quite a splash in the box office thanks to its late surge in marketing and the considerable appeal of abundant well-oiled and toned bodies of both sexes.

Themes of greed, power and revenge often pale in comparison to ridiculously perfect bodies projected 30 feet tall.

The Achilles heel of "Troy" isn't its thinly veiled political statement about our current climate or the murk of Homer's source text. In fact, the biggest weakness of the film has nothing to do with what is in the film, but rather what isn't. The original score created for the film by the talented and lauded composer Gabriel Yared (who is also an Oscar winner for "The English Patient") was left out of the movie.

Late in the development process of the Brad Pitt epic, Yared's work (whose "The Talented Mr. Ripley" work ranks among my very favorites) was deemed unfit by the powers that be. This is nothing new; these decisions happen all the time.

"Pirates of the Caribbean" went through a late composer swap, and Ridley Scott's '80s fantasy "Legend" has drawn considerable controversy for its shift from the legendary Jerry Goldsmith to Tangerine Dream for its theatrical release (the current DVD features the unused music much to the delight of fans), a decision that literally affected how the film was received and how well it aged. What makes "Troy" a different animal is the Internet and the communication freedom it allows the spurned composer.

On his Web site, Yared not only explained the situation that resulted in his work going unused, but also allowed for readers to download the music he created to showcase his work in comparison to his replacement, James Horner of "Titanic" fame. As a result, audiences have a chance to hear what could have been.

Many critics, including myself, felt that Horner's contributions felt too familiar or generic. Yared's work was richer, more global, something seemingly coming from a more soulful place. Were it still in the film I believe my opinion of "Troy" would go from positive to extremely positive. There's a synergy between image and sound that when tapped correctly, greatly enhances the overall experience. The original score for the film certainly applies to that rule.

So often the decisions made during the filmmaking process are made with commercial considerations in mind or to fulfill an obligation. Too often the soundtrack for a film is just a collection of marketing decisions and in a period film like "Troy" the only way to tap that vein is by using a known voice during the end credits like they did here with Josh Groban. Obviously, the recent success of the "Lord of the Rings" closing numbers helped contribute to the trend.

In the end, it boils down to taste, but for those keeping score of the score I'd recommend a listen to Yared's far superior work while you can.

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Originally posted by HadrianD:
GODDAMMIT Horner's score was one of the worst decision with the movie.

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Originally posted by HadrianD:
As a score, it served the need of the movie

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I disagree.

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What the movie really need was a score that would have impart the underlying religious theme, internal chaos and godly motivations of its tragic heroes.

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One of my favourite film composers is Alex North and one of his most remarkable scores is Dragonslayer. The thing is, it is simply far, far too good for the movie and ends up just sounding out of place. I kind of think the same thing about Troy and even, for that matter, Air Force One. Randy Newman and Gabriel Yared were scoring movies that were far better than the ones actually in front of them. The replacement scores are nothing like so satisfying, musically, but fit the movies better and still make fine albums.

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Originally posted by Southall:
There is nothing vaguely deep about it, so for the music to try to suggest something deep, it would end up sounding quite silly and just not working.

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Which is exactly how I felt when hearing the ethnically vague wailing female vocals. Talk about out of place and not working....

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Originally posted by Tim_P:
Have we all lowered our standards with Horner so far that when he turns in a slightly louder than normal score, we deem it good or excellent? (Yeah, I know he only had 13 days...)

Tim

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Well, that's a question to ask the majority of folks who creamed their pants while listening to The Missing, a decidedly mediocre and bland score placed alongside Troy.

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Originally posted by Hasta:
James didn't you give The Missing **** 1/2?

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Originally posted by Southall:
I spent quite a bit of time writing that Troy review - more than usual, I must admit - because I can't remember the last time I felt so at odds with the consensus about a score. If people didn't even know it was a replacement score for a fine work by Yared or that it had been written in 13 days, would they keep the same opinion about it? I'm not sure.

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Almost certainly not. There would still have been a dispute, but this one would be between: (a) Profokiev lovers, (b) Stargate lovers, (c) Horner lovers, and (d) People who didn't notice the music at all.

Interesting review though. Moviewave always manages to surprise me in the way it looks at a score which achieves a consensus elsewhere. But - just between us and the 1000 others reading - is there not a teensy-bit of consciously-playing devil's advocate here? Naysaying for sake of saying nay?