Originally Posted By JeffG >> "While I certainly appreciate the power of music and a good score, it seems odd that an entire score for a movie be completed, and then removed." << It actually happens a lot more often than you might think. Pretty much every major film composer has had at least one score replaced in this way (John Williams is about the only major exception that I can think of) and it has happened on quite a few very prominent films. While it is often an attempt to fix a troubled film, sometimes it really is a case where the hired composer just didn't have the right approach for the film or, at least, didn't do what the director or producers wanted. A couple examples of films that had pretty much completed scores replaced but still ended up as big hits include "Air Force One" (Jerry Goldsmith replacing Randy Newman) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" (Klaus Badelt replacing Alan Silvestri). While the replacement of the "King Kong" score is a somewhat ominous sign, it still could work out ok, particularly since Peter Jackson generally does tend to have good instincts. Howard Shore's usual style tends to be moodier and less action-oriented than James Newton Howard's, so it could be that they felt that the music really needed to better emphasize the action aspect of the film. -Jeff
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan If ever a film score cried out for the inclusion of some banjo playin' monkeys, this is the one!
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>A couple examples of films that had pretty much completed scores replaced but still ended up as big hits include "Air Force One" (Jerry Goldsmith replacing Randy Newman)<< I think it was the part where they were talking about the President's low popularity while "When Somebody Loved Me" played in the background that made them change it.
Originally Posted By Ursula "I'm a little nervous that the already-recorded score for the film was rejected a couple weeks ago, as that is often a desperate attempt at a last-minute fix for a movie that isn't working. This one is particularly surprising as the rejected score was by Howard Shore, who composed the "Lord of the Rings" scores. The quickly-written replacement score is by James Newton-Howard." Don't be worried. And I hate signing non-disclosure clauses.
Originally Posted By Ursula "If ever a film score cried out for the inclusion of some banjo playin' monkeys, this is the one!" I can say that the film has not one, but two banjo playin' Monkees: Peter and Davey :+)
