Rejected Scores: Part III

Rejected scores often have some interesting backstories.  I featured past stories in Part I and Part II (linked here).  Now I'm featuring a few more new stories of notable rejected scores and their replacements.

5. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
[Georges Delerue]
Delerue composed a dark Herrmann-esque score for the dark fantasy Disney film.  It included full orchestra and choir with plenty of themes that highlight the foreboding and lyrical moments.  Delerue completed and recorded the score.  After test screenings, it was decided by Disney and writer Ray Bradbury that the film needed an overhaul that involved new narration, new editor, special effects and score.  James Horner's replacement score wasn't enough to save it at the box office.

4. Blackhat (2015)
[Harry Gregson-Williams, etc]
Rarely do film scores make industry news.  Gregson-Williams noted in an online post that while credited as sole composer, much of the score wasn't his.  Director Michael Mann, known for his cut-and-paste scores, also used compositions from Atticus and Leo Ross, Mike Dean and used cues from Ryan Amon's score to Elysium.   

3. Romeo and Juliet (2013)
[James Horner]
Horner completed and recorded his score which didn't get praised in an early test screening.  At the same time, producers hired Abel Korzeniowski to compose a replacement score.  They decided to test the film simultaneously with both scores and used the data to stick with Korzeniowski.   

2. Interview with the Vampire (1994)
[George Fenton]
Director Neil Jordan hired Fenton, his past collaborator.  With writing done, the score was rejected for being too dark and slow.  They turned to Elliot Goldenthal to write the score - and gave him only three weeks.  Goldenthal's score would be Academy Award nominated.

1. The Prince of Tides (1991)
[John Barry]
Barry had recently won his Dances with Wolves Oscar when director Barbra Streisand hired him for the film.  He ended ultimately upset about being asked to move to Los Angeles and to have Streisand very hands-on during the scoring process.  He left the film and was replaced by James Newton Howard.  Howard's romantic score would be Academy Award nominated.

Recording the unused Romeo and Juliet - singers Iestyn Davies and Sissel with James Horner (center)

For you score detectives out there, here's a rundown with a listing of how to hear some of these rejected scores.

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Delerue recorded a suite for The London Sessions (1991 Varese Sarabande Records).  The entire unused score and source music was released by Intrada Records in 2015. 
Blackhat
No soundtrack release for the multiple contributions to the film.
Romeo and Juliet
No official release for Horner's work. 
Interview with the Vampire
No official release for Fenton's work, but his source music arrangements remain in the film. 
The Prince of Tides
Barry's main theme was turned into a piece titled "Moviola" released on his album Moviola in 1992.  The theme was also used in the 1995 IMAX film, Across the Sea of Time.   

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1 Comments

  1. I guess Harry Gregson-Williams' "Southpaw" score was rejected and it was replaced by James Horner.

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