Corigliano replaced by Shore on Edge of Darkness

[Paul MacLean]

In what is certainly the most appalling bit of film music news in some time, its been reported that Edge of Darkness will be released with a new score by Howard Shore and not John Corigliano...

http://moviescoremagazine.com/2009/10/s ... -darkness/


I'm aghast, speechless. Corigliano is one of the most venerated composers of our time, and has proven in his few forays into cinema that he is a gifted film dramatist as well.

It is bad enough to see his work thrown out in this way, but I'm hard-pressed to think of a worse replacement.

The announcement that Corigliano would be scoring Edge of Darkness was one of the few rays of light in the hopeless shadow that has been cast over film music in the latter part of this decade.

I'm starting to wonder if we will ever hear a good score ever again.

[mkaroly]

Is there any reason why? I know Corigliano's participation was hyped up and I was really looking forward to hearing a new score from him. Severla years ago he came to Ohio State for a composer's retrospective and he commented about the difficulty in scoring films- finding a project he likes, getting people on board with his music/approach, etc. His comments left me feeling that he had had several bad experiences and didn't like it too much. If that's true, this will probably be the nail in the coffin.

[Paul MacLean]

Is there any reason why? I know Corigliano's participation was hyped up and I was really looking forward to hearing a new score from him.

Yeah, me too.

I haven't found any concrete answers yet. I hope in time it will be made clear.

His comments left me feeling that he had had several bad experiences and didn't like it too much. If that's true, this will probably be the nail in the coffin.

That's what's so sad. Revolution was not a happy experience for him, and pretty much jaded him towards films for over a decade. Now after this, he'll probably never take a film assignment ever.

[Monterey Jack]

Howard Shore isn't exactly chopped liver. Now, if Corigliano had been replaced by James Horner or one of Hans Zimmer's "pets", that'd be a different story.

[Paul MacLean]

Howard Shore isn't exactly chopped liver. Now, if Corigliano had been replaced by James Horner or one of Hans Zimmer's "pets", that'd be a different story.

In fairness, I think Shore has a very good sense of instrumental color, but is a poor dramatist in my opinion, with a limited melodic faculty.

[AndyDursin]

I remember the good o'l days when it was a good thing when Shore's music was tossed out of some movies. Now he comes into replace other people. Goodness how times have changed (and not for the better, either -- sorry I'm not a fan of his)...

Probably this is a sign the film is in trouble. They also pushed the release date into January, which is, again, another bad sign.

[mkaroly]

I have to ask though....what if Corigliano's score did not "fit" the movie? I mean, just because he is John Coriglaino doesn't necessarily mean that his score "fit" the movie. I do admit that although I am a big fan of Shore's, he and Corigliano are apples and potatoes musically, so I would love to hear what Corigliano gave to the film. I would predict that Shore will bring his brooding, SE7EN type pallatte to the film.

I recently listened to ALTERED STATES and THE RED VIOLIN (as I was going through my film scores one by one)....AS fit the context and weirdness (for lack of a better term) of the film but it sounded like a stereotypical 20th century concert hall composer score. TRV had a lot of melody and is just a superb accomplishment. Both scores show the different ends of the spectrum and the diversity of Corigliano as a composer.

Recently, I also listened to Fern Hill (his 18+ minute choral work) that is still amazing and moving. Dude has some talent!

[Paul MacLean]

I have to ask though....what if Corigliano's score did not "fit" the movie? I mean, just because he is John Coriglaino doesn't necessarily mean that his score "fit" the movie.

Well obviously there's no way of knowing conclusively if one hasn't heard the score. But I'm inclined to give Corigliano the benefit of the doubt. His film work up to this point has been unassailable. I'd be very surprised if his music did not enhance the production in a profound way.

I think Andy is right -- Edge of Darkness is probably a "troubled" production, which hasn't turned out as well as hoped, and the studio is trying to "save" it with re-editing, and changing the score. Considering that Corigliano's music was recorded in March of '09, but the studio has pushed the film's release back to January of '10, that's not a promising sign.

If the filmmakers and studio hadn't liked the score, I think we'd have heard long before now, considering it was recorded seven months ago. Its removal may just be a case of it no longer fitting the timings (and even tone) of this film if its been heavily re-edited. Still, I've always had a problem with filmmakers who fire composers outright if they feel the score is not working, rather than giving the composer a chance to do a re-write. Certainly a composer of Corigliano's stature is owed this courtesy.

I recently listened to ALTERED STATES and THE RED VIOLIN (as I was going through my film scores one by one)....AS fit the context and weirdness (for lack of a better term) of the film but it sounded like a stereotypical 20th century concert hall composer score.

When you say "score" do you mean film score specifically? Not many 20th century concert hall composers have scored films, so I'm not sure what is stereotypical. Of those who did, I don't find Altered States similar to film music by Corigliano's contemporaries, like Toru Takemitsu or Peter Maxwell Davies.

When Altered States was written nearly 30 years ago, it was very unusual and arresting to hear that kind of music in a movie. It may seem more tame and dated today, but Corigliano's score was pretty innovative in context, and even incorporated new kinds of notations to impart his intentions to the musicians.

My ex-girlfriend's father was a copyist for that score and still had a mimeograph of the "Ape Man" cue which I got to look over once. Pretty far-out stuff!

[mkaroly]

I meant more of a concert hall piece, full of atonality, 20th century techniques, long pieces that meander, etc...very academic pieces. I don't quite know how to explain what I mean...when I was in music school in the late 90s there was this almost worshipful attitude towards composers who really stretched the bounds of what could and couldn't be done with musical form (or lack thereof). There was at times almost an attitude of accepting as brilliant anything that lacked a I-IV-V-I melodic structure to it. Of course I can't back up my comments with any names since I have forgotten all that stuff and left music studies gathering dust on the shelf. That's what I meant...not a film score. My bad. In the end it is all subjective (what's music for me or someone else is not for another). I like the score but it sounds "academic" to me and I felt like I was back in music school.

[Eric W.]

Howard Shore isn't exactly chopped liver. Now, if Corigliano had been replaced by James Horner or one of Hans Zimmer's "pets", that'd be a different story.

If James Horner were on the project, I'd actually care.


James Horner is one of the best composers working today and he's been one of the best for nearly 30 years now.

I look at the scene today and to me, Horner may be the current best outright.

"Zimmer's pets" couldn't tie James Horner's shoes.

[Monterey Jack]

I look at the scene today and to me, Horner may be the current best outright.

That's not saying a hell of a lot.

[Eric W.]

I look at the scene today and to me, Horner may be the current best outright.

That's not saying a hell of a lot.

By itself, you're right, but how about the rest of my post, which says:

He's been one of the best for nearly the last 30 years.

I notice you didn't quote that part.

[Paul MacLean]

I meant more of a concert hall piece, full of atonality, 20th century techniques, long pieces that meander, etc...very academic pieces. I don't quite know how to explain what I mean...

Oh, okay, I gotcha. Its just that I'm so used to people saying "score" when they specifically mean "film score".

I suppose Altered States is a product of that late 20th century school of thought. The irony is that it is probably the most way-out thing Corigliano has written -- most of his concert works are actually more accessible.

I admit I like some of that avant garde stuff...but a little of it goes a long way. There was too much of it in Harry Potter III for my taste. But I do find Altered States to be a captivating musical experience both in and away from the film.

The film is in some ways visually impressive, and well-acted, but also completely nutty and kind of disturbing. But the score was just the right "voice" for that kind of movie, and Corigliano was enthusiastic and inspired to be able to work on a movie that required a strong musical accompaniment and had several visually-imaginative scenes with no dialog.

He also had the enthusiastic support of a Ken Russell, who loves music, as well as a musically-knowledgeable studio executive Daniel Melnick who was equally encouraging to the composer to be as "out there" as possible. An unusually comfortable situation for a composer.

Each of Corigliano's films have been fertile ground for a composer...which is why I admit I raised my eyebrows when I heard he was doing a thriller like Edge of Darkness. No wordless effects sequences, no period settings or fox hunts, no extended scenes requiring violin solos. It struck me as a somewhat mundane vehicle for a composer.