Intrada Soundtrack Forum

Watched the Blu-Ray version last night. They completely improved the film by re-editing and adding. It was as if someone said, "Hey! We need more blood and booty!" Besides the added crimson, they 'fleshed' out the story, and actually made a better film. The visuals are improved, and it does kick some tail now.

BUT...

They changed the score -- as some have already said, they added one track by Yared... and reworked some of the rest. Besides those already mentioned changes, a few major head-scratchers had me saying...

WTF? During the pivotal one-on-one battle between Achilles and Hector, Danny Elfman is tossed in! Yes, you heard me right. The Main Theme from Planet of the Apes pounds away! Besides immediately taking me out of the film, the music distracts because it FEELS like a main theme, and not a supporting track for an intense battle that should really carry itself. Besides the main theme, they also steal 4 other tracks from the Planet of the Apes score. AND they even 'borrow' a track from Starship Troopers! Plus two other scores from other films...

Is this a record? Horner, Yared, Elfman, Poledouris and more... ALL working on one score? Too bad it's all re-used from other films.

I wish they hadn't gone this route. If you steal from other films... take lesser known tracks. Not main themes. Poor choice for an otherwise incredible re-edit.

My 2 cents.

While these "new and improved" directors cuts may be more satisfying to the director's original vision, I too am finding they aren't very composer friendly.

I was rather appalled when I got the "directors cut" DVD of The Natural. The changes Barry Levinson made for his "improved" opening didn't really help the narrative, and worst of all his new opening completely butchered Randy Newman's music.

I posted my feelings about this new version of Troy on the FSM webpage, and was pleased to see that Doug Fake's opinion matches mine almost exactly.

Great minds think alike, I suppose...