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At tonight's record-signing/Q&A session at Borders Books in Westwood, California, Elmer Bernstein went on the record and said that it was Weinstein who stripped GANGS OF NEW YORK of the score EB had written, over the vigorous objections of Martin Scorsese.
Obviously, the studio paid for the work, and they do have final say over what goes out with their name on it, but it was, without doubt, an appalling creative decision on Miramax's part, stripping Scorsese's thirty-year vision of the dramatic and emotional glue needed to hold it together.
Bernstein's been in the business long enough to be philosophical and cheerful about it (at least publicly), but he really does want the music to be heard and appreciated by his public, and will try to secure permission to bring it to disc in the not-too-distant future, that notorious music critic, Harvey Weinstein, permitting.
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Posted: |
Jan 21, 2003 - 4:59 AM
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By: |
JohnSWalsh
(Member)
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It would have taken a lot more than Bernstein's score to save GANGS. It kept my interest for 3 hours, but DeCaprio's and Diaz's characters were not just thin, they were non-existant. They were types, not characters.
(Was anyone surprised at all when DiCaprio stopped the assasination attempt? He CARES for the man he got close to in order to kill--how ironic! And the left-for-dead-nursed-back-to-avenge thing is older than old.)
A big, beautiful and interesting movie when it focused (though barely) on the draft riots (though it soft-pedalled the race angle), the settings, Day-Lewis, and the political machinations. I thought I was about to see greatness when the movie opened with that great pull-back of the immigrant's prison-like chambers, and then the opening fight (some hate it, I thought it was terrific).
Bernstein could have helped it, but this was one of those projects that became such an obsession that, IMO, it was just worked to death over 2 decades. It had no blood. It didn't breathe. Pity.
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At tonight's record-signing/Q&A session at Borders Books in Westwood, California, Elmer Bernstein went on the record and said that it was Weinstein who stripped GANGS OF NEW YORK of the score EB had written, over the vigorous objections of Martin Scorsese.
Old news, I posted this information WEEKS ago.
:-)
I'm hoping that Elmer gets his CD at some point in the near future.
Ford A. Thaxton
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I wonder what Elmer, or Howard Shore for that matter, thinks of Bono's GOLDEN-GLOBE-WINNING song Miramax tacked on at the end?
I also wonder who finally decided NOT to use the original song Janet Jackson wrote for the end credits of "Chicago." That could have been another Golden Globe winner right there.
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I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! That Weinstein guy is a real prince. I really hope Bernstein gets the Oscar, and while I'm sorry he didn't get the Golden Globe, I was glad to see Goldenthal get it, because it's a nice slap in the face to Weinstein after his behavior regarding Frida. Of course U2 winning the Golden Globe for best song and Scorsese thanking them and all the other music contributors was kind of a slap in the face to Bernstein, but he may have his revenge with the Oscars, and Scorsese probably didn't want any more controversy.
Bernstein's score could not have saved Gangs of New York, but it would have helped considerably, and it deserves to be heard ala "Music Inspired by the Film Last Man Standing."
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Howard, if you're familiar with Miklos Rozsa's memoir, "A Double Life," then you'd know it's too bad that the composer George Antheil didn't write the score to GANGS OF NEW YORK. In response to Harvey Weinstein's brutal dictatorial interference, Antheil, the self-styled "Bad Boy of Music" (the title of his autobiography) would surely have pulled out a pistol and blown Weinstein's head off.
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Posted: |
Jan 21, 2003 - 8:10 PM
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By: |
Essankay
(Member)
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Bernstein's score could not have saved Gangs of New York, but it would have helped considerably, and it deserves to be heard....
Orig is quite right when he states "Bernstein... does want the music to be heard and appreciated by his public, and will try to secure permission to bring it to disc in the not-too-distant future..." I was there too and Bernstein was very clear about this.
So once the brouhaha has abated and GONY is out of the theaters, we may be lucky enough to actually hear what Bernstein created for the film. But as for "Harvey Weinstein permitting", unless Elmer is a really sly old fox and has a clause in his contract that will allow him to release the music without Weinstein's permission, that could prove to be a real obstacle. On the other hand, if Elmer wins an Academy Award this year, maybe Weinstein will figure he can exploit that fact and make a little moolah off the unused score.
Hmmm, tough call. Regardless of Bernstein's intentions, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed on this one.
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Obviously the video release will reflect the final theatrical release, but DVD being what it is, it surely would be possible to include alternate audio tracks with Bernstein's score, letting the viewer choose which version of the film to watch/listen to. Is there anything we can do to persuade the studio to give us this option on the DVD?
Your kidding right???
There isn't a chance in hell that will happen at his point in time.
Ford A. Thaxtoin
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