This is another entry in my Complete Score Breakdown Series, focusing on the complete scores to films that have had abbreviated previous releases or have gone unreleased.
Today we are looking at The Missing (2003) by James Horner.
It’s not my normal practice to do a Complete Score Breakdown on an existing score release that already runs 70+ minutes, unless the film itself is well over 2 hours. In the case of James Horner’s score to the 2003 film The Missing, the film was long enough and I was curious enough to find out how much unreleased score there was primarily because it ranks as one of my all-time favorite Horner scores.
I absolutely love this score. When it comes to Horner’s epic drama/adventure scores with ethnic touches, I never thought anything could surpass such 90’s efforts as Legends of the Fall and Braveheart, but the more time goes on the more I think I prefer The Missing. It’s kind of the underdog of that type of Horner score, but for me, the themes, instrumentation, performances, electronics, and overall beauty and haunting ethereal quality of the score catapult it to a level of magical film music experience.
I wasn’t sure how much missing material could be found when viewing the film (which runs 2hrs 16min) because the original CD already contains 77min 35sec of outstanding score. While the existence of traditionally unreleased music is not substantial, what’s interesting about the film version of the score to The Missing is the significant amount of alternate film versions of tracks on the CD, making the CD listening experience quite different from hearing the score in the film. Those that enjoy the score would be very interested to hear the many, many differences in the film version! My favorite difference was the film version of one of Horner’s finest action cues, “Rescue and Breakout”, which varies quite differently here and there during the course of the cue’s runtime, but retains the CD track’s crucial opening and closing moments. The differences in the film score and CD score are quite complex, so I will do my best to lay them out for you here. There are also a number of CD tracks edited for the film.
The runtime of the film version of the score, factoring in edited CD tracks and/or alternate film versions, runs 80min 15sec. The complete known score for The Missing, however, including and only including CD tracks, their alternate film version counterparts, and unreleased material, runs 105min 20sec. All unreleased material (missing score that was not on the CD) – including alternate film versions – runs 28 minutes.
I believe this album is out of print. There is not much more to be said except I sincerely and deeply hope this score is reissued and expanded in 2CD form to include all of this wonderful missing material, maybe like the recent Ghost and Darkness 2CD set was done – the CD arrangement and the way the score was meant to be heard in the film. Two very different experiences, with a score of this level of magnificence, creativity, and excitement, deserves to be heard.
All notations regarding edited tracks and alternate cues will be found in the Complete Score Cue Titles and Cue Times section.
CURRENT CD RELEASE RUNTIME: 77min 35sec COMPLETE FILM VERSION SCORE RUNTIME: 80min 15sec UNRELEASED SCORE RUNTIME: 27min 55sec
ALL KNOWN ORIGINAL MUSIC WRITTEN FOR THE FILM (INCLUDING UNEDITED CD TRACKS, UNUSED TRACKS, AND/OR ALTERNATE FILM VERSIONS, WITH NO IDENTICAL DUPLICATION REGARDING FILM TRACKS & CD TRACKS): 105min 20sec
Complete Score Cue Titles and Cue Times (unreleased cues named by me for the sake of identification):
+ – previously unreleased (or includes previously unreleased material)
1. New Mexico, 1885 (2:30) 2. The Stranger (2:24) – (edited from CD track, missing middle section) 3. Grandfather (1:33) + 4. Jones Departs (1:08) + 5. From Dawn to Dusk / The Riderless Horse (3:37) + – (alternate film version – different opening 1:30) 6. A Dark and Restless Wind (1:42) – (edited from CD track, missing middle section) 7. He Wore a Hood (0:20) + 8. The Search Begins (2:10) + – (alternate film version – different opening 1:00) 9. Night Abduction (0:45) + 10. Lilly’s Fate Is In These Hands (3:25) – (edited from CD track, missing first 3:15) 11. Unaccountable Army (1:13) + 12. A Useful Captive (2:45) + 13. Protective Instinct (1:09) + 14. The Brujo’s Storm (6:36) + – (alternate film version, extended 2:28 unreleased opening, alternate version features more percussion and woodwinds, less strings and theme; Pt. 1 of CD track “The Brujo’s Storm / A Loss of Innocence”) 15. A Loss of Innocence (1:27) + – (alternate film version, Pt. 2 of CD track “The Brujo’s Storm / A Loss of Innocence”) 16. Distant Smoke (0:45) + 17. Setting the Trap / Staying One Step Ahead (4:00) 18. Abandoned Hairbrush (0:48) + 19. A Curse of Ghosts (4:35) 20. A Rescue is Planned (5:52) + – (slightly different first 1:00) 21. Kayitah’s Death / The Soaring Hawk (3:30) – (edited from CD track) 22. Profound Loss (1:30) – (edited from CD track) 23. Ghost Rider (1:30) + 24. Rescue and Breakout (3:45) + – (alternate extended film version, slower middle section with more theme, different from CD track during 1:00-2:00 and 2:00-3:00) 25. A Change of Plans (1:20) + 26. An Insurmountable Hurdle (3:44) 27. The Long Ride Home (15:53) – (different from 13:30-11:20 during final fight, not enough to call this an alternate film version)
Current CD Release Track Titles and Track Times:
1. New Mexico, 1885 (2:27) 2. The Stranger (3:52) 3. Dawn to Dusk / The Riderless Horse (4:23) 4. A Dark and Restless Wind (3:18) 5. The Search Begins (2:16) 6. Lilly’s Fate is in These Hands (6:43) 7. The Brujo’s Storm / A Loss of Innocence (8:31) 8. Setting the Trap / Staying One Step Ahead (3:56) 9. A Curse of Ghosts (4:43) 10. A Rescue is Planned (6:18) 11. Kayitah’s Death / The Soaring Hawk (4:25) 12. Profound Loss (3:23) 13. Rescue and Breakout (3:24) 14. An Insurmountable Hurdle (3:46) 15. The Long Ride Home (16:13)
Thanks Deputy! This is one of my very favorite Horner scores as well (and I think the film is really underrated too for that matter). I would buy a Ghost and the Darkness style release of it in an instant.
Thanks Deputy! This is one of my very favorite Horner scores as well (and I think the film is really underrated too for that matter). I would buy a Ghost and the Darkness style release of it in an instant.
Yavar
The film is indeed very good but I'm always surprised how little attention the score gets. I suppose the lack of popularity the film garnered had something to do with it, or lack of familiarity of the score. I know Jon Broxton loves the score like you and I do, Yavar, and if I may quote him in his review (http://moviemusicuk.us/2003/11/28/the-missing-james-horner/):
"Everyone knows that James Horner is my favorite composer and that, with him, I am prone to a little hyperbole, but this really is his best score of the new millennium so far. Bicentennial Man, The Grinch, Perfect Storm, Windtalkers, A Beautiful Mind, The Four Feathers… they all had their moments of excellence, but none of them truly captured my imagination and my emotion the way Horner’s early 1990s scores did. The Missing is a welcome return to those days, leaving a warm glow and a nostalgic feeling that, after a couple of so-so years, Horner could be back to his best."
This is one of my favourite scores too. I'd be very interested to hear the actual film tracks and how they differ.
Another score (much more recent) that I feel has similar listening qualities is 'For Greater Glory' - but being so recent I don't think we'll see anything of an expanded or alternate score for that.
I absolutely love this score. When it comes to Horner’s epic drama/adventure scores with ethnic touches, I never thought anything could surpass such 90’s efforts as Legends of the Fall and Braveheart, but the more time goes on the more I think I prefer The Missing. It’s kind of the underdog of that type of Horner score, but for me, the themes, instrumentation, performances, electronics, and overall beauty and haunting ethereal quality of the score catapult it to a level of magical film music experience.
Just figured I'm bump this thread once more to say that I agree with all of the above. I adore this score; one of Horner's very best in his prolific career. Fresh and exciting! If you haven't heard it you should check it out, and I do hope we get a two disc set some day.
Just figured I'm bump this thread once more to say that I agree with all of the above. I adore this score; one of Horner's very best in his prolific career. Fresh and exciting! If you haven't heard it you should check it out, and I do hope we get a two disc set some day.
Yavar
I would also encourage anyone to check this out who hasn't heard it, and I would LOVE a two disc set. I'd buy that in a heartbeat.
I must confess, because the film wasn't very popular, I didn't seek out the score until just last year. I was living in Korea when the film came out and so had never even really heard of it until a few years ago. With Horner's death last year, I sought out scores of his I hadn't checked out before, which wasn't many, but for some reason this was one of them. Once I listened to it, I thought WOW and I bought a copy immediately. Some truly great stuff here.
Just figured I'm bump this thread once more to say that I agree with all of the above. I adore this score; one of Horner's very best in his prolific career. Fresh and exciting! If you haven't heard it you should check it out, and I do hope we get a two disc set some day.
Yavar
I would also encourage anyone to check this out who hasn't heard it, and I would LOVE a two disc set. I'd buy that in a heartbeat.
I must confess, because the film wasn't very popular, I didn't seek out the score until just last year. I was living in Korea when the film came out and so had never even really heard of it until a few years ago. With Horner's death last year, I sought out scores of his I hadn't checked out before, which wasn't many, but for some reason this was one of them. Once I listened to it, I thought WOW and I bought a copy immediately. Some truly great stuff here.
Count me in for a 2 CD set. One thing I've always noticed is how different the album versions are compared to the film versions. Some of it seemed like different cues tracked together, and other parts are just completely different. I was also very disappointed when the Blu-ray release was cancelled a few years back as I enjoyed the movie quite a bit as well as the score.
Count me in for a 2 CD set. One thing I've always noticed is how different the album versions are compared to the film versions. Some of it seemed like different cues tracked together, and other parts are just completely different. I was also very disappointed when the Blu-ray release was cancelled a few years back as I enjoyed the movie quite a bit as well as the score.
I didn't even know a blu ray release had been planned. Did some research and found a thread at blu-ray.com where they said that the studio assured that the release was only delayed, not cancelled, and yet here we sit....8 years later....
I'm revisiting this score after years: I love this score wonderful themes by James Horner. Need to watch the movie again. But it seems it's still no blu ray out there
I'm revisiting this score after years: I love this score wonderful themes by James Horner. Need to watch the movie again. But it seems it's still no blu ray out there
24. Rescue and Breakout (3:45) + – (alternate extended film version, slower middle section with more theme, different from CD track during 1:00-2:00 and 2:00-3:00)
Watched the movie yesterday - couldn't wait so I bought the digital version. I think this film version is edited from parts of the track "The Brujo's Storm" with dealed out chanting and effects. But it sounds really great and I couldn't hear the track transitions. So there's still the possibilty that this is intended to be recorded as a whole.
totally agree with you both. Listened to this multiple times since Monday I'm wondering if there is potential unreleased and alternate material for a new expanded release?
I'm wondering if there is potential unreleased and alternate material for a new expanded release?