Eaters of the Dead, The 13th Warrior Score Comparison

[Numinous20111]

The impression I get is that Chricton wanted a clear hook in the score, which is what Goldsmith provided with the Norse theme. Since the filming was problematic, you can understand that choice. Goldsmith's action writing is also second to none, which is another reason. I'm not comparing the scores, because they were clearly written with different intent and in different circumstances. Revell's may be the better score, but Goldsmith's is more accessible and immediately engaging.

[KestF]

this sounds kind of asian... not exactly appropriate to the setting

[MaximusCrow8]

эх, жаль что фильм был переделан и вышел не с этим саундтреком...

У Грема Ревелла музыка вышла на много атмосфернее чем у Голдсмита, имхо.

Остается надеяться на выход режиссерской версии фильма с этим саундтреком.

[BlueRoseRocketBand2]

Eaters of the Dead... great book!

[RichardKleiner]

All of Crichton's movies were scored by Jerry Goldsmith.

It was like Jerry Bruckheimer with Hans Zimmer or any of the Media Ventures guys. It doesn't matter if the other composer's work sounds promising, the usual collaborator goes.

[derfalschejunge]

I now listen this for the second time and I really start to like the first soundtrack!

[yanndick]

Let's hope McTiernan will be able to release his own cut of the movie someday...

The way we know it, the movie lacks of more than 45 minutes ! Crichton slaughtered the arabian part and what exactly happened to Banderas' character before his banishment.

Thanks for sharing Revell's score !

[krazie835]

There's not much of a difference to be honest. Maybe they changed some things in the movie from the book, and things were cut out, but I don't remember anything being to different from the book from what I saw in the final version of the movie.

In the book there is a more detailed encounter with the woman that Banderas' lusted for, and a bit more of what the Caliph thought of the situation.

[yanndick]

Maybe...

Though, according to McTiernan's interviews, the scene where Banderas learns the viking language by the fire was the turning point of the movie and the exact middle of it.

Now, it is far from the middle...

Plus, when the vikings go to the eaters caves, there's a very strange ellipse : in only "one second" they go from the top of the cliff to the cave's entrance where some of them are now stained with blood...

[krazie835]

I doubt a release will ever happen. Who knows maybe it will, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon. There doesn't seem to be much a request for it to happen.

McTiernan, and Crichton did have plenty of fights on the set of the movie. It's tough to say if McTiernan's version would have been better. There are several reports saying that his version was better, but there are also reports that said his version was a mess, and even Omar Sharif said that the director wasn't sure what he was doing.

[yanndick]

Of course it is difficult to say if McT's version was better or not... since just a few have seen it.

Though it would be great to be able to watch it and make up our minds by ourselves.

Good or not, I think it's sad one can't show his work. Plus, in case of a movie, it's at least 2 or 3 years of life involved in the process ! Sometimes even more !

[KelticFire]

On a Facebook fan page of the 13th warrior (with over 2000 fans) I suggested a petition. It's worth trying - perhaps we can bring together a decent number of people and show that the interest is still alive.

[WatchMyAwesomeVideos]

I wish the bootlegs of the original cut screening were released but it was supposedly destroyed so hopefully the studios can restore it someday somehow.

I like both Goldsmith & Revell a lot but I'm actually tempted to say that Revell's score might've been better but Goldsmith is a God and either way, this score wouldn't had been their most memorable.

Last of all, a similar rejected score to seek out would be the one for Troy. I find it way more epic but there are parts that are laughable bad

[JarodRussell]

Wouldn't Crichton know better, because he wrote the book the movie was based on, would he?

[krazie835]

Just because Crichton is a good novelist doesn't mean he'd make a great film maker.

Ever see Steven King's Maximum Overdrive?

[yanndick]

I totally agree.

[kapalen]

stephen king has directed a few of his adaptations most of them good

[krazie835]

I think he participated in directing The Shinning Mini-Series which I did enjoy.

[DarthLowBudget]

@krazie835 Ever see Crichton's Westworld, Great Train Robbery, Coma, or Looker? The man was an extremely competent film director.

[scmthrasher]

revells reminds me of a kind of weaker wagner and goldsmith sounds directly from conan

[krazie835]

As much as I love Goldsmith's work it isn't very original. The main theme sounds as if it was molded from Hans Zimmer's Crimson Tide theme. The score also borrows from The Mummy, and Legend.

It's a load of fun that's for sure.

[marisbosquet]

How funny then, that that theme ended up in the "mass knighting" scene in Ridley Scott's "Kingdom of Heaven!"

Thanks so much for posting Revell's score. I've written indie-movie music, and I'm always amazed by the politics and preferences that result in what audiences finally hear.

[ravingpurist]

where can I hear more of this?

[krazie835]

You can try Soulseek. They have plenty of music there, and that's where I got the score to Eaters of The Dead.

[Lennyfred]

i adore the goldsmith - version, but this sounds good too. wonder if there will ever be a director´s cut from the movie, with all deleted scenes and maybe an audio track with revell´s score

[Cromulus1]

surprised McTiernan didnt hire Basil Poledouris though. I know he liked CONAN THE BARBARIAN and worked with Basil on HUNT FOR THE RED OKTOBER. Goldsmith's score was pretty good, but its mainly repetitive and only the battle music is the most memorial and best part. Revell's score was too soft and mediocre so Goldsmith's hiring was a bonus in the end. Not a bad movie, but far from a great one.

[killroy23]

Anyone else even a little curious what the longer John McTiernan version scored with this was like? I mean it might be a long shot, but, what if it's like braveheart good? Reguardless, just as with 'The Thin Red Line' I want to freakin see the long one!!

[dafmurray]

Dear krazie835, is the the same scene scored by both composers or just a smaples from their scores. Is it possible that when Chricton took control from John McTiernan he chose a different approach and hired Goldsmith, who after all, could work very quickly and who had a stronger rythmic/persucssion style?

[krazie835]

Chricton being friends with Goldsmith decided to bring him in to score the film due to the changes that were made. Now during this process I hear, but I am not completely sure (and I very much doubt) that Chricton never even listened to Revell's score, and simply threw it out.

Revell scored a much longer version of the movie, and I'm not sure where Revell's music appears exactly. My best guess would be around the final battle because it is the 24th track on the album out of a total of 27.

[Sedhal]

Interesting... thanks for posting this.