JAMES HORNER

I don't remember the words exactly, but that's not the point. If i work with you, i do what you want, and then go publically and shout that you don't know what you want and what you're doing, and that it was my worst experience in my whole life and i never want to work with you, then it's self-canceling isn't it? Especially when someone of the magnitude of ZImmer for instance (as Horner, you might not consider much of him, but realistically speaking, business-wise they're on equal levels) managed to deliver his best score for him and talk so highly of him, then you must also consider that whilst the other end is no angel, your big huge ego and beloved self might have also done something wrong too...

I respect him not because he's written fine music (you'll find me quite critical of aspects of his approach in the last page of this very thread!), but because too few speak their mind. And they don't speak their mind, because they're afraid of offending people to whom their close. In all three cases- Malick, Yared and Petersen - there seems to have been a breach in those relationships as far as Horner is concerned. It's just like Danny Elfman accusing Sam Raimi after the SPIDERMAN 2 debacle of having sold out to Sony, but with a franker, less emotional perspective.

It's a bit of a paradox, this one. I don't like what he said about Malick, and I think what he said says a lot about how he gets into storytelling, but I'm glad he said it. I'd rather a true perspective than this 'oh you know, he's a genius' stuff we get about every director, from Jon Amiel to Robert Zemeckis.

It bothers me that everyone labeled him "a speaker of truth" just because he rants in egoistical ways and thus makes for a fun, fresh read for us. There's other ways to express your discomfort, more down to earth, less self-centered, more realistic, more professional.

I'd have made sure i TRIED my hardest and sacrificed my personal 'wants' (especially with such fat checkbooks running towards me) to a degree that doesn't insult me, studied previous Mallick films and their music, as to understand what he wanted from the beginning. But you realize that's something he probably wouldn't do, right? I am replying as Demetris in a hypothetical scenario, i don't have the fame and name of Horner for sure. But instead, he seems to love and stick to his ego usually, resulting in the mess in this case and then barking about it in the net. Where's the part where you do your self-judgment? WHY the largest portion of the score was dumped? WHAT did i do wrong?

Sorry James, you won't find me agreeing so let's not beat the dead horse. The reason is that as years go by i tend to NOT like, more and more, people who have huge egos, huge ideas about themselves and aren't able to self-judge and self-sarcasm. People who take themselves too seriously.

Well, i don't like it either. But if your job was on the line, like it or not, you'd be careful what you say and to which you say it to. It's like those idiotic individuals who get fired 'cause they posted something against their boss or supervisor or company in facebook. Plain idiotic and stupid.

Zimmer can talk VERY badly about a movie he did in a VERY classy fashion. Anybody read his interviews about Pearl Harbor? No direct personal attacks, just saying that it's a better comedy than Shrek.

I am sure Wolfgang Petersen will never work with Horner anymore after the Troy debacle. He said some really bad words about that movie. And, ironically, Petersen was/is a big fan of Horner (reportedly he was Petersen's original choice for Air Force One, but I am not sure if we are talking about the replacement score or the original)

Actually, I've worked a couple of places where I've vehemently disagreed with my "bosses" about something and said so - in a constructive, rational manner. And this is the TV business we're talking about. I did NOT get fired and I've asked them about this later; they said they had no problem with me disagreeing with them. I think they even appreciated my candor.

Of course, there's a difference between that and outright insulting an employer on facebook or whatever. Everything Horner says is honest, but rational, non-personal and constructive.

Of course, you should not be a fruit. Following orders blindly and have no personality will take you nowhere.


But when you disagree, you have to have arguments, be polite and respect the other party and never, never insult them or backstab them. You have to present what you have to say to them directly, in their face and in a timely manner and a very constructive / respectful way, not bark afterwards, and behind their backs.

Maybe you shouldn't in a "politically correct" way, but I think it's refreshing. We need more of it. It's what keeps the passion in art alive.

How and WHY he would approach him after the Troy interview? See? "had twice done Petersen a good turn" is quite my point...he considers that when working with someone, he does them a favor, he's a blessing to them and he's always right. When questioned, he feels insulted and attacked. That's at least what he transmits in his sayings.


Having said that, Petersen is the biggest fruit for rejecting perhaps one of the last "classic" film scores, Yared's Troy. But that doesn't concern Horner and his good replacement work for Troy of course.

I agree with you. But you have to take this into account too, whether we like it or not, the money these people get for their work in Hollywood, esp. the big names, is way beyond anything that has to do with art. Someone still manage to inject art and art qualities in it, but that's the exception it seems these days, for most it's a standard procedure, a fascinating yes, but mostly typical route of working. These people, most of the big shots anyway, are business-men and they ought to be a bit more careful than the bunch, imo.

Petersen didn't reject Troy, did he? I thought it was the studio that forced the replacement. Yared's score would have completely killed that film (which was pretty dead on arrival anyway) so it was a rare case of a good decision, but again that's besides the point.

Horner did his interview AFTER the bridge had already been burned BY PETERSEN. Poseidon had been and gone by the time of that interview.

I have never written and recorded a 100-minute film score in ten days, but I imagine it is an extraordinarily difficult thing, with pressure going way beyond anything any of us have had to face (or could face, in a work-related environment at least). He was entitled to a bit of love and respect from Petersen for that (much though I appreciate that Horner would have been well-compensated for it). If he didn't get it, he's entitled to say as much. I certainly would.

I wish that too, although there are other cool interviewees too. Zimmer is always entertaining and fun, Elfman is "cool" and equally honest about stuff (but uses the occasional swear-word....he's a rocker, after all) and Goldenthal is an entertaining academic with incredible knowledge and cultural references, yet always with a dry wit. I also love Williams when he's allowed to go in-depth on something....he's not so good in an atmosphere of "smooching", where he merely latches on and returns the kudos.

Goldsmith was by far the worst interviewee....ever!

Not to nitpick, but after a couple of misspellings here now, I thought I'd point it out: That's POSEIDON.