Synopsis:

Originally written as a wise-cracking Raymond Chandler detective yarn with supernatural elements; the tone shifted once Eddie Murphy was cast in the central role. Out went the sardonic quips from the script and in their place Murphy attempted to ad-lib new jokes throughout most scenes. But the spark wasn’t there the same way it had been for his previous hits and test audiences were not kind. Their consensus was that at 2 hours the film was too long and slow. And it was decided the orchestral score by John Barry was not helping with the pacing. So with only a couple of weeks to go before its release date the choice was made to chop 30 minutes out of the runtime and replace the music. So Michel Colombier was drafted in to hastily deliver a contemporary synth soundtrack instead. Usually these abandoned scores are lost to time. But thankfully La-La Land Records released a 3 disc set containing the entirety of John Barry’s discarded work. So its time to see what the film might have been like with the original Barry score. Eddie Murphy may be the Chosen One... but John Barry is the Unchosen One!

Intentions:

1) Replace Michel Colombier’s score with John Barry’s rejected cues. 2) Trim comedy bits that really don’t land or go on too long. Assuming it can be done without compromising the flow of the music.

Change List:

- Track 1M1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 used for the opening sequence. Trimmed to fit the action on screen. 90% of the SFX replaced. - Opening title sequence montage cut. Animated title logo from trailer used in its place. - First half of talk show scene reframed to remove the title cards playing over the bottom of the screen.- Trimmed a couple of Chandler’s random grins and jokes during basketball court scene with Kee. - Track 2M1 used in the crime scene house. - Track 2M1R used as Chandler investigates. All SFX replaced. - Track 2M4 used as diegetic music in the diner scene. - Cut "some part of the galaxy" line from the end of the diner scene. - Track 3M1-2-3-4 used as Kee and Chandler are walking outside in Chinatown and into the nighttime scene. - Cut “Does that happen a lot where you’re from?” line at the end of the dragon rape conversation. - Cut Chandler exaggerated mugging for the camera before he walks away from Kee’s car. - Track 3M7-4M0 used for the warehouse and astral project scenes. Most SFX replaced. - Cut “floating” line as Chandler talks to the bird. - Track 4M2 used as Kee and Chandler tail the bikers. - Trimmed some of Chandler's mansplaining to Kee about staying in the car. - Cut close up of Chandler poorly attempting to get out of his bonds and slowed down shot of a biker waiting to ambush Kee to bridge the gap. - Reorganized the section with the biker crashing through the wall to make the action clearer. - Trimmed more mansplaining from Chandler after the fight. - Track 5M2 used as biker tells Chandler they sold Cheryl. - Track 5M3 used for Tommy Tong restaurant fight and pursuit. All fight SFX replaced. - Cut Kee running into the room just to stop and turn around to begin backflipping. Now she just appears mid-flip. - Cut second line about Tommy getting scared and killing himself. The first line about bleeding to death after cutting himself shaving is fine by itself. - Cut scene where Sardo tells the child that Chandler will be too late in finding him. It added little and created a continuity error with Sardo’s clothing. - Track 5M4-6M0 used as Sardo talks to The Thing. Extra SFX added. - Tail end of Track 6M1 (Chandler's Dream) used for Kee’s appearance and the fight at the end of the dream sequence. The theatrical version used John Barry’s original composition but just replaced the ending. So this is the only part I’ve changed. - Cut several shots of Kee screaming as well as the slower parts of Til slashing his machete to increase the intensity of the attack. - Cut the yak lion scene. - Track 7M2 used as Kee and Chandler spend the night together. - Cut Chandler going on about the bed at the end of the morning after scene. Now it ends on him saying if it’s cold in Tibet they have to come back. - Track 7M3Ar-C used during plane scene and the child being loaded into the back of the truck. - Track 7M4-8M0-1 used for entire Kathmandu market scene. All crowd SFX replaced. - Random guy who stops Chandler to talk to him in a foreign language cut. - Cut beggar's monkey breath insult line. - All SFX during the mountain trekking scenes replaced. - Track 8M2 used during the underground passage scene. - Track 9M1 used during the Bottomless Pit sequence. All of the SFX replaced. - Cut the airport scene before the extended Viva Nepal bit that Chandler goes off on. Now it ends on the guard with the funniest face. - Track 7M1 used when Chandler kisses Sardo at the airport. - Track 10M2-3 used at the safehouse. A shot of guards outside moved around to help with the timing of the music. - Track 10M4 used during safehouse attack and subsequent fight. Heavily edited to fit the onscreen timing. Large majority of fight SFX replaced. - Track 11M1 used as Til teases the child with the butterflies and Chandler finds the house. SFX replacement to car, bird and footstep sounds. - Track 11M2-A-B-C-D-E-F (The Final Act) is a 10m25s piece that covers everything from Yu’s crossbow ambush right up to Kee’s resurrection. Given that it’s only 7m of screen time in the final film there was a lot of chopping the music to make it fit. Additional SFX work throughout. - Froze the close up shot of Kee lying dead when Chandler and the child arrive as it was obvious the actress was breathing. Replicated grain field to make it look less static. - Track 12M1 used during the last scene in the field. - Cut Chandler's line about people in Nepal having a game show called Food Search. - Track The Best Man in the World sung by Ann Wilson used for the first half of the end credits. This song was written by Barry and similar to his work on the James Bond franchise, the instrumental is used throughout the score as Chandler’s theme. It was originally featured during the cut opening title montage. So has been moved here to preserve it in this version. - Title cards removed from the opening have been recreated here. - Track 7M2 used for the second half of the end credits.

Additional Notes:

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Other Sources:

- The Golden Child Teaser Trailer - The Golden Child (Music From The Motion Picture) CD Set - Freesound.org

Special Thanks: