Harry Manfredini Willing to Come Back To Franchise
In a very recent interview conducted by Mark Morton that was posted this past Friday the 13th at www.examiner.com, Harry discusses his evolution of composing going from the original Friday the 13th to Swamp Thing to Deep Star Six to Jason X and then to more recent movies like Choker.
Thanks to Mark for sharing his interview. Read below to see what Harry had to say about rejoining the franchise and for the full article click on the website link above.
“Were you even approached to be involved with the remake?
I think a lot of fans were asking for me, and I definitely would have done it if someone had asked me. But I think that the powers-that-be felt that it was going to be a whole new Jason. They didn’t even use Kane [Hodder] or the guy from Freddy vs. Jason [Ken Kirzinger]. They used somebody else completely, and they also went with a different composer [Brian Tyler].
Now, I haven’t seen the movie, nor do I know what the music sounds like. I was getting phone calls like crazy when it came out from people saying, “this is all screwed up,” “this doesn’t make any sense,” “Jason doesn’t run,” and whatever else bothered them. And they didn’t seem to like the music at all – at least the hardcore fans. I know there is a big push from a lot of fans to have me back for the new one next year. Like I said, I’d be more than happy to do it. I would have also been happy to do that last one, too! But those are things that are not in my control.”
I think Manfredini wasn’t approached because Platinum Dunes did not want to pay for his value as an established musician in the film industry. That kind of legitimate status buys people like Manfredini a lot of earning power in Hollywood and Platinum Dunes is all about making their films on the cheap. So I’m not even surprised that they didnt even ask him to do this. It’s is the same reason why Robert England wont even have a cameo in the new Nightmare on Elm Street remake. These guys cost real money afterall.
“These guys cost real money afterall”
What? I can bet that Manfredini (or even Englund) are not expensive. Who do you think theese people are?
I don’t think Manfredini can charge more than e.g. Tyler do.
Hey ryderup,
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that the rest of the world has the kind of resources that England and Manfredini are accustomed to in their everyday lives. They do, in fact, demand a great deal of money for their services even if they aren’t exactly A-listers. I read an interview about how Manfredini hosts private screenings of F13 films at his Italian Villa above the Sunset strip in Hollywood and turns the soundtrack of the films off so that he can perform the music live to his audience. That sounds pretty rich to me. Sometimes Kane Hodder comes over and they make him dress up like Jason and the audience takes turns going in the sleeping bag while Kane tosses them on Manfredini’s 15ft-by-15ft giant vintage water bed from the 1980’s. Sounds pretty rich, right? When it’s all done, Manfredini’s chef prepares dinner for the guests and Hodder entertains them with stories about how he would’ve done a better job as Jason in “Freddy vs. Jason.” Then Kane over drinks, takes off his hat and begins asking people if they want his autograph for $20 at which point Manfredini throws his ass in the back alley and threatens to call CJ Graham over to his house next time instead of Kane. Kane begs him not to do that and then Manfredini tells him that he will do it because the deaths in Part 6 were cooler anyway. Does that sound like Manfredini doesn’t have any money or demand a large sum for services? You don’t need to answer that…you know what the right answer is. Thank you.
Here we go again. Walmart baits and someone gets hooked on. It’s really sad. Feel bad for ol’ Walmart. It’s Gotta be tough working for Walmart and having to drive to a school to log into the Internet??
It would be pretty sweet if he would come back and show them how it’s done.
walmart man is why this site is funny to read sometimes!
I’d have to agree with Walmart Man on this one. Platinum Dunes is known for hiring cheap crew, that includes their actors, directors, composers, and everything else. Friday The 13th only had a $19 million dollar budget. They raked in $65 million on the first weekend. Robert Englund even offered to play Freddy in the NOES remake or even just do a cameo. PD turned around and lied saying that Robert didn’t want any part of the remake. They wasted potential talent on a director by hiring somebody who’s only filmed music videos so far. Now I’m not saying, Samuel Bayer is/will be a bad director, but I’d much rather have someone whose had film experience let alone horror experience then someone with no experience at all.
Also, for those of you who saw the Friday remake, the film clearly lacked a score, I was pissed that they teased us by putting the original music in the teaser trailer, and scream awards clip and the only thing we got was the ch ch ch ha ha ha sound twice.
Justin it lacked alot of things…. Including my interest.
You know they will never bring him back!
Because doing something the fans would want is just silly.
Ha!
You read that Germaniac! Lots of people think Jason shouldn’t run!
haha im kidding of course.
But one thing I’m not kidding about is that Harry Manfredini should never be WILLING to come back to the franchise. Who ever is the current steward of the franchise should be BEGGING this man to be a part of their film. I mean, c’mon, it Harry!
I for one hope to see him back in part 2, because while I didn’t hate the score from part one, I can’t remember one note of it.
I, too, have an appreciation for our Walmart man
Harry doesn’t get much work. Look at his resume. I bet he’s pretty cheap. PD just wants to do their own thing and pretend they are catering to the fans. In actuality, they don’t care about us and believe they are doing things the “right” way by changing it up. It’s not an opinion but a FACT that the music in the remake was extremely disappointing. I have not read one positive comment about it from ANY source. Crash and bang synth doesn’t get the job done. It never has. I could have composed a better score with my Casio than Tyler did and I can’t even write music. It was a simplistic “score” with repetitious beats and no buildup. No matter how cheesy Harry’s later works sound, they were inspired and dynamic. The guy can write music. Just give him an orchestra this time!
I’ve been on the internet for a DECADE. I’ve been visiting F13films.com for a DECADE. Even when it was just F13.com.
I’ve laughed a lot over the years. But that post by Walmart LITERALLY had me rolling around on the floor, I’ve just stopped crying tears of laughter. The blokes a comedic genius.
Who ARE you Walmart Man? Were you on the starboards or just after that, the forums all these years ago??? I’ve used the “ROFL” term, a few times but I’ve never ACTUALLY done it until now!!
Love the way you set up a gag…someone takes the bait and then we all get to watch the pay-off!! Comedy classic! “It’s worth the admission fee alone!” lol
If Manfredini only can contribute a score like the JasonX or JGTH scores than he shuld stay away from scoring another F13.
Splatterhouse,
Apparently you weren’t around for his 1,000 posts about Warrington Gillette. Funny the first time. Old after the second post. At least he’s getting new material now, several months later. Now that’s funny.
I don’t see what the big deal is about Jason running. “Jason doesn’t run” says Kane Hodder… Really? He ran in the first 3 movies he was in, before you even became a thought for playing the role.
Jason runs people, he ran before and he runs now. What’s the big deal?
He chased down Ginny, in fact as he RAN by the tree she was hiding in she launched out and kicked him in the groin.
He chased down Chris when she was in the Van stuck on the bridge and even after she left the Van and he broke the glass with his head.
He chased Trish into the rented out house and up the stairs, hell even out of her house when she was trying to distract him while she tried to get Tommy to leave.
Really, Jason doesn’t run… Coulda fooled me.
Now onto Manfredini.. I want him back, you want him back, he won’t come back. PD is too damn cheap like others have said.
By F13 FanAtic:
“Harry doesn’t get much work. Look at his resume. I bet he’s pretty cheap. PD just wants to do their own thing and pretend they are catering to the fans.”
This is the correct answer to why Platinum Dunes did not bring back Harry. they want to put their own stamp on the franchise. Everyone can agree or disagree on how good the movie is, but they wanted their own music in the movie and not a rehash of the original franchise. Money played no part in their decision on Harry.
Kane didn’t start the whole non running thing..
Okay perhaps he has said a couple of times that Jason doesn’t run, but it was CJ that started it all. And I think that Kane only took after him because by part 6 Jason was a zombie and perhaps didn’t need to run anymore (or something)
F13 FanAtic, it’s not a fact that the music was extremely disappointing in the remake. That is clearly an opinion & that is a fact it’s an opinion there. While many fans may hate the remake music, but I’m sure there are some who like it more than you think. Beside, maybe you didn’t ask all of the fans on Earth if they like it or not.
Thanks for all the cool compliments guys. I know my brand of humor isn’t for everyone but I’m glad some people here appreciate it.
As for Jason running, I have a hard time divorcing myself from the idea that as part of the comedic package that came with Part 6. Does anyone else here find it ironic, that the first film where Jason ONLY walks is also the one that is the most tongue-in-cheek?
“but it was CJ that started it all.”
Well, CJ didn´t ran like the other Jason´s, but he pretty much speedwalked (check the scnes when he is going into the water after Tommy or when he chases Roy) … and considering that we even saw him jumping from a tree to get the paintballers (even if that scene wmight have been played by Bradley and not CJ) it makes the Part 6 Jason more flexible than Kane´s Jasons.
“And I think that Kane only took after him because by part 6 Jason was a zombie and perhaps didn’t need to run anymore (or something).”
Yeah, becaue we all know that slow-walking zombies are faster than running humans!
Back to the music:
I love some of the remake-score. E.G. the new “Jason” sound effect that is played during the distributor-logos at the beginning or that chase-sequence score that is also played during the ending credits.
I agree with Germaniac. What someone costs is completely irrelevant if what they have to offer is shit. And if what Manfredini has to offer is what he composed for JGTH and JX, then it’s completely understandable why he wasn’t approached. While no masterpiece of film scoring could’ve saved either one of those crappy installments, his work made them feel even cheaper, with its fake synthesizer-sounding orchestrations.
The best work Manfredini did was on the 2nd and 3rd films, where he used real orchestras with real instruments. By part 5, his score got so violin-heavy, it no longer resembled the subtle, brilliant simplicity that made the franchise so musically distinctive in the first place. His scores slowly devolved into parodies of his own original work.
Personally, I’d LOVE to see someone with the access and the know-how re-dub the remake with the scores from F13 parts 2 and 3. But until Manfredini can demonstrate that he can recreate the magic he stumbled upon in the early 80s (which he hasn’t in decades), I say nostalgia alone is no reason to hire someone.
Balooeyezz,
I am on board with your thinking. Harry has not had the great sounding score from the original set of 4 movies for some time. I was glad they went in another direction for a different sound as this is an updated version of the franchise.
And Germaniac,
” I love some of the remake-score. E.G. the new “Jason” sound effect that is played during the distributor-logos at the beginning or that chase-sequence score that is also played during the ending credits.”
I am with you as well on these points.
I’m surprised you guys didn’t like the JGTH score. I thought it was one of the better ones in the series.
And I also loved that sound effect at the beginning of JGTH with the New Line Logo.
I love that damn movie. I’m sad most everyone else hates it so.
Though I did enjoy the remake, I found that the new score was exceptionally unimaginative and not really that memorable at all.
crystallakehiker09,
I too am a huge fan of JGTH. Harry did a good job of mixing some of is classic Friday music into the opening of the movie. Which I loved. And some of the action orientated music was great too. Much of the music there was a lot of synthesizer work in that movie and especially in Jason X that I did not care for.
Cool that makes me feel alot better about the sequal. I just hope they ask him. The absense of Manfredini’s music in the remake was my only problem with the movie.
I think that since the sequel is going to be part of the rehashing, re-imaging, and reshaping of the franchise that it would only be right if they went in their own direction instead of just trying to get people or things from the original eleven movies. PD wants to put their stamp on the franchise by re-doing it and making it their own. What better what to make it your own than by doing everything different.
Wasn’t Roy the paintballer with glasses who tried to put the “tree in place”? Wasn’t that scene also played by Bradley? However that wasn’t the point. My point was kind of that it wasn’t Kane who introduced the non running style to the Jason character which many seems to be thinking. Even though CJ did speedwalk, he didn’t run which was what I wrote. Many may think that the “zombiewalk” is just stupid and makes no sense when it comes down to catch up with people, but I dig that. And I think that’s probably because when I watched these movies when I was just a kid, it somehow seemed more scary that way. By the way, I really dug your games..
The comment above was directed to Germaniac
The problem with Kane is that he is very demanding about it though. He will tell the director “Jason doesn’t run” and won’t run or whatever. I don’t think it has ever been an issue that Kane was the one that started it but the fact that he has been very demanding about that part. No other actor that’s played Jason was so direct and blunt about running. CJ just put his spin on it, but if the director told him to run I’m sure CJ would have ran. Kane however has stated numerous times that Jason doesn’t run and will not run. In JGTH he told the director No on several different occasions.
It just gets under my skin that he would say that when Jason ran in the majority of the main 8 films that Jason was a prominent feature in. I guess I should say 6 films then since he wasn’t in one, or five. He ran in two, three, and four so I guess it would be half. Either way, it bugs me that he refuses to run.
I hate when people say jason dont run…. start watching them again people.
LOVE YA WALMART MAN!!!!!
I’d love Harry back!
Bryan,
Im surprised that bothers you. Perhaps zombie Jason doesn’t run? I don’t know, but to me it seems scarier that he doesn’t have to run to catch you. He’s going to get you one way or another. I like that Kane was demanding. He felt strongly about his portrayal of Jason and stuck to it. I doesn’t bother me that Jason ran in the early ones. But to me, Jason drowned in 1957. So I guess what I’m saying is that he’s always been a zombie of sorts. If you listen to crazy Ralph, who I doubt ANYONE would argue with, in the prologue to part 7, he says, and I quote,
“There’s a legend ’round here…a killer buried…but not dead…they say he died as a boy…but keeps coming back…”
I’m gonna buy Ralph’s version and go with that. He’s always been the living dead as far as I’m concerned.
Jay,
I know, you’re the only one that ever admits to loving JGTH!!!
Idk though, I kind of liked that synthesizer in part 9. JX however, is another one that I don’t remember much of except for the opening score, which I kind of liked. Oh well, it is you and I alone to carry the torch for JGTH my friend.
I for one would have loved to see more of Creighton Duke’s backstory. How bout you?
Kane Hodder did an interview about how he tried directing directors about what Jason would and wouldn’t do shortly after JGTH came out. I thought, for the most part, that many of the directors bad ideas for Jason were saved on acount of Kane’s input. I have to agree with the fact that Jason did everyone a favor by not allowing the character to run.
Kane said he above making Jason run in any F13 film that he was involved with. He did however admit that he liked the idea of giving Jason speaking lines in Jason Takes Manhattan because it would help establish him more as an actor instead of merely “the stuntman who plays Jason.” Kane said he urged Rob Hedden to give him speaking lines in that film, that if Rob did so Kane would give him a $20 autograph for free. Obviously, Rob agreed and Kane Hodder was never allowed to speak as Jason ever again after that.
I think zombies are scarier when they run after you. Who’s played Left 4 Dead? Scary stuff right there.
Left 4 Dead was an amazing game…I have it for the 360. I just got the sequel on Tuesday. Can’t get enough of those zombie hordes running at you. The AI in Left 4 Dead 2 is dumber than it is in the original game. Also, on the 360 the game slows down sometimes. Besides that it’s AWESOME.
I would love to see a film where “zombie” Jason actually runs. It seems that all modern zombie flicks have zombies that run. If Jason runs in the sequel to the remake, my wish will have been granted…because it seems like he actually died at the end of the remake (before he jumped out of the lake at the end).
I’ll never understand why everyone thinks Kane Hodder is some actor extraordinaire. He’s a stuntman. And when he played Jason, he was a stuntman in makeup who knew how to heave his chest dramatically. That pretty much sums up his creative contributions to the franchise.* Just because he got to play the role more than any other “actor” doesn’t mean he has some special insight into how the character should be played. It means he got lucky enough to be paid for this special skill-set more than once.
*Oh, and knowing how to puke on cue. If that’s not on his resume under special skills, it should be.
I would hope that New Line would dig up the coffee cans full of cash from wherever they may be located in or around L.A, and pay Harry Manfredini to be involved with the next score. I actually didn’t mind the reboot, but it was definitely missing one all important thing, and that would be some chilling music. Do the right thing New Line, get this man back into the fold!
I asked Brad Fuller on his Twitter page if the “Classic” score would return for the sequel…his reply was “We’ll see”.
“we’ll see” in holywood means “no Fucking Way”
For scores, Harry Manfredini is capable of really great stuff, and it all pretty much worked, but the score for Jason Goes to Hell just didn’t sit well with me. It just sounded cheap, which, above all, didn’t give off the right theme. I think music can make that much of a difference.
And say what you will, but Kane actually was Jason, so it was his call on how to make it work. He believed that Jason should stealthly stalk his prey, and since he was one of the most-memorable Jasons, I won’t argue. But it still is fact that he ran in earlier ones. Heck, the revived Jason in The Final Chapter was probably the most active Jason. He ran, he dodged stuff, he climbed stuff, he swam. All while being sneaky as hell.