It's only his opinion. Many people do find the film funny. Why did ARR choose CR as a film to compose? Actually, Vaughn chose him and ARR thought it to be a good opportunity to get his foot in the hollywood door further. That's not being greedy....that's good business acumen as even though it's a comedy flick, ARR probably got some leverage in how he wanted the music to sound. ARR also said that he wanted to compose for a comedy film for a long time. CR is another stepping stone to something bigger in ARR's career, so why not? Yes, the music may be in the background in this film, but it's stil appreciated by many by itself and only adds to ARR's amazing resume, showcasing his versatility.
--- In [email protected], mohammed sajin <mnsa...@...> wrote: > > Rahman under-used in flop film > > > Early this year, A R Rahman was discovered by > Hollywood and America. He may have worked in the Indian film industry > for nearly two decades, composing some of the most memorable songs of > our time. But it took one film - Danny Boyleâs Slumdog Millionaire for > him to gain fame in the West. > > Now, after a couple of Oscars, a > Golden Globe, television appearances and several articles, Rahman has > bagged his first post-Slumdog project. Rahman has composed the > soundtrack for a new film Couples Retreat, written by Vince Vaughn and > Jon Favreau, the writing-acting team that brought us hit films like > Swingers, Iron Man, The Break Up and Wedding Crasher. Unfortunately, > Couples Retreat â" the story of four couples on a peculiar, new age-like > retreat, trying to straighten out issues in their marriages â" is a > dull, unimpressive film. The dialogues are boring and it is mostly not > funny. > > > > A still from Couples Retreat. A R Rahman has composed > soundtrack for the movie > That is too bad because with a cast that it has, > Couples Retreat could have been a fun film for the fall season, just > before the studios start to burden us with a deluge of the Oscar > potential movies. Sometimes even films with a lot of promise do not > work out. We can search for answers, but there is no sense in it. The > film should do well in its opening weekend, the big name stars are a > draw, and then it will disappear fast from the theatres. > > I went > for the press screening of Couples Retreat because of A R Rahman. > Having had a taste of his music in the US, from Andrew Lloyd Webberâs > Bombay Dreams, to slick stage shows and then hugging friends at a bar > near Times Square when his Oscar wins were announced in February, this > was the moment I was waiting for. This was going to be the > mainstreaming of the genius musician. He had worked on this project for > three months, first in London and then in Los Angeles. > > I spent some time listening to the filmâs soundtrack on its website. I knew > that this was not going to be an Indian soundtrack. > > Rahman > recently told the Associated Press that after Slumdog Millionaire, he > has started getting work where he can set his own artistic terms. > âSince the Oscars and all the appreciation, people come for what I am,â > he said in the interview. Meanwhile, the online site OneIndia quoted > the composer as saying: âIâve reached a stage where Iâve to do new > things. Thereâre so many avenues to be explored. So Couples Retreat > will be their (Hollywood) kind of music with my touch, done in my way.â > > The > music, as we hear on the filmâs website, is mixed with Caribbean sounds > (although most of the film is shot in the Pacific island Bora Bora), > but Rahman also uses some Indian touches, a few instruments and voices, > including that of Kailash Kher. > > The movie was unimaginative, > but Rahman has often done great work for films that are flat out bad. > If nothing else, we could say that the songs were good. But while > watching Couples Retreat, I forgot about Rahmanâs compositions. It is > so much in the background, that it is barely audible. His music does > nothing to enhance the situations in the film. It is a complete waste. > > Last > year, Boyle told me that he admired the loud soaring sounds in > Bollywood movies. In Hollywood films, the music tends to be subtle and > quieter, he added. That does not help Rahmanâs case in Couples Retreat, > where his talent is almost unrecognisable. > > Why did Rahman take > three months, composing sounds which hardly matter in the film? Why did > the producers hire him from the pool of composers in Hollywood? Was > Rahman supposed to add prestige to what was perceived as a weak > project? And why did Rahman accept this film as his first post-Oscars > project? Was it just for money? And is money that important for Rahman > at this stage in his life and career? > > These are questions that all of his fans should be asking. > > Aseem > Chhabra is a freelance writer based in New York who has previously > written for The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer > and Time Out, New York > http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=56&contentid=2009101120091011000754187481e865d§xslt= > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ >
