BRIAN WILLIAMS
(Musical Sound Designer on the original Graeme Revell's score)

- How did you get involved in EATERS OF THE DEAD?
- Simply because I was working with Graeme [Revell] as "music sound designer" at the time he got the job to score the movie...
- Did you know that it was a Disney movie?
- Yes, of course, we knew. But, as is usually the case with such projects, it wasn't produced or released under the Disney name, but by one of its studios [Touchstone].
- What is exactly the task of a "music sound designer"?
- On a basic level, I used to create sounds and textures that Graeme would incorporate into his scores. Usually, any "nontraditional" sound elements within his scores was my work. Sometimes, I also did some "additional music" on projects, the two CROW movies being good examples of both.
- What memory (if any) have you got from the EATERS OF THE DEAD project?
- To be honest, I don't have any specific memories of the project. It was one of many during a particularly busy year. One project would end and I'd immediately start on another. I was impressed by how dark the original (early) version was, but as you know, that changed during production. I did do some music for two or three scenes (such as when they cross the bridge to attack) and that was fun, but of course, none of that made it to the finished movie.
- Did you see the whole original cut, or only parts of it?
- I saw a earlier cut, which had a darker, more "gritty" or "realistic" tone. Not as "Hollywood" as the latter cut. I saw it on video, with one tape per reel, as is the norm. I preferred this earlier cut.
- I assume you concentrate your efforts on the sequence where the Vikings go to the cavernous lair of the Wendol Mother. By any chance, did you see the (early) footage where Buliwyf (the Viking blond leader) kills her? They allegedly reshot this scene with several actresses, because (in its original form) it was "quite weird, and disturbing..."
- Sorry, I really don't remember the specifics of such a scene... It's the overall tone of the movie that I recall the most, which is one of the first thing that was changed.
- Do you remember what sound approach was required by the filmmakers?
- Not specifically. McTiernan and the studio hired Graeme Revell for his specific type of sound, so there's wasn't much interference from production.
- Did you use samples on that score? Seems to me I heard Aboriginal instruments at one point--not didgeridoo, but more likely rhombe...
- Rhombe? Well, there's probably things like didgeridoo in there, somewhere. Such sounds were recorded specifically by musicians, and they'd also be manipulated and mutated into new sounds by myself.
- Did you participate in the London recording sessions?
- No, I stayed in Los Angeles, working on sounds.
- Didn't Djivan Gasparian, Hossam Ramzi and Lisa Gerrard participate in the sessions?
- To be honest, I can't remember the details, but both Djivan and Lisa did perform as session musicians during that period, so they might well have contributed to EATERS... I can't give you a definitive answer I'm afraid.
- Do you know if Peter Gabriel's score for THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST was of any inspiration for Graeme Revell on EATERS OF THE DEAD? I think it was used in the temp track...
- I don't know if it was the inspiration for EATERS, I doubt it. But it does appear a LOT on temp tracks! Hollywood producers and music editors can be very unimaginative for such things! (laughs)
- Have you seen the movie (now called THE 13TH WARRIOR)?
- I've only seen a few minutes of it, on cable television (amusingly, a scene which I'd originally done music for). It didn't interest me enough to watch the whole movie...
- Do you know why the hell Graeme Revell's score was rejected? According to some sources, John McTiernan was fired, and with him went the original score, the movie being re-edited by Michael Crichton, and Goldsmith being brought by him, as they were old pals...
- That is correct.
- Do you know how Graeme Revell feel about this experience?
- No, I don't. But this kind of thing happens all of the time, so it isn't unexpected.
- Have you heard (by any chance) Goldsmith's replacement score?
- Only during the few minutes of the movie that I saw! I must confess that Goldsmith's score didn't leave any impression on me at all. It was just another generic Hollywood score, from what I recall...

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