Last week, it seemed the gauntlet had been thrown down between legendary composer Ennio Morricone and genre-mashing director Quentin Tarantino. Speaking to students at Rome’s LUISS University he said among other things that Tarantino “places music in his films without coherence" and declared “I wouldn’t like to work with him again, on anything.” But hey, it appears it was all taken out of context and Morricone is still totally cool with him.
In reaction to those comments whipping around the web, the composer has issued a statement to day in which he says he’s pleased Tarantino has selected his work for his films, and clarifies his opinion on Quentin’s use of music. Here’s the whole thing via EW:
What I read about my statements on Quentin Tarantino is a partial writing of my thoughts which has deprived the true meaning of what I said, isolating a part from the rest. In this way my statement sounds shocking, penalizing me and bothering me a lot.
I have a great respect for Tarantino, as I have stated several times, I am glad he chooses my music, a sign of artistic brotherhood and I am happy to have met him in Rome recently. In my opinion, the fact that Tarantino chooses different pieces of music from a work in a film makes the pieces not to be always consistent with the entire work.
The risk for me, when I compose, is not to be consistent with the film work and my desire is that the director accepts my consistency.
Tarantino proposed me to work for Inglorious Basterds, which I consider a masterpiece, but I could only had two months to work since I had to compose the soundtrack for “Baaria” directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and it was not possible.
Regarding Django, the thing is that I cannot see too much blood in a movie due to my character, is how I feel and impress me especially with a film that is made very well and where the blood is well shot. But this has nothing to do with my respect for that Tarantino which remains great.
Whether or not he will work with the director again remains unanswered, but these are two strikingly different tones, but it’s probably safe to say that, perhaps, Morricone and Tarantino had their differences, but the composer definitely holds the director in high regard. So, we suppose the first great cinematic feud of 2013 is now over — it was something while it lasted.