Rachel Portman is making a return to film scoring with a number of projects to be released in the near future. She is currently completing the score for the drama Bel Ami directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod and produced Uberto Pasolini who has previously worked with Portman on The Emperor’s New Clothers. The movie chronicles a young man’s rise to power in Paris via his manipulation of the city’s most influential and wealthy women. Bel Ami stars Robert Pattinson, Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colm Meaney. The drama is set in 19th century China and centers on the lifelong friendship between two girls who develop their own secret code as a way to contend with the rigid cultural norms imposed on women. No release date has been set yet for the indie movie.

Portman also has been working on Wayne Wang’s upcoming drama Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The movie is set in 19th century China and centered on the lifelong friendship between two girls who develop their own secret code as a way to contend with the rigid cultural norms imposed on women. The cast includes Hugh Jackman and a number of Chinese actors. Portman previously worked with Wayne Wang on Because of Winn-Dixie, while he also used other composers such as Alan Silvestri (Maid in Manhattan) and Danny Elfman (Anywhere But Here). Fox Searchlight picked up domestic rights for the movie which is expected to open in 2011.

Portman also has the romantic drama The Vow coming up. In the movie, a newlywed couple recovers from a car accident that puts the wife in a coma. Waking up with with severe memory loss, her husband endeavors to win her heart again. The movie is directed by Michael Sucsy who previously collaborated with Portman on last year’s HBO movie Grey Gardens. The Vow has just entered post-production and is starring Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams, Sam Neill and Jessica Lange. Screen Gems recently set a February 10, 2012 release date for the title.

Rachel Portman’s music can currently still be heard in theaters in Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go, which we reported on earlier this year. The music has mostly been received very positively by many critcs. A soundtrack album has been released by Varese Sarabande Records. To listen to clips, check out Amazon.

  1. Robert says:

    According to IMDB, the composing credit for Bel Ami lists two composers, new-comer Lakshman Joseph de Saram and Oscar winner Rachel Portman.

    • filmmusicreporter says:

      Yeah, it looks like both composers have written music for the film and both will be credited as composers.

  2. Justin Boggan says:

    I did a quick search and his Facebook says he’s done his score, implying a full composer. Odd, if he replaces all her score, as this is just the type of thing she can knock out of the park.

    • filmmusicreporter says:

      I think he finished his score quite a while ago and the latest trailer, which just premiered last month, had both composers listed.

      • Robert says:

        His Facebook entry states he finished his part of the score. Also, the end title card of the StudioCanal trailer has both their names credited under original score. Can’t wait to get hold of the OST, Portman is one of my favs.

    • Robert says:

      Are you a Facebook friend of his? I tried to access his page but it is private. I would like to know where he says he is the sole composer of the film.

  3. Justin Boggan says:

    Assuming you are talking to me, the mention came up in an internet search in the results. The page may be locked, the words aren’t hidden from the internet — it’s everywhere.

  4. Robert says:

    It is clearly stated on IMDB that he is co-composer. We will have to wait till March 2 to see if the collaboration was a success. It does seem more common these days for composer collaborations, especially if the score is a long one.

  5. Robert says:

    It is also a shame that the trailer does not have the OST on it. I wonder why.

  6. Justin Boggan says:

    She recorded her score late summer of last year, witrh no mention of a co-composer. I call bull on the IMDB listing; some person who wasn’t sure took liberty with the submission.

  7. Robert says:

    Wow, do you really think it is a conspiracy then? IMDB has been know to carry erroneous info at times, but the name on the final title card of the trailer? How did the producers miss that? Interesting.

  8. Justin Boggan says:

    IMDB is user submitted — anybody can submit. I have found errors for years on the site. Bill Conti scoring “Spider-Man 2”? Nope.
    Just two composers scoring every single episode of “King of hte Hill”? Nope (somebody finally fixed that).
    “Jungle Book 2” had (maybe still has) the composer of the DVD feature music, listed as the main composer, when it fact it’s Joel McNeely who scored the film.

    And there plenty more.

    • Robert says:

      Posted: Feb 6, 2012 – 9:41 PM Report Abuse Reply to Post
      By: Bond1965 (Member)

      BEL AMI

      Music Composed by
      Lakshman Joseph De Saram (Between Two Worlds)
      and
      Rachel Portman
      (The Vow, Grey Gardens, The Cider House Rules)

      Based on the novel by Guy de Maupassant, BEL AMI is an erotically charged tale of ambition, power, and seduction that chronicles the rise of penniless ex-soldier Georges Duroy (Robert Pattinson — The Twilight Saga, Remember Me) from poverty up through the echelons of the 1890s Parisian “beau monde” elite. Using his wits and powers of seduction, Duroy moves from a prostitute’s embrace to passionate trysts with wealthy beauties who inhabit a world where sex is power and celebrity an obsession, and where politics and media jostle for influence.

      Also starring Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci and Colm Meaney. BEL AMI is a timeless epic with a modern twist — a Dangerous Liaisons for a new generation.

      Academy Award winner Rachel Portman (Emma) contributes the emotional but spirited original score.
      Columbia Pictures opens BEL AMI nationwide on March 2.

      Varese Sarabande Catalog # 302 067 142 2
      Release Date: 03/20/11

  9. Robert says:

    Let’s then hope this is sloppiness on IMDB’s part, would not like to look stupid when the movie comes out and it is indeed a shared credit.

  10. These kind of post are always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content so I happy to find many good point here in the post

  11. Rolande says:

    The music of Bel Ami is simply ravishing. One of the best this year.

  12. Justin Boggan says:

    Portman’s certainly got the lush orchestration, now I’d love for her to once, just once, term up with Georges Delerue’s regular soloists, like Tom Boyd, and do a score just like Delerue would have. That would be so nice to hear again. And I think she can pull it off, too. Can’t say the same for most out there.