Mark Morton from Examiner.com had the opportunity to interview Alexandre Desplat about the score for New Moon. Here’s a snippet- check the whole interview, along with some great videos, HERE!

So, how did come to get the New Moon score project? Was this something you actively sought out, or did it fall into your lap?

I was actually very lucky to know Chris Weitz, with whom I worked on The Golden Compass. He called me and offered the film, and I said, “Sure Chris, I would love to work with you again.” It was a great experience working with Chris. He loves music, speaks French, and we have a nice relationship.

Did you listen to Carter Burwell’s score for the first Twilight film when you accepted New Moon?

No, not only did I not listen to it, but I didn’t even watch the movie. I didn’t want to be influenced by it. Carter is a great composer and I loved his scores for the Coen Brothers. And I knew that if I went there, I would be in danger, because I knew that I would enjoy it and then be influenced by it. So I just passed and avoided it altogether.

Wow, that’s very rare for a movie score to completely deviate from its predecessor in such a way. Usually movies that become franchise series’ employ recurrent motifs throughout each film to carry that thread of familiarity, regardless of how many different composers might be involved.

Well, there were no requests from the Production Company or Chris to reuse any of the themes. I would have done it with pleasure, because again, Carter is a composer I really respect. And since I didn’t have to, I didn’t.

Carter’s score was a brooding, coming-of-age, romance kind of score. But yours took on a much grander role, creating this forbidden romance sound fused with homage to classic vampire and horror films from the past.

Chris and I are both cinephiles, and we like The Bride of Frankenstein and Polanski’s movies. I love Coppola’s Dracula; it’s a masterpiece in all aspects – visually and the score, which is fabulous. Our primary decision was about the longing love story, and the epic that these characters go through. Maurice Jarre was the only reference Chris and I used for this film. And I actually dedicated the score to Maurice.