'Tron: Legacy' Director Premieres Daft Punk Soundtrack in L.A.

Few soundtracks in recent memory have generated as much buzz as the one for 'Tron: Legacy,' which hits theaters Dec. 17. Legendary French electronic duo Daft Punk can largely take credit for this, having penned the entire 22-song soundtrack themselves and recorded it with an 85-piece orchestra. Although several tracks from the highly anticipated score were reportedly leaked online, Disney and director Joseph Kosinski claim that these tracks were not the real deal, and officially premiered several tunes for a handful of industry insiders on Saturday in Los Angeles during an event sponsored by local radio station KCRW.

Kosinski and KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley, who served as the film's music supervisor, played several tracks in their entirety and offered insights into their collaboration with Daft Punk in crafting the soundtrack, which is due out Dec. 7. They started by playing 'Solar Sailer,' which appears during the film's closing credits. Kosinski said that the final version of the song includes the unaltered original demo that Daft Punk gave him when they were initially exchanging ideas. The track's opening synthesizers seamlessly move into the swell of the orchestra, and the ominous song illustrates a sophisticated side of the duo that may surprise many of their longtime fans.

They also previewed 'Recognizer,' which is played when the film's 3-D elements kick into high gear. It features dramatic synthesizers, brass and a swelling orchestra, creating a foreboding atmosphere. One of the most notable tracks previewed at the event was 'Adagio for Tron,' a complex four-minute piece used during a flashback sequence when Jeff Bridges' character Kevin Flynn tells a story. "It's one of my favorite cues in the film," Kosinski said. Daft Punk fans will especially appreciate 'Tron Legacy (End Title),' which is more in line with the hard-hitting dance music the duo is best known for.

The seeds of Daft Punk's involvement in the soundtrack to the sequel for the legendary 1982 film were sewn three years ago when Kosinski met them for pancakes at Cafe 101 in Hollywood. "I had heard through some professional contacts that Daft Punk was interested and that they were in Los Angeles," Kosinski told Spinner. "I got the number of their manager and we set up a breakfast meeting. For those two hours, we talked about our favorite movies, our favorite film scores and the potential of what this project could be. It was clear that we both wanted it to be a classic film score with themes and iconic melodies but at the same time we wanted to combine orchestral and electronic music in a way that hadn't been done before."

Bentley, who was instrumental in bringing Daft Punk to the table, said the collaboration with the enigmatic masked duo was a natural fit. "Daft Punk had been touring on the visual aesthetic of 'Tron' for a while, so it wasn't necessarily rocket science," Bentley quipped. "They obviously appreciated that whole early '80s feeling and identified with that, so they were really the perfect candidates." Kosinski added, "It was clear to me that these guys were more than just dance music guys -- and there was a lot going on behind those masks."

It took some persuading to get Daft Punk to do a cameo in the film, Kosinski admitted, but they ultimately agreed. "They dressed up as robots and appeared as DJs in a nightclub scene, so it wasn't a huge stretch," he said.

Kosinski also revealed that the film's score would sometimes dictate the direction that his edits would take, and said that he even tuned the hum of the motorcycles used in the film to the key of the songs. The 36-year-old director said he has always been a big fan of Daft Punk and other electronic artists including Boards of Canada, Stereolab and Brian Eno. When asked whether he would like to work with Daft Punk again on any future installments of the 'Tron' franchise, he said, "I feel that their music and aesthetic is so tied to it that I can't imagine going in another direction. I'd love for them to be a part of it and compose new ideas that extend the story further."