After the film's test screening tested really poorly, Joe Jackson's score was ultimately replaced by John Barry before its new release date in 1984. However in a very strange occurrence, Jackson's rejected score, and the songs he wrote and were left in the final film, was released by A&M Records around 1983. This would mark a very rare occurrence in that a film that was delayed without a release date would have a soundtrack released beforehand, let alone a rejected score.
Writer-director James Bridges originally wrote and edited the film so that the story played chronologically backward, similar to what Memento and Irreversible did 16 years later. However, the studio got nervous, thinking it was too complicated and hard to follow, and had the film re-edited in chronological order for release.
This was the first project actress Debra Winger did after An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). After a poor reception from preview audiences, the ad campaign was changed, the soundtrack music was replaced and the film was re-edited. It was eventually released in 1984 after Winger had a hit with Terms of Endearment (1983).
James Bridges wrote, produced and directed this feature film commencing in May 1982. However, the movie would not debut stateside until March 1984 - almost two years later.
Because the film's release was delayed, Joe Jackson's music score was replaced by John Barry who was brought in to beef up the dramatic aspects of the now chronological version of the film. The film would feature about close to thirty minutes of his original music score. However, a few scenes in the film did in fact feature a couple of the songs Jackson wrote based on his original score.