It's important to note that "the re-release of the DVD" was actually a different cut of the film altogether called "The Outsiders: The Complete Novel."
Although I don't remember the source at the moment, I recall Francis Ford Coppola saying in an interview that he wasn't thrilled with Carmine Coppola's score but that he didn't have the heart to reject it. I also recall that his original idea was to do mostly/all songs anyway, but that he felt obligated to hire his father.
In my opinion, the theatrical cut is superior to "The Complete Novel" and a big reason for that is Carmine Coppola's score, which is terrific and really perfect for the material. Also, the consensus among those who like or love this film seems to be that the theatrical cut is better. Francis may have been unsure about Carmine's score, but it was absolutely the correct approach for this film. Unfortunately, the theatrical cut - while findable - isn't in as wide of circulation as "The Complete Novel."
