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Official Danny Elfman Thread


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Just now, Stefancos said:

Of course you do!

 

Well, it's not a terribly controversial stance. I'd say yours is far more.

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6 hours ago, BloodBoal said:

The main themes of both movies are classics (BTTF moreso than Batman, I'd say, though).

 

The scores... I think they're both good-to-great scores, but I wouldn't call them masterpieces.  Especially the BTTF score, which relies too heavily on the main theme.

 

Thank you!

1 hour ago, Rose Dawson said:

Batman's great, but Batman Returns is even better.

 

Batman Returns is a far better score, yes.

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  • 2 months later...
Quote

The theme will make its first appearance in from of the inaugural film in the new classic monster series, Alex Kurtzman’s The Mummy 

 

Danny Elfman and Brian Tyler, together again on The Mummy!!!! :P 

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I've appreciated Elfman's trend over the past few years to go small, since his "big"/"gothic" scores of late all have tended to sound a bit same-y.  But what the hey, hope springs eternal.  Let's hear a big ol' Elfman score!

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13 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

Danny Elfman and Brian Tyler, together again on The Mummy!!!! :P 

 

LOL

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  • 3 weeks later...
1 hour ago, TownerFan said:

Great interview with Danny Elfman about his new Violin Concerto and other stuff, done by the ever-reliable Tim Greiving (our own @Maestro)

 

http://www.kusc.org/culture/arts-alive-blog/danny-elfman-violin-concerto/

 

Gosh, I loved that interview!  I always enjoy Elfman's self-awareness and forthrightness.  I hope his violin concerto is recorded (and released) sooner rather than later! Too long a wait for "Rabbit & Rogue."

 

I loved when he said, "I wanted to break out of the pops concert!"

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5 minutes ago, Nick1066 said:

And prepare yourself to learn how Han got the Millenium Falcon, met Chewie, met Lando, made the Kessel Run, said "I have a bad feeling about this" the first time and started wearing only b&w clothes. All on the same day.

 

And you didnt think they were gonna do this when the directors of the Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street were directing? It seems like Howard will respect the script as written more than the 2 sacked hacks will.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Nick1066 said:

Danny Elfman is the RON HOWARD of film composers.

 

 

A step too far.  No matter what you think of Elfman's abilities, he has a style that is all his own.  Nothing anonymous or generic about him!

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I had somehow not heard of this before!  Really cool:

 

Danny Elfman and LA Film Festival announce judges for 'Rabbit and Rogue' competition (from January)

 

Quote

Elfman introduced the Rabbit and Rogue Project in June 2016 as an opportunity for up-and-coming filmmakers to use selections from his "Rabbit and Rogue" album as inspiration and a soundtrack for their short films.

The competition, produced in partnership with the LA Film Festival and Indi.com, allows filmmakers to use selections from Elfman’s “Rabbit and Rogue” and compete for the opportunity to premiere their film at the 2017 LA Film Festival.

 

The LA Film Festival just ended yesterday, so presumably this is done now.

 

But you can watch all the short films here:

http://indi.com/laffdannyelfmanproject

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  • 3 months later...

Yeah, it's been on his slate for a while, but never confirmed untill now. Pretty expected, though. I think my own news piece about the Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet was more unexpected.

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On 23/06/2017 at 9:10 PM, Nick1066 said:

Danny Elfman is the RON HOWARD of film composers.

 

 

Elfman used to be quirky and interesting. Now he's Hollywood's utility man who comes in to clean up other people's unfinished work... like Ron Howard!

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  • 1 month later...

I've had a slightly cynical view towards Elfman for a while now (though I loved him years ago), especially since I wasn't mad about his work on Ultron and I've found him to just be a little less inspired overall lately. It has kind of given me a more negative view of him than I feel was fair. I have been putting together some 'best of' playlists of great composers on Spotify lately and so was skimming through Elfman's discography listening to various tracks. God, there really are so many classics. Such inventive melodies and exciting arrangements and he does have a distinctive voice, even if I feel he hasn't used it strongly enough in recent years. Batman Returns is a wonderful score (better than the first), Black Beauty is just so gorgeous, The Wolfman to me is a masterful score and so is Alice in Wonderland. I don't always think he nails it. I actually think the further he deviates from Tim Burtonesque sounds, the weaker he is as a composer. I am actually just not a massive fan of his action/superhero soundtracks post-Batman. His Hulk soundtrack is kind of bland for me, particularly because I think Craig Armstrong did a tremendous job of capturing the Hulk in music in comparison. Terminator Salvation is a bore. Of course Spiderman is good but I don't think I am as big a fan of it as most people beyond the theme itself.

Anyway just really putting down my thoughts as I pondered my evolving perceptions of Elfman as a composer. I guess I think he is a wonderful composer when he is magical and weird and dark, but he is overshadowed by others when it comes to composing other types of scores. Still, he deserves recognition amongst the greats.

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On 01/12/2017 at 1:41 PM, idril said:

 Batman Returns is a wonderful score (better than the first), Black Beauty is just so gorgeous, 

 

I prefer the first one. The second is wonderful, mainly the first half. 

 

On 01/12/2017 at 1:41 PM, idril said:

I guess I think he is a wonderful composer when he is magical and weird and dark, but he is overshadowed by others when it comes to composing other types of scores. Still, he deserves recognition amongst the greats.

 

I do not think his stuff for movies like "American Hustle", "Tulip Fever" or "Girl on the Train" are bad. Scores for dramas, political thrillers or even romantic comedies are naturally the least adored. However some composers can capture the public's attention with these genres. Thomas Newman, James Horner, Georges Delerue and John Barry are some of them. 

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Which theme? Alice has three.

 

Elfman tends to be a mixed bag, that's true, but to say his old stuff is good and the new stuff is bad is a great oversimplification.

 

Karol

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2 hours ago, James said:

I do not think his stuff for movies like "American Hustle", "Tulip Fever" or "Girl on the Train" are bad. Scores for dramas, political thrillers or even romantic comedies is naturally the least adored. 

 

Exactly. But this is usually where Elfman shines these days. As I wrote over at the Elfman boards:

 

Quote

 

I’ve NOT cared particularly for CHARLOTTE’S WEB, HELLBOY 2, TERMINATOR: SALVATION, WANTED, THE WOLFMAN, REAL STEEL, DARK SHADOWS, FRANKENWEENIE, IRIS, HITCHCOCK, MIB3, MR PEABODY & SHERMAN, EPIC, OZ, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, GOOSEBUMPS, ALICE 2 and JUSTICE LEAGUE (although several of them have had great, individual tracks).

 

On the other hand, I’ve REALLY cared for THE KINGDOM, MILK, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, TAKING WOODSTOCK, THE NEXT THREE DAYS, RESTLESS, PROMISED LAND, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, THE UNKONWN KNOWN, THE END OF THE TOUR, THE CIRCLE and TULIP FEVER.

 

That’s why I won’t allow myself to have any expectations for stuff like THE GRINCH and DUMBO, even though the “thematic palette” might seem right up Elfman’s alley — on paper.

 

 

I don't give a monkey's toss about Elfman's big blockbuster scores anymore. I want more of the indie stuff, where he truly shines.

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5 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I'd say his best stuff tends to be written away from film.

 

Karol

 

3 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

Rabbit & Rogue.

 

:rock:

 

Yep.  Better than any film score he's done in the past 10 years that's for sure.

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3 hours ago, crocodile said:

Which theme? Alice has three.

 

Elfman tends to be a mixed bag, that's true, but to say his old stuff is good and the new stuff is bad is a great oversimplification.

 

Karol

 

Yeah the main 'Alice' theme - I guess the one that sounds like Black Beauty! Although I do find them different enough that I can enjoy them both. 

But yeah I for one don't want to say 'old stuff good' and 'new stuff bad', no way. I just don't find myself wanting to re-listen to the newer stuff as much as his older material. For the most part, I don't find it as unique or interesting. And I do have some problems with his later superhero scores. 

 

3 hours ago, James said:

I do not think his stuff for movies like "American Hustle", "Tulip Fever" or "Girl on the Train" are bad. Scores for dramas, political thrillers or even romantic comedies is naturally the least adored. However some composers can capture the public's attention with these genres. Thomas Newman, James Horner, Georges Delerue and John Barry are some of them. 

 

Of course it is easier to stand out with a big action or sweeping epic kind of score than these more intimate thrillers or romances but you're absolutely right that some composers have excelled at it. Thomas Newman is the perfect example and John Barry of course for the romantic ones. I don't dislike Tulip Fever actually but I never re-listened to American Hustle or Girl on the Train. Is it bad that I kind of like Fifty Shades though (the first one)?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Varese just announced on Twitter that they'll be releasing Elfman's Good Will Hunting digitally on December 29.  Can't imagine it will have any more than Music Box's CD (and probably won't include the Elliott Smith songs), but something to keep an eye on I guess.

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As far as I know - it even included a bunch of stuff that wasn't on the original promo, from what I can tell.

 

But new music or no, this will be a legal way to get the score (MBR's 1500 run is OOP).

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13 minutes ago, mstrox said:

As far as I know - it even included a bunch of stuff that wasn't on the original promo, from what I can tell.

 

That is correct. Not "a bunch of stuff", but some.

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  • 2 months later...

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