Danny Elfman's Epic (2013 animated movie)

[Jay 46,243]

It's called "Epic", and its from Blue Sky Studios (They made Ice Age 1-4, Robots, and Rio). Here's the trailer:

The reason John Powell is not scoring it is because he is taking a sabbatical to spend time with his family

[filmmusic 3,269]

I wish Elfman would leave for a while the animation/fantasy/comic type of scoring with the celestas/choir/small cells composition, and make something else.

Still I'm waiting to hear something like Sommersby which is among his best scores.

Why doesn't anyone hire him for a romantic drama?

or a romantic period drama? that would be new!

It's a pity that many composers are typecasted.

Same goes for Christopher Young.

Murded in the First is a masterpiece, and he's only offered thrillers to score.

[crocodile 9,724]

I also wish Elfman tackled more dramas and stuff like that. Judging from the few he's done, that's where he would excel most, I feel.

Karol

[Brónach 1,330]

It's a pity that many composers are typecasted.

Same goes for Christopher Young.

Murded in the First is a masterpiece, and he's only offered thrillers to score.

Christopher Young is that guy who gets The Dark Knight as temptrack and writes that final cue of Priest as an answer demolishing the original in the process. He's someone to take into account.

I wish Elfman would leave for a while the animation/fantasy/comic type of scoring with the celestas/choir/small cells composition, and make something else.

Still I'm waiting to hear something like Sommersby which is among his best scores.

Shit, I still have barely listened to that one.

[crocodile 9,724]

You should be ashamed of yourself, Chaac. If there is one essential non-obvious Elfman score one should be listening to, it would be this one. Gorgeous work!

Karol

[Brónach 1,330]

I am ashamed!

If it serves to aliviate the fury of the gods, I'm a big fan of Black Beauty.

[crocodile 9,724]

OK you need to self-flagellate yourself only 38 times instead of 39.

Karol

[ShowUStheHOOK 8]

anyone like Good Will Hunting?

[Not Mr. Big 5,011]

I guess I'm looking forward to the score. I'm avoiding the movie at all costs though. I was cringing the entire duration of the trailer.

[Incanus 5,890]

You should be ashamed of yourself, Chaac. If there is one essential non-obvious Elfman score one should be listening to, it would be this one. Gorgeous work!

Karol

Agreed. Along with Black Beauty Sommersby is some of Elfman's best music and it is a shame he doesn't have chances to write much music in this vein. I thought both scores as delightful surprises from the first time I heard them.

[Jay 46,243]

I've never heard Sommersby either. Well, other than the selections on MFADT2

[crocodile 9,724]

It's a really great score, but very different from typical Elfman. In fact you wouldn't have guessed he wrote it.

Speaking of Elfman's drama score, I heard some bits of Promised Land earlier today and I must say it's rather good.

Karol

[ShowUStheHOOK 8]

It's a really great score, but very different from typical Elfman. In fact you wouldn't have guessed he wrote it.

Speaking of Elfman's drama score, I heard some bits of Promised Land earlier today and I must say it's rather good.

Karol

I agree on Promised Land, Good stuff from what i've heard so far. I also agree about Black Beauty. Great score that doesn't sound like the normal Danny. I'd also recommend GOOD WILL HUNTING. Also very different territory for Elfman. I think ( and someone please let me know if i'm wrong) he got an Oscar nomination for that.

[crocodile 9,724]

Samples.

Karol

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Sounds like a pretty good score!

[Jonesy 55]

Yeah, samples are really promising.

[Incanus 5,890]

It certainly sounds like Elfman but luckily he is doing something a bit different here than in his usually dark and quirky fantasy scores. The music has a nice swash and buckle feel to it. He obviously was allowed to paint in large broad strokes here.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Is this only a digital release?

[crocodile 9,724]

No.

Karol

[KK 3,313]

Those samples sound great!

[Jay 46,243]

Elfman has really returned to form after some rough years. Can't wait to hear the whole CD!

[Koray Savas 2,260]

It'll probably be disappointing just like everything else he's done these past two years.

[Jay 46,243]

Iris, Hitchcock, Silver Linings Playbook, and Promised Land were great!

Dark Shadows, MIB3, and Frankenweenie not so much

Still haven't listened to OZ

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Iris is brilliant. Hitchcock is good. The rest are meh.

[crocodile 9,724]

Iris, Hitchcock, Silver Linings Playbook, and Promised Land were great!

Dark Shadows, MIB3, and Frankenweenie not so much

Still haven't listened to OZ

Iris is great, Oz is very good, Hitchcock and Promised Land are good, and the rest is meh.

The last excellent Elfman score was The Wolfman.

This one sounds like it could be either of them.

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

Where do you rank Alice In Wonderland in between all those?

[crocodile 9,724]

I have a problem with Alice. On one hand I absolutely adore the main theme and how it's used throughout the score. It's a true Elfman classic. But... everything else... well, I can't remember any of it. And I've been trying to love it for years now. I'd call it good because of Alice's theme.

Oz is a similar score so many people find it derivative. To an extent they're right - you can hear Elfman's ideas from different works. One of the main themes sounds like something from Charlotte's Web, one song sounds like Oompa Loompa song, stuff like that. But I just find it more impressive as a whole. And the main Oh Canada-like theme is brilliantly used. You'll think one of the two things - it's either derivative and tired, or an impressive display of much-loved Elfmanisms. I think it is among his very best fantasy scores and find myself listening to the Intrada album very often.

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

Awesome, thanks for that write up

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Like with most Elfman scores, the main theme saves it.

[Matt C 605]

It does sound very lush, but I like the solo guitar touches. Might be worth checking out.

[Jay 46,243]

Now for sale on iTunes!

https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/epic-original-motion-picture/id643942255?l=en

[crocodile 9,724]

It's one of those scores you don't see coming. Closer to John Powell territory somewhat. One of the themes is a close cousing to Oz theme. But other than that it remains quite fresh. I like it quite a bit. 2013 is already a better year than the previous one in terms of new music.

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

Yea 2013 is turning out to be full of surprises!

[crocodile 9,724]

And there is still so much to wait for!

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

I am hoping Shore knocks everything out of the park with The Desolation of Smaug.

[KK 3,313]

As am I. He best not disappoint!

[publicist 4,650]

About as interesting as THE CROODs by Silvestri. Very nice, non-offending, totally unsurprising. I have grown out this kind of filmmusic long time ago...i just have too many templates from this in my collection already.

[crocodile 9,724]

Oh come on pub. It's not THAT bad.

Karol

[publicist 4,650]

It's just not interesting. Nothing to turn my wily old fingers even into typing "epic" and "danny elfman" in the youtube searchbar.

[crocodile 9,724]

I like Oz more, to be honest. But this is still better than most of his 2012 works.

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

I finally listened to this on Spotify today, and I liked it a lot!

Surprised nobody has pointed out the similarities it has with the score to Brave.

[crocodile 9,724]

It's probably temp track. Not a spectacular work, but nice.

Karol

[Jay 46,243]

I just can't get enough of this score - it's definitely one of the best of 2013. Elfman had a lot of fun with it. I enjoy it immensely more than Oz The Great And Powerful.

BTW, here are some pics from the recording sessions!

http://www.scoringsessions.com/news/256/

[Koray Savas 2,260]

It's an average effort, rooted too much in the celtic sound Powell made popular.

[Jay 46,243]

Do you like it more or less than Oz The Great And Powerful?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I think I gave Oz an extra half star in my review. I liked it's theme better. Neither are among Elfman's best work.

[Jay 46,243]

Neither are among Elfman's best work.

Well, obviously

[crocodile 9,724]

They're both solid by my book. But, as you both say, hardly exceptional in the grand scheme of things (if there is such a thing).

Karol