Danny Elfman's DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (2022)

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

From these 2 clips I think Wong has a theme, and I believe there is a big rass motif/theme for Gargantos. Or it's an overall theme of course for monsters of whatever is might mean inside the film.

[ddddeeee 242]

Raimi on why he wanted Elfman to score.

 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Director Sam Raimi Explains Why Danny Elfman Returned (comicbook.com)

 

"I loved Michael Giacchino's Doctor Strange music and I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to work together but I need Danny Elfman by my side," Raimi tells us. "He's like my long-lost brother and he's really a storyteller. He helps me tell the story with his music, but it was wonderful. He loved the Doctor Strange theme and incorporated it into his musical score which was so funny for me because that composer incorporated some of Danny's pieces into [Spider-Man] No Way Home."

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Glad to hear both Raimi & Elfman say that they loved and used Giacchino's theme.

Seeing it wednesday and to have the score on the same day is amazing!!

[Drawgoon 100]

I see the opening track and the Main Titles cue at the end of the album are both about the same length. Maybe one of these is an alternate version?

 

"Discovering America" likely represents the introduction of that new character, America Chavez. I looked up the cast and it appears that this character is the girl from the clip that was released recently (the one with some one-eyed squid-like monster crumpling a bus). Judging by that video clip, and also the track titles here, and assuming the cues on this list are in chronological order, I am going to guess that "Battle Time" is the music used in that clip.

[crocodile 7,983]

It might be like the two versions Age of Ultron main on end tracks that appeared on the album. Different enough so that they don't feel redundant. 

 

Karol

[ddddeeee 242]

I think the 'Main Titles' cue is just the main on end. Elfman also called the main on end for The Girl on the Train 'Main Titles'.

 

He sometimes likes to throw a track that's more representative of the whole score at the beginning so that the listener knows what's coming - Wanted, Real Steel, Goosebumps, or if there is no such track, he'll sometimes write one - Age of Ultron, Justice League, Tulip Fever, The Circle. 

[Jay 37,281]

 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

2 hours ago, Drawgoon said:

Judging by that video clip, and also the track titles here, and assuming the cues on this list are in chronological order, I am going to guess that "Battle Time" is the music used in that clip.

The creature is called Gargantos. So I assume that track is also the one used for the battle.

[Faleel 5,332]

4 hours ago, Drawgoon said:

I see the opening track and the Main Titles cue at the end of the album are both about the same length. Maybe one of these is an alternate version?

 

 

Or a demo/concert arrangement thingy ala Heroes from Ultron

[HunterTech 987]

So does the usual NZ business apply to Wednesday releases?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness/1621749422

 

For where it's already wednesday

[crocodile 7,983]

To be honest, it sounds quite similar to Justice League. In the type of style and bombast anyway. I can hear a theme but it isn't the kind of "hero" theme like Giacchino's. I will wait to hear the rest of it tomorrow or maybe within the film context on Thursday before making any judgements.

 

Karol

[DangerMotif 1,037]

It’s good. Nothing mindblowing. I don’t think he uses Wanda’s theme

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

7 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

 

 

These interviews are always so cringe. They never know what to ask a composer.

[crocodile 7,983]

Something tells me questions from diehard film score afficionados would be just as awkward.

 

Karol 

[Alex 2,833]

Managed to use a VPN to listen to some of it. I love the Main Titles!

[ddddeeee 242]

LOVE Elfman's use of Giacchino's theme in 'Battle Time'.

[crocodile 7,983]

22 minutes ago, ddddeeee said:

LOVE Elfman's use of Giacchino's theme in 'Battle Time'.

Yeah, that bit is really cool.

 

Karol

[HunterTech 987]

First impressions: it starts off pretty strong as this good in-between point of older and modern Elfman, but I think it does lose a bit of steam partway through, largely as a result of how somewhat muted it is thematically (as much as there definitely are motifs here). It likely benefits from context to really get the full picture of what's being achieved here, but it ultimately isn't able to do too much to escape the pitfalls of current Danny (as much as there are some glimpses of ingenuity in the instrumentation).

 

I think part of the issue for me is that despite the moments of genuine creativity in the soundscape, it really could've used some of the Gia harpsichord sound. It's become so tied to the character that Ragnarok and Infinity War could call to it fine without actually using his theme. Here, it doesn't do much to feel like its sound is distinct to this particular character.

 

Really makes me ponder as to who exactly to blame here, if not even Raimi can get DE to do a 4/5 at this point. I guess Elfman is just that burnt out cinematically.

[ddddeeee 242]

Elfman's written a new theme for Wanda...and it's his Willy Wonka theme. Very odd, but it's developed substantially throughout the score.

 

There's another new theme that's very wholesome - can't tell if it's a new Strange theme or for America Chavez.

 

It feels like Elfman's loose for the first time in a while. It gets really melodramatic and also quite weird.

 

He's getting really great notices in reviews, so it'll hopefully work great in context. I need more time with it for sure. I do miss the harpsicord/Eastern influences from the first score.

[saulocf 79]

Just a kindly reminder (I bring it up whenever the first score is mentioned) that the first score best cue went unreleased:

The best part of his theme arranged beautifully.

[Jay 37,281]

So how often does Giacchino's theme appear on the score album?

[DangerMotif 1,037]

14 minutes ago, ddddeeee said:

Elfman's written a new theme for Wanda...and it's his Willy Wonka theme. Very odd, but it's developed substantially throughout the score.

 

There's another new theme that's very wholesome - can't tell if it's a new Strange theme or for America Chavez.

 

It feels like Elfman's loose for the first time in a while. It gets really melodramatic and also quite weird.

 

He's getting really great notices in reviews, so it'll hopefully work great in context. I need more time with it for sure. I do miss the harpsicord/Eastern influences from the first score.

Which track do you think Wanda’s theme is in? I’m having trouble picking up on much besides the occasional strange theme

1 minute ago, Jay said:

So how often does Giacchino's theme appear on the score album?

A couple times but not so heroic sounding

[ddddeeee 242]

Wanda's theme plays in 'Multiverse of Madness' with kooky choir and is immediately preceded and followed by a string version. 

 

It's pretty much this theme here, from 0:50

 

 

[HunterTech 987]

The digital release does actually credit Giacchino in every instance of his theme (On the Run, Gargantos, Strange Statue, Battle Time), so that's refreshing after NWH didn't have that. There might've been an extra instance of it afterwards, but it should be noted that these are all in the first half of the score, as it pretty much disappears afterwards.

 

Also, Lethal Symphonies is largely based around a classical piece that my uncultured brain doesn't know the name of.

[Jay 37,281]

1 minute ago, HunterTech said:

The digital release does actually credit Giacchino in every instance of his theme (On the Run, Gargantos, Strange Statue, Battle Time)

 

Thanks for that!

[DangerMotif 1,037]

23 minutes ago, HunterTech said:

The digital release does actually credit Giacchino in every instance of his theme (On the Run, Gargantos, Strange Statue, Battle Time), so that's refreshing after NWH didn't have that. There might've been an extra instance of it afterwards, but it should be noted that these are all in the first half of the score, as it pretty much disappears afterwards.

 

Also, Lethal Symphonies is largely based around a classical piece that my uncultured brain doesn't know the name of.

Beethovens 5th and I think I heard another one

[ddddeeee 242]

Yeah, there is definitely another theme for Strange. There's an emotional version in 'On the Run' and then a softer version immediately after in 'Strange Awakens'. Again, it's very wholesome, and doesn't really sound like a theme for Strange, but it does sound like the kind of thing Raimi would push for. There really isn't much time in the score which doesn't involve the Strange or Wanda themes, and there's a lot of fun interplay between them.

[Alex 2,833]

Well Elfman’s adaptations of Giacchino’s theme are much more interesting than what Giacchino did with Elfman’s.

[mstrox 6,643]

No word on a CD release.  Guess I’ll buy the download and see what happens!

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

I hear some talking about Wanda's theme. But do I get it right that this is a new theme that Elfman composed. It's not Beck's theme

[DangerMotif 1,037]

37 minutes ago, JNHFan2000 said:

I hear some talking about Wanda's theme. But do I get it right that this is a new theme that Elfman composed. It's not Beck's theme

Yes

[DangerMotif 1,037]

“On the Run” is truly amazing, especially the back half with the strange theme and the brass/String/Chior

[Drawgoon 100]

7 hours ago, Alex said:

Well Elfman’s adaptations of Giacchino’s theme are much more interesting than what Giacchino did with Elfman’s.

 

I think Giacchino's job was far more complicated than Elfman's. There were lots of themes and motifs he had to use in Spidey whereas Elfman only had to worry about one.

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

11 hours ago, HunterTech said:

Also, Lethal Symphonies is largely based around a classical piece that my uncultured brain doesn't know the name of.

 

11 hours ago, Gibster said:

Beethovens 5th and I think I heard another one

 

The other one is, I think, Toccato And Fugue from Bach

[crocodile 7,983]

11 hours ago, ddddeeee said:

Wanda's theme plays in 'Multiverse of Madness' with kooky choir and is immediately preceded and followed by a string version. 

 

It's pretty much this theme here, from 0:50

 

 

And it seems to be connected to his Wanda theme from Age of Ultron as well. At least the second part of that theme.

 

 

Karol

[ddddeeee 242]

23 minutes ago, crocodile said:

And it seems to be connected to his Wanda theme from Age of Ultron as well. At least the second part of that theme.

 

 

Karol

I hadn't noticed this. Awesome.

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Spoiler below is for music not featured on the soundtrack and is regarding a scene hinted at in the trailers.
 

Spoiler

Apparently the theme from the 90s X-Men animated series plays in the film when Charles Xavier is introduced.

 

[Jaaaackified 81]

1 minute ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Apparently the theme from the 90s X-Men animated series plays in the film when Charles Xavier is introduced.

 

 

Ottman: He had a theme under my watch!

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Just now, Jaaaackified said:

 

Ottman: He had a theme under my watch!

 

I thought that too at first but apparently...
 

Spoiler

...Pat Stew is playing the version of Xavier from the show.

 

[Jaaaackified 81]

2 minutes ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

 

I thought that too at first but apparently...
 

  Reveal hidden contents

...Pat Stew is playing the version of Xavier from the show.

 

 

ah, hence the look of his armchair in one of the sneak peek

 

a nice touch though if true

[HunterTech 987]

1 hour ago, crocodile said:

And it seems to be connected to his Wanda theme from Age of Ultron as well. At least the second part of that theme.

 

 

Karol

Wow. And here I was thinking he ignored it entirely, only because I would've not noticed the B phrase in all the times I've listened to AoU.

 

I'm really looking forward to giving it another spin, as I'm already warming up to the two main themes. Specifically the Strange one, as it almost feels like a purposeful inverse of Giacchino's. I'll admit that I think my double expectations (of wanting the sound of the first to be expanded on, and Raimi getting a Spidey 2.5 out of Elfman) affected my initial listen, but I suspect it's pretty strong in its own right.

[LewWho95 14]

Stranger Things Will Happen at 1:20 has what appears to be a reworked version of Elfman’s Flash theme from Justice League which is nice. That was a good theme and I’m happy Elfman found another place for it. 

[crocodile 7,983]

Elfman seems to reuse a lot of stuff these days, he was never that different from Horner in that respect. A lot of overlap between his film and concert works. But even in some older days, secondary motif from Mission: Impossible became the main theme in Planet of the Apes etc.

 

As for Multiverse of Madness, it's not an Earth-shattering revelation but that doesn't mean it's bad. Far from it. I might not digest as well this lumpy and loud Elfman on steroids that we get these days but there's still more nuance here than you normally get in these types of things. Nicely layered string writing would be one of these things, for example. Subtle interplay between themes is another. It still feels more like actual music even if it's not Elfman's most striking. Oddly, I prefer the lugubrious underscore to the big action stuff (opening of Not a Monster, for example). It gives the work certain credibility that you normally don't find in these types of movies. I suspect this moody, and occasionally introspective, tone might actually work very well for the movie. At the very least, it feels like they're at least trying something. 

 

So far I don't love it but there's still enough in here to like. After very anaemic Fantastic Beasts 3, this feels more like it. With further listens I might discover even more. I am looking forward to seeing the movie tomorrow night. 

 

I also like the synths in this. Feels almost like Goldsmith. 😉

 

Karol

[Jaaaackified 81]

Wandavision from Beck did appear in the film according the end credits roll, but I missed it completely. 

[crocodile 7,983]

I heard the 4-note motif from all the title songs makes an appearance, not his actual theme. But then, I might be whatever. I'll check tomorrow.

 

Karol

[DangerMotif 1,037]

6 hours ago, LewWho95 said:

Stranger Things Will Happen at 1:20 has what appears to be a reworked version of Elfman’s Flash theme from Justice League which is nice. That was a good theme and I’m happy Elfman found another place for it. 

it actually was his Hulk theme first

[badbu 123]

i really like the main titles  

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

Elfman's best score since Oz the Great and Powerful. Love it to pieces, especially the main titles.