E is for Elfman

Danny Elfman

Perhaps a bit of a stretch, but I'm not going to put down Elgar. While he's one of the only Es out there and has written some great things, I personally don't care for his stuff very much. Danny on the other hand...

Film music is interesting in that there are so many different approaches that are all valid and lead to very different film experiences. Some composers write to the action on the screen, some underscore emotional content, some only add musical punctuation at certain points, and there's all kinds of other techniques out there as well. Elfman has become pretty comfortable in the big orchestral style, but he's not always operating at 11. He can do songs and quiet moments as well.

The other great thing about film music is how intertwined it can become with the film project. Not all films have this, but certain film/music combinations have become one. Films like "Star Wars", "Chariots of Fire", "The Pink Panther", etc. Go ahead and try to think of any other music for them. Can't be done. I'd say the same goes for the Elfman/Burton films. Both men have a macabre sensibility that make their projects fit like vacuum sealed spandex gloves. Both have proven that they can work apart to good success, but I just ask why bother.

Stylistically I think I am drawn to Elfman because his music is probably most closely related to early 20th century Russian music with maybe a darker twist. He cites Stravinsky as a big influence but I hear a lot more Prokofiev than Stravinsky. In addition to that he says he enjoyed film music as a youngster. Hermann, Waxman, Korngold, etc. When you think about his style it's not hard to hear these influences.

Outside of films he has very little else. Apparently he has just started working on original concert pieces for orchestra, but I've yet to hear any. He has played and written some rock music in the past but I think that part of his life is now complete as well. It will be interesting to see where he goes in the future.

It's hard to pick out any favorite scores from Elfman because, again, they are tied so closely to the films they accompany. But here you go anyway.

Edward Scissor Hands - I think one of the best examples of Elfman you're going to find. An absolutely beautiful score.

Sleepy Hollow - Again a good representation but we get a lot of the darker/scarier side of what he can do. Not as tuneful or recognizable as Batman, but on the whole a very impressive score.

Nightmare Before Christmas - This is what happens when you just say go for it. It has the biggest Elfman fingerprint of all his films. Lots of fun little songs including this little number here.



Nothing complicated, just a pleasant little song.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure - If I catch flak for this, I'll take it gladly. Yes, it was his first major picture and yes, it's probably a little simplistic for some purists out there. I think it's fun. It shows an originality of style that someone like James Horner has never had, and there really are some great moments in there.

Notice how most of these references are from somewhat early pictures? It's kind of an interesting paradox. As his skills have gotten better the less apparent his music has become. Did Big Fish have a good score? The answer is yes, but to tell you the truth I can't sing you a bar of it from memory. I wonder how he looks back on his early scores. Does he look back at Pee Wee and wince at all the obvious mistakes he was making? Does he try to think how he would rewrite Batman if he had another chance?