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I’m happy with the CD (heard it a million times over the past 10 years), but there’s cues that SHOULD have been included. Example? When Eckerd and Napier meet in the back alley. Also, when Batman crashes through the window at the museum. And, when we first see the Batwing.
20th anniversary, huh? So, we have to wait two more years? BTW, a quick (and off-topic) question. Has the music that Elfman composed for the intro and outro for the Animated series ever been released on CD? Has their ever been a CD animated series music?! Besides the animated movies, of course.
I had thought that Shirley Walker wrote all of the music from “Batman: TAS,” opening and closing music included as an absolutely amazing adaptation of Elfman’s theme..
If I remember correctly (so who knows?), Walker said that Elfman did write the title sequence in an interview that appeared in the book “The Score.”
Of course Elfman wrote it! Why else would the credits state “Theme by Danny Elfman”? Also, notice in `94 when the show was re-titled, “The Adventures of Batman & Robin” and had a new opening with Walker’s music there is no “Theme by Danny Elfman” in the credits. Instead it says “Theme by Shirley Walker”. It’s in the original opening credits, which feature a “different” theme that Elfman gets credit.
If you want to listen to BOTH themes here it is:
Elfman
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lEx9r5enZskWalker
http://youtube.com/watch?v=upmXKi2y5PYI know that sometimes Walker’s stuff sounds like Elfman (hence the rumors at the time) but when you listen to both themes back to back you can tell the difference.
I had always thought that Elfman got the “Theme by” credit in “Batman: TAS” the same way that he did with “Spider-Man 3,” with his theme from the movies there, but still adapted by someone else.
The theme during intro & outro of B:TAS is not even the same as the movies.
edit
You’re probably thinking of the two or three episodes where Walker combined the movie theme and HER theme WITHIN the episode. As far as the intro & outro music is concerned its not even the same as the movies.
I believe Elfman did his own arrangement of the theme. It was his own composition and not an adaptation. A recording of the theme (with minor sfx) is available on one of the TVT themed compilation albums called SUPERHEROES or something.
Ryan
An excerpt from Michael Schelle’s interview with Shirley Walker in The Score, pg 373:
“From the beginning, the producers on that show- Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, and Eric Radomski- did not want a Danny Elfman sound for the Batman character. They had seen my work on the Flash television series and liked my work from there. They wanted me to do the theme. They were very, very dismayed when Danny insisted that he was the only human being on the planet who could write for Batman, and that it should be his theme for their show. I didn’t get to have the theme until after that had sort of subsided. Then we created the theme we wanted for the show. As I said, they were not interested in it sounding like Danny Elfman, but I think that I was influenced by Danny’s work for the first Batman movie because it was a great sound for the Batman character. Personally, I knew I didn’t want to go away from that Gothic, overdone, overstated method of treatment for the Batman character.”
Earlier in the interview, Walker talked about her parting ways with Elfman. She felt that all the accusations that she was writing his music had an unhealthy affect on their working relationship and careers. She also praises his work on Batman, calling it ‘ground-breaking’ and believing that he was robbed at the Oscars for not even being nominated.
“Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, and Eric Radomski- did not want a Danny Elfman sound for the Batman character.”
It’s funny cause thats pretty much what they got. lol.
“They were very, very dismayed when Danny insisted that he was the only human being on the planet who could write for Batman”
WTF?! Has Elfman EVER been this cocky?!?!?!
“Earlier in the interview, Walker talked about her parting ways with Elfman. She felt that all the accusations that she was writing his music had an unhealthy affect on their working relationship and careers.”
Their work does sound kinda similar. It’s when you pay close attention that you can tell the difference.
It was early in his career when he had nothing but hit after hit. I’d feel like a god after doing Pee-wee, Beetlejuice, and Batman in the span of only a few years. Also, Elfman has said that the Batman theme is one of his favorite compositions. Wouldn’t be shocked if he was highly protective of the franchise. In an FSM interview, he seemed pretty pissy about the Batman Forever situation.
They were very, very dismayed when Danny insisted that he was the only human being on the planet who could write for Batman, and that it should be his theme for their show. I didn’t get to have the theme until after that had sort of subsided.
And it subsided rather quickly. Elfman’s theme was only featured in three early Batman episodes: On Leather Wings, Nothing to Fear, and The Last Laugh.
The Main Title that Shirley wrote for The Adventures of Batman & Robin is simply glorious.
You can listen to all the great Batman main/end titles here:
“And it subsided rather quickly. Elfman’s theme was only featured in three early Batman episodes: On Leather Wings, Nothing to Fear, and The Last Laugh. “
Animation is such a slow process that those three episodes possibly took MONTHS to produce.
Animation is such a slow process that those three episodes possibly took MONTHS to produce.
Good point. An animated show most definitely takes months to produce.
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