Forum Replies Created
- Posts
What the hell is this even doing on here? Am I mistaken, or did all this happen in 1996?!
Notwithstanding, the Adam Clayton / Larry Mullen cover of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE theme was recorded before Elfman even came onto the picture.
Um… he has a “producer” credit on FOREVER and he hasn’t watched it? I always suspected that title was bulls***.
Yeah, Elfman said that they _tried_ to get Steve to come in and do the arrangements, but that he declined.
My favorites (in no particular order):
HULK
THE FAMILY MAN
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
BLACK BEAUTY
MEN IN BLACKrunner up:
SPIDER-MAN 2Yeah, the rumor you’re talking about goes waaaaaaay back and not only is it a distortion of how he actually works, but it fails to ackknowledge that nearly every film composer working these days does things in very similar ways (the notable exceptions being, of course, the old old pros like John Williams, John Barry, Morricone and Randy Newman).
An interview with Steve Bartek from years ago spells out Danny process (or least, what it was at the time). He works the basic cue out on a sequencer and lays in many of the samples and non-orchestral sounds that will be used in the final cue. He then makes a print out on which he writes – by hand! – much of the orchestral stuff and usually an additional 30-50% of what the cue will be. Elfman has admitted that his way of writing isn’t exactly text-book, but Bartek has added that anyone who knows anything about music can look at it and understand exactly what Elfman is saying.
Since mock ups of EVERY CUE are required by pretty much anyone who does a film score these days, Elfman’s team does that as well, but both Elfman and Bartek have been explicit that no one on the team is permitted to take too many liberties with the music.
In the recording process, some elements are replaced by the live orchestra, but some stay in the final mix (often the exotic percussion that he’s recorded and layed down and any funky samples and synth effects that he wants in there).
Although he did not study at Julliard, his method of working has obviously proved successful enough for him to continue to deliver music on time to the people who’ve hired him. Love or hate his music, you have to admit that he’s been able to write and record extremely complex, sophisticated pieces in a way that more than proves his chops as a professional musician.
By the way, many of the other big guys working today don’t get as hands on with their music as Elfman regularly does. John Ottman works the whole cue out on a sequencer and lets his orchestrators and transcribers take it from there. Christopher Young’s methood of working is quite similar, from what I hear, as is David Arold’s and numerous other guys who are don’t have to answer these bulls*** charges every few years.
Yeah, I think it’s a combination of that, and that the first set of demos were probably used as playback for when they were shooting the movie. Once the film was all together, Elfman probably went back and better molded the underscore to the picture. The vocals seem to be the same between both versions.
Personally, I like all the songs except for “Tears To Shed,” which leaves me a bit cold. I love love love the Wedding Song, especially the last 90 seconds or so.
They still sound like demos to me, just nicer demos that better reflect what the final orcehstrations will be.
Danny is represented by Kraft-Engel Management. If you send a fan letter to him there, perhaps his agent will forward it on.
15233 Ventura Blvd Suite 200
Sherman Oaks, California 91403
USAGood luck!
Elfman wrote the _entire_ score and songs for the film. There were pieces that were pre-existing which were used (the 2001 piece, et al), but NONE of the music recorded specifically for the film was not by Elfman.
Also, JNH did _not_ write original music for the trailer. Some trailers did use JNH music from PETER PAN, however.
Part of the Augustus Gloop song _was_ edited out of the film:
“We’ll boil him for a minute more / until we’re absolutely sure / then out he’ll come, by God, by Grace / A miracle has taken place, a miracle has taken place.”
All missing. My guess is that the WB freaked because these lines suggest that he’ll be boiled down and turned into fudge (we later get concrete proof that that’s not what has happened to him, but still…)
All the other songs seem intact (and indeed, they’re not very long!)
Well, I’ve seen the movie and another probelm is that the statment is just wrong. If he’s implying that music plays over _everything_, well, it doesn’t. There are many stretches where there’s no score.
MacArthur Park is in Los Angeles!
“Hollywood Nights” is another.
I think there’s also a song called Silverlake somewhere out there.
I, for one, am perfectly fine that he’s not doing SPIDER-MAN 3 and in fact think it’s cool for him to walk away after some of the bulls*** that happened on the last picture. I think it shows a lot of integrity that rarely shows its face in the movie business!
The thing I’ve been thinking about while listening to CHARLIE over the last few days is how great it is to hear him doing a movie like this where the music _matters_. That’s not to say that the music isn’t important in a big action flick like SPIDER-MAN, but much of the time it’s reduced to being a tension track: musical wallpaper that’s largely covered up by the sound design anyway. My favorite film music (by Elfman or anyone else) has always been highly melodic and theme based. High-adrenaline action scores are fine, but music that has to play it more subtle has always been more interesting to me.
Elfman has three kiddie movies on his slate after CHARLIE, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s fabulous. It will give him the opportunity to write a bunch of new songs as well as some really imaginative fantasy music.
Yeah, it was LEMONY SNICKET (Tom Newman) then ADDICTED TO LOVE (Rachel Portman) and then the NIGHTMARE music. I didn’t recognize the music that was under the last part of the trailer, but it doesn’t really sound like Elfman to me and I’m skeptical that music from the score would get into a trailer this early anyway.
As for Bonejangles… are we sure that Danny does the voice for the character and doesn’t just sing that character’s song? I think this information came out of the interview that Doug Adam’s did with Elfman for a yet to be published FSM article. He posted a preview here:
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.asp?threadID=28153&forumID=1
Doug Adams: You’re singing one of the songs in Corpse Bride as well, right?
Danny Elfman: Yeah, I got a really fun one in Corpse Bride! It’s called “Remains of the Day,” and it’s from a character who’s a skeleton called Bonejangles.
DA: That sounds right up your alley!
DE: Yeah, actually it was kind of rough for me because it was a kind of a voice that… You know, Jack Skellington I could sing all day long. Bonejangles had a rougher voice and I didn’t want to sing it. I really wanted to bring in somebody with a rougher voice that mine. We had a lot of auditions both in England and in New York. I actually recorded three people. I put a lot of time into trying to get somebody else’s voice on to this! And in the end Tim said, “Look, can you just do it, please!?” So I went in and redid it from my demo. It was a tough one. It was the kind of part that I’d sing it for 15 minutes and I’d be coughing. My throat was really hurting after singing Bonejangles! It was mega-sore throat all night long both nights. I had to do it twice.
DA: Do you have to do any dialogue, or just the singing?
DE: Just a little, fortunately!
I’ve heard large chunks of some of the songs, and there are little moments here and there where you can really tell that it’s him. Some of the background vocals really evoke early Oingo Boingo / Mystic Knights songs. I think you’ll be pleased when you hear them (I was very happy with the few bits I heard).
There’s a TALES FROM THE CRYPT album that has the original recording that Elfman did with the Symphonia of London (recorded on the last day of the BATMAN sessions). The recording presented there is a much longer version of the theme. There is also the recording available on MUSIC FOR A DARKENED THEATER vol 1, a shorter arrangment done in the same session with the Symphonia.
I’m going to the American Film Institue in LA currently (which does not have a music department). We frequently recruit composers for our picture from both UCLA and USC. Both schools have excellent students and well-regarded film scoring programs. USC has a bit more money on their campus (including their own scoring stage), but UCLA is excellent as well.
There’s a Young Film Composers Competition (http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/YFCC) that you should check out.
You should also look into attending the Herny Mancini Institute one of there years.
<>
Indeed, Elfman _does_ smoke, but he’s said repeated times that he doesn’t drink nor does he do any drugs.
So there you are.
Well, make no mistake about it… the person who ultimately makes these decisions on these movies is the director. Of course, he could have been getting extreme pressure from the studio, but the director can (and should) go to bat for a score he really believes in. I don’t think much of Murwanowski, but in all fairness to him, the editor can whisper ideas in a director’s ear, but cannot change their opinions if they want to recut the whole movie or throw out a perfectly good piece of music.
I don’t know anything about the situation, but I’d guess that Elfman wouldn’t return simply because of how his work was treated on Spider-Man 2. He reworked his “Train” cue many many times only to have it (and much of the other music he wrote for the film) replaced at the last minute by music from the first picture and last-minute cues from other composers. If I were him, I’d tell Raimi and the producers to go f#@% themselves if they called up asking me to work on part 3.
