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I hope it’s as good as the Batman musical:
“As you know, commissioner, criminals are…
♪A superstitiously cowardly lot
They plan and scheme but always get caught
Their evil plans all come to not
A superstitiously cowardly lot ♪”How many orchestrators did he have in Meet the Robinsons? Cause in Batman he only had one and that was Steve Bartek. Its true that Shirley Walker did some additional orchestration but it was mostly Steve. The same applies to Nightmare!
Well, let me just reference my trusty liner notes here:
Meet the Robinsons:
Steve Bartek
Edgardo Simone
David SlonakerBatman:
Shirley Walker
Steve Bartek
Steven Scott SmalleyNightmare:
Steve Bartek
Mark McKenzie
Mark MannDanny’s music is STILL GREAT but you can’t deny it was better back in the day. As great as Spidey is it doesn’t top Batman. As great as Corpse Bride was it doesn’t top Nightmare. As great as Charlotte’s Web was it doesn’t top Black Beauty.
Well, no, those former scores aren’t as good as the latter ones, however, there’s greater nostalgia for those earlier scores. Also, you’re comparing the best Elfman has to offer with scores that have recently come out. Not particularly fair comparisons, considering that no one ever says, “man, I wish Elfman was still writing scores like Article 99, Hot to Trot, or Wisdom.”
Also: Danny had the same amount of orchestrators in his newest film, Meet the Robinsons, as he did in Nightmare, or Batman.
But if Tim Burton got that movie, do you think HE would have kept the John Williams’ theme?
No, Danny Elfman would write new themes. But keep in mind, Superman Returns is a continuation of the first two Superman films, while Superman Lives would have been a whole new, original (and perhaps, exciting) story.
One of the biggest complains about Superman Returns is that it was a bit dull, which hurt the repeat viewing’s — in theory. I can’t imagine a Tim Burton action film being dull. I guess my point is that sticking with what works won’t always produce the most lucrative result.
Remember in 1990 when Elfman composed FOUR movies? Edward Scissorhands, Darkman, Nightbreed, and Dick Tracy!
Along with touring and recording with Oingo Boingo.
Anyway, the additional orchestrators are solely about organization. More orchestrators have nothing to do with why Elfman’s music is different today than it was in 1990.
If anyone should do the score for “The Hobbit” it should be Howard Shore. And if not, his themes should definitely be kept.
How many themes would they be able to reuse?
I’m not talking about simply making the Spider-Man theme dark, I’m talking about a whole new motif to represent Peter’s dark side.
Or at least do a reworking of the Spidey theme to make it grime. Sort of the flip side of Anakin’s theme in the prequels, in that it’s a warm and delicate version of the Imperial March.
Doing a dark variation of the Spider-Man theme would be something right up Elfman’s alley. A sad, missed opportunity.
This would be unbearably cool. But can Raimi ever convince Elfman to work with him? He tried to ensnare him for Spider-Man 3 and it didn’t take.
…the melody is EXACTLY the same (see: “Carlotta’s Theme”).
Oh yeah, the melody is the same, but when I say “lifted” I mean taken directly from Vertigo’s original soundtrack and incorporated into the song Insanity. I have both Herrmann issues — the Mathieson version and the ’95 rerecording — and I haven’t seen Vertigo in awhile, mind you — but I don’t think that exact music from Insanity was also in Vertigo, unless that piece was not featured in the albums.
Also, you should listen to the “Sunrise” cue from Journey to the Center of the Earth. It’s almost entirely the opening build from Batman…
As I understand it, Rachmaninov used the same motive in his work, as well — A popular piece among geniuses.
In the IGN “Crane Disaster” featurette, you can hear some Christopher Young music. It literally sounds like Young rerecorded the temp track. Not surprising:
http://media.movies.ign.com/media/041/041073/vid_1964222.html
Also I’ve heard stories about him meeting with Kevin Smith to discuss “Dogma,” but I think scheduling was what caused him not to do it.
In the Dogma commentary, Smith said that Elfman passed on it after he and his producer viewed it at Danny’s home. Smith seemed, from my gathering, a little bitter about the whole affair.
…and has said that he’s happy not to be involved with that “insane asylum.”
Good. And I trust Young has come up with the best temp-job money can buy.
I haven’t heard the whole score, but I wouldn’t call it an extension of Pee-wee. I don’t hear any Pee-wee in the clips.
At any event, I love that yodeling female choir and percussion strait out of Mars Attacks.
Hmmm, tastes of “Nacho Libre” and the jazzy parts of “Corpse Bride.” That’s not really my favorite side of him, but I’m counting on hearing some great bombastic adventure cues in this score.
I LOVE that side of Elfman. I listen to the Ball & Socket Lounge bonus cues from Corpse Bride all the time. I could have an entire album of that stuff and never get bored.
This is a pleasant surprise.
It’s funny how much I depend on an Elfman score during a Burton movie. He’s not involved and I can’t work up any interest at all for Sweeney Todd.
