Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.

Danny Elfman is scoring THE WOLFMAN!!!

I hope its good by Silverglade	Aug 24th, 2008 06:09:12 PM
Benicio is awesome.
Elfman has always been hit or miss for me. by mrfan	Aug 24th, 2008 06:11:16 PM
Looking forward to this movie.
Hope so by Neosamurai85	Aug 24th, 2008 06:12:41 PM
I'd really like to see this work. Just please, no Burton Danny. I've seen him do decent stuff with other directors but if he doesn't really work his ass off at this... I can just think of a lot of other composers I'd be more excited about, unless he does give it his all and reaches out of his comfort zone.
Hellboy 2 score was great by ICEcreamassassin	Aug 24th, 2008 06:13:36 PM
Danny's music heightens HB2 best scenes. Can't wait to see this movie.
Come to think of it... by Neosamurai85	Aug 24th, 2008 06:16:46 PM
I guess what I just said could apply to almost everyone on this (except for the perfect casting choice for Talbot). Anyone of these people could do good work with this if they push themselves and really care about it, but they wouldn't have to even phone it in to make it not work at all. Still, optimistic as hell, because this really could be great!
Funny by blackhole4140	Aug 24th, 2008 06:16:53 PM
The score of the original Wolf Man is similar to the one Elfman used in Batman 1989(as shown by James Rolfe/AVGN).
Let's have a party; there's a full moon in the sky by Randall Flagg	Aug 24th, 2008 06:23:14 PM
It's the hour of the wolf, and I don't wanna die
I just can't care anymore by jughood	Aug 24th, 2008 06:27:40 PM
I'm still too devestated about the changing of directors. We could've had an amazin film, an amazing, creative, stylish, director, instead of we have the guy who did Jurassic Park 3. This isn't fair.
original Wolf Man and Batman 89 by Neosamurai85	Aug 24th, 2008 06:28:47 PM
I guess what I mean by no Danny Burton is that you can recognize a score by Elfman today when he works with Burton. It stands out like Burton's visual style, and while it isn't inherently a bad thing, it's kinda like Clive Owen. I love me some Clive Owen action movies, but in every one of them, he's basically just playing Clive Owen with small adjustments of the badass to haggard dial. You know he can do other things from his past, but basically you know what you're getting and come to it for that. I don't want that with this Wolf Man. I don't want to sit down and go, oh, Danny scored this, goody goody. Now, his Batman score was pretty great, and just almost stands outside of Burton Danny, but really, I almost want some Howard Shore on this puppy. Still, I think there could be an awesome as hell Elfman score for this out there, I just hope he brings it.
I sense some Sleepy Hollow vibes by terry1978	Aug 24th, 2008 06:29:52 PM
Being a period piece, that's what I suspect it'll sound like. Though I am hoping he amps up a little of the weirdness in some of his scores.
Thumbs-up by DigitalBeachWar	Aug 24th, 2008 06:33:39 PM
thats it... thumbs up
Yeah... by Kizeesh	Aug 24th, 2008 06:40:51 PM
looks shit. Will sound shit too.
Open message to Danny Elfman by No Respectable Gentleman	Aug 24th, 2008 06:41:10 PM
Hey, Danny, give us a melody. In fact, two melodies would be better. A few leitmotifs. Some full-blooded Gothic scoring. In short, please eschew the current trend for tunless droning, which is really just a cover-all for laziness and mediocrity.
Elliot Goldenthal by kwisatzhaderach	Aug 24th, 2008 06:46:12 PM
is the man. His Alien 3 score is AMAZING.
jughood by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 06:48:12 PM
Devestated? Not fair? Are you fucking serious?
Alien 3 score IS amazing... by Bouncy X	Aug 24th, 2008 06:51:44 PM
this will show how lame i was as a teen but i remember popping that cd in at home on the big ass stereo and turn out all the lights and me and friends would basically play sorta hide and seek and try and scare each other. but the music only made it all the more creepy. lol
OH NO JOHN WILLIAMS!!! by OGREISHERE	Aug 24th, 2008 06:53:39 PM
Great now we are going to have to do this with Danny Elfman. Blue Harvest
What We Need Is Another Oingo Boingo Album by Media Messiah	Aug 24th, 2008 06:53:54 PM
Danny your just takng another paycheck here, so what. We need another Oingo Boingo album like that way t was before you guys sold out. Stuff like "Only A Lad", "I Love Little Girls" and "Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me" That was some great classc stuff!!! "Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me"--lyric: "Did you hear about the Jones', My, my, my...When I was away...no one knows why, their teenage son, he seemed okay, but his suicide ruined everyone's day, and I can't believe...that anyone would...wanna do such terrible things, but why should I care? Nothing bad ever happens to me." or, "I Love Little Girls"--lyrics: "They don't care about my one-way mirror, they don't care about my cold exterior" and of course "Only A Lad" (about a kid, an allegory for troubled kids, getting away with screwing people and committing crimes using ones' young age as a convenient excuse of ignorance)--Lyrics: "Hey there Johnny, I hope you fry!!!" (echo chamber). Oingo Boingo, they were some bad mother fuckers, especally live, and Danny was great, Eward E Newman/Chucky as the lead singer of a band!!! At least give us some new or old Oingo Boingo on some of the song scores you do for movies.
This is good news by LEADER	Aug 24th, 2008 06:56:35 PM
Great films cannot exist without equally great music attached and Elfman is one of the handful of composers who repeatedly delivers. Music is so important to storytelling. I know he'll effectively create the mood for this, he's established himself as tailor-made for this kind of genre but I hope he has it in himself to really nail new (for himself) and memorable themes. I like Elfman, but I'm looking for him to grow and not rehash old ideas.
Kristen Bell on board for the Astro Boy CG movie by Pennsy	Aug 24th, 2008 06:59:15 PM
She'll voice the lead female role (Uran, a/k/a Astro Girl?) joining Nicolas Cage, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland. Here's the 411 on KB: http://tinyurl.com/5k3396 and the IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt03 75568/
Paul Bucciarelli by jughood	Aug 24th, 2008 07:01:55 PM
yes it's the guy WHO DIRECTED JURASSIC PARK 3 doing an andrew kevin walker script. it's not fair.
As a kid I saw Oingo Boingo at Knotts Berry Farm.... by conspiracy	Aug 24th, 2008 07:05:33 PM
back in the early 1980s,....Flipping Friggin Christ that was a looooong time ago.
What WAS Elfman's last good score? by epitone	Aug 24th, 2008 07:07:33 PM
Not being sarcastic; I just honestly don't know. He ruled the late 80s and 90s, but these days I usually can't even tell it's him.
He'll rewrite the Oingo Boingo song... by jimmy rabbitte	Aug 24th, 2008 07:14:22 PM
...and call it "It's a Wolfman's Party"
Links To Oingo Boingo Videos by Media Messiah	Aug 24th, 2008 07:16:39 PM
Elfman in a choreographed dnace routine in the video for Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me...among other cool things. It's the 3rd video on my list. If the addresses alter...when I post them (they often do, ever so slightly, on this web site), just look-up the group Oingo Boingo, and or, songs by name...including "Gray Matter". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =jItz-uNjoZA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =xTgq8D2_RGM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =aQy5vKAaTuA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =sVp-xleiYSA&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =y0Fc9lvRMy0
jughood by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 07:17:38 PM
Not receiving a new promotion because the boss nephew needed is not fair. having a mechanic tell you that your car needs work that it really doesn't isn't fair. Losing any competiton to a cheater isn't fair. You need a new set of priorities. The most that should feel about the studio's choice of director is disappointed. Unless you have real personal stock in the project, you're just being a whiney nerd. Besides, he's more than competent. Hidalgo, The Rocketeer and Honey I Shrunk the Kids are all good movies. He'll do just fine
the elf man by ddog	Aug 24th, 2008 07:17:46 PM
not really sure whats with all the elfman love. never was a big fan. just hope the wolfman turns out great and rick baker is involved as much as possible.
Oingo Boing by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 07:22:14 PM
Wasn't my favorite band but saw them once outdoors on CMU's cut and they were great. There were something like 11 people in O.B. at the time and they were one of the tightest bands that I've ever seen.
Gotta agree with Jack, Harry, by LEADER	Aug 24th, 2008 07:32:07 PM
Video advertisements with sounds are a bad idea on here. Forget the point of them being annoying for just a minute; many faithful readers on here view your site during work and might have to end that in light of the new "forced-sound" ads. You may want to rethink this.
octagonproplex by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 07:38:20 PM
Why Romanek? What would he bring to the table?
Hi Octagon Proplex--Danny Elfman And "Little Things" by Media Messiah	Aug 24th, 2008 07:40:47 PM
What made Oingo Boingo so cool is they were sharp political and societal satirists. "Little Things" sounds like Danny is trying to sound ultra serious, but he's gotten rid of his Looney Tunes style orchestrated punk infused music and smart, biting, and often funny anti-social lyrics??? Oingo Boingo were about sucker punch themes and subversiveness therein, however "Little Things" sounds like it wants to be The Nine Inch Nails without Trent's mean guitars, cutting vocals, and desperate nihilistic lyrics, etc.??? That's not Oingo Boingo, that's Danny doing NIN and not as well!!! Wiith early Oingo Boingo, you could actually hear some of the stuff Danny used in his film scoring, like Pee-Wee's Bg Adventure, or Beetle Juice...a sort of Groovy Ghoulies meets a mad circus and a Orchestra gone big band with a Kid Creole Bend to it. They were the original Sublime...just more expert in their musicianship. These were real classically and blues trained musicians including Elfman, so it is something hearing them play punk, new wave and rock 'n roll music with a classical eye to it. Trent comes from that background too, but he's doing industrial/gothic with a classical eye, which isn't Danny's thing, as it post dates him. Nice try but Danny is missing the great twisted humor he use to have, in both the lyrics, his vocals, and the music, at least, in that song.
I saw Clonewars and it was fun!? by FILMFUNK	Aug 24th, 2008 07:42:29 PM
Harry your review really put me off but i took my 3 and a half year old expecting the worst and we had a really good time! Guess i'm back to hoping You think stuff including the Wolfman sux so i then know i'll like it.
You're mine..... by Loosejerk	Aug 24th, 2008 07:58:25 PM
but you're not my slave.
Octagon Proplex by Media Messiah	Aug 24th, 2008 08:08:16 PM
Sure, anytime. I've been thinking about that song. It seems like it should have been remixed. Trent's beats are more driven with strange time signatures, and I think Danny's song could have used a more sequenced sound to it. I think a robotic Jungle Beat, and a step sequenced bass-line would have helped in that regard greatly. Elfman used all the right instruments to mimic the Industry/Goth sound, but he did not seem to know how to apply them. I don't think he is a real fan of the sound. I have 1/8th the talent of Elfman as a musician, maybe less, a lot less, but I know the industrial sound and how to execute it. I'm a very good writer and a fan of the genre, so it now comes easy to me.
Romanek > by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 08:11:41 PM
I have of course seen those videos and agree with their quality. I didn't see One Hour Photo that's why I asked you. What I should have asked is: What do you like about his work that makes you prefer him to Johnson?
Oh, good, another 'circus' score by uppercanuck	Aug 24th, 2008 08:11:42 PM
Yawn.
Just got off the phone with Universal... by zacdilone	Aug 24th, 2008 08:12:34 PM
...ring a ling.
He scored with the wolfman? by Orionsangels	Aug 24th, 2008 08:13:50 PM
Actually this is awesome.
Another Elfman score? by Darkman	Aug 24th, 2008 08:24:53 PM
Fuckin' A! I'm definitely seeing the film now.
Elfman is AWFUL by topaz4206	Aug 24th, 2008 08:34:24 PM
I never liked his stuff. I think Family Guy's parody of his music was spot on. It almost felt like he was intentionally trying to derail Hellboy 2. Fortunately the strength of the movie overcame his score.
FILMFUNK you're right! by Sith Witch	Aug 24th, 2008 08:35:59 PM
Clone Wars is amazing... I just don't understand all the hate.
I hope it sounds like his "Hulk" score by Monkeybrains	Aug 24th, 2008 08:45:18 PM
Because that had such a awesome melody that you could hum all day. Remember when movie scores had themes, that when you heard the first few seconds you knew exactly what movie it was? I hate this trend of underscoring mood sounds with no melody what so ever. And whatever happened to Bridget Fonda anyway, Danny?
Everything he does sounds the same. by fiester	Aug 24th, 2008 08:50:53 PM
And not in a good way.
octagonproplex by Paul Bucciarelli	Aug 24th, 2008 09:04:11 PM
What did you think of the trailer?
Excellent! by ScoreKeeper	Aug 24th, 2008 09:17:01 PM
One of the last remaining working composers with an appreciation for old school Universal monster films taking the reins of this score is definitely a great choice. Oh, and to answer somebody's question...Elfman's last great score? HELLBOY II.
Danny boy by Film.guy.Pete	Aug 24th, 2008 09:29:39 PM
I like is music
SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. I WAS JUST SOLD by Proman1984	Aug 24th, 2008 09:31:28 PM
ON THE MOVIE.
Been a long time Boingo/Elfman fan by Right Bastard	Aug 24th, 2008 09:33:44 PM
But I'm in the group that thinks his scoring has gotten fairly lazy and unimaginative (HBII, was a nice surprise). Guess I wouldn't want to work either if I was getting that Bridget Fonda tail. What the hell has she done since "Jackie Brown"...aside from Danny Elfman?
Fiester, you could say the same about . . . by adiehardfanwithalethalweapon	Aug 24th, 2008 09:41:20 PM
...John Williams. And ,yes, I just went there.
Cue obligitory "every Elfman score is the same by Nasty In The Pasty	Aug 24th, 2008 09:44:33 PM

bullshit by Nasty In The Pasty	Aug 24th, 2008 09:44:48 PM

Fiester, I take that back . . . by adiehardfanwithalethalweapon	Aug 24th, 2008 09:44:49 PM
...cause I just remembered Elfman lifted the 89 Batman score from Hellraiser 2. Still not big on Williams.
Elfman = redundant by RetroActive	Aug 24th, 2008 09:44:55 PM
I liked his older stuff. Edward Scissorhands is one of my favorite scores of his, but he's pulled a James Horner on us. It's all starting to run together.
Elfman is a hack. by Rev. Slappy	Aug 24th, 2008 09:45:46 PM
Never understood the fanboy drool over this guy.
Film Funk/Clone Wars by Media Messiah	Aug 24th, 2008 09:51:21 PM
Ultmately, George Lucas has burned many bridges with his fans. I think if he apologizes for making some mistakes and is a bit more humble, he can easily win them back. He can start by greenlighting the 3rd Star Wars trilogy which he promised, and then denied, and get it right, unlike the prequels. By using green screen sparingly and mostly real locations, sets, and practical effects...and bringing in some of the best up and coming writers and directors, that will be a good start. Would you guys go for a Chris Nolan directed Star Wars film??? I'm just throwing out the rich possibilities. If you ask me, I think Lucas would do good to do a special edit on the prequels and make them into one film. Using about 40 minutes from each to take us through Anaken's life from childhood to adulthood, save for the first film which I think is so bad, Lucas only need barrow 20 minutes, or less, of the footage. I think that would be more of a substantial Star Wars experience. Cut out the fat, like Jar Jar, those dumb roger roger robots, the rope repelling sequence with Padme and the guards...which was clumsy, the undersea people, and the overlong and too numerous light saber fights in Revenge of the Sith...and you will have a more satisfying experience for everyone, fans and critics alike. Lucas should just count the new edit as one film, and admit that it is the way it should have been in the first place, then produced two extra films showing us the adventures of a young Darth Vader hunting down the surviving Jedi and fightng the beginnings of the rebellion. Lucas is a film editor, so he knows that this is not a big problem to execute. He should have one of his people go into an editing suite and using DVDs of the films, cut together a demo of the new edit. If he likes it, go back and edit a slave print of the actual film masters, and release the damn thing, and I think he will be positively surprised by the reaction by the whole industry and the public.
Elfman needs more quirky/dramatic opportunities by Nasty In The Pasty	Aug 24th, 2008 09:53:32 PM
The whole " gothic superhero" thing he pretty much invented with Batman has run its course. Hellboy II was far from bad, but Beltrami's score to the first was one of the ONLY superhero scores of recent memory to have at least two memorable, HUMMABLE melodies, and to not let him build and elaborate on his work in the sequel was a shame. Imagine Star Wars with the same John Williams score, but Empire Strikes Back with a score by, say, Jerry Goldsmith, and Retun Of The Jedi with an Elmer Bernstein score. All three men are/were great composers, and would have all provided interesting scores, but it's the fact that Williams got to spread his thematic ideas across six hours of film turned the OT into a veritable opera. The only recent series with as strong a film-to-film musical identity was the LOTR trilogy. Fuck, just hire ONE composer and let him do his job! Three X-Men movies, three composers, not ONE unifying theme to connect the three movies (Ottman's work on X2 had a few good themes, but, alas, Ratner didn't ask him to do the third film). Can ANYONE name the last movie series, sans LOTR, to have the same composer on each antry using the same themes?
Very Cool by Organs	Aug 24th, 2008 10:01:50 PM
No one embodies Halloween and macabre fantasy like Danny Elfman.
I Found the Score! by topaz4206	Aug 24th, 2008 10:08:51 PM
"Boom-bah-boom-bah boom-bah-boom-bah boom-bah-boom-bah boom-bah-boom-bah." and then the breakdown: "beep beep bee-bee dee-beedeep beep bee-deep." REPEAT 72x FADE OUT:
Good choice. by Irina Spanko	Aug 24th, 2008 10:17:48 PM
This is the kind of film Danny does so well. I'm getting a bit tired of his superhero scores, however.
And about John Williams by Organs	Aug 24th, 2008 10:18:04 PM
He IS a hack. And it's not just my opinion. Music teachers in colleges would agree with me. The man literally takes scores from other well-established composers, alters them very slightly, and applies them to the works of Spielberg, Lucas, and well pretty much everything else. I'm dead serious. I've heard music from some 20th century composer and thought "Hey, isn't that the Tatooine/desert music from 'A New Hope'?". For all the Oscars he won, none of them are the result of any original music on his part.
Elfman's BEST... by Banzai Rootskibango	Aug 24th, 2008 10:26:43 PM
Pee Wee's Big Adventure Edward Scissorhands Batman Returns Beetlejuice
Just watched Klute by zombiwolf	Aug 24th, 2008 10:47:32 PM
and it has awesome music. Jane Fonda is sexy, too.
Banzai Rootskibango... by Rando Calrisian	Aug 24th, 2008 10:53:20 PM
Excellent choices. All great scores. I also loved his score for The Nightbreed. and of course The Nightmare Before Christmas is awesome throughout - scores and songs. For a recent great score, I really enjoyed Charlotte's Web.
Anyone know... SCOREKEEPER?? by Rando Calrisian	Aug 24th, 2008 11:05:50 PM
I have two volumes of Elfman score collections titled "Music For a Darkened Theater" - Both are really great discs. But the last one was released like 15 years ago. Any news on a third and fourth volume - He's scored about 40 films since then.
That is good news. by LoneGun	Aug 24th, 2008 11:19:14 PM
Elfman usually brings a nice measure of class, not to mention feeling, to his films. And he can set an epic atmosphere. Loved his Spider-Man music and I also loved what he did with Sam Raimi's DARKMAN.
Hmmm.... by SunTzu77	Aug 24th, 2008 11:33:15 PM
Edward Scissorhands is probably my favorite Elfman score.
Big Deal - He's Gotten Lazy by lalalandlovechild	Aug 24th, 2008 11:34:42 PM
Hellboy II was Men In Black rehashed. Same sounds, same orchestrations. Slight variations. Wanted was completely phoned in. Elfman's gotten lazy. Every since Planet of the Apes, each score has gotten more and more derivative of the last. He's totally doing what James Horner did. Got rich, jaded and lazy. I used to be a huge Elfman fan, but I haven't heard anything passionate or interesting come out of his dungeon since Red Dragon.
I ONCE SAW A BAND OPEN FOR ALIENT ANT FARM by Broseph	Aug 24th, 2008 11:35:01 PM
One of the guys in the band was best freinds with danny elfman.he actualy bought them an rv to travel and tour in.I can't wait for this movie big fan of del toro
A nice long list for you all to enjoy. by Rando Calrisian	Aug 24th, 2008 11:35:44 PM
Here's a list of most of the film scores Elfman has done. There's like 65 film scores on the list (Not including TV work - Tales from the Crypt & The Simpsons - anyone?? awesome stuff). You may not like all of his work - But I bet there is something on the list that you Love. It is quite an impressive body of work for 23 years... I can't wait to see what the Wolfman has in score for him. (This list blatantly lifted from his website...) Milk Hellboy II: The Golden Army Wanted Standard Operating Procedure Meet The Robinsons The Kingdom Nacho Libre Charlotte's Web Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Spider-Man 2 Big Fish The Hulk Chicago Red Dragon Men In Black II Spider-Man Novocaine Planet of The Apes Spy Kids Heartbreakers The Family Man Proof of Life Sleepy Hollow Anywhere But Here Instinct A Civil Action My Favourite Martian A Simple Plan Modern Vampires Good Will Hunting Scream 2 ("Cassandra Aria" source cue) Flubber Men In Black Mars Attacks! Extreme Measures Freeway The Frighteners Mission: Impossible Dead Presidents To Die For Black Beauty Dolores Claiborne Shrunken Heads Army of Darkness (March of the Dead theme) The Nightmare Before Christmas Sommersby Batman Returns Article 99 Pure Luck Darkman Dick Tracy Edward Scissorhands Nightbreed Batman Beetlejuice Big Top Pee Wee Hot to Trot Midnight Run Scrooged Summer School Back To School Wisdom Pee Wee's Big Adventure Forbidden Zone Forgive the long post - but what else are you reading tonight?
What does Kevin"Pigfucker"Smith say about this movie by Captain_Pigphucker	Aug 24th, 2008 11:41:22 PM
He seems to the official word these days
Elfman = nipples on Wolfman by Uncle Stan	Aug 25th, 2008 12:11:52 AM

He was the wrong choice to score Wanted by Neo Zeed	Aug 25th, 2008 12:19:37 AM
It needed a darker score. Elfman's music was too upbeat.
BilboFatwa Oingo Boingo by Media Messiah	Aug 25th, 2008 12:24:01 AM
The whole band sold-out when they started doing pop songs in the mid 80s. Suddenly their brillant lyrics became non offensive, even the music became tame. As far as the song in "Wanted", it was a Nine Inch Nails wanna-be knock-off. Elfman should have done something better than that...just put that song back to back with NIN's "Every Day Is The Same" and it's no contest. Both are featured in "Wanted" and Trent killed Elfman...and I'm crazy about Danny Elfman, but he should give us vintage Oingo Boingo, which is comedic sarcasm with a smart college educated anti establishment flare...riding orchestrated rock/punk arrangements. Danny just went all serious with that "Wanted" song and for some strange reason failed to build the song up to a crescendo, musically and vocally??? I think he had some good ideas, but he doesn't understand industrial music...and that's what he was reaching for. If he wanted that, he should have brought in Trent Reznor to help him shape the song or to remix it.
and yes, the HULK score was pretty amazing.. by ICEcreamassassin	Aug 25th, 2008 12:27:32 AM
That opening credits sequence is haunting and grand! Sadly the movie was not as great.
I was kinda hoping for Philip Glass for some reason by TheNorthlander	Aug 25th, 2008 01:03:39 AM
Elfman is good though.
How is the Nightmare Before Christmas BluRay? by TheWaqman	Aug 25th, 2008 01:26:29 AM
Does it look good or what?
Hulk amazing by Mr Gorilla	Aug 25th, 2008 01:30:58 AM
I'm not a huge Elfman fan but his Hulk score was amazing, as the other posters say. If you get into the movie (it IS possible, I'll get more from watching it again than this summer's effort) the wierd final fight between Hulk and his dad is BEAUTIFULLY served by the music.
Guy who said John WIlliams was a HACK by Mr Gorilla	Aug 25th, 2008 01:39:10 AM
Yeah, that music cue in STAR WARS is a direct rip of Stravinsky's RITE OF SPRING. And a bit of his REVENGE OF THE SITH soundtrack is very much like John Adams' HARMONLIERE. But - despite your persuasive point that music teachers would agree with you - he ain't no hack. He's no more influenced by existing music than all the great movie composers, from Miklos Rozsa and Bernard Herrman to Howard Shore and Jerry Goldsmith. But Williams is amazing in that he's given us so many tunes to whistle, but at the same time his TUNELESS cues (the bangy bits that accompany hard action) are, if anything, even MORE impressive.
Why.... by Mr Gorilla	Aug 25th, 2008 01:53:37 AM
...does Nolan get all this love EVERYWHERE, but Andrew Stanton gets very little. Now hold it there, Batman lovers, I'm not a Nolan-hater. I just thought that the THE DARK KNIGHT and WALL-E were both equally brilliant films. Of course, one was far more disturbingly dark - and that woudl be the one with all of earth covered in shit, millions and millions dead, and the rest of the human race held hostage by some Wall-Mart style corporation, that sells them stuff 24/7, and - hell - even sells stuff to babies in their cots. Now THAT's dark.
BilboFatwa by Media Messiah	Aug 25th, 2008 01:55:33 AM
I sound like a fan of great music. I love The Beatles and Elvis too, as well as Mozart. I have been accused on this site of being in my early teens to now 45 or 50??? The reason why I don't like much of the new music is because much of the new music sucks. Linkin Park seemed like they might evolve to being something special until their last album, Panic At The Disco put out a horrible second album, Fallout Boy is terrible, and Good Charlot sucks. Sure these guys can play their instruments in most cases, and very well, but their writing is lacking, and there is no excuse for that. Lennon and McCartney were some bad asses in their early 20s, but by the time they were 24 to 25, they showed utter genius...and Prince was showing his abilities for said genius at an even earlier age, doing his best work between 21 and 25 years old. Where is the new Prince, the new Lennon and McCartney, Elvis, Sting, Trent Renzor, Kurt Cobain, somebody, anyone please stand-up???!!! All we have today is High School: The Musical, American Idol, Miley Cyrus, Lindsey Lohan and The Jonas Brothers??? If that is what you call genius, I suggest you get off the crack???!!!! Cocaine, it's a hell of a drug--Rick James
So it's going to sound like Batman then? by Dazzler69	Aug 25th, 2008 06:44:49 AM

Bouncy x is right, the Alien3 score is fantastic. by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks	Aug 25th, 2008 08:13:20 AM
Elliot Goldenthal RULES....Interview with a Vampire is even more magical.
Old school Elfman would be great... by Darth Macchio	Aug 25th, 2008 08:43:45 AM
...and so would any Goldenthal. I thought Williams had gotten a bit played out until I heard his excellent work in the first 2 Harry Potter movies (I never grew to like any of his prequel work, in fact I think the lot of it is boring at best...yes including battle of the fates which i think is highly overrated). Williams pieces for Daigon Alley in Socerer's/Philosopher's is my favorite piece of music in the entire HP series. As for Elfman, NightBreed hands down my fav. If he goes there for Wolfman, we could be in for something special. If he goes Spiderman, well...I guess we'll see.
Elfman = Movie Music Death by Mr. Nice Gaius	Aug 25th, 2008 08:53:26 AM
Have some more goofy Oingo Boingo, kids!
So Its Going To Be "Zany" Then? by LaserPants	Aug 25th, 2008 09:00:11 AM
Elfman is the go to guy for "zany" (read: awful) soundtracks. Despite all this, I actually really like the theme he did for Burtonman and the Batman Animated Series.
Just got off the phone with John Williams by Underoos Hero	Aug 25th, 2008 09:02:55 AM
He denounces the Star Wars prequels and wishes he had it as good as Danny right now.
WHO'S GOING TO DRAGONCON?!! by Underoos Hero	Aug 25th, 2008 09:05:23 AM
Who the fuck is going to Dragon Con this weekend in Atlanta?!! If not, you're missing out.
don't really like family guy by g-ride9000	Aug 25th, 2008 09:42:31 AM
but they fucking clowned this guy from the utter to the gutter.
So which of your scores will you cannibalize Danny? by ZeroCorpse	Aug 25th, 2008 10:06:28 AM
Will you lift the score to Beetlejuice and twist it around, or will you go with the classic re-working of your Batman score? Any actual composer with even an inkling of music theory knows you've been half-assing it and self-plagiarizing for the past 15 years.
the original wolfman score by alice 13	Aug 25th, 2008 10:11:46 AM
is a must. its the classic universal monsters score and its gotta be in there somehow someway.
Darth M by skimn	Aug 25th, 2008 10:55:45 AM
Wow, a Nightbreed mention. It is a favorite of mine also. Music For A Darkened Theater Vol 1 is full of '80s goodness. Can't forget Midnight Run... But yes, lately, his scores have not been memorable.
Oingo Boingo's Goodbye Goodbye by skimn	Aug 25th, 2008 10:58:58 AM
from Fast Times At Ridgemont High, also puts a smile on my face just thinking about it.
The Breakfast Machine... by Somerichs	Aug 25th, 2008 11:27:28 AM
gotta love it...
Somerich by skimn	Aug 25th, 2008 11:36:10 AM
That theme has beed used and adopted by so many commercials it's not funny.
Folks... by scaryskeleton	Aug 25th, 2008 12:06:42 PM
Danny didn't even want to write 'Little Things' for Wanted, but did it as a favor to the director, who wanted Seven Nation Army from The White Stripes who decided not to license it. Danny wrote to song as score, and then laid down the vocals while on another project. As for those who say his recent scores are unremarkable, you are welcome to your opinion. Ahem. For those who accuse Danny or Williams of lifting from classical waters, umm, yeah, they admit that they do, and that isn't a bad thing. ALL great film score composers and classical composers steal and will continue to do so.
Skimn, that tells ya somethin right there... by Somerichs	Aug 25th, 2008 12:36:47 PM
are you saying that's a good thing or bad thing?
Indeed...altho someone mentioned it earlier... by Darth Macchio	Aug 25th, 2008 01:44:44 PM
...still have the ancient CASSETTE version of the NB soundtrack (how shocking is that last country music number? compared to the rest of the music? like lifting an empty suitcase and expecting it to weigh a ton!). Elfman has a knack of great atmosphere with his older work...but I think he started buying his own hype or something. He did great work on Batman and Spidey with the themes (you recognize them don't you?) but it's not as good as he could have done? Dunno, hard to say. I'm still curious as to the reasons behind his falling out with Raimi over Spidey3 (no loss really, considering the movie itself). Elfman for this could be perfect...or not. If he goes full on old school it's going to be perfect. If he goes more modern Elfman then it might be good but missing the essence of the movie. And I agree, the story is a tragedy and must be told on many levels...musical score being one of the primary canvases.
Crystal Skull Score by Williams by Samuel Fulmer	Aug 25th, 2008 02:09:50 PM
was very forgettable. Much like the film. Maybe Williams was afraid Lucas was going to mutilate his cues like the ones for the Star Wars prequels, so he didn't even try to write anything memorable for Crystal Skull.
What was the last really good Elfman score? by Samuel Fulmer	Aug 25th, 2008 02:10:29 PM
I'll say Sleepy Hollow.
Original Wolman Score by Samuel Fulmer	Aug 25th, 2008 02:17:05 PM
One of the best classic Universal horror scores along with Franz Waxman's Bride of Frankenstein, and Frank Skinner's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
Hmmm... This site is full of tone deaf assholes by therealharold	Aug 25th, 2008 03:33:18 PM
"It all sounds the same! It all sounds the same!" It's called having a style, you tone deaf assholes. Today's public truly doesn't deserve Elfman or Williams. Enjoy your other options, you tone deaf assholes.
Elfman did the Hulk score? by TheWaqman	Aug 25th, 2008 03:55:41 PM
The Ang Lee one right? Because the music in there was awesome. I'm not a big Elfman fan, half of the shit he does sucks, the other half is pretty good. But still hopefully he does some good stuff for WolfMan.
Williams Lost It Post E.T. by Media Messiah	Aug 25th, 2008 03:56:05 PM
But prior to that, he wrote some of the greatest music ever. Post E.T. however, he seems to have gone tone deaf. His scores use to be an extra character in the movies he worked on, even acting as sound effects to help move the films along, they made you scared, thrilled, joyous, tickled, romantic, adventurous, etc. Williams played with the audience, signaling emotional cues for them to react to, but now, he has abandoned that. His work is now a series of non-scores, absent any emotion, drive, melody or crescendo...which was once Williams' trademark style.
He's so good... by Pdorwick	Aug 25th, 2008 04:10:07 PM
...he can make even a horrible film seem far better than it actually is. Remarkable.
Don't agree about Williams... by Pdorwick	Aug 25th, 2008 04:12:07 PM
His scores for the last 3 Star Wars movies were the only remotely decent things about those astounding piles of shit. His score under the Darth Maul battle at the end of Phantom Menace was particularly good.
Media... by scaryskeleton	Aug 25th, 2008 04:58:37 PM
Post ET??? So Jurassic Park, Catch Me if You Can, A.I., Harry Potter 3...Bah, never mind. I don't need to stand up for John Williams. You're just pulling everyone's leg. The guy's still the master.
Scaryskeleton: Compared To Williams' Past Scores... by Media Messiah	Aug 25th, 2008 05:37:05 PM
...his latest scores are just plain lazy!!! The score for Harry Potter just lays there, Catch Me If You Can and A.I., even Jurassic Park was pedestrian and forgettable. Any conductor could have done those scores, but Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman, Empire, Raiders and E.T. tower over any of those post scores you have named, as well, they tower over any film scorer, or film scores, of the last 38 years. Let's face it, every great has their day, including filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and that day is over, and the same is true of film score vets, even the greats like John Williams...and his day, like those who came before him, is over!!!
Media, on Williams... by scaryskeleton	Aug 25th, 2008 05:58:01 PM
I guess I'm just going to have to disagree with you. Music is all about taste and personal opinion after all. I do have an issue with you saying Oingo Boingo sold out. Have you heard their final studio album, 'Boingo'? Have you heard the song "Insanity"? If you haven't, you should go give it a listen and then have your say. If you have, you and me have seriously differing views...
Hr ripped off the Simpsons from the Jetsons by Smerdyakov	Aug 25th, 2008 06:00:20 PM
and Futurama from "Wild Thing".
Smerdyakov, not trying... by scaryskeleton	Aug 25th, 2008 06:11:36 PM
to be argumentative, but Danny didn't actually do Futurama, Christopher Tyng did. And yes both themes sound like Jetsons and Wild Thing, but Matt Groening asked the composers when they met with him to base the sound and feeling of the themes they were to write on those very cues. They gave him what he wanted and at the same time wrote zingy little pieces of music in their own style.
So, it's GROENING'S fault!!!! by Smerdyakov	Aug 25th, 2008 06:33:17 PM
That fat fuck.
Batman 89 score already lifted from Wolfman by EdDWoodJr	Aug 25th, 2008 10:07:56 PM
Elfman seems like a natural choice since the theme for Batman 89 had some similarities to the original Wolfman score, so he's most likely familiar with it already. So to people demanding he reprise the original Wolfman score rather than copying the Batman score, actually both options are pretty similar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =9zFbYXDOuhw Check it out at 1:05.
ScarySkeleton And OctagonProplex by Media Messiah	Aug 25th, 2008 11:54:11 PM
"Duel" was great!!! That is Spielberg at his best and the reason he was hired to do "Jaws", it was to be "Duel" on, and in, the water...and like "Duel", it is a masterpiece. Early Spielberg gave us a feeling that some unseen force was behind the camera manipulating us, the way he, Spielberg, moved the camera, panning, trucking and cranning. Yes, it was a character, much like how Williams use to use his music...now that style, that sense of off camera mischief is all but gone from Spielberg films??? As for Williams, Jaws' music was everywhere when it came out, TV and Radio, you name it, the same with "Star Wars", "Close Encounters", "Superman", "Empire", "Raiders"...and "ET". People were even remaking most of those songs, back to back to back...but "Geisha", "Potter", "Catch Me If You Can", forget it??? Ask most people to hum or sing riffs from those scores and they can't, and they never did. That is the difference that I am talking about. When Williams was at his best, people did that, from adults to teens, and kids...they were rich melody's to sing, or bellow, like the scary deep bass cello theme from "Jaws". In regards to Oingo Boingo, once they sold-out, doing happy non-offensive pop tunes in the mid 80s...I lost track of them and their music.
PS--OctagonProplex by Media Messiah	Aug 26th, 2008 12:00:23 AM
If you can honestly get any of your family members or friends to hum any of those themes that your praised off the top of their heads, including Jurassic Park and A.I., Harry Potter, Catch Me If You Can, etc., the both of us would be shocked. But I won't argue the point, just look at the sales of the soundtracks, those that I named were huge for their time, but Williams' later scores, and people's interest in them was ho-hum.
Paul Bucciarelli by jughood	Aug 26th, 2008 03:46:08 AM
Lol, probably too late, but you are a fucking idiot. Don't call me a whiney brat because Andrew Kevin WAlker screenpalys mean a lot to me and I would like to see it done by a good director. you're just looking for someone to preach to and make wrong so you can be right. It's not a big deal, all I said was I was devestated and it wans't fair, not a big deal don't take it so seriously. And it IS a big deal. Movies mean a lot to me. Maybe not to you. We have different things that mean a lot to us. I would still get upset about losing a job for the boss's nephew, and I would also be upset about this, I can be upset about both. So just stop it.
OctagonProplex by Media Messiah	Aug 26th, 2008 04:47:36 AM
I agree with you about the new MTV generation, MySpace, FaceBook, Friendster, most of these people are into some terrible force fed trash like the Hills, Gossip Girl, The Kardasians, etc., and I know for a fact that Gossip Girl gets great hype but extremely low ratings, its within the bottom 5 shows on broadcast tv, but to hear the hype, you'd think it was a top show??? So why is it still on the air??? I think most of this stuff is government conditioning...from Gossip Girl to Hanna Montana and High School: The Musical, etc. All carry conflicting messages by design. The bad taste mascarading as virtue, that you are talking about. Ths is a socety that doesn't like to openly talk about sex, or encourage mating between save through the church. Hence, a shrinking of the populace of Americans born of this nation...and the same thing is happening to the Europeans. The nation is largely a puritan one, so we don't like to talk about the realities of life openly, thus it is given to us, in another way, and encouraged. Look at all those sex game shows on MTV??? Who are they selling that to but teenagers, stuff that would be considered racy for the Playboy Channel??? What they are really saying to teens is, go out and reproduce, become consumers as early Moms and Dads and help stmulate the economy. The more babies you make, the richer we become. Churches have been relyng on that for years, that's why they don't encourage birth control. The more babies their members have, the more tithing the churches get, and the more rich the churches are. But that isn't the end of the bought and sold societal hypocrisy, no there's more. Hell, we have Common, Alicia Keys and Angelie Jolie (spellng?) claiming that they are for the betterment of the world, while gladly starring in violent movies??? Two of those folks, Alicia Keys and Common, have attacked the violence in rap music lyrics, yet they do and say worse in their movies, stuff that would put rappers to shame on any level of offensiveness??? My point is this, our society is falling apart because of this, the hypocrsy, the mixed messages, so on, and so forth. It seems like everything is a lie, like the world of The Matrix and the truth behind it all is being hidden from us, as nothing we are being sold as what normal life is supposed to be...seems to make any outward sense??? Case in point: Disney puts out children's entertainment, but everyone of their Disney Channel stars have suspiciously had sex scandals or revealing pictures of some sort published of them within the last year??? Seems like Disney wants it both ways...attract the youth and families to their product, using a wholesome image, but if their audience begins to think those acts are too clean, well, "We (Disney) can dirty them up, and sex their image up" while pretending to be shocked when what now appears to be a series of conveniently staged scandals hit the press. Thus, Disney has it both ways, they can appeal to families, claiming wholesomeness, while on the other hand, have the Lindsey Lohans, Hillary Duffs, Miley Cyrus' and Vanessa Hudgens (spelling?) of the Disney empire, seemingly casting sexualized jail bait laced images in order to make them seem cool to teens and dick tease their dads, pre-packaged Lolitas if you will. This fuels sells, it hasn't hurt them one bit. When you think about it, there is two tiers to selling these teens to audiences. One open, and the other subliminal...and all about selling sex...and we wonder why so many men are sleeping with underaged girls with this "Wink, wink, don't touch--but if nobody is looking, touch all you want!", mentality that is being suggested to them via the media. MTV has been doing it for years, but Disney has had to watch others steal their former Mouseketeers and sell them that, from Britney to Christina, and Justin, etc. Now Disney is n the business of doing it themselves, throwing a rock of smut and hiding their hands. To tell you the truth, I haven't seen Munich, although I have heard good things about it. I saw Schindler's List (spelling?) and Saving Private Ryan and was left wanting. If they had gone with the real story that Ryan was based on, they would have had a better film...and Schindler's List wanted to be a very special historical docu-drama but something was lost along the way? I can't place it, but it was lacking. I believe many people have given both films a free pass because of the subject matter and who directed it, still they didn't work for me. I have seen much better films on that era and the struggles of that time. War of The Worlds, while having great visuals (I still marvel how Spielberg did it), it was too means spirited, an allegory for 911, that forgot to entertain...zero humor, save for one crack, the rest was all doom and gloom. Spielberg's latest Indy film lost it the moment they nuked the Friged. The movie went downhill from there. I think if Indy hid in the Ark, if it was written that the bad guys who were trapped in the nuke test town also stole that, the Ark, from Area 51, it would have worked, with a supernatural explanation for Indy's survival. Williams' scoring was boring, as was the scores for the Star Wars prequels. The scores were absent of any spirit and were strangely absent of melody and emotion. But back to the latest Indy film, exclusively. After all these years you'd think he'd give us something great and new other than just the expected reprise of the old, and great, theme...not that there is anything wrong with the old theme, but how about also adding something new to the proceedngs that is just as great to compliment it???
Amended: OctagonProplex by Media Messiah	Aug 26th, 2008 05:12:00 AM
I agree with you about the new MTV generation, MySpace, FaceBook, Friendster, most of these people are into some terrible force fed trash like the Hills, Gossip Girl, The Kardasians, etc., and I know for a fact that Gossip Girl gets great hype but extremely low ratings, it's within the bottom 5 shows on broadcast tv, but to hear the hype, you'd think it was a top show??? So why is it still on the air??? I think most of this stuff is government conditioning...from Gossip Girl to Hanna Montana and High School: The Musical, etc. All carry conflicting messages by design. The bad taste mascarading as virtue, that you are talking about. This is a society that doesn't like to openly talk about sex, or encourage mating between young adults, or anyone for that matter, save through the church. Hence, a shrinking of the populace of Americans born of this nation...and the same thing is happening to the Europeans. The nation is largely a puritan one, so we don't like to talk about the realities of life openly, thus it is given to us, in another way, and encouraged. Look at all those sex game shows on MTV??? Who are they selling that to but teenagers, stuff that would be considered racy for the Playboy Channel??? What they are really saying to teens is, go out and reproduce, become consumers as early Moms and Dads and help stimulate the economy. The more babies you make, the richer we become, the government and corporations, et al. Churches have been relying on that for years, that's why they don't encourage birth control. The more babies their members have, the more tithing the churches get, and the more rich the churches are. But that isn't the end of the bought and sold societal hypocrisy, no there's more. Hell, we have Common, Alicia Keys and Angelie Jolie (spellng?) claiming that they are for the betterment of the world, while gladly starring in violent movies??? Two of those folks, Alicia Keys and Common, have attacked the violence in rap music lyrics, yet they do, and say worse in their movies, stuff that would put rappers to shame on any level of offensiveness??? My point is this, our society is falling apart because of this, the hypocrisy, the mixed messages, and so on, and so forth. It seems like everything is a lie, like the world of The Matrix and the truth behind it all is being hidden from us, as nothing we are being sold as what normal life is supposed to be...seems to make any outward sense??? Case in point: Disney puts out children's entertainment, but everyone of their Disney Channel stars have suspiciously had sex scandals or revealing pictures, of some sort, published (of them) within the last year??? Seems like Disney wants it both ways...attract the youth and families to their product, using a wholesome image, but if their audience begins to think those acts are too clean, well, "We (Disney) can dirty them up, and sex their images up" while pretending to be shocked when what now appears to be a series of conveniently staged scandals hit the press. Thus, Disney has it both ways, they can appeal to families, claiming wholesomeness, while on the other hand, have the Lindsey Lohans, Hillary Duffs, Miley Cyrus' and Vanessa Hudgens (spelling?) of the Disney empire, seemingly casting sexualized jail bait laced images in order to make them seem cool to teens and dick tease their dads, pre-packaged Lolitas if you will. This fuels sells, it hasn't hurt them one bit. When you think about it, there is two tiers to selling these teens to audiences. One open, and the other subliminal...and all about selling sex...and we wonder why so many men are sleeping with underaged girls with this "Wink, wink, don't touch--but if nobody is looking, touch all you want!", mentality that is being suggested to them via the media. They are selling the forbidden fruit right under our collective noses and nobody is doing anything to stop it as most don't even know what is happening!!! MTV has been doing it for years, but Disney has had to watch others steal their former Mouseketeers and sell the public that same forbidden fruit, from Britney to Christina, and Justin, etc. Now Disney is in the business of doing it themselves, throwing a rock of smut and hiding their hands, they get to play the role unwitting pimp now...the unwitting part giving them plausable deniability. "We didn't make Miley pose like that, blame Vanity Fair!"..."We didn't release, Vanessa Hudgens nude picks to the net, blame minor teen indiscretions and ignorance!" Really, I could go on!!! To tell you the truth, I haven't seen Munich, although I have heard good things about it. I saw Schindler's List (spelling?) and Saving Private Ryan and was left wanting. If they had gone with the real story that Ryan was based on, they would have had a better film...and Schindler's List wanted to be a very special historical docu-drama but something was lost along the way? I can't place it, but it was lacking. I believe many people have given both films a free pass because of the subject matter and who directed it, still they didn't work for me. I have seen much better films on that era and the struggles of that time. War of The Worlds, while having great visuals (I still marvel how Spielberg did it), it was too means spirited, an allegory for 911, that forgot to entertain...zero humor, save for one crack, the rest was all doom and gloom. Spielberg's latest Indy film lost it the moment they nuked the Friged. The movie went downhill from there. I think if Indy hid in the Ark, if it was written that the bad guys who were trapped in the nuke test town also stole that, the Ark, from Area 51, it would have worked, with a supernatural explanation for Indy's survival. Williams' scoring was boring, as was the scores for the Star Wars prequels. The scores were absent of any spirit and were strangely absent of melody and emotion. But back to the latest Indy film, exclusively. After all these years you'd think he'd give us something great and new other than just the expected reprise of the old, and great, theme...not that there is anything wrong with the old theme, but how about also adding something new to the proceedngs that is just as great to compliment it???

Talkbacks

Danny Elfman is scoring THE WOLFMAN!!!

User login

Quick Talkback

Talkbacks