This is a list of compositions by Danny Elfman for film, television, stage and the concert hall.
For a list of recordings, see Danny Elfman discography, and for Elfman's work as lead singer/songwriter of Oingo Boingo, see Oingo Boingo discography.
The following list consists of select films for which Danny Elfman composed the score and/or songs.
Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes / Accolades |
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1982 | Forbidden Zone | Richard Elfman | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | First film score Film released in 1982[1] though Elfman has said he wrote the music in 1980[2] In addition to composing the score and songs with the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, Elfman arranged and performed Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" with new lyrics as the character Satan[3] |
1985 | Pee-wee's Big Adventure | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. Aspen Film Society |
Debut score for a major film studio[4] |
1986 | Back to School | Alan Metter | Orion Pictures Paper Clip Productions |
In addition to composing the score, Elfman appears in the film as the lead singer of Oingo Boingo performing their song "Dead Man's Party"[5] |
Wisdom | Emilio Estevez | 20th Century Fox (United States) Cannon Films (International) Gladden Entertainment |
Composed, arranged and performed by Elfman entirely on synthesizer[2] | |
1987 | Summer School | Carl Reiner | Paramount Pictures | Only completely unreleased feature film score |
1988 | Beetlejuice | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. The Geffen Company |
At the top of the "Main Titles" music as heard in the film, Elfman sings lyrics from "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" in the style of Harry Belafonte, the original version of which is used to comic effect later in the film[6]: 63
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music |
Midnight Run | Martin Brest | Universal Pictures City Light Films | ||
Big Top Pee-wee | Randal Kleiser | Paramount Pictures | ||
Hot to Trot | Michael Dinner | Warner Bros. | ||
Scrooged | Richard Donner | Paramount Pictures Mirage Productions | ||
1989 | Batman | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. |
Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (for "Batman theme") |
Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Nightbreed | Clive Barker | 20th Century Fox Morgan Creek Productions |
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Dick Tracy | Warren Beatty | Touchstone Pictures Silver Screen Partners IV Mulholland Productions |
Nominated- Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or Television[7] | |
Darkman | Sam Raimi | Universal Pictures Renaissance Pictures |
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Edward Scissorhands | Tim Burton | 20th Century Fox | Nominated- Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or Television[7] Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music | |
1992 | Article 99 | Howard Deutch | Orion Pictures | |
Batman Returns | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. | In addition to composing the score, co-wrote the song "Face to Face" with Siouxsie And The Banshees[8] | |
1993 | Sommersby | Jon Amiel | Warner Bros. Le Studio Canal+ Regency Enterprises Alcor Films |
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The Nightmare Before Christmas | Henry Selick | Touchstone Pictures Skellington Productions |
In addition to the score, Elfman wrote ten original songs and provided the singing voice of main character Jack Skellington, among others[9]
Saturn Award for Best Music | |
1994 | Black Beauty | Caroline Thompson | Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Family Entertainment |
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1995 | Dolores Claiborne | Taylor Hackford | Columbia Pictures Castle Rock Entertainment |
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music |
Dead Presidents | Albert Hughes Allen Hughes |
Hollywood Pictures Caravan Pictures Underworld Entertainment |
First Elfman score to be credited as conductor[citation needed] | |
To Die For | Gus Van Sant | Columbia Pictures Rank Organisation Laura Ziskin Productions |
Elfman and Van Sant performed some vocals on the score credited to "Little Gus And The Suzettes"[10] | |
1996 | Mission: Impossible | Brian De Palma | Paramount Pictures Cruise/Wagner Productions |
Mission: Impossible themes by Lalo Schifrin[11] |
The Frighteners | Peter Jackson | Universal Pictures WingNut Films |
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music | |
Freeway | Matthew Bright | Republic Pictures The Kushner-Locke Company Illusion Entertainment Group |
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Extreme Measures | Michael Apted | Columbia Pictures Castle Rock Entertainment Simian Films |
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Mars Attacks! | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. Pictures Tim Burton Productions |
Saturn Award for Best Music Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score | |
1997 | Men in Black | Barry Sonnenfeld | Columbia Pictures Amblin Entertainment Parkes/MacDonald Productions |
Saturn Award for Best Music Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score[12] Nominated- Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or Television[7] |
Flubber | Les Mayfield | Walt Disney Pictures Great Oaks |
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Good Will Hunting | Gus Van Sant | Miramax Films Be Gentlemen |
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score[12] | |
1998 | A Simple Plan | Sam Raimi | Paramount Pictures (North America and United Kingdom) Concorde Filmverleih (Germany) UGC Fox Distribution (France) Toho-Towa (Japan) Mutual Film Company Savoy Pictures Tele-München Marubeni Newmarket Capital Group |
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A Civil Action | Steven Zaillian | Touchstone Pictures Paramount Pictures Wildwood Enterprises, Inc |
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1999 | Instinct | Jon Turteltaub | Touchstone Pictures Spyglass Entertainment |
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Anywhere but Here | Wayne Wang | 20th Century Fox | ||
Sleepy Hollow | Tim Burton | Paramount Pictures (Select territories) Summit Entertainment (International) Mandalay Pictures Scott Rudin Productions American Zoetrope Tim Burton Productions |
Satellite Award for Best Original Score Saturn Award for Best Music |
Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Proof of Life | Taylor Hackford | Warner Bros. Pictures Castle Rock Entertainment Bel-Air Entertainment Anvil Films |
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score |
The Family Man | Brett Ratner | Universal Pictures Beacon Pictures Saturn Films |
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2001 | Planet of the Apes | Tim Burton | 20th Century Fox The Zanuck Company |
Nominated- Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] |
Spy Kids | Robert Rodriguez | Dimension Films Troublemaker Studios |
Composed with John Debney & Harry Gregson-Williams | |
2002 | Spider-Man | Sam Raimi | Columbia Pictures Marvel Enterprises Laura Ziskin Productions |
Saturn Award for Best Music Nominated- Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] |
Men in Black II | Barry Sonnenfeld | Columbia Pictures Amblin Entertainment MacDonald Parkes Productions |
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Red Dragon | Brett Ratner | Universal Pictures Imagine Corporation |
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Chicago | Rob Marshall | Miramax Films Producer Circle Co. Zadan/Meron Production |
Songs by John Kander & Fred Ebb Adapted material by Kander Nominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film Music | |
2003 | Hulk | Ang Lee | Universal Pictures Marvel Studios Valhalla Motion Pictures Good Machine |
Replaced Mychael Danna
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music |
Big Fish | Tim Burton | Columbia Pictures Jinks/Cohen Company The Zanuck Company |
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Score[12] Nominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score Nominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score Nominated- Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] | |
2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Sam Raimi | Columbia Pictures Marvel Enterprises Laura Ziskin Productions |
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music |
2005 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures The Zanuck Company Plan B Entertainment Theobald Film Productions |
In addition to score, wrote five songs and sings all vocal parts of the Oompa-Loompa characters[13]
Nominated- Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (for "Wonka's Welcome Song")[7] |
Corpse Bride | Warner Bros. Pictures Tim Burton Productions Laika Patalex II Productions |
In addition to the score, composed all four songs and voiced of the character "Bonejangles" who sings "Remains of the Day"
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score | ||
2006 | Deep Sea 3D | Howard Hall | Warner Bros. Films IMAX Business Needs |
Adapted from Elfman's concert work Serenada Schizophrana, with additional music by Elfman and composer Deborah Lurie |
Nacho Libre | Jared Hess | Paramount Pictures Nickelodeon Movies Black & White | ||
Charlotte's Web | Gary Winick | Paramount Pictures Nickelodeon Movies Walden Media The K Entertainment Company | ||
2007 | Meet the Robinsons | Stephen Anderson | Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Animation Studios |
Nominated- Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production |
The Kingdom | Peter Berg | Universal Pictures Relativity Media Forward Pass Stuber/Parent |
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2008 | Standard Operating Procedure | Errol Morris | Sony Pictures Classics Participant Media |
Elfman's score incorporates two movements from his Serenada Schizophrana concert work, specifically "Pianos" and "Blue Strings" reworked and retitled as "Main Titles: Vacation in Iraq" and "A Bad Feeling" respectively |
Wanted | Timur Bekmambetov | Universal Pictures Spyglass Entertainment Relativity Media Marc Platt Productions Kickstart Productions Top Cow Productions |
In addition to the score, wrote and sang the song "The Little Things" in English and Russian for the soundtrack[14] | |
Hellboy II: The Golden Army | Guillermo del Toro | Universal Pictures Relativity Media Lawrence Gordon/Lloyd Levin Productions Dark Horse Entertainment |
Hellboy themes by Marco Beltrami | |
Milk | Gus Van Sant | Focus Features Axon Films Groundswell Productions Jinks/Cohen Company |
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Score Nominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score Nominated- Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score | |
2009 | Notorious | George Tillman, Jr. | Fox Searchlight Pictures Bad Boy Films By Storm Films State Street Pictures Voletta Wallace Films |
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Terminator Salvation | McG | Warner Bros. Pictures (United States) Columbia Pictures (International) The Halcyon Company Wonderland Sound and Vision |
Terminator themes by Brad Fiedel | |
9 | Shane Acker | Focus Features Relativity Media Lux Animation |
Elfman provided themes only, with score composed by Deborah Lurie | |
Taking Woodstock | Ang Lee | Focus Features |
Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
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2010 | The Wolfman | Joe Johnston | Universal Pictures Relativity Media Stuber Pictures |
Elfman's original score was initially rejected by the studio and replaced with a new score by Paul Haslinger.[15] The studio ultimately reverted to Elfman's music, though some cues had to be reworked to fit the film's final edit.[16] |
Alice in Wonderland | Tim Burton | Walt Disney Pictures Roth Films The Zanuck Company Team Todd |
Nominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film Music Nominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score Nominated- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media[7] | |
The Next Three Days | Paul Haggis | Lionsgate Highway 61 Films Fidélité Films |
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2011 | Restless | Gus Van Sant | Sony Pictures Classics (United States) Columbia Pictures (International) Imagine Entertainment |
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Real Steel | Shawn Levy | Touchstone Pictures DreamWorks Pictures 21 Laps Entertainment ImageMovers Montford Murphy Productions |
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2012 | Dark Shadows | Tim Burton | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures Infinitum Nihil GK Films The Zanuck Company |
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Men in Black 3 | Barry Sonnenfeld | Columbia Pictures Amblin Entertainment Hemisphere Media Capital P+M Image Nation Imagenation Abu Dhabi |
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Frankenweenie | Tim Burton | Walt Disney Pictures Tim Burton Productions |
Saturn Award for Best Music | |
Silver Linings Playbook | David O. Russell | The Weinstein Company | ||
Hitchcock | Sacha Gervasi | Fox Searchlight Pictures The Montecito Picture Company Cold Spring Pictures |
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Promised Land | Gus Van Sant | Focus Features Participant Media Image Nation Abu Dhabi Pearl Street Films Sunday Night Productions |
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2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Sam Raimi | Walt Disney Pictures Roth Films |
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music |
Epic | Chris Wedge | 20th Century Fox 20th Century Fox Animation Blue Sky Studios |
Nominated- Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production | |
American Hustle | David O. Russell | Columbia Pictures Atlas Entertainment Annapurna Pictures |
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2014 | Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Rob Minkoff | 20th Century Fox DreamWorks Animation Pacific Data Images Bullwinkle Studios |
Nominated- Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production |
The Unknown Known | Errol Morris | Radius-TWC History Films Moxie Pictures Participant Media |
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Big Eyes | Tim Burton | The Weinstein Company Electric City Entertainment Silverwood Films Tim Burton Productions |
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2015 | The End of the Tour | James Ponsoldt | A24 Anonymous Content Kilburn Media Modern Man Films |
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Fifty Shades of Grey | Sam Taylor-Johnson | Universal Pictures Focus Features Michael De Luca Productions Trigger Street Productions |
Except the cue "Bliss" written by David Buckley[17] | |
Avengers: Age of Ultron | Joss Whedon | Marvel Studios | Themes by Alan Silvestri & Patrick Doyle Composed with Brian Tyler[18] | |
Goosebumps | Rob Letterman | Columbia Pictures Sony Pictures Animation LStar Capital Village Roadshow Pictures Original Film Scholastic Entertainment |
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2016 | Alice Through the Looking Glass | James Bobin | Walt Disney Pictures Roth Films Team Todd Tim Burton Productions |
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Before I Wake | Mike Flanagan | Netflix Intrepid Pictures Demarest Films MICA Entertainment |
Composed with The Newton Brothers | |
The Girl on the Train | Tate Taylor | Universal Pictures (Worldwide) Mister Smith Entertainment (EMEA) DreamWorks Pictures Reliance Entertainment Marc Platt Productions |
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2017 | Tulip Fever | Justin Chadwick | The Weinstein Company (United States) Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom) Worldview Entertainment Paramount Pictures[lower-alpha 1] Ruby Films |
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Fifty Shades Darker | James Foley | Universal Pictures Perfect World Pictures[lower-alpha 2] Michael De Luca Productions Trigger Street Productions |
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The Circle | James Ponsoldt | STXfilms EuropaCorp Image Nation Abu Dhabi Playtone Likely Story IM Global Parkes + Macdonald Productions Route One 1978 Films |
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Justice League | Zack Snyder[lower-alpha 3] | Warner Bros. Pictures RatPac-Dune Entertainment[lower-alpha 4] DC Films Atlas Entertainment Cruel and Unusual Films |
Replaced Junkie XL In addition to creating several new themes for his score, Elfman used the "Batman Theme" from his Batman score, John Williams' "Superman Theme" from Superman, and the Wonder Woman theme from the cue "Is She With You" composed by Hans Zimmer, Robert Badami, Melissa Muik, Mark Andrew Wherry and Steve Mazzaro for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice[22] | |
2018 | Fifty Shades Freed | James Foley | Universal Pictures Perfect World Pictures Michael De Luca Productions Trigger Street Productions |
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Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot | Gus Van Sant | Amazon Studios Iconoclast Anonymous Content |
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The Grinch | Scott Mosier Yarrow Cheney |
Universal Pictures Illumination |
In addition to composing original themes for the film, Elfman incorporated the tune "Welcome Christmas" written for the 1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! animated television special, as well as collaborated with Tyler the Creator on a cover of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”[23] Nominated- Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production | |
2019 | Aliens, Clowns & Geeks | Richard Elfman | Elfmaniac Media Producers: Scott Roughgarden, Bernie Stern, Debbie Vandermeulen |
Composed with Ego Plum[24] |
Dumbo | Tim Burton | Walt Disney Pictures Tim Burton Productions Infinite Detective Productions Secret Machine Entertainment |
In addition to composing original themes for the film, Elfman incorporated music from Disney's original 1941 animated film, including “Casey Junior," “Pink Elephants on Parade,” and “When I See an Elephant Fly”[25] Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music | |
Men in Black: International | F. Gary Gray | Columbia Pictures Amblin Entertainment P + M Productions Image Nation Tencent Pictures |
Composed with Chris Bacon[26] |
Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
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2020 | Dolittle | Stephen Gaghan | Universal Pictures R/K Films Team Downey Productions Perfect World Pictures |
|
2021 | The Woman in the Window | Joe Wright | Netflix 20th Century Studios Fox 2000 Pictures Scott Rudin Productions |
Replaced Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.[27] |
2022 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Sam Raimi | Marvel Studios | In addition to contributing the full score with several original themes, Elfman referenced thematic material from 2016's Doctor Strange by Michael Giacchino, WandaVision by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and X-Men: The Animated Series; the score also adapts music from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Bach's Toccata and Fugue for a climatic fight scene[28] |
White Noise | Noah Baumbach | Netflix | ||
2023 | 65 | Scott Beck Bryan Woods |
Columbia Pictures Raimi Productions Beck/Woods |
Post-production[29] |
In addition to his feature scores, Elfman has supplied thematic material and additional music for films scored by others (theme only unless otherwise noted):
Year | Title | Director | Composer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Bachelor Party | Neal Israel | Robert Folk | "Bachelor Party Theme" with Oingo Boingo[30] |
1985 | Weird Science | John Hughes | Ira Newborn | "Weird Science" title song with Oingo Boingo[31] |
1991 | Pure Luck | Nadia Tass | Jonathan Sheffer | "Main Title" and "We Found Her" |
1992 | Army of Darkness | Sam Raimi | Joseph LoDuca | "March of the Dead" |
1994 | Shrunken Heads | Richard Elfman | Richard Band | |
1997 | Scream 2 | Wes Craven | Marco Beltrami | "Cassandra Aria" & "Cassandra Aria Reprise" |
1998 | Modern Vampires | Richard Elfman | Michael Wandmacher | |
1999 | My Favorite Martian | Donald Petrie | John Debney | "Uncle Martin's Theme" |
2001 | Heartbreakers[32] | David Mirkin | ||
Novocaine | David Atkins | Steve Bartek | ||
2010 | Kick-Ass | Matthew Vaughn | John Murphy Henry Jackman Marius de Vries Ilan Eshkeri |
"Walk to Rasul's" |
2011 | Do Not Disturb[33] | Mali Elfman | Mike Einziger Oliver Hecks |
Elfman composed the music for the Hollywood Pictures logo in 1991, and an excerpt from his main title for Sommersby was subsequently used as the logo music for Regency (the company that made Sommersby) beginning in 1994.[34]
The following list consists of select works composed for the stage and concert hall.
Year | Title | Other Artists | Notes / Accolades |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Serenada Schizophrana | Commissioned and premiered by the American Composers Orchestra, conducted by Stephen Sloane | First commissioned concert work Premiered February 23, 2005 at Carnegie Hall[35] Recorded in 2006 by conductor John Mauceri and the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra |
2008 | Rabbit & Rogue | First ballet score, written for Twyla Tharp's Rabbit and Rogue Co-commission by American Ballet Theatre and Orange County Performing Arts Center Premiered June 3, 2008, at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center[36] LA Film Festival's Rabbit and Rogue contest provided free usage of Elfman's music to which filmmakers created short films[37] | |
2011 | Iris | Commissioned by Cirque Du Soleil for director Philippe Decouflé's Cirque du Soleil show based on the history and themes of cinema Elfman's score was pre-recorded with an orchestra of 100 musicians (the largest in Cirque du Soleil's history), that was then mixed with the show's eight live, in-house musicians during performance.[38] | |
2013 | Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton | John Mauceri conductor | Nearly two hours of orchestral suites newly arranged by Elfman from his scores for the films of Tim Burton Premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in London on October 7, 2013, with John Mauceri conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra, and Elfman performing the songs of characters Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas segment.[39] |
2017 | Violin Concerto "Eleven Eleven" | Violinist Sandy Cameron, conductor John Mauceri and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra | First violin concerto Co-commissioned by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Live at Stanford University, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for violinist Sandy Cameron[41] Premiered in Prague June 21, 2017, with Cameron, Mauceri and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra Recorded in 2019 with Cameron, Mauceri and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra |
2018 | Piano Quartet | Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet (Matthew Hunter, Knut Weber, Luis Esnaola, Markus Groh) | First piano quartet Co-commissioned by the Lied Center for Performing Arts University of Nebraska in Lincoln and the Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet Premiered February 6, 2018, at the Lied Center in Lincoln, Nebraska[42] |
2019 | Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus | Incidental music for the Broadway production written by Taylor Mac, directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Scott Rudin[43] | |
Percussion Quartet | Third Coast Percussion | Commissioned by Third Coast Percussion, who premiered the piece at Philip Glass Center's 2019 Central Coast Days & Nights Festival on October 10, 2019[44] | |
2022 | Danny Elfman: From Boingo to ‘Batman’ to ‘Big Mess’ to Beyond! | Steve Bartek (conductor), Wes Borland (guitar), Stu Brooks (bass), Nili Brosh (guitar), Josh Freese (drums)[45] | Initially announced as Danny Elfman: Past, Present and Future! From Boingo to Batman and Beyond! as part of Coachella 2020, the concert was postponed to April 16, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic[46][47] Featuring selections of Elfman's film and television music arranged for band, orchestra and choir, as well as songs from his solo album Big Mess and new arrangements of songs from his Oingo Boingo catalogue[48] Expanded for two concerts performed Halloween weekend at the Hollywood Bowl[49] |
Cello Concerto | Gautier Capucon (cello), Wiener Symphoniker, David Robertson (conductor) | Commissioned jointly by Wiener Konzerthaus, Wiener Symphoniker, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra World premiere Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna 18 March 2022[50] | |
Percussion Concerto | Colin Currie (percussion), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ludwig Wicki (conductor) | Commissioned jointly by London Philharmonic Orchestra and Soka University of America World premiere Royal Festival Hall, London 25 March 2022[50] | |
Wunderkammer | National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Andrew Gourlay (conductor) | Commissioned by National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain World premiere Bridgewater Hall, Manchester 3 August 2022[51] |
Elfman has written the theme music and occasional episodic scores for several television series, including:
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1985 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Episode: "The Jar", directed by Tim Burton |
Amazing Stories | Episodes: "Mummy, Daddy" & "The Family Dog" with Steve Bartek | |
1986 | Pee-wee's Playhouse | Episodes: "Monster in the Playhouse," "Cowboy and the Cowntess," "Store," & "Pee-Wee Catches A Cold" |
Sledge Hammer! | Theme music only Score composed by Don Davis, Ron Grant, Lance Rubin & Richard Stone | |
Fast Times | Theme music only, with Oingo Boingo Score composed by Barry Goldberg, Arthur Barrow & Steve Schiff | |
1989 | Tales from the Crypt | Theme music only Score composed by various others including Jay Ferguson, Nicholas Pike, Alan Silvestri, J. Peter Robinson & Michael Kamen |
Beetlejuice: The Animated Series | Theme music only Score composed by Tom Szczesniak | |
The Simpsons | Theme music only Score composed by Richard Gibbs, Alf Clausen & Bleeding Fingers Music Nominated- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music | |
1990 | The Flash | Theme music only Score composed by Shirley Walker |
1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | "Main Title" & "End Credit"
Score composed by various others including Shirley Walker |
1993 | Family Dog | Theme music only Score composed by Steve Bartek |
1997 | Perversions of Science | Theme music only Score composed by J. Peter Robinson & Ernest Troost |
1999 | Dilbert | Theme music only, rearrangement of the title song for Forbidden Zone Score composed by Adam Cohen & Ian Dye |
2004 | Desperate Housewives | Theme music only Score composed by Steve Bartek, Stewart Copeland & Steve Jablonsky Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music[52] |
2005 | Point Pleasant | Theme music only Score composed by Robert Duncan |
2008 | Amas de Casa Desesperadas | Theme music only Score composed by Steve Bartek, Stewart Copeland & Steve Jablonsky Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music[53] |
2017 | When We Rise | Miniseries Score composed with Chris Bacon[54] |
On October 30, 2015, PBS's "Live from Lincoln Center" broadcast Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton, for which Elfman won Outstanding Music Direction at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards.[55]
In 2019 selections from his score to the film Midnight Run were used in the third season of Netflix's Stranger Things,[56] including "Stairway Chase" in episodes 5 and 6, and "Wild Ride" and "Package Deal" in episode 6.
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2004 | Fable[57] | Opening title theme Score composed by Russell Shaw |
2008 | Lego Batman: The Videogame | Excerpts from Batman; DS version also uses excerpts from Batman Returns Score arranged by Morgan Peeters |
Fable II[58] | Composed with Russell Shaw | |
2009 | Wanted: Weapons of Fate | Themes from Wanted Score composed by Ulf Andersson |
2012 | Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes | Excerpts from Batman and Batman Returns Compliments score composed by Rob Westwood |
2013 | Puppet Masterpiece Theater: The Circus | iPad app created by children's entertainment group Organa Kids[59] |
2014 | Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham | Excerpts from Batman Compliments score composed by Rob Westwood |
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)In addition to the score, Elfman co-wrote the Siouxsie and the Banshees song that plays during the masquerade ball.
Though he earned two Academy Award nominations in 1997 for “Men in Black” and “Good Will Hunting,” his work has long been scrutinized by industry peers...
Things got a little crazy at composer Danny Elfman's home studio when he began creating the singing parts for the Oompa Loompa songs in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... Elfman laid down the vocals in his home. He did every part six times.
Many changes were wrought to Joe Johnston‘s The Wolfman during production... One of the last-stage changes was a switch from Danny Elfman‘s original score to a new one by electronic/rock composer Paul Haslinger.
Universal has apparently decided to switch back to Elfman's original score... Because of commitments to Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Elfman can't work on the film right now, so additional composers are being brought in to finish his work.
Elfman and Whedon previously worked together on 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, another situation he describes as another "three-alarm call." He shared scoring credits with Brian Tyler.
...once Elfman felt his own heart grow two sizes when it came to Christmas, incorporating the original songs become one of the highlights of writing his score for The Grinch. “The ‘Welcome’ song was easy,” he says. “We were playing the song twice in the film, so it was just how to score it and then pick up the melody and have it kind of lift up and explode when his heart does.” When it came to the other hit song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” Elfman had a slightly more complex task, collaborating with rapper Tyler the Creator on the iconic tune first recorded by Thurl Ravenscroft.
“I was, and am, an Afro-Latin percussionist — currently playing in a band, Mambo Demonico with Ego Plum (Guerrero), who did the score with Danny [Eflman]. [The movie] actually has seventy-five minutes of music in a ninety minute movie.
“This is a cultural icon,” the composer says, “and I was happy to pay homage.” So “Pink Elephants on Parade,” “When I See an Elephant Fly” and the train motif “Casey Junior” all make appearances...
Working with co-composer Chris Bacon, Elfman says he stuck to his trusty playbook when it comes to return trips to previously explored cinematic universes.
Bachelor Party... has not one, but two (possibly three) Boingo songs. The title track—written and performed by Oingo Boingo specifically for the film—recaps the plot in the band’s inimitable style. “Something Isn’t Right” is an earlier song that only saw a release with this soundtrack album.
The resulting film is... backed by a quirky score by John Debney (with a main theme by Danny Elfman), as well as a swath of mood-setting pop songs.
I asked my dad [Danny Elfman] for a theme. He wrote it in about 20 minutes and wouldn't let me hear it until a week later when he had about 3 themes, and 10 variations. I ended up picking the first piece that he wrote for the opening credits and using it as the theme for the film.
I got a call from John Hughes talking about the movie, and wouldn’t it be fun, and I literally wrote it [in my head] while I was talking to him.
The Rabbit and Rogue Project is a unique challenge aimed at empowering and inspiring independent media creators. Free of charge, filmmakers will be able to use selections from Elfman’s new album, Rabbit and Rogue in their short film projects.
the music would be composed by Oscar-nominated film composer Danny Elfman, and feature a soundtrack performed by over 100 musicians... In the balconies on the sides, a small musical ensemble surrounds us, and performs live to accompany the pre-recorded musical material.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)So loyal is Elfman (and cohort Steve Bartek) to Herrmann's original intent that he succeeded better than anyone else at re-recording the work.
Also effective is Burton’s frequent music collaborator Danny Elfman, who offers a grandiose, orchestral score to the Stainboy’s adventures.
[Danny Elfman and John Mauceri] also collaborated on “The Overeager Overture,” which was performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 2006.
It is Mr. Sanko’s first feature-length marionette performance, in addition to being an outlet for the composer Danny Elfman to indulge his dark side in between writing songs for the new movie version of 'Charlotte’s Web.'
...the film composer Danny Elfman jumped at the chance to try something new: creating the music for Mystic Manor, a new Disneyland ride in Hong Kong...Figures in Chinese art leap off the walls, Roman frescos come alive, musical instruments play themselves, and floating headgear from armored suits sing in three languages: Mandarin, Cantonese and English. (“It’s me singing in English, by the way,” Mr. Elfman says.)
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