Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman at ComicCon 2010 promoting The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box.
Background information
Birth name Daniel Robert Elfman
Born (1953-05-29) May 29, 1953 (age 59)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres New Wave, alternative rock, film music
Occupations Composer, singer, record producer, actor, voice actor
Years active 1972–present
Associated acts Oingo Boingo, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo

Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film and creating The Simpsons main title theme as well as the 1989 Batman movie theme. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Oingo Boingo, from 1976 to 1995. He has scored the majority of the films for his long-time friend Tim Burton.

Born in Los Angeles, he entered the film industry in 1976, initially as an actor. He made his film scoring début in in 1980 for the film Forbidden Zone directed by his older brother Richard Elfman. He has since been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Award for Tim Burton's Batman and an Emmy Award[1] for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2002 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.[2]

Contents

Early life and career [link]

Elfman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Blossom Elfman (née Bernstein), a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman, a teacher who was in the Air Force.[3] Elfman grew up in a racially mixed community in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles.[4] He spent much of his time in the local movie theatre, adoring the music of such film composers as Bernard Herrmann and Franz Waxman.

Stating that he hung out with the "band nerds" in high school, he started a ska band. After dropping out of high school, he followed his brother Richard to France,[5] where he performed with Le Grand Magic Circus, an avant-garde musical theater group. Violin in tow, Elfman next journeyed to Africa where he traveled through Ghana, Mali, and Upper Volta, absorbing new musical styles, including the Ghanaian highlife genre which would eventually influence his own music.[citation needed] Elfman contracted malaria during his one-year stay and was often sick. Eventually he returned home to the United States, where he began to take Balinese music lessons at the CalArts. During this time, he was romantically involved with Kim Gordon, who would later go on to form Sonic Youth. He was never officially a student at the institute, nonetheless, the instructor encouraged him to continue learning. Elfman stated, "He just laughed, and said, 'Sit. Play.' I continued to sit and play for a couple years."[6] At this time, his brother was forming a new musical theater group, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

Oingo Boingo [link]

In 1972 Richard Elfman founded the American New Wave band/performance art group, originally called The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. The group performed the music for Richard's debut feature film, Forbidden Zone. Danny Elfman composed his first score for the film and played the role of Satan. By the time the movie was completed, they had taken the name Oingo Boingo and begun recording and touring as a rock group. From 1976 and on it was led by Danny Elfman, until 1995 when they suddenly retired. The semi-theatrical music and comedy troupe transformed into a ska-influenced new wave band in 1979, and then changed again towards a more guitar-oriented rock sound, in the late 1980s.

Elfman and Tim Burton [link]

In 1985, Tim Burton and Paul Reubens invited Elfman to write the score for their first feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Elfman was apprehensive at first because of his lack of formal training, but with orchestration assistance from Oingo Boingo guitarist and arranger Steve Bartek, he achieved his goal of emulating the mood of such composers as Nino Rota and Bernard Herrmann.[7] In the booklet for the first volume of Music for a Darkened Theatre, Elfman described the first time he heard his music played by a full orchestra as one of the most thrilling experiences of his life.[citation needed] Elfman immediately developed a rapport with Burton[7] and has gone on to score all but two of Burton's major studio releases: Ed Wood which was under production while Elfman and Burton were having a fight,[8] and Sweeney Todd.

Burton has said of his relationship with Elfman: "We don't even have to talk about the music. We don't even have to intellectualize – which is good for both of us, we're both similar that way. We're very lucky to connect" (Breskin, 1997).

Musical influences [link]

Elfman cited his first time noticing film music being when he heard Bernard Hermann's score to The Day the Earth Stood Still as an eleven-year-old and being a fan of film music since then. Nino Rota also served as a significant influence and was the main inspiration for Elfman's score to Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.[9] Other notable influences based in film music include Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max Steiner, David Tamkin and Franz Waxman.[9][10] Elfman's classical influences include Béla Bartók, Philip Glass, Lou Harrison, Carl Orff, Harry Partch, Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.[10]

Hearing damage [link]

When asked during a 2007 phone-in interview on XETRA-FM if he ever had any notions of performing in an Oingo Boingo reunion, Elfman immediately rejected the idea and stated that in the last few years with the band he had begun to develop significant and irreversible hearing damage as a result of his continuous exposure to the high noise levels involved in performing in a rock band. He went on to say that he believes his hearing damage is partially due to a genetic predisposition to hearing loss, and that he will never return to the stage for fear of worsening not only his condition but also that of his band mates.

Recent works [link]

Elfman has recently composed the music for the Cirque Du Soleil Show, IRIS, which is being performed at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood. The production began its year-long run on July 21, 2011, but it is predicted that it may run for the coming decade. This is Elfman's most notable non-film work (although IRIS is based upon the history of the film industry) since he composed Serenada Schizophrana for the American Composers Orchestra. It was conducted by John Mauceri on its recording and by Steven Sloane at its premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York City on February 23, 2005. After its premiere, it was recorded in studio and released onto SACD on October 3, 2006. The meeting with Mauceri proved fruitful as the composer was encouraged then to write a new concert piece for Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Elfman composed an "overture to a nonexistent musical" and called the piece "The Overeager Overture." He also continues to compose his film scores in addition to these other projects.

In November 2010, it was reported that Danny Elfman is writing the music for a planned musical based on the life of Houdini.[11]

Personal life [link]

Elfman has three children: Lola, born in 1979; Mali, born in 1984; and Oliver, born in 2005. On November 29, 2003, Elfman married film actress Bridget Fonda. In 1997 he scored A Simple Plan – his only score for one of her films to date (although he did compose a cue for the film Army of Darkness, in which Fonda has a cameo). He is the uncle of actor Bodhi Elfman who is married to actress Jenna Elfman, known most notably in her role as Dharma in the TV series Dharma and Greg.

Filmography [link]

Appearances by Elfman as an actor, or as a member of Oingo Boingo:

Year Film Role/Directed by Notes
1977 I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Yri drummer Also featured Richard Elfman
Hot Tomorrows Singer Directed by Martin Brest
1980 Forbidden Zone Satan Directed by Richard Elfman
1981 Urgh! A Music War Himself Part of Oingo Boingo
1984 Good Morning, Mr. Orwell Himself Part of Oingo Boingo
1985 Pee-wee's Big Adventure Tim Burton
1986 Back to School Himself Part of Oingo Boingo
1987 Summer School Carl Reiner Soundtrack (includes one Elfman song; no score)
Wisdom Emilio Estevez, Robert Wise Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
1988 Beetlejuice Tim Burton Soundtrack
Midnight Run Martin Brest Soundtrack released by MCA
Big Top Pee-wee Randal Kleiser Soundtrack (including dialogue) released by Arista, reissued by PEG
Hot to Trot Michael Dinner Suite included on Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1
Scrooged Richard Donner Suite included on Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1; complete score released by La-La Land Records
1989 Batman Tim Burton Soundtrack (re-released with complete score from La-La Land Records); Nominated for 32nd Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Nightbreed Clive Barker Soundtrack released by MCA
1990 Dick Tracy Warren Beatty Soundtrack; Nominated for 33rd Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
Darkman Sam Raimi Soundtrack
Edward Scissorhands Tim Burton Soundtrack; Nominated for 34th Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
1992 Article 99 Howard Deutch Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Batman Returns Tim Burton Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records; re-released with complete score from La-La Land Records
1993 Sommersby Jon Amiel Soundtrack released by Elektra
Army of Darkness Sam Raimi "March of the Dead" theme by Danny Elfman, rest of the score by Joseph LoDuca
Nightmare Before Christmas, TheThe Nightmare Before Christmas Henry Selick Soundtrack; Written, composed and produced by Tim Burton; released by Walt Disney Records
1994 Black Beauty Caroline Thompson Soundtrack
1995 Dolores Claiborne Taylor Hackford Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Dead Presidents Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes Soundtrack (one Elfman track; suite also included on Music for a Darkened Theatre Vol. 2)
To Die For Gus Van Sant Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande (score + songs)
1996 Mission: Impossible Brian De Palma Soundtrack (songs + three brief Elfman suites); Score album
Frighteners, TheThe Frighteners Peter Jackson Soundtrack
Freeway Matthew Bright Suite included on Music for a Darkened Theatre Vol. 2
Extreme Measures Michael Apted Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Mars Attacks! Tim Burton Soundtrack released by Atlantic; expanded edition released by La-La Land Records
1997 Men in Black Barry Sonnenfeld Soundtrack (two Elfman cues); Score album; Nominated for 70th Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score & for 40th Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
Flubber Les Mayfield Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records
Good Will Hunting Gus Van Sant Soundtrack (two Elfman cues); Nominated for 70th Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score
1998 Simple Plan, AA Simple Plan Sam Raimi Soundtrack released by Compass III
A Civil Action Steven Zaillian Soundtrack
1999 Instinct Jon Turteltaub Soundtrack
Anywhere But Here Wayne Wang Soundtrack released by Atlantic (includes one score suite)
Sleepy Hollow Tim Burton Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records
2000 Proof of Life Taylor Hackford Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Family Man, TheThe Family Man Brett Ratner Soundtrack released by Sire Records (two Elfman cues)
2001 Planet of the Apes Tim Burton Soundtrack released by SME
2002 Spider-Man Sam Raimi Score album; Song album; Nominated for 45th Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Men in Black II Barry Sonnenfeld Soundtrack released by Columbia Records
Red Dragon Brett Ratner Soundtrack released by Decca Records
Chicago Rob Marshall Soundtrack (two Elfman tracks)
2003 Hulk Ang Lee Soundtrack released by Columbia Records
Big Fish Tim Burton Soundtrack; Nominated for 76th Academy Award for Best Original Score, for 61st Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score & for 47th Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
2004 Spider-Man 2 Sam Raimi Soundtrack; Score album
2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tim Burton Soundtrack; Nominated for 48th Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Wonka's Welcome Song)
Corpse Bride Tim Burton Soundtrack
2006 Deep Sea 3D Howard Hall Serenada Schizophrana
Nacho Libre Jared Hess Soundtrack (score suite)
Charlotte's Web Gary Winick Soundtrack
2007 Meet the Robinsons Stephen Anderson Soundtrack
Kingdom, TheThe Kingdom Peter Berg Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
2008 Standard Operating Procedure Errol Morris Soundtrack
Wanted Timur Bekmambetov Soundtrack
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Milk Gus Van Sant Soundtrack released by Decca Records; Nominated for 81st Academy Award for Best Original Score & for 52nd Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
2009 Notorious George Tillman, Jr. Soundtrack (one Elfman track)
Terminator Salvation McG Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records
Taking Woodstock Ang Lee Song soundtrack on Rhino Records with four Elfman cues; score album on La-La Land Records
9 Shane Acker Soundtrack with Deborah Lurie and produced by Tim Burton released by Focus Features ; Nominated for Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Animated Film & for Producers Guild of America Awards for Producer of the Year in Animated Motion Picture
2010 Wolfman, TheThe Wolfman Joe Johnston Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records; Nominated for 68th Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score & for 53rd Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Next Three Days, TheThe Next Three Days Paul Haggis Soundtrack released by Lionsgate
2011 Restless Gus Van Sant
Real Steel Shawn Levy Song album on Interscope with one Elfman cut; score album released by Varèse Sarabande
2012 Dark Shadows Tim Burton Soundtrack
Men in Black 3 Barry Sonnenfeld Soundtrack
Frankenweenie Tim Burton Soundtrack
2013 Oz, The Great and Powerful Sam Raimi Soundtrack
Leafmen Chris Wedge Soundtrack

In addition, he has supplied thematic material - except where noted - for movies scored by others (names in brackets):

Elfman also composed the music for the Hollywood Pictures logo (an excerpt from his main title for Sommersby was subsequently used as the logo music for Regency, the company that made it).

He has also written the theme music and occasional episodic scores for several television series, including:

His other work includes:

  • 2004: The opening title theme of the 2004 video game Fable.
  • 2008: Soundtrack to the 2008 video game Lego Batman: The Videogame (various tracks from the soundtrack of the movie: Batman).
  • 2008: The opening title theme as well as major themes of the 2008 video game Fable II.
  • 2009: The opening title theme as well as major themes and soundtrack of the 2009 video game Wanted: Weapons of Fate.
  • 2010: The opening title theme as well as major themes of the 2010 video game Fable III.
  • 2013: Music for the upcoming Hong Kong Disneyland attraction Mystic Manor.

Awards and nominations [link]

BMI Film & Television Awards 24 24
British Academy Film Awards 0 1
Emmy Awards 1 2
Golden Globe Awards 0 3
Grammy Awards 1 13
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 0 1
Satellite Awards 1 6
Saturn Awards 5 12
Sierra Awards 1 2
World Soundtrack Awards 0 4
Total 33 79

American Film Institute [link]

Elfman's scores for Batman and Edward Scissorhands were nominated for AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores:

References [link]

  1. ^ "Composer Danny Elfman Scores First Emmy Award". https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234561. 
  2. ^ "Top Film, TV, Cable Composers Honored at BMI’s Annual Film/TV Awards". bmi.com. https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233117. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
  3. ^ "Danny Elfman Biography (1953-)". Filmreference.com. https://www.filmreference.com/film/34/Danny-Elfman.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
  4. ^ "Danny Elfman 's Music For A Darkened People: Danny Elfman in L.A. Times". Elfman.filmmusic.com. https://elfman.filmmusic.com/elfman_la_times.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
  5. ^ "Buzzine". Buzzine. 2009-05-07. https://www.buzzine.com/2008/05/oingo-boingo/. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
  6. ^ "Video Entertainment Magazine interview, April 4, 1996". Boingo.org. 1996-04-04. https://www.boingo.org/articles/VideoEntertainment.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
  7. ^ a b "Fanfare Article". Boingo.org. https://www.boingo.org/articles/FanfareArticle.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
  8. ^ Salisbury, Burton, pp.137-144
  9. ^ a b Florino, Rick (December 14, 2010). "Danny Elfman Talks Tim Burton Scores, Bernard Hermann's Influence and More". ARTIST direct. https://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/danny-elfman-talks-tim-burton-scores-bernard-herrmann-s-influence-and-more/8196173. Retrieved May 7, 2012. 
  10. ^ a b Lustig, Jessica. "An interview with composer Danny Elfman". American Composers. https://www.americancomposers.org/elfman_interview.htm. Retrieved May 7, 2012. 
  11. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (November 2, 2010). "Aaron Sorkin writing Hugh Jackman's Houdini musical: Composer Danny Elfman has 'high hopes'". Popwatch.EW.com. https://popwatch.ew.com/2010/11/02/hugh-jackman-houdini-musical/. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 

External links [link]


https://wn.com/Danny_Elfman

Danny!

Danny Swain, better known by his mononymous stage name Danny! (/ˈdæniˈ/ dan-EE), is an American recording artist and record producer.

Danny! is a former student of the Savannah College of Art & Design; he often wears a wool necktie and an Australian rounded crown boss-of-the-plains hat, and has gained notoriety for prank-calling celebrities. Danny! rose to prominence shortly following the proclamation by The Roots drummer Questlove that there was strong interest from JAY Z; he was subsequently signed as the flagship artist to Questlove's re-launched Okayplayer Records after years of being loosely affiliated with the company. In support of the new venture Danny! made his television debut on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, premiering his song "Evil" alongside The Roots.

Danny! would field praise for his concept records Charm and And I Love H.E.R., the latter named by ABC News as one of the best 50 albums released that year, before releasing the "anti-album" Where Is Danny?. After signing to Okayplayer Records in late 2012 Danny! completed his trilogy of conceptual albums with Payback, cited by Allmusic as one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. Ebony Magazine has listed Danny! among other rising artists in their "Leaders of the New School" piece, calling Danny! one of a handful of "innovators";GQ would later reiterate the same regarding Danny!'s music production. Currently Danny! is a songwriter/composer for Extreme Music, the production library music subsidiary of Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

Danny

Danny may refer to:

People

  • A diminutive of Daniel
  • Danny (Finnish singer), stage name of Finnish singer, Ilkka Lipsanen
  • Danny (footballer), born Daniel Miguel Alves Gomes, Portuguese footballer
  • Danny (singer)
  • Danny!, an American recording artist
  • Danny Boy Collins, an English professional wrestler
  • Danny Collins, an English football player
  • Danny Denzongpa, Sikkimese-born Indian actor, known as just "Danny"
  • Danny Elfman, movie music composer
  • Daniel Murillo aka "Danny," the lead vocalist for the band Hollywood Undead and formerly Lorene Drive
  • Danny Pittman, American football player
  • Danny Saucedo aka "Danny," a Swedish singer
  • Daniel Sedin, Swedish ice hockey player, nicknamed Danny
  • "Danny Sexbang", stage name of Leigh Daniel Avidan, singer of musical comedy duo, Ninja Sex Party
  • Art, entertainment, and media

    Fictional characters

  • Danny (Pokémon), a character in the Pokémon universe
  • Danny, the main cat from the movie Cats Don't Dance
  • Danny, from the Just! series of short story collections by Australian author Andy Griffiths
  • Danny (TV series)

    Danny is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS. The series was created, executive produced and starred Daniel Stern.

    It was one of the last comedies to aired to air on CBS's Friday night lineup airing along with The Ellen Show which premiered at the same time. The series premiered on September 28, 2001 and was canceled on October 5, 2001 after only two episodes aired, making it the first series to be canceled in the 2001 Fall TV season.

    Premise

    Danny is recently separated father struggling to raise his two teenage kids. Despite just turning 40, He still wants to pursue his lifelong dreams all while running the town's local community center.

    Cast

  • Daniel Stern as Danny
  • Julia McIlvaine as Sally
  • Jon Foster as Henry
  • Roz Ryan as Chickie
  • Robert Prosky as Lenny
  • Vincent J. Burns as Vince
  • Joely Fisher as Moly
  • Mia Korf as Rachel
  • Episodes

    References

  • The Complete directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  • External links

    Podcasts:

    Danny Elfman

    ALBUMS

    PLAYLIST TIME:

    Town Meeting Song

    by: Danny Elfman

    [JACK]
    There were object so peculiar
    They were not to be believed
    All around, things to tantalize my brain
    It's a world unlike anything I've ever seen
    And as hard as I try
    I can't seem to describe
    Like a most improbable dream
    But you must believe when I tell you this
    It's as real as my skull and it does exist
    Here, let me show you
    This is a thing called a present
    The whole thing starts with a box
    [DEVIL]
    A box?
    Is it steel?
    [WEREWOLF]
    Are there locks?
    [HARLEQUIN DEMON]
    Is it filled with a pox?
    [DEVIL, WEREWOLF, HARLEQUIN DEMON]
    A pox
    How delightful, a pox
    [JACK]
    If you pleae
    Just a box with bright-colored paper
    And the whole thing's topped with a bow
    [WITCHES]
    A bow?
    But why?
    How ugly
    What's in it?
    What's in it?
    [JACK]
    That's the point of the thing, not to know
    [CLOWN]
    It's a bat
    [CREATURE UNDER THE STAIRS]
    Will it bend?
    [CLOWN]
    It's a rat
    [CREATURE UNDER THE STAIRS]
    Will it break?
    [UNDERSEA GAL]
    Perhaps it's the head that I found in the lake
    [JACK]
    Listen now, you don't understand
    That's not the point of Christmas land
    Now, pay attention
    Now we pick up an over-sized sock
    And hang it like this on the wall
    [MR. HYDE]
    Oh, yes! Does it still have a foot?
    [MEDIUM MR. HYDE]
    Let me see, let me look
    [SMALL MR. HYDE]
    Is it rotted and covered with gook?
    [JACK]
    Hmm, let me explain
    There's no foot inside, but there's candy
    Or sometimes it's filled with small toys
    [MUMMY AND WINGED DEMON]
    Small toys
    [WINGED DEMON]
    Do they bite?
    [MUMMY]
    Do they snap?
    [WINGED DEMON]
    Or explode in a sack?
    [CORPSE KID]
    Or perhaps they just spring out
    And scare girls and boys
    [MAYOR]
    What a splendid idea
    This Christmas sounds fun
    Why, I fully endorse it
    Let's try it at once
    [JACK]
    Everyone, please now, not so fast
    There's sometihng here that you don't quite grasp
    Well, I may as well give them what they want
    And the best, I must confess, I have saved for the last
    For the ruler of this Christmas land
    Is a fearsome King with a deep mighty voice
    Least that's what I've come to understand
    And I've also heard it told
    That's he's something to behold
    Like a lobster, huge and red
    And sets out to slay with his rain gear on
    Carting bulging sacks with his big great arms
    That is, so I've heard it said
    And on a darkm cold night
    Under full moonlight
    He flies into a fog
    Like a vulture in the sky
    And they call him Sandy Claws
    Well, at least they're excited
    Though they don't understand
    That special lind of feeling in Christmas land




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