Once again, Elfman-bashers: Feel free to hate him all you want. But show respect, and don't post things like "Elfman sucks big time!" wihout backup. It hurts those who happen to like him, and is extremely offensive to the composer himself (despite the fact that he doesn't read this messageboard). For cryin' out loud, he might be a nice guy for all you know....

Best wishes,

Or, in other words, Danny Elfman sucks because I think so.

First of all:
Danny Elfman is an extremely original and divers composer. You cannot possible compare the dark, brooding, yet pLayfull tone of BATMAN to the moody, atmospheric A SIMPLE PLAN; or the crazy, comedic, sarcastic tone of TO DIE FOR with the childish, simple and "exadurated" style of PEE WEE´S BIG ADVENTURE; or the wild rocking MIDNIGHT RUN to the sad, ethedral EDWARD SCISSORHANDS; or
the subtle, downplayed, yet extremely agressive DEAD PRESIDENTS to the psychotic, cold and sadening DOLORES CLAIBORNE.

Danny Elfman has show extremely diversity with uncommen orchestrations from the percussice MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE to the detuned piano in A SIMPLE PLAN (with no brass I might add)...
He has evolved as a composer and can write music for every genre of film imaginable. And he HAS done so. Whether for a superhero "flick" like DICK TRACY or a serious film like GOOD WILL HUNTING his score remain as superb as usual.
In 1993 everybody thought Danny Elfman had typecasted himself as a "horror/fantasy" composer...then he did SOMMERSBY. A grand, romantic score in the vein of Williams or Horner. Then, everybody though "this guy can only write "big, lush scores, whether dark or not"...then he did DOLORES CLAIBORNE and DEAD PRESIDENTS.
Again and again, Elfman has proved his critics WRONGE.

Danny Elfman has proved to be one of the most succesful composer of today. Why else would he get the ammount of work he gets? Because the people of Hollywood (who recognizes true talent when they see it) knows he does good work and can make their films ten times better.
Whether grand or simplistic, his scores always does the job right. And I am glad that he doesn´t give a damn about creating "listenable" scores for the fans. Because FILMmusic is written (surprise, suprise!) for the ****ing FILMS!

Also, I doubt you can find any other musician who has passed over from one area of music to another with such great succes.
Elfman has been able to use his knowledge from the rock-arena and create scores that classically trained composers would nver have concived. And he may not have classical training, but he sure as hell knows more about music than half the hacks working in Hollywood today.

And I am not even going to dignify that "hint", Dr. Evil came with that he does´nt write his own scores, with an answer. GET A LIFE!

The only reason people are so damn jealous of Elfman, is because most people train their intire lives to be a composer. They get a proper aducation, try their best to make the right connections etc...and in walks this "rocker" who never really had any wish to become a filmscore composer and "steals" their work. For crying out loud! Is it his fault that he has TALENT!?!?!

GET OFF ELFMANS BACK! HE HAS TALENT! YOU MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THAT FACT OT EVEN LIKE HIS MUSIC....BUT DO NOT BASH HIM!

By calling Elfman "laughable" you are putting down the love for filmmusic that you claim to have.

ELFMAN FOREVER!

SFT

Then STF's next step is to start insulting us.

Is this a tipycal fan of Elfman?
I wonder what Danny would say reading this nasty things this lad just wrote.
How sad...

[This message has been edited by Andre Lux (edited 21 January 2000).]

**grabs André's and Rogerio's heads and janks them up to SFT's mouth***

He's NOT insulting anyone. He's EDUCATING you. He's using a proper, polite language, unlike you two. You know, you two have been on my nerves from the very beginning over at FSM, and right now I'm cracking! I've tried to ignore you for some time, but now...

I just to need to blow off a little steam here...

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10...

Puuuh....

Well, sorry for the harsh language, PeterK and everyone else. I'm calm now...but for how long...?

Wow... It's good to be polite!

Thanks for teaching me.

If nothing else, I'm very glad you like MIDNIGHT RUN. (I adore the movie, too.)

I've seen Elfman on TV before -- I bet you guys (i.e. you and Rogerio, a musician himself) have more in common than you think you do. He seems really cool and smart to me, and remember when I posted before about how big of a Goldsmith fan he is? When he was up for the Oscar for GOOD WILL HUNTING, he voted AGAINST HIMSELF -- he voted for Goldsmith for L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, because like so many of us, he wants to see Goldsmith win again. As he should.

I've never met Elfman, but we have a friend in common -- a classically trained musician, this friend -- and he thinks the world of Elfman and his ability to coax sounds out of the orchestra. Even though Elfman himself is not CLASSICALLY trained. This friend still says Elfman has what it takes. And I think Elfman proves that he DOES have it, from score to score.

How anyone could not fall for the wondrous EDWARD SCISSORHANDS is a mystery to me. And remember that that's Danny's own voice singing the parts for Jack Skellington in the terrific NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS -- when my mother saw it, she asked me who it was. She was so impressed by Elfman's voice, she assumed it must be someone like Michael Crawford or someone even more accomplished. And my mother is NOT easy to impress.

Again, I don't know Elfman, never met him, not employed by him, etc. etc. -- I'm just voicing my own opinion on the subject.

A point: Film music first of does not appeal to everyone...obviously. Further, film music can be devided into several core groups (golden age, silver age, modern/contemporary). That many "silver age" composers have mastered "modern/contemporary" is a major plus.

Danny Elfman and John Ottman both have expressed their fondness and love of Goldsmith's music. Williams himself has commented on his friends work in a positive manner. Bernstein told me PERSONALLY that he enjoys Horner's work (this was a while back, before Horner became a major recycler...) and John Debney is a fan of Goldsmiths.

The point is, we all have are particular tastes and preferences. Some people, like me, can enjoy work by goldsmith, Elfman, Zimmer, Williams, Howard, Fenton etc..., while I tend to dislike the scores of Cooder, Rabin, Serra and a few others.

Having said that, I'd LOVE to hear either George Fenton or Mark Snow score X-Men. How's THAT for eclectic!!

That's just my opinion.

I'm glad to know Elfman is a nice guy, so different from Zimmer who is such an arrogant and unprofessional person. But this doesn't change the fact I SIMPLE DON'T APRECIATE ELFMAN'S MUSICAL EFFORTS, with very few exceptions.
Why this botters Elfmaniacs around the world (like Thor) is beyond me, since I am a "no one Joe" whose only purpose on this board is to talk, debate and change informations.

No one is forced to like me or find me funny or smart. Capicce??
Don't like what I wrote? Fine. Just say it. There's no need to be rude or histerical.

I can accept that you don´t like Elfman, really. But I do not wish to hear comments like "Elfman is boring" or "Elfman is an amarture" whenever we discuss matters revolving around him. I wan´t you to understand, that there many people that like and admire Elfman for what he does (far over the age of 16 I might add). And for all you know, it MIGHT just be them who know what "real" music is.

I just visited a thread where another Elfmaniac said some nasty things about one of my favorite composers, Joe LoDuca. I didn't agree with him, but I didn't feel the need to get histerical neither comanded him to "leave this place". It's just his opinion, you know.

If you liked MIDNIGHT RUN, I'd tend to assume you liked Chris Boardman's PAYBACK, which I'm thinking about buying.

What's the album like? I understand there's a bootleg as well. Which would you favor?

You see, André, this is the type of thing I'm talking about. You have no reason to say this whatsoever. You don't know Zimmer personally. He might be a nice guy (and judging from the interviews and things I've read about him, he actually IS a nice guy - humble, yet straightforward). Keep your name-calling to yourself.

Oh, and speaking of name calling, thanks for calling me a "blithering fool".

Well Thor you already know what I think about Zimmer and his arrogant statements.
We just don't agree upon the subject... That's life, you know. Live with that and be good.

LOL!!!

Scott