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''If there's one thing I really love, it's SAD music''.

DANNY ELFMAN

(He composed the music of Batman 1989 and Batman Returns 1992)

Bat Composers Index

Elfman Links:

Short Bio:

As Danny Elfman (the son of an Air Force father) was growing up in the Los Angeles area, he was largely unaware of his talent for composing. It wasn't until the early 1970's that Danny and his older brother Richard started a musical troupe while in Paris; the group "Mystic Knights of Oingo-Boingo" was created for Richard's directorial debut, _The Forbidden Zone_ (now considered a cult classic by Elfman fans). The group's name has gone through many incarnations over the years, from "Mystic Knights" and "Oingo-Boingo" to, eventually, most recent name, "Boingo". Rumours that the band was about to be called just ''Bo'' are unsubstantial.

While continuing to compose eclectic, intelligent rock music for his L.A.-based band (some of which had been used in various film soundtracks, e.g. "Weird Science" in a movie by the same name), Danny formed a friendship with young director Tim Burton, who was then a fan of Oingo-Boingo. Danny went on to score the soundtrack of Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), which represented Danny's first orchestral film score. The Elfman-Burton partnership continued (most notably through the hugely-successful ''Batman'' films) and opened doors of opportunity for Danny, who has been referred to as "Hollywood's hottest film composer".

The rest is simply history, just check out his huge library of credits.

TRIVIA:

  • Danny's older brother is director Richard Elfman.
  • Danny's mother is Blossom Elfman, an author of children's books.
  • Elfman fans discuss Danny's current and past work in the usenet group rec.music.artists.danny-elfman.
  • The past, present and future of Danny Elfman and the other members of Oingo Boingo are also discussed at alt.fan.oingo-boingo.
  • Wrote the score for Black Beauty (1994) for his two daughters from a collapsed marriage. Released a solo album in 1984, So-Lo, which was basically an Oingo Boingo album without John Avila.
  • (1997) Signed a non-exclusive contract with Disney to write, produce, and direct films, while continuing to compose for Disney and other studios.
  • Often composes scores for Tim Burton's films

Credits and OST albums (Click on the highlighted album titles to view amazon.com entry).

  • 2002 - Red Dragon
  • 2002 - Spider-Man
  • 2001 - Planet of the Apes
  • 2000 - The Family Man
  • 2000 - Proof of Life
  • 1999 - Sleepy Hollow
  • 1999 - Instinct
  • 1999 - Anywhere But Here
  • 1998 - A Civil Action
  • 1998 - A Simple Plan
  • 1997 - Good Will Hunting
  • 1997 - Flubber
  • 1997 - Men in Black
  • 1996 - Mars Attacks!
  • 1996 - Extreme Measures
  • 1996 - Freeway
  • 1996 - The Frighteners
  • 1996 - Mission Impossible
  • 1995 - To Die For
  • 1995 - Dead Presidents
  • 1995 - Dolores Clairborne
  • 1994 - Black Beauty
  • 1993 - The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • 1993 - Sommersby
  • 1992 - Article 99
  • 1992 - Batman Returns
  • 1990 - Darkman
  • 1990 - Edward Scissorhands
  • 1990 - Clive Barker's Nightbreed
  • 1990 - Dick Tracy
  • 1989 - B A T M A N
  • 1988 - Hot to Trot
  • 1988 - Midnight Run
  • 1988 - Scrooged
  • 1988 - Big Top Pee Wee
  • 1988 - Beetlejuice
  • 1987 - Summer School
  • 1986 - Wisdom
  • 1986 - Back to School
  • 1985 - Pee Wee's Big Adventure
  • 1980 - Forbidden Zone

Contributions:

  • 2002 - Heartbreakers (theme)
  • 2001 - Spy Kids (theme)
  • 1999 - My Favorite Martian (theme)
  • 1999 - Dilbert (TV) (Dilbert Zone theme song)
  • 1998 - Modern Vampires aka Revenant (theme)
  • 1997 - Perversions of Science (TV) (theme)
  • 1997 - The Simpsons: Virtual Springfiend (game) (theme)
  • 1997 - Scream 2 (''Cassandra'' Aria)
  • 1996 - Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (themes)
  • 1996 - Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre Halloween
  • 1996 - Tales from the Crypt: Bordello of Blood (theme)
  • 1994 - Darkman II: The Return of Durant (themes)
  • 1994 - Shrunken Heads (theme)
  • 1994 - Weird Science (TV)
  • 1993 - Army of Darkness (''March of the Dead'')
  • 1993 - Family Dog (TV)
  • 1992 - Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (''We Close Our Eyes'' song)
  • 1992 - Batman: The Animated Series (TV) (theme)
  • 1992 - Pure Luck (theme)
  • 1990 - The Flash (TV) (theme) - can be found in Music for a Darkened Theatre
  • 1990 - Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (song)
  • 1989 - Beetlejuice (cartoon TV) (theme) - can be found in the MFADTv2 album
  • 1989 - Tales from the Crypt (TV) (theme) - can be found in the MFADTv1 album
  • 1989 - The Simpsons (TV) (theme) - can be found in the MFADTv1 album
  • 1989 - Ghostbusters II (''Flesh'n Blood'' song)
  • 1986 - Pee-Wee's Playhouse (TV)
  • 1986 - Sledge Hammer! (TV)
  • 1986 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (song)
  • 1986 - Fast Times at Ridgemont High (TV)
  • 1985 - Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV) (''The Jar'' Spisode)
  • 1985 - Weird Science (title song)
  • 1985 - Amazing Stories (''Mummy Daddy'' and ''Family Dog'' episodes)