The Dark Knight Batman's Theme Music in TDK

[IamtheBatman]

Film score
In an October 2006 interview, Hans Zimmer, who composed the Batman Begins score with James Newton Howard, said that he would be scoring The Dark Knight.[44] Zimmer said that he would have Howard return to pair up for The Dark Knight as they did for Batman Begins. Zimmer also said that the main Batman theme was purposely introduced at the end of Batman Begins and would flesh out in the sequel as the character develops.[45]

link from wikipedia.org

So does anyone remember hearing the Batman theme at the end of Batman Begins?

 

[Castlewood]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

So does anyone remember hearing the Batman theme at the end of Batman Begins?

Yes.

 

[IamtheBatman]

Does it begin at the end of the credits?

 

[Crooklyn]

Does anyone else find the fact that people still ask this question....proves we need a new theme?

 

[IamtheBatman]

Thanks for letting me know when I saw that on Wikipedia I was confused.

 

[bunk]

Definitely a lot of weird song titles for the Begins soundtrack...

 

[bunk]

Ah, that is kinda cool I guess. Unfortunately, it doesn't make the soundtrack any better.

 

[chosen1]

Are you talking about the theme played right before gordon says

"I never said thank you."


"Just a gangsta, I suppose." -- Avon Barksdale

 

[comic_guy04]

I always thought he had parts of a theme song. Like in the beginning when you hear nothin but those drums...dumdumdumdum....dumdumdumdum... Also i guess i thought his main theme was when we first see him use the piano to open the secret entrance to the cave, and the music picks up right when he opens the armoir revealing the mask.

 

[IamtheBatman]

As long as I hear the theme song in The Dark Knight I'll be fine.

 

[FaT_tONle]

Loved that Begins theme.... Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun daduuuuuuuu DUn DUn DUn Dun.... but Burtons still owned... I hope they can match it again

 

[Figs]

This is just another reason that I am so pumped for this movie. After reading that interview in the past where Hans says he hasn't earned his theme yet got me anxious for the sequel even more. From the sound of the music in Begins, it's a total build up for something greater. I can't wait to hear the Theme it's going to lead into.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Ah, that is kinda cool I guess. Unfortunately, it doesn't make the soundtrack any better.

It doesn't have to. The soundtrack is good already.

 

[The Only Woj]

I thought there was a theme. It didn't really come out until the 2nd half of the film, but I definitely believe there is a Batman theme in there (whatever it is, I like it a lot)

 

[Ender Durden]

ill try to give the new theme a chance, if i even catch it next time.


but seriously, THE official and best batman theme in my heart will always be elfman's

hell even the variations that BTAS had were damn good

and to be honest, the composer that worked on batman forever and batman and robin gave some outstanding themes as well.

 

[silentflute]

I've always hated Elfman's theme.It never sounded like Batman to me.That's hardly a surprise, considering it was related to Tim Burton's idea of Batman.That aside though, Elfman's theme was too "adventure" as opposed to moody. He totally missed the mark.

I do love the Begins theme.Looking forward to seeing them develop it.

 

[Crooklyn]

I've always hated Elfman's theme.It never sounded like Batman to me.That's hardly a surprise, considering it was related to Tim Burton's idea of Batman.That aside though, Elfman's theme was too "adventure" as opposed to moody. He totally missed the mark.

I do love the Begins theme.Looking forward to seeing them develop it.

Ohhh irony...

 

[ゴジラ]

Actually they're not wierd. They're the names of scientific classes/species of bats! Yep, that's right. And guess what? some of the song titles spell "Batman" when lined up.

Here's an example.

Track's 4 to 9 spell "Batman."

Barbastella
Atribeus
Tadarida
Macrotus
Antrozous
Nycertis

Neat, huh? Totally.

Also on the song "Tadarida" two minutes and some fourty or so seconds in there is the sound of "bats fluttering" and "snorting." It's really cool with the song.

And apparently a few of the songs when literally played backwards at some points breifly you hear a laughing cackle or a really quick "Joker!" but I've never tried to find out.

Good info to know,thanks.

 

[bunk]

It doesn't have to. The soundtrack is good already.

Meh... I expected more from Zimmer.

 

[chosen1]

Meh... I expected more from Zimmer.

"A man must have a code." -- Bunk

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Ohhh irony...

Yeah, we're in agreement here...

 

[Keyser Sushi]

ill try to give the new theme a chance, if i even catch it next time.

but seriously, THE official and best batman theme in my heart will always be elfman's

I love Elfman's Batman theme, but I also appreciate the fact that it would not have suited Batman Begins at all, and, Howard and Zimmerman's score was completely appropriate for the film.

hell even the variations that BTAS had were damn good

Yes, Shirley Walker was great, and in fact she had a significant amount of input into the Batman '89 and Batman Returns music, as well, since Danny Elfman doesn't conduct, or indeed even orchestrate his own compositions.

and to be honest, the composer that worked on batman forever and batman and robin gave some outstanding themes as well.

I disagree on this one. I hate the music from those movies. It was too loud, bombastic and overblown: no subtlety, no finesse, and sense of drama. The music did, however suit those films, as it was cheesy and felt like something that belonged with a cartoon.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Meh... I expected more from Zimmer.

Again, the music was completely appropriate for the film -- no it wasn't a big heroic, epic-scale score like Superman, Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings. But honestly, Batman Begins isn't that type of movie. It's more of a moody pot-boiler with a guy in a Bat-suit, and the music did exactly what it needed to do.

First, it served to subtly underline the tension in the film, to create a constant sense of unease.

Second, it kept moving, which means that even slower scenes seem to be taut with anticipation.

Third, it created an aural signature for Batman without creating a big, heroic march that, quite honestly, the unestablished hero probably did not yet command. Instead there are sounds, bits of rhythm and haunted melodies that build towards the theme at the end; and when the theme does happen, it is not an heroic march, at least not yet; but a surging intensity as the ingredients coalesce into some sort of whole.

I do believe that TDK is going to have a further evolved rendition of that theme. Take it a bit bolder, perhaps. Open it up some.

 

[Ender Durden]

the only time i ever really thought, while watching the movie, that it was a good/memorable score was of that shot above the city and the camera pans and focuses on the silhouette of bats sitting like a gargoyle.

and all it is is just an escalating chord! but damn thats a good shot...