The Dark Knight Batman's Theme Music in TDK

[Mr. Superhero]

Why are people discussing the Batman '89 theme? Sure, it's an awesome theme but it's never going to be brought back.

 

[CConn]

I guess you didn't see the blurb that the composers felt Batman hadn't "earned" his own theme, and that they are building and expanding on the hint of a theme that was present in BB. IMO, this is a pretty smart move, as it parallels how Batman evolved and will continue to evolve.

I saw the blurb. I was merely commenting on BB's theme.

That said, I actually believe the blurb to be bull****. An excuse for a poor bit of composing. 20 bucks says TDK's theme - while probably more pronounced - will be no more memorable than BB's.

 

[Anjow1060]

I don't see how this is actually news. Zimmer had said way back when in the Soundtrack.net interview how Bats hadn't earned his theme yet and that with TDK he would unveil the full Batman theme now that he'd earned it. He also mentioned that Howard would be working with him again.

I love zimmer's work on the film, as do I like howards. If not a bit more on the zimmer side.

And enough with the Elfman battle. Why can't people just like them both?

aye.

- Jow

 

[CConn]

And enough with the Elfman battle. Why can't people just like them both?

aye.

Because some people believe Elfman's theme is leagues better than Zimmer and Howard's?

The thing I don't get is how people think "It's a different franchise" is a legitimate argument for ditching the Elfman theme. I mean, if something's good, use it. Embrace it. Distance yourself from the BAD things about the previous franchise. Not the good. That's just a waste.

And then there's the whole argument that they associate the Elfman theme too much with the Burton movies. Well, duh. That's where you always hear them. If you started watching BB with the Elfman theme a few times, you'd start to associate it with BB too.

 

[peteagassi]

Can anyone tell me what track # the song is, where Ducard and Wayne are sword fighting on the ice. I thought that was an excellent song!

 

[Shoemeister]

The new theme is totally gonna be the rent-a-clown song, IMO.

 

[BatScot]

Excuses for what?

For not having a theme, obviously.

Batman Begins' score kicks ass! From the looks of things, TDK's will rock the house too! I'm sorry, but there is no need for "excuses."

Meh.

 

[CConn]

Excuses for what? Batman Begins' score kicks ass! From the looks of things, TDK's will rock the house too! I'm sorry, but there is no need for "excuses."

Just because something is good, doesn't mean it can't be better.

Just because something is great, doesn't mean it's perfect.

As good as the BB score was, it did have a failing. And that failing was a lack of a score. You must admit, this whole "Batman didn't earn it" story is a VERY convenient reason for basically skipping a very large portion of film scoring.

 

[Merkel]

Bernard Herrmann would've been such a perfect composer for Batman.

 

[Anjow1060]

I think ur argument is valid in terms of the schumacher movies. God I hated that score. Elfmans would have made the films so much stronger IMO.

But I've watched a re-cut of begins with the elfman music masterfully layed over the film.

Doesn't fit.

Sorry, just doesn't. The tone and style are all wrong.

- Jow

 

[sglass03]

Zimmer/Howard actually WROTE a "theme" for Batman in "Begins," but it was never used in the film. I have it on CD, and it came from a disc called the "Batman Begins Promo" or something, a free marketing tool that I suppose was going to promote the new score (or maybe just the film.) One of the songs is entitled "Batman Begins Main Titles," and is simply awesome. Never heard it once in the film, though.

If it's "legal," I can upload it so everyone can take a listen (can't imagine why it wouldn't be - it was a free promotion, of sorts.)

Anyway, I hope it's the same theme he uses in "TDK." If you heard it, you'd know why.

 

[peteagassi]

The whole Batman didnt earn his theme, in my mind is completely ethical. It makes sense, and gives us something to look forward to in 2008. And, if you can remember, The title 'Batman Begins' wasnt revealed til the end.

P.S. Can someone tell me if the Score to the sword fight is in the official soundtrack? I'd appreciate it, thanks.

 

[peteagassi]

Great can you post that up on youtube or something. I remember Jett, over at Bof, posted a link to it a while back. I wished i had saved it. If you could post it, it would be much appreciated!

 

[Merkel]

The whole Batman didnt earn his theme, in my mind is completely ethical. It makes sense, and gives us something to look forward to in 2008. And, if you can remember, The title 'Batman Begins' wasnt revealed til the end.

P.S. Can someone tell me if the Score to the sword fight is in the official soundtrack? I'd appreciate it, thanks.

Yes it is. Track 2, Eptesicus, roughly around the 2 minute mark.

 

[Juanigi]

unless it's a different track I'm thinking of, it was unused for a reason

 

[CConn]

I think ur argument is valid in terms of the schumacher movies. God I hated that score. Elfmans would have made the films so much stronger IMO.

But I've watched a re-cut of begins with the elfman music masterfully layed over the film.

Doesn't fit.

Sorry, just doesn't. The tone and style are all wrong.

- Jow

(If the Elfman theme is wrong in tone and style for BB, how could it possibly be right in tone and style for the Schumacher movies? They were as radically different from Burton's movies as BB was.)

Now that's an argument against the Elfman theme I could accept (but, remember, not everyone makes that argument).

Granted, it's still purely opinion rather than anything concrete - and I won't debate it cause I really don't care what you think - but it's certainly a stronger argument than "the franchises should be kept separate."

 

[peteagassi]

Absolutely, Anjow. The score was fit for Begins. Begins was a different film. You have to have a different score. B89 was more a dark fairy tale. Elfman's music blended with that style; it was fantastical, dark, and fairy tale like. Begins is grittier, hence the percussion, electrical, beats, and tabs in the score.

 

[CConn]

The whole Batman didnt earn his theme, in my mind is completely ethical. It makes sense, and gives us something to look forward to in 2008. And, if you can remember, The title 'Batman Begins' wasnt revealed til the end.

P.S. Can someone tell me if the Score to the sword fight is in the official soundtrack? I'd appreciate it, thanks.

You mean logical, not ethical.

That said, yeah, it's logical. But, at the same time, it's a rather entirely pointless thing to do that did nothing but deprive the audience of an actual quality theme in Batman Begins.

 

[Merkel]

In Elfman's theme, the theme itself, on the form on that musical phrase you can her around the 1.24 on the first track pretty much sums up what Batman is all about. I agree the march treatment would be all wrong, but there a lot of places you could go with that fantastic musical phrase.

 

[sasquatchs]

You mean logical, not ethical.

That said, yeah, it's logical. But, at the same time, it's a rather entirely pointless thing to do that did nothing but deprive the audience of an actual quality theme in Batman Begins.

That was just down to the music being unimaginative, having a theme wouldn't solve anything

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Just because something is good, doesn't mean it can't be better.

Just because something is great, doesn't mean it's perfect.

As good as the BB score was, it did have a failing. And that failing was a lack of a score. You must admit, this whole "Batman didn't earn it" story is a VERY convenient reason for basically skipping a very large portion of film scoring.

I really don't see how this is even an argument. This is Nolan's vision, and obviously (and correctly) he has no intentions of recycling a theme to a movie vastly different from his own.

BB has a very unique and different kind of score. It's more mood than thematic, more vague than definite. Just like BB was. B89 shows a Batman that is already operating, so his theme is in place. It would be very odd for them to have Elfman's heroic and epic theme to be blaring when Batman makes his first appearance at the docks. That scene is purely building, where it creates a tension and fills in with mood and atmosphere, just as the score underlines. Having a heroic score would rob the scene of that, and it would be a distraction in itself.

 

[sglass03]

OK, I'm uploading it to YouTube, though it says it's "processing" still. I'll give you the link when it's available.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

OK, I'm uploading it to YouTube, though it says it's "processing" still. I'll give you the link when it's available.

Can you send it via a file transer service? It would be quicker and much better quality.

 

[peteagassi]

No, i meant ethical. Morally, it's the right thing to do. Onnly a sleaze bag with no morals with keep the same theme for two, entirely different movies!

 

[sasquatchs]

On top of not really liking the Begins score, there was just too much of it, too overbearing. I prefer Nolan coupled with David Julyan where its little bits in the background, the cloying funeral stuff was just terrible, don't rely on music to make me feel sad.