Justice League Danny Elfman Scoring Justice League - Part 2

[kguillou]

You hit the nail on the head McQueen. The score is just plain lazy and lacks any confidence. It feels like Elfman wasn't into it.

Look, at a certain point I accepted that Zimmer and Junkie were gone and was willing to embrace Elfman. The guy scored one of my favorite childhood movies (Batman 89) and I have a fond place in my heart for it. I was READY to hear that Batman theme return in all its epic glory and he couldnt even give me that. There were badass Batman moments in the film where Elfman should've went all in and given us the full '89 march and but instead it was a constant cocktease.

Even the Williams theme for Superman, if you're gonna use the theme then use the theme in all its glory so that people in the theater notice it and cheer! The score was boring, nothing stood out, the classic iconic themes were only hinted at and there were no recurring new themes or motifs (besides I guess Flash). Thats why we keep bringing up Zimmer and Junkie because despite what you think of their musical style, the score would've been noticeable.

 

[Patchwork Man]

Can't you guys get past the lack of Zimmer material and enjoy/criticize Elfman's score on its own merits?

No, I can't. It's not a good score. It's forgettable, bland, uninspired.

 

[Arachnerd]

Can't you guys get past the lack of Zimmer material and enjoy/criticize Elfman's score on its own merits?

I would, because I love Elfman and he's composed some of my favorite movie scores, but I can't force myself to like what he's done with Justice League. For me, it was mostly forgettable, bland, and left no impact whatsoever.

 

[Klidokrator]

I will be the positive guy in here. I love the score. I am happy that we did not get the typical Remote Control sound for once in a DC movie.

 

[Elevator Man]

Can't you guys get past the lack of Zimmer material and enjoy/criticize Elfman's score on its own merits?

It's a waste of time trying to reason with Zimmer sycophants.

Exactly. And why are you using the X-Men as an example of thematic continuity? They've used the same theme from the first X-Men in subsequent films. Even MCU movies throw in motifs from the earlier movies now and then.

No they didn't.
The X-Jet

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John Ottman - X2 Suite

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X-Men The Last Stand - Bathroom Titles

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First Class (X-Men: First Class - Soundtrack)

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John Ottman's main theme from X2 has been the only X-Men theme reused in the franchise (Days Of Future Past and Apocalypse). Obviously because he was the composer of the sequels that reused it.

I remember Elfman doing an interview about his Batman 89 score and he said he wasn't trying to make an iconic score - he was trying to make a score that fit the movie he was composing for, that matched the tone of the film he was working on.

That is the biggest reason Elfman's score on Justice League doesn't seem to work. He didn't create a score for the movie he was working on. He just put Williams Superman theme and his 89 Batman theme into a different movie and that just doesn't work. Even if he didn't want to reuse Zimmer's themes and wanted to do his own music, he still should've scored for the movie he was working on instead of reusing old themes from other movies.

You make it sound like Elfman relied too heavily on that his Batman and William's Superman theme for entire score. When he didn't.

You hit the nail on the head McQueen. The score is just plain lazy and lacks any confidence. It feels like Elfman wasn't into it.

Well for most of the picture Elfman had to score to storyboards b/c of that he felt like he was working on an animated movie more so than a live action movie. Plus the movie ended up being rubbish. So it's not like he had or was given much to work with.

 

[Arachnerd]

It's a waste of time trying to reason with Zimmer sycophants.

Any kind of validity in your opinion you could have had is lost when you seemingly start generalizing every single person who doesn't like Elfman's work with JL as Zimmer fanatics. Can't speak for everyone else on here, but I respect your opinion if you like it, so try to at least respect mine please.

 

[kguillou]

It's not about being a "syncophant." Some composers are just compatible with the material they're working with and some aren't. Elfman was not compatible with this film. If Tim Burton were to ever direct another Batman movie again, for example, I would not want anyone BUT Elfman to score it because Elfman is compatible with tim Burton and his sensibilities and how he makes films. The pair just work perfectly in sync together just like Zack Snyder and Zimmer (and Junkie XL) worked for the tone and vibe and style of their movies. Or Like Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer.

What they did with Elfman's sound of Justice League is literally the equivalent of replacing Zimmer's score on Man of Steel with John Williams music--it wouldn't match--at all.

 

[Black Narcissus]

 

[markjoedelonge]

 

[Elevator Man]

 

[_Superman_]

It's not about being a "syncophant." Some composers are just compatible with the material they're working with and some aren't. Elfman was not compatible with this film. If Tim Burton were to ever direct another Batman movie again, for example, I would not want anyone BUT Elfman to score it because Elfman is compatible with tim Burton and his sensibilities and how he makes films. The pair just work perfectly in sync together just like Zack Snyder and Zimmer (and Junkie XL) worked for the tone and vibe and style of their movies. Or Like Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer.

What they did with Elfman's sound of Justice League is literally the equivalent of replacing Zimmer's score on Man of Steel with John Williams music--it wouldn't match--at all.

Agreed

 

[Consona]

I will be the positive guy in here. I love the score. I am happy that we did not get the typical Remote Control sound for once in a DC movie.

This "typical Remote Control sound" is a product of Zimmer's imitators who cannot come up with anything new and make it all sound like a caricature of itself. Zimmer reinvents his sound basically with every movie unless it's a sequel to something. TDK trilogy sounds different to MoS/BvS whose sound different to his Spiderman stuff, etc.

 

[the last son]

So, much for Hans retiring from superhero films(which i never believed btw) he just thought after that garbage bvs movie he couldn't score another Snyder film.

 

[the last son]

This "typical Remote Control sound" is a product of Zimmer's imitators who cannot come up with anything new and make it all sound like a caricature of itself. Zimmer reinvents his sound basically with every movie unless it's a sequel to something. TDK trilogy sounds different to MoS/BvS whose sound different to his Spiderman stuff, etc.

Yeah interstellar sounds nothing like the dark knight trilogy.

 

[RomanticPenguin]

At least his theme got to be used in wonder woman

 

[markjoedelonge]

What's a "remote control sound"?

 

[Gu3ree]

I was all for Danny Elfman's score, or at least all-for bringing the original Bats and Supes themes back...just not his overall half-assed scoring for the entire movie.

Hans Zimmer said he'd retire from scoring superhero movies...then decides to score X-Men: Dark Phoenix...well. I genuinely like Hans Zimmer's work. He's no genius in my opinion, but his music this time around is way better than Danny Elfman.

I watched a few clips from the movie again, and my biggest complaint with the score overall is when you can't f**king hear the cue moment when the Batman theme starts as the Batmobile emerges out of the Flying Fox. It's just so frustrating. The majority of the audience couldn't even hear it or even noticed it.

I just wish WB would do right for once and listen...change it while you can, before you release it on digital and home video...and Superman's mouth. Well, I already know you're not fixing the mouth, but at least fix and edit the music so we can at least hear it...

It was even hard to hear the Superman theme in his cue entrance, "Big fan of justice" moment. The loudest you could hear the John Williams theme played at all was right before Superman threw a punch at Flash, yet still not clear.

Again though, in that "Big fan of Justice" scene, I rewatched the clip, and listened to the soundtrack version, and noticed a slight difference. You hear more of the Superman theme in the soundtrack than you do in the film version, also in the "Friends and Foe" track, you hear more of it than you do in the actual scene.

This bonus scene better restore my faith in this movie at least by a small percent. I'll be happy even if it's 3 minutes.

Speaking of Zimmer doing X-Men...it's funny and ironic how after Zimmer departed the DCEU, we wanted him just when he was leaving, and then he scores X-Men, just when we don't want John Ottman to leave. I will always love that iconic X-Men score. It's better than any of those other X-Men scores combined.

 

[Consona]

What's a "remote control sound"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Control_Productions

 

[markjoedelonge]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Control_Productions

Wow I never knew about this!

 

[Elevator Man]

Speaking of Zimmer doing X-Men...it's funny and ironic how after Zimmer departed the DCEU, we wanted him just when he was leaving, and then he scores X-Men, just when we don't want John Ottman to leave. I will always love that iconic X-Men score. It's better than any of those other X-Men scores combined.

I think John Powell's X3 score gives 'em (meaning Ottman's X-Men scores) a run for it's money, but to each their own.

And I never bought into Zimmer's "retirement" from the superhero genre since he announced it. I figured it would be a hiatus from the genre. Just surprised that an X-Men movie is what brings him back.

 

[Black Narcissus]

So, much for Hans retiring from superhero films(which i never believed btw) he just thought after that garbage bvs movie he couldn't score another Snyder film.

So what if Dark Phoenix ends us being bad? Zack Snyder did not hurt you in real life. Move on, man. Much more healthy that way.

The same Hans Zimmer who said he would never take on the task to do a new Superman theme? Yeah, never bought his cbm retirement seriously for one moment.

 

[Patchwork Man]

So what if Dark Phoenix ends us being bad? Zack Snyder did not hurt you in real life. Move on, man. Much more healthy that way.

Zack stole his fiancée and they got married in Sri Lanka. Because you can do it over there if you're legally married in the US.

 

[kguillou]

It's gonna be interesting hearing an X-Men film with the Zimmer sound. We'll finally have a Marvel movie with a good soundtrack.

 

[Elevator Man]

Nah! The X-Men franchise was doing fine without Zimmer.

 

[Arachnerd]

True, but it'll be interesting to see what Zimmer comes up with for that score.