Batman Begins Elfman vs. Zimmer/Howard

[Catman]

I liked the music in this film, but I still think Elfman has this beat. What do you guys think?

 

[Batman15]

nothing beats Elfman. But this came close.

 

[Spider-Steve]

Like the music from Elfman a lot, but other people can also do a great job.

Steve

 

[Catman]

Yeah, this was much more epic, but Elfman's score really represented the Batman character.

 

[P. Cushing]

Elfman! Not to say the BB Score was bad, but it was nowhere near as good as ELFMAN. The Elf is supreme!

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Elfman can't be beat, but the new score was no chop liver!

 

[TheBat812]

i loved this score. Only thing about Elfman's that i did liek was the theme, and pretty much only because it became engraved in my head from watching the movies (and BTAS, which has the same theme) so much when i was little.

 

[buggs0268]

The only thing I missed. The music was good, but like Williams score for Superman, it didn't have a defined theme for Batman like Elfman's did.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard bb music was fantastic, but Elfman theme is still Bats.

 

[DarkKnightYone]

I can't see Elfman's music in this film. I like the new soundtrack a lot better than the "fantasy" style score Elfman wrote.

 

[antmanx68]

The only thing I missed. The music was good, but like Williams score for Superman, it didn't have a defined theme for Batman like Elfman's did.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The entire Superman THEME is Superman's theme. Hell, you can even sing along with it if you'd like... "Duuh duh duh duh duh, SU-PER-MAN.... Duuh duh duh duh duh... SUPERMAN!"

 

[greenlantern530]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The entire Superman THEME is Superman's theme. Hell, you can even sing along with it if you'd like... "Duuh duh duh duh duh, SU-PER-MAN.... Duuh duh duh duh duh... SUPERMAN!"

Seriously. Best.Theme.Ever

I like the BB theme better, Elfman's is great but the BB one is so epic.

 

[buggs0268]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The entire Superman THEME is Superman's theme. Hell, you can even sing along with it if you'd like... "Duuh duh duh duh duh, SU-PER-MAN.... Duuh duh duh duh duh... SUPERMAN!"

No I meant that Batman Begins didnt have a theme, unlike the William's Superman or the Elfman Batman score. Sorry. I guess I typed it wrong. The begins score didn't have a heroic march type of theme for Batman, and that was my only complaint.

 

[Captain_Obvious]

I can't pick...they are both too different for me to even choose.

I love them both in their own way.

 

[mopho]

cmon i thought it would be imposible, but BB is as good as burton's film, but face it elfman is elfman

 

[Payle Gray]

In the car ride home while thinking about the movie, Elfman's score kept popping in my head. It'll take me a couple of more trips to the theatre to even attempt to associate Zimmer's score with Batman. I did like the new theme though. Another reason why Elfman's score IS Batman, to me, is because of Batman: The Animated Series.

 

[MatchesMalone]

Shirley Walker's score from Mask of the Phantasm beats both Zimmer and Elfman, to me. Zimmer/Howard is second, with Elfman closely following. Elfman's theme just wouldn't work with this film.

 

[theJust]

nothing memorable about this score. elfman you hum in the car on the way to work

 

[Stupidnewb]

I'd rather hum Shirley Walker's theme than Danny Elfman's. I really like Zimmer and Howard's work and it is very appropriate for Begins but if I want a really catchy superhero theme then I'd go with Walker's over Elfman's.

 

[Stupidnewb]

Pale Gray, are you talking about the opening to every episode of the animated series? If so, then that's Elfman's, but the Batman theme and other pieces of music actually used during the show are Walker's and are completely different.

 

[_achilles_]

i like the music from begins very much i'ts better then elfman because you hear : Fear , Anger , revenge , Epic and Emotion i like that very much

 

[Stupidnewb]

Here's a wav of Shirley Walker's Batman theme. This one is taken from the episode Perchance to Dream. They play a lot of variations of it during the episodes.

http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=05VDAXKM39T1935HCV90C1L1NP

 

[Payle Gray]

Pale Gray, are you talking about the opening to every episode of the animated series? If so, then that's Elfman's, but the Batman theme and other pieces of music actually used during the show are Walker's and are completely different.

The opening sequence of course. Walker uses pieces of the Elfman score throughout the episodes as well as original compositions.

 

[Stupidnewb]

Walker only used parts of Elfman's scores in the early episodes which were mostly forgotten. Her Batman and villain themes sound nothing like Elfman's work.

 

[Catman]

Bottom line is that Shirley Walker was Danny Elfman's conductor during the late `80s and early `90s. That is perhaps the reason why she was hired. She knows Elfman's style and used it during the animated series. Zimmer/Howard made a more epic score. Elliot Goldenthal went for a more light-hearted, action theme score. Elfman and Walker both approached Batman with the same style and same idea. It is kind of pointless to debate this.


Back to the topic: The problem I had with Zimmer/Howard is that the character's didn't really have a musical voice. They did a great job creating the mood with the music, but Elfman also did this and gave each character a theme. Batman had a theme, Joker had a theme, Pengin, Catwoman, etc. In BB none of the characters really had a theme. The music was done to serve the film alone. At least Elfman gave each character their own musical voice aside from serving the film itself with scores like "Descent Into Mystery."