Danny Elfman

Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman (born May 29, 1953, in Amarillo, Texas) is a Jewish-American pop musician, composer and writer of film soundtracks. His compositions are notable for their very offbeat and intense style, already distinct by the time of Forbidden Zone.

Related Topics:
May 29 - 1953 - Amarillo - Texas - Jewish - American - Musician - Composer - Writer - Soundtracks - Forbidden Zone

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Elfman's most recognizable composition is probably the theme music to the animated television series The Simpsons.

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The fiercely creative Elfman got his start in the 1970's playing in two theater troupes started by his older brother Richard - Le Grande Magic Circus, and then The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. After eight years in the Mystic Knights as a singer, composer, guitarist, and trombonist, Danny Elfman pared the troupe down to a rock band, just as Richard Elfman was making Forbidden Zone, which captured the group in the middle of its tranformation to Oingo Boingo. Elfman's vocal range and manic stage presence led Oingo Boingo to a long series of recordings and a strong cult following.

Related Topics:
The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo - Rock band - Richard Elfman - Forbidden Zone - Oingo Boingo

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Building on his experience scoring music for theater and independent film, Elfman's career took another big step when he composed the soundtrack for Pee-wee's Big Adventure, his first big budget project. This also began his long association with the film director Tim Burton, as Danny Elfman has scored many of his films, including Beetlejuice, Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Mars Attacks!, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride. As a film composer, Elfman is recognizably influenced by Nino Rota, Bernard Herrmann, and Carl Stalling.

Related Topics:
Pee-wee's Big Adventure - Tim Burton - Scored - Beetlejuice - Batman - Batman Returns - Edward Scissorhands - Sleepy Hollow - Mars Attacks! - Big Fish - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Corpse Bride - Nino Rota - Bernard Herrmann - Carl Stalling

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Burton and Elfman also collaborated intensively on the modern film musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, for which Elfman contributed the singing voice of the main character, as well as writing the lyrics and composing the songs and score. Elfman's music for Burton films contains themes and elements such as a pipe organ and choirs, thus helping to create a fantasy-like gothic atmosphere in the films.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas - Pipe organ - Choir - Gothic

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He has also scored many other films including Back to School, Chicago, Dick Tracy, Freeway, Good Will Hunting, Hulk, Midnight Run, both movies in the Men in Black series, ', The Family Man, and Sam Raimi's Darkman, Army of Darkness, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2.

Related Topics:
Back to School - Chicago - Dick Tracy - Freeway - Good Will Hunting - Hulk - Midnight Run - Men in Black - The Family Man - Sam Raimi - Darkman - Army of Darkness - A Simple Plan - Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2

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In addition to The Simpsons, Elfman has composed theme music for several other television series, including Sledge Hammer!, Tales from the Crypt, Dilbert, and the opening theme for Desperate Housewives, as well as the Xbox console game Fable. The song "This is Halloween" from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas also appeared in Kingdom Hearts.

Related Topics:
Television - Sledge Hammer! - Tales from the Crypt - Dilbert - Desperate Housewives - Xbox - Console game - Fable - Kingdom Hearts

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On November 29, 2003, Elfman married Bridget Fonda.

Related Topics:
November 29 - 2003 - Bridget Fonda

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