Batman

Composed by Danny Elfman

Orchestrated by Steve Bartek, Shirley Walker, and

                             Steven Smalley

Conducted by Shirley Walker

Performed by The Sinfonia of London Orchestra

Produced by Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek

Released by Warner Bros. Records on August 2nd, 1989

Total Running Time: 54:55

     Together with John Williams’ Superman score from almost a decade earlier, Danny Elfman’s score to the first Batman film set the standard to which comic book scores were judged, with far too many falling short. Even Elfman himself, with his recent spat of Marvel Comic influenced films (Spider-Man, Hulk) has not been able to match the success he had with Batman and (to an only slightly lesser extent) Batman Returns. With a new Batman film on the way, and a new score by the seemingly unlikely duo of James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer, it remains to be seen if this new Batman for a new century will either set a new standard, or have fans yearning for the carefree days of 1989.

     Batman arrived for Elfman during his fledgling career, early into his composer/director relationship with Tim Burton. Hiring both Burton and Elfman to direct and score Batman might have seemed something of an odd choice, given the two’s work on such films as Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Beetlejuice (with Michael Keaton’s wacked-out performance in that film adding even more fuel to the critics fire with the fact that he was cast as The Batman himself). Of course, such critical musings are smile-inducing now that the finished product has proven itself well over the course of the last sixteen years.

     Danny Elfman’s early work is known for its subtle complexity amidst simple construction. Nothing that Elfman did during that period quite matched his often run amok experimentation that sometimes plagues his newer works (though as of late, he’s calmed down quite a bit). Still learning his own unique angle in the film composing world, Elfman’s score to Batman established the Dark Knight’s musical signature in a world filled with darkly operatic music. No one will be blown away by inventive and complex construction of this music, as it is quite simple in practice. Instead, Elfman took the opportunity in scoring this film to relay his ideas in simple enough ways that the essence of the character (and the film) would be relayed in music that anyone could immediately get. One could say that a lot of the success that this film enjoys comes from the Batman theme, a rousing portrayal of a figure that is at both at once dark and heroic.

     The Gothic feel of the music, especially in Elfman’s wonderful use of a choir in “Descent Into Mystery”, firmly establishes an epic feeling in a film that is actually quite claustrophobic in nature. Many of the set pieces take place indoors, and even out in the city the feeling of being on a stage as opposed to being out in the real world is ever present. Only at the end does it open up, and appropriately, so does Elfman’s score, presenting a crescendo of strings that matches well with the precarious situation on top of the Gotham Cathedral.

     Of course, the musical representations of the Joker take on a different form, with a catchy waltz serving both at the beginning with “Kitchen, Surgery, Face-Off” and then returning for the final “Waltz to the Death.” In this way, it serves as a theme of sorts, perfectly mimicking the Joker’s wild behavior with a percussive blast signaling a turn into darker territory that perfectly fits his homicidal tendencies. While it’s not particularly made clear if this is part of the Joker’s theme or not, it fits well, especially given how much it stands out from the rest of the score.

     Simple, yet possessing great depth, Elfman's score has thrilled many since its inception in the waning period of the 80s. Listening to it now, it's still as exciting, heroic, and epic as it was when I was first exposed to it. For those who love the latest batch of comic-book themed films, but have yet to experience the Elfman that left his indelible mark early in his career, be sure to add this score to your collection if you haven't already (hopefully, only a miniscule number of you...for shame!).

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