Orchestrated by Steve Bartek

Conducted by Nick Ingman

Produced by Danny Elfman

Release Date: December 23rd, 2003

                Sony Classical

     Danny Elfman returns to score yet another Tim Burton film, though this time around, Elfman finds himself in quite different territory than his previous excursion on the Planet of the Apes. Because Danny Elfman is not an untalented hack, you might as well cast any ideas you have of any semblance between the scores for these two Burton films out the window. Big Fish sounds nothing like Planet of the Apes. In fact, this score is so far removed from typical Elfmanesque sounds that there are several times I thought I was listening to a Newman score (take your pick between Thomas or David). Perhaps it’s because I’m not familiar with the breaks that Elfman takes from his usual route (i.e. Black Beauty and The Family Man among others), but this is like nothing I’ve heard from him before. Primarily string driven, with lots of guitar and piano accompaniment, is it any wonder that I keep thinking of the Newmans when I hear this? At the same time, however, it doesn’t feel like Elfman is trying to emulate a Newman type score (and Tim Burton should be comfortable enough with Elfman by this time to allow him to do his own thing). Instead, for all intents and purposes, it seems like Elfman has taken himself in a new direction just to see what would happen. And plenty does happen for Big Fish.

     The album opens with a collection of seven songs, mostly oldies, and from a variety of such artists as Elvis Presley, Pearl Jam, and The Allman Brothers. Such a grouping is annoying, as it takes skipping to track eight to reach the first cue from Elfman’s score. From a strict soundtrack purist’s perspective, they would be better placed at the end of the album (or even in sequence with their appearance in the film). When one finally does reach Elfman’s score, the mixture of melodic strings, lightly thematic composition, and some fun moments with a guitar in full hoedown mode. The only time things really go Elfmanesque are in the Finale, which places that hoedown guitar moment alongside the brass sections that are reminiscent of those from Mission: Impossible. Quite a pairing to be sure, but it works well and makes for a fun (and very long!) cue.

     Ultimately, Big Fish is a departure for Elfman, but one that he manages to pull off quite well. If you’re looking for something more emotionally charged than the Marvel Comics series of scores that he has been churning out lately, definitely give this one a spin.

The Songs

1 - Man of the Hour (Pearl Jam) (3:45)
2 - Dinah (Bing Crosby) (2:17)
3 - Everyday (Buddy Holly) (2:09)
4 - All Shook Up (Elvis Presley) (1:58)
5 - Five O'Clock World (The Vogues) (2:10)
6 - Ramblin' Man (The Allman Brothers) (4:57)
7 - Let's Work Together (Canned Heat) (3:13)
 

The Score

8 - Pictures (0:45)
9 - Big Fish (Titles) (4:32)
10 - Shoe Stealing (0:54)
11 - Underwater (1:53)
12 - Sandra's Theme (2:22)
13 - The Growing Montage (2:40)
14 - Leaving Spectre (1:59)
15 - Return to Spectre (2:12)
16 - Rebuilding (1:18)
17 - The Journey Home (2:10)
18 - In the Tub (1:18)
19 - Sandra's Farewell (1:16)
20 - Finale (11:10)
21 - End Titles (2:41)
22 - Jenny's Theme (1:45)
23 - Twice the Love (Siamese Twins' Song) (Bobbi Page/Candice Rumph) (1:49)

Total Running Time: 61:24