Spider-Man

Composed by Danny Elfman

Orchestrated by Steve Bartek, David Sloanaker,

                             Edgardo Simone, and Mark McKenzie

Conducted by Pete Anthony

Produced by Danny Elfman and Ellen Segal

Released by Columbia Records on July 4th, 2002

Total Running Time: 44:59

     Since the decade that followed the epic score to Tim Burton's first film in the Batman franchise, fans of Danny Elfman's score have anxiously awaited his return to that dark, gothic style. As Elfman's career progressed throughout the years, he should no signs of returning to his "roots", instead preferring to continually experiment and stretch the realm of musical possibility. With the news that he would be scoring the new Spider-Man film, I'm sure some fans felt that this might be the catalyst that would jump-start Elfman back into his old ways. Being separated by the huge gulf of time, directors, and key story elements, Spider-Man is a much different film than Batman and such a score would not have worked. As such, there was no incentive for Elfman to do anything but continue with his ever-evolving style. The result is a fun score that is definitely better than its detractors would make you think, while still not reaching the epic nature of the first Batman.

     The first noticeable approach to this score is the correlation with Elfman's Planet of the Apes. Stylistically, the two share a lot in common, especially with the percussion action going on in the opening credits. While openly familiar, it's not so close to be considered a simple remix. The use of a chorus and the main theme help keep it from going in that direction. The heavy percussion element returns with a vengeance in "Transformations" along with plenty of other cues that deal with the Green Goblin. "Costume Montage" is a fun little piece as it hits the Spider-Man theme with an electric guitar and harkens back to the bouncy pieces from Men In Black. The chorus also continues to make an appearance, usually in cases of Raimi's breathtaking imagery of Spider-Man swinging through the city.

     While the more action and suspense filled moments tend to take a walk close to the chaotic side from time to time, the quieter sections are put to good use in the score. There are plenty of subdued thematic movements and some good work coming from the string section. The closing refrains of "Farewell" work especially well in this regard, especially with building up the momentum for the "End Credits". Overall This is a score punctuated with such moments, though also offset by some of the more quirky and annoying cues (found more in the first half of the disc).

     While not the magnum opus that Batman was for Elfman, and also due to suffer for some because of the similarity to Planet of the Apes that pops up on more than one occasion, Spider-Man is an enjoyable score that showcases the continual evolution of Elfman's style. If you've continued to enjoy his modern scores, be sure to pick this one up.

See Also