When I mention Elfman to others, they will respond 'Who?' Then, I will proceed to name the movies he worked in; Batman and Batman Returns, Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes, Mars Attack, etc, etc. Mention Batman, everyone remembers.

Elfman is often referred to as an outsider in Hollywood. His music certainly sounds like it. While John Williams scores are usually rousing and encourages us to stand up and hold our breath, Elfmans sound is deep to the heart and provokes our mind. They are especially useful in the films of Tim Burton (constant collaborator), which are dark, funny and very stunning visually. Burton is poor in story telling and plot building but brilliant in strong gothic visualisations. And boy, does Elfman help. Think of the two Batman movies, Sleepy Hollow, Beetlejuice, Planet of the Apes, Edward Scissorhand, Men in Black and Mars Attack (am I repeating myself?) and think of their visual beauty and the accompanying music which acts also as a storyteller.

"There was a joke going around: Even if they created a category for best Danny Elfman score, they'd still find a reason not to nominate me. There are a lot of people in the Academy who really hated my guts." - Elfman

Funny quote, but it is true that there had been some form of resentment towards him. It seems the old guards were very suspicious of this ex-rocker, whom they thought could never do orchestra pieces. When Elfman does, they think someone else had done it. It hurt Elfman so much that he just kept out of that circle. An outsider after all.

When he started out scoring for Pee-Wees Big Adventure (Burtons first feature), his music was slightly cartoonish and very circus-like. It continued in Beetlejuice and almost became a stereotype, untill Batman came along. Batman was big, loud and marchy the way superhero film should sound. like John Williams in Superman, created a friend among us. Elfman's music, in Batman, created a loner, and a distant world, the way it was designed in the film. Personally I feel that this gothic, surreal element has always been there in Burton's films. But Elfman was not working with Tim Burton all the time. His music varied from the moving and tear-jerking Black Beauty, and Sommersby to exciting, heart-pounding Mission Impossible.

I have not got his soundtrack Albums, only the compilation called Music For The Darkened Theatre. I will soon, when I am seriously into soundtrack collection. When I do, Elfman will be on top of my list.