Music
[This Day In Horror] Happy Birthday To Composer Danny Elfman!
Today in horror we celebrate the birthday of composer Danny Elfman and recognize the music and compositions that he has brought to our genre! Elfman’s work has been heard in all but two of Tim Burton’s films (Ed Wood and Sweeney Todd) as well as such films as Clive Barker’s Nightbreed, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and more. He also composed the main themes for The Simpsons as well as the “March Of The Dead” in Army Of Darkness.
Born May 29th in Los Angeles, California, Elfman became known to many people through the rock band Oingo Boingo, who were known for their heavy Halloween-themed concerts. His first film score was for 1980’s Forbidden Zone, which was directed by his brother, Richard Elfman. Since then, Elfman has gone on to score for some 90 films and shows, has been nominated four times for an Academy Award (he has never won), and won 33 various other awards, including the Richard Kirk award, which is given to composers who make significant contributions to film and television music.
Join me below in listening to some of my favorite cues from Danny Elfman as we wish him a very happy 59th birthday!
Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!
It’s a new day, and you’ve got new John Carpenter to listen to. John Carpenter, Daniel Davies and Cody Carpenter have released the new track He Walks By Night this morning, the second single off their upcoming album Lost Themes IV: Noir, out May 3 on Sacred Bones Records.
Lost Themes IV: Noir is the latest installment in a series that sees Carpenter releasing new music for John Carpenter movies that don’t actually exist. The first Lost Themes was released in 2015, followed by Lost Themes II in 2016 and Lost Themes III: Alive After Death in 2021.
Sacred Bones previews, “It’s been a decade since John Carpenter recorded the material that would become Lost Themes, his debut album of non-film music and the opening salvo in one of Hollywood’s great second acts. Those vibrant, synth-driven songs, made in collaboration with his son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies, kickstarted a musical renaissance for the pioneering composer and director. With Lost Themes IV: Noir, they’ve struck gold again, this time mining the rich history of the film noir genre for inspiration.
“Since the first Lost Themes, John has referred to these compositions as “soundtracks for the movies in your mind.” On the fourth installment in the series, those movies are noirs. Like the film genre they were influenced by, what makes these songs “noirish” is sometimes slippery and hard to define, and not merely reducible to a collection of tropes. The scores for the great American noir pictures were largely orchestral, while the Carpenters and Davies work off a sturdy synth-and-guitar backbone.
“The trio’s free-flowing chemistry means Lost Themes IV: Noir runs like a well-oiled machine—the 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster from Kiss Me Deadly, perhaps, or the 1958 Plymouth Fury from John’s own Christine. It’s a chemistry that’s helped power one of the most productive stretches of John’s creative life, and Noir proves that it’s nowhere near done yielding brilliant results.”
You can pre-save Lost Themes IV: Noir right now! And listen to the new track below…
Dev Patel’s ‘Monkey Man’ Is Now Available to Watch at Home!
Five Underseen Vampire Horror Movies to Stream This Week
Looking for New Episodes of “Chucky” on Peacock? Here’s What Changed
‘Stream’ – Horror Movie from the Team Behind ‘Terrifier’ Sets August Theatrical Release
‘The Blair Witch Project’ – Original Stars Release a Statement Asking Lionsgate for Residuals & Recognition
You must be logged in to post a comment.