Top Danny Elfman Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

Danny Elfman Biography

Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American composer, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Elfman first became known for being the lead singer and songwriter for the band Oingo Boingo from 1974 to 1995 . He is well known for scoring films and television shows, in particular his frequent collaborations with director Tim Burton.

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Danny Elfman Quotes

It sounds really stupid, I hate making cosmic comments like this but, I just let it do what it wants to do.

Cosmic, Hate, Like, Sound, Stupid

I would have to say I might do some stuff, but it's the film that's appealing. I was raised on film. My musical experience is all via film, it's not from classical music.

Appealing, Experience, Film, Might, Musical, Stuff

Most often the music does end up in the movie, and sometimes there's a point where I wish that it wasn't, just because I think the score would be more effective if there was less of it. But, again, that's not my call.

Doe, Movie, Music, Point, Thinking, Wish

You hear the beginning of a melody, you should kind of know it's going to lead down this path. It should start feeling like a friend, like familiar.

Beginning, Feelings, Kind, Path, Start

I think that there's a lot more freedom in the low budget, the independent films where, unfortunately, you don't have the money, necessarily, to get the orchestras in there to play a lot of stuff. But, you have a lot more freedom, very often.

Independent, Low, Money, Play, Thinking

In some types of music I'm working out all the chords one bar at a time - the whole structure, because it's about that. And there are other pieces which are really about - okay, the melody is going to start here and play through to here.

Bars, Play, Start, Time, Work Out, Working

I really look forward to revisiting this body of work which has been such a huge part of my life and bringing it to the concert stage. And the idea of performing some of Jack Skellington's songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas live for the very first time is immensely exciting.

Forward, Huge, Ideas, Looks, Part, Song

I took part of Alan Silvestri's theme on the original [movie], which I really liked, and I pulled it into it new theme, which became kind of a hybrid. I really enjoyed that.

Became, Enjoyed, Hybrid, Kind, Part, Theme

This is Halloween, everybody make a scene Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright It's our town, everybody scream In this town of Halloween.

Everybody, Gonna, Halloween, Our Town, Towns, Trick

Or certainly I would need time - which I would love to have but there almost never is on a film - to just spend a week with a roomful of guys laying down these patterns.

Guy, Needs, Patterns, Roomful, Time, Week

I don't see myself necessarily having a burning desire to write a symphony.

Desire, Symphony, Write, Writing

It all depends on the directors. Working closely with a director is the main job of a film composer. Interpreting what he perceives as a color, an emotion or mood is very abstract. A director tells you something he wants and then you have to run back.

Color, Film, Interpreting, Jobs, Running, Tells

If there's one thing I really love. . . it's sad music.

Ifs, Love, One Thing, Sad, Sad Music, Thing

I'm trying to interpret the film through the director's head, but it all comes out through me. So, a composer is kind of like a psychic medium.

Composer, Directors, Film, Head, Psychics, Trying

Oh see, first off you gotta realize - everything for me is a reconstruction or deconstruction. I would actually say deconstruction. Mission: Impossible would be the exception. That would be a reconstruction- deconstruction.

Everything, Firsts, Impossible, Mission, Reconstruction, Would Be

I had to do this very aggressive, big score in a very short time, and knowing that in the beginning, middle, and end would be this very, very famous theme, but I still had to weave a score around it and make it work as a score was really challenging.

Aggressive, Beginning, Challenges, Knowing, Work, Would Be

For me, writing something in the spirit of Halloween is like Mother Teresa writing on charity and sacrifice. It's just second nature to me.

Charity, Halloween, Mother, Nature, Writing

So, it becomes an exercise in futility if you write something that does not express the film as the director wishes. It's still their ball game. It's their show. I think any successful composer learns how to dance around the director's impulses.

Dance, Exercise, Impulses, Successful, Wishes, Writing

In Tim's films, more than most, if you miss the tone, you don't get the film.

Missing You, Tone, Film, Miss, Films

Doing Tim's film is always going to be the most pleasure. Let me just put it that way. So, without drawing favorites one way or the other, getting back with him and doing Mars Attacks! was certainly a special treat.

Attacks, Drawing, Mars, Pleasure, Special

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