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Personally, I think Danny Elfman has been one of the biggest detriments to film scoring that has ever come down the pike. This is not to say that I hate everything he has done. As stupid as it sounds, I actually really like his music for Pee Wee's Big Adventure. I've heard people say that they love the music for The Nightmare Before Christmas, but honestly, I don't get what's so great about it. This Is Halloween is somewhat memorable, but the What's This? song makes me want to put a .45 to my head: "What this? What's this? This music is inane. What's this? What's this? It's driving me insane."

But don't let my commentary shade you vote.  :lookingup:

He did the score for the TV series "Tales From The Crypt" which I think is perfect for it.  I like a couple songs from NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, but not a favorite film of mine.  I like an OINGO BOINGO song...
I'm not a fan of ELFMAN. 

I do like the Simpson's theme song that he composed, and Nightmare Before Christmas was pretty good.  But other than that, I'm not really a big fan of his work.

Plus, he dresses like a hipster and he's as old as my parents!  How messed up is that??!?! :buggedout:

I quite like Elfman's music, and his movie scores almost always help me favor a movie. Put Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Danny Elfman together on a film project, and it's almost a guaranteed good time for me (Willie Wonka was interesting, but not up to par with their other projects). I can fully understand why some people don't like him; I didn't care for Oingo Boingo in the 80s (I like them more now). I think Forbidden Zone made me a permanent Elfman fan, though I had already enjoyed many of his movie scores before I had really put it together who he was. His music is odd, but then, so am I.  :twirl:

Well, look at it this way, Flick James. For better or worse, Danny Elfman has interjected a musical type that has become a genuine trend in movie scoring. The fact that we can talk about it, and all know what we're talking about, cements Elfman's importance in soundtracks. At the very least, he introduced a certain style.

I quite like Danny Elfman. That there's a Danny Elfman style is kind of proof that the man does not have a great range. He's kind of like Tim Burton, with who he works quite a lot. I don't find Tim Burton particularly impressive, but he had something going for him in his younger days.

There's a little talked about movie called "Freeway." I find Elfman's scoring of that film one of my favorite music pieces. I really think it's good on its own right. But it sounds like everything else Elfman's done. I still enjoy it quite a lot.

Hey, you're not going to see me fault anybody over movie or music preferences. I don't worry about those things. It's all about sharing opinions and over this kind of thing it's highly subjective.

Actually, I'm mixed on Tim Burton as well. I do respect him and like him, but his projects are hit or miss for me. I loved Ed Wood and Big Fish, had mixed feelings on a number of others, but absoultely detested Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Nightmare Before Christmas, two projects where Danny Elfman is on prominent display. I think I appreciate Tim Burton's stylistic approach, but the results for me are, like I said, very hit or miss. I think where he loses me is when he is his stylistic approach is the focus of the film. When he is telling a story and just using his stylistic approach to support it I think he works much better for me. The two examples I gave that I hate are more of the former, I think.

I don't watch a lot of movies where he did the soundtrack so I can't say much on him.  However, I believe he did the opening theme for Batman: The Animated Series so he's cool with me.   :teddyr:

I like Oingo Boingo.

Elfman's score for the 1989 Batman was outstanding.  I can't imagine the movie working as well as it did with different music.  Most of his other music for movies hasn't been so great, though.

No argument from me here, Flick James. Just sharing my opinions with your own.

On the subject of Tim Burton, I think he would be a much better director if he didn't feel the need to make every movie a "Tim Burton" production. Big Fish was a fantastic film, one of the few where Burton side-stepped the "Burton" look and just let the movie speak for itself.

I've never seen the entirety of Nightmare Before Christmas, because it doesn't seem very good, but I'm glad it jump-started the career of Henry Selick. That guy's got an obsessive's eye for detail.

Back on the subject of Danny Elfman, I enjoy his type of music. I get a kick out of that "la la la la la" circus music style. I also like Oingo Boingo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJZUAnCuQuY

Then again, watching that video, I can see how others might find it very annoying.

Actually, I enjoy Oingo Boingo too, and I like the circus-y goofy music, I just don't like it as a film score unless it's fitting, like Pee Wee's Big Adventure. I actually went into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory thinking maybe this would be fitting for Elfman because of that aspect, but the music was absolutely and without a doubt the worst thing about that movie. I can't recall a single melody or hook from any song except for the Willy Wonka song when they were announcing him at the beginning of the tour. All I can remember of the music are these insanely annoying refrains like "Augusus Gloop, Augustus Gloop" or "Chewing, chewing all day long. Chewing, chewing all day long." AHHHHHH! Somebody shoot me.

I made it through about 20 minutes of that movie. I normally never stop watching a movie, but I was sort of several beers in when I started it.

Then again, you can't top the Oompa-Loompas in the original.

Or the bizarrely scarring original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zail7Gdqro

Nightmare Before Christmas is iconic, but Hellboy II is the opposite of that. Elfman may not be responsible for much of the latter's weakness, but his score was sure indicative of it if you ask me. That's basically how I feel about Elfman; his kind of music is either perfect for the film or face-palmingly bad for it. Overall, I go with the third option.