Danny Elfman

Daniel Elfman is a composer. Elfman is famous for creating The Simpsons main title theme as well as the Batman theme, and his role as Jack Skellington's singing voice in The Nightmare Before Christmas. He is a frequent collaborator with long-time friend Tim Burton and has scored most of his films. He also sang for the character Bonejangles in the movie Corpse Bride. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Award for Tim Burton's Batman and an Emmy Award for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2002 BMI Film and TV Awards. Earlier in his career, Elfman lead the rock band Oingo Boingo as singer/songwriter from 1976 until its breakup in 1995.

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

ClassicMusicalLightheartedSmart

A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Freddie Highmore  •  AnnaSophia Robb  •  Julia Winter

A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Freddie Highmore  •  AnnaSophia Robb  •  Julia Winter

Corpse Bride (2005)

RomanticBeautifulOriginalInspiring

Set in a 19th-century European village, this stop-motion animation feature follows the story of Victor, a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious corpse bride, while his real bride Victoria waits bereft in the land of the living.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton  •  Mike Johnson
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Helena Bonham Carter  •  Emily Watson  •  Tracey Ullman

Set in a 19th-century European village, this stop-motion animation feature follows the story of Victor, a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious corpse bride, while his real bride Victoria waits bereft in the land of the living.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton  •  Mike Johnson
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Helena Bonham Carter  •  Emily Watson  •  Tracey Ullman

Forbidden Zone (1980)

A mysterious door in the basement of the Hercules house leads to the Sixth Dimension by way of a gigantic set of intestine. When Frenchy slips through the door, King Fausto falls in love with her. The jealous Queen Doris takes Frenchy prisoner, and it is up to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Elfman
CAST:  Hervé Villechaize  •  Susan Tyrrell  •  Gisele Lindley  •  Jan Stuart Schwartz

A mysterious door in the basement of the Hercules house leads to the Sixth Dimension by way of a gigantic set of intestine. When Frenchy slips through the door, King Fausto falls in love with her. The jealous Queen Doris takes Frenchy prisoner, and it is up to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Elfman
CAST:  Hervé Villechaize  •  Susan Tyrrell  •  Gisele Lindley  •  Jan Stuart Schwartz

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

OriginalInspiringBeautifulClassic

Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Selick
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Chris Sarandon  •  Catherine O'Hara  •  William Hickey

Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Selick
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Chris Sarandon  •  Catherine O'Hara  •  William Hickey

The Gift (2000)

Annie Wilson, young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others' futures⁠—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client's violent husband and plagued by visions of a missing local woman, Annie finds herself ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Raimi
CAST:  Cate Blanchett  •  Giovanni Ribisi  •  Keanu Reeves  •  Katie Holmes

Annie Wilson, young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others' futures⁠—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client's violent husband and plagued by visions of a missing local woman, Annie finds herself ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Raimi
CAST:  Cate Blanchett  •  Giovanni Ribisi  •  Keanu Reeves  •  Katie Holmes

Urgh! A Music War (1981)

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Derek Burbidge
CAST:  Sting  •  Devo  •  Stewart Copeland  •  Andy Summers

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Derek Burbidge
CAST:  Sting  •  Devo  •  Stewart Copeland  •  Andy Summers

Hot Tomorrows (1977)

A portrait of a young man, Michael, so obsessed with death that he decorates his room with a life-size Grim Reaper. One night Michael's closest buddy, Louis, joins him for an adventure in Hollywood on Christmas Eve.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Brest
CAST:  Ken Lerner  •  Ray Sharkey  •  Hervé Villechaize  •  Victor Argo

A portrait of a young man, Michael, so obsessed with death that he decorates his room with a life-size Grim Reaper. One night Michael's closest buddy, Louis, joins him for an adventure in Hollywood on Christmas Eve.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Brest
CAST:  Ken Lerner  •  Ray Sharkey  •  Hervé Villechaize  •  Victor Argo

DemiUrge Emesis (2010)

A mummified cat is tormented by the skeletons of past meals in this stop-motion short by MTV and Sci Fi Channel station ID veteran, Aurelio Voltaire. The 4th in his "Chimerascope" series of animated shorts narrated by singers, DemiUrge Emesis is narrated by ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aurelio Voltaire
CAST:  Danny Elfman

A mummified cat is tormented by the skeletons of past meals in this stop-motion short by MTV and Sci Fi Channel station ID veteran, Aurelio Voltaire. The 4th in his "Chimerascope" series of animated shorts narrated by singers, DemiUrge Emesis is narrated by ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aurelio Voltaire
CAST:  Danny Elfman

Oingo Boingo: Farewell (Live from the Universal Amphitheatre) (1996)

Oingo Boingo's Farewell Concert at the Universal Amphitheatre  (more)

DIRECTION:  Scott Palazzo
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Sam 'Sluggo' Phipps  •  Warren Fitzgerald  •  Johnny Vatos Hernandez

Oingo Boingo's Farewell Concert at the Universal Amphitheatre  (more)

DIRECTION:  Scott Palazzo
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Sam 'Sluggo' Phipps  •  Warren Fitzgerald  •  Johnny Vatos Hernandez

Live From Lincoln Center: Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton (2015)

Funny

Composer and performer Danny Elfman, Tim Burton’s prolific musical collaborator, descends on Lincoln Center with an 88-piece orchestra, 44-voice choir and a colorful assortment of fans and fanatics. Live from Lincoln Center will capture all the excitement of this ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  John Mauceri  •  Danny Elfman  •  Tim Burton  •  Ingrid Michaelson

Composer and performer Danny Elfman, Tim Burton’s prolific musical collaborator, descends on Lincoln Center with an 88-piece orchestra, 44-voice choir and a colorful assortment of fans and fanatics. Live from Lincoln Center will capture all the excitement of this ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  John Mauceri  •  Danny Elfman  •  Tim Burton  •  Ingrid Michaelson

78/52 (2017)

The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. 78/52 tells the story of the man behind the curtain and his greatest obsession.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alexandre O. Philippe
CAST:  Emilie Germain  •  Oz Perkins  •  Peter Bogdanovich  •  Guillermo del Toro

The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. 78/52 tells the story of the man behind the curtain and his greatest obsession.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alexandre O. Philippe
CAST:  Emilie Germain  •  Oz Perkins  •  Peter Bogdanovich  •  Guillermo del Toro

Score: A Film Music Documentary (2017)

Music is an integral part of most films, adding emotion and nuance while often remaining invisible to audiences. Matt Schrader shines a spotlight on the overlooked craft of film composing, gathering many of the art form’s most influential practitioners, from Hans ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Matt Schrader
CAST:  Hans Zimmer  •  Danny Elfman  •  Quincy Jones  •  Randy Newman

Music is an integral part of most films, adding emotion and nuance while often remaining invisible to audiences. Matt Schrader shines a spotlight on the overlooked craft of film composing, gathering many of the art form’s most influential practitioners, from Hans ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Matt Schrader
CAST:  Hans Zimmer  •  Danny Elfman  •  Quincy Jones  •  Randy Newman

Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1984)

In his book "1984", George Orwell saw the television of the future as a control instrument in the hands of Big Brother. Right at the start of the much-anticipated Orwellian year, Paik and Co. were keen to demonstrate satellite TV's ability to serve positive ends-- ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Emile Ardolino  •  Nam June Paik
CAST:  Peter Gabriel  •  Laurie Anderson  •  George Plimpton  •  Joseph Beuys

In his book "1984", George Orwell saw the television of the future as a control instrument in the hands of Big Brother. Right at the start of the much-anticipated Orwellian year, Paik and Co. were keen to demonstrate satellite TV's ability to serve positive ends-- ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Emile Ardolino  •  Nam June Paik
CAST:  Peter Gabriel  •  Laurie Anderson  •  George Plimpton  •  Joseph Beuys

Oingo Boingo: Halloween '87 (1987)

Danny Elfman and Co.’s run of multi-night Halloween stands at Irivne Meadows from 1986 to 1991 were the stuff of legend. This film contains two full sets from October 30th and 31st, 1987.  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Johnny Vatos Hernandez  •  Steve Bartek  •  Carl Graves

Danny Elfman and Co.’s run of multi-night Halloween stands at Irivne Meadows from 1986 to 1991 were the stuff of legend. This film contains two full sets from October 30th and 31st, 1987.  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Danny Elfman  •  Johnny Vatos Hernandez  •  Steve Bartek  •  Carl Graves

The Making of Dr. Seuss' 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' (1994)

Phil Hartman hosts this retrospective look back at the legacy and making of the classic 1966 holiday special 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Phil Hartman  •  Tim Burton  •  Danny Elfman  •  Audrey Geisel

Phil Hartman hosts this retrospective look back at the legacy and making of the classic 1966 holiday special 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Phil Hartman  •  Tim Burton  •  Danny Elfman  •  Audrey Geisel

The Making of 'The Frighteners' (1998)

Documentary about the making of the 1996 horror-comedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Jackson
CAST:  Robert Zemeckis  •  Jim Fyfe  •  Trini Alvarado  •  Peter Jackson

Documentary about the making of the 1996 horror-comedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Jackson
CAST:  Robert Zemeckis  •  Jim Fyfe  •  Trini Alvarado  •  Peter Jackson

Psycho Path (2000)

Documentary on the making of Gus Van Sant's "Psycho."  (more)

DIRECTION:  D-J
CAST:  Christopher Doyle  •  Danny Elfman  •  Philip Baker Hall  •  Anne Heche

Documentary on the making of Gus Van Sant's "Psycho."  (more)

DIRECTION:  D-J
CAST:  Christopher Doyle  •  Danny Elfman  •  Philip Baker Hall  •  Anne Heche

Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend (2000)

A behind the scenes look at the making of Sleepy Hollow.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toby Reisz
CAST:  Tim Burton  •  Peter Cullen  •  Johnny Depp  •  Danny Elfman

A behind the scenes look at the making of Sleepy Hollow.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toby Reisz
CAST:  Tim Burton  •  Peter Cullen  •  Johnny Depp  •  Danny Elfman

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DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Tim Burton  •  Nelson Lowry  •  Emily Watson  •  Allison Abbate

Proud Iza (2008)

Fresh look at a classic… Great writers have left us with characters that still exist today, it is simply their backdrop that has changed. PROUD IZA is a contemporary retelling set in New York City of "The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. First published in 1884, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anna Condo
CAST:  Anna Condo  •  Federico Castelluccio  •  Carolyn McCormick  •  Danny Elfman

Fresh look at a classic… Great writers have left us with characters that still exist today, it is simply their backdrop that has changed. PROUD IZA is a contemporary retelling set in New York City of "The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. First published in 1884, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anna Condo
CAST:  Anna Condo  •  Federico Castelluccio  •  Carolyn McCormick  •  Danny Elfman
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