Interview with Danny Elfman:

https://www.yahoo.com/ent...51834.html

[Edited 11/13/19 1:24am]

[Edited 11/13/19 1:25am]

Good for Danny, He was right. Even now as a massive Prince fan adult I still find Prince's original songs as ill-fitting to that film as I did as a child unfamilar with Prince sitting in the theater. Whereas Danny Elfman's score fit that version of Batman like a glove from the very first note.
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Unquestionably Danny's theme for Batman is the defining musical moment of that movie and is as iconic and timeless-sounding to this date. Elfman had just begun a creative zenith with his Batman while, let's face it, Prince's Batman uhhh... wasn't.

WhisperingDandelions said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

RODSERLING said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Good for Danny, He was right. Even now as a massive Prince fan adult I still find Prince's original songs as ill-fitting to that film as I did as a child unfamilar with Prince sitting in the theater. Whereas Danny Elfman's score fit that version of Batman like a glove from the very first note.
.
Unquestionably Danny's theme for Batman is the defining musical moment of that movie and is as iconic and timeless-sounding to this date. Elfman had just begun a creative zenith with his Batman while, let's face it, Prince's Batman uhhh... wasn't.

Nonsense. Batman is a great album in itself, and an excellent soundtrack to this movie. It adds more depth to the characters Both soundtracks cohabites very well in this movie. [Edited 11/13/19 3:12am]

Great album, you say? Where does it rank among Prince's other greats to you?

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And how did it add depth to the characters..? Repurposed Anna Fantastic songs "written from" the perspective of Vicki Vale? They were by-the-numbers Prince songs with zero alteration in tone or approach to fit or accomodate Tim Burton's vision on any level. "Joker" songs sound like Prince songs, "Bruce Wayne" songs sound like Prince songs... The only song that screamed "dark take on Batman/Joker" he cut from the record.... okay "The Future" was great but that hinders my argument.
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Otherwise you got Elfman on one hand, re-defining the superhero genre with his foreboding shadowy motifs, and Prince doing a techno-dance remix of the 1960s Adam West Batussi neon-Pow! sign Batman theme on the other. It's like those standardized tests where they give you four choices and you have to pick the one that doesn't fit with the others.... you may like all the choices, but c'mon... if it don't fit with the rest....

Didn't Scandalous incorporate some of Danny's score in the song? If not that is a perfect example how well that song fit the theme and mood of the film.

feeluupp said:

Didn't Scandalous incorporate some of Danny's score in the song? If not that is a perfect example how well that song fit the theme and mood of the film.

I thought it was the complete opposite. According to PrinceVault it was Danny who incorporated "Scandalous" in his compositions, not the other way around. Similar to how Burton made room for "The Future" lowly in the background. Reading Elfman's interview these were all probably studio edicts.

[Edited 11/13/19 4:20am]

I have no evidence to back it up but the impression I get is that Prince was trying to write himself into the film with the Gemini character and the videos, I kind of wish some kind of straight-to-video official offshoot had been made with him and the actors.

jaawwnn said:

I agree Danny made the right move here.

I think of that movie I think of his score, not the Prince songs.

However I still think Batdance is brilliant on its own and 200 Balloons would've been better during the parade scene.

Danny Elfman "borrowed" heavily from Gottfried Huppertz' soundtrack for "Die Nibelungen" for his Batman theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmG-ozPW6S4&t=597s

EmmaMcG said:

jdcxc said:

Elfman limiting Prince’s songwriting scope to “funky-feel stuff” is ridiculous and slightly racist. I recall hearing one Prince engineer state, there is nothing musically that Prince couldn’t do. Batman would’ve been different with P handling the score, but it could’ve also been interesting.

Agreed.

What gets left out of the story is this: Danny Elfman composed this music, but he was not the conductor. Shirley Walker (who later scored Batman: Animated Series) did some of the heavy lifting when it came to the score for Batman. Without a doubt, Prince had the musical chops to write a score and have some one else conduct the orchestra.

skywalker said:

jdcxc said:

Elfman limiting Prince’s songwriting scope to “funky-feel stuff” is ridiculous and slightly racist. I recall hearing one Prince engineer state, there is nothing musically that Prince couldn’t do. Batman would’ve been different with P handling the score, but it could’ve also been interesting.

I agree.

RODSERLING said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Good for Danny, He was right. Even now as a massive Prince fan adult I still find Prince's original songs as ill-fitting to that film as I did as a child unfamilar with Prince sitting in the theater. Whereas Danny Elfman's score fit that version of Batman like a glove from the very first note.
.
Unquestionably Danny's theme for Batman is the defining musical moment of that movie and is as iconic and timeless-sounding to this date. Elfman had just begun a creative zenith with his Batman while, let's face it, Prince's Batman uhhh... wasn't.

Nonsense. Batman is a great album in itself, and an excellent soundtrack to this movie. It adds more depth to the characters Both soundtracks cohabites very well in this movie.

honestly,I find Prince's "Batdance" (the song and the video) to be the best,most exciting thing about the whole Batman movie.

skywalker said:

Any time U can book Prince.......U book Prince.

Graycap23 said:

Any time U can book Prince.......U book Prince.

True dat.

WhisperingDandelions said:

Good for Danny, He was right. Even now as a massive Prince fan adult I still find Prince's original songs as ill-fitting to that film as I did as a child unfamilar with Prince sitting in the theater. Whereas Danny Elfman's score fit that version of Batman like a glove from the very first note.
.
Unquestionably Danny's theme for Batman is the defining musical moment of that movie and is as iconic and timeless-sounding to this date. Elfman had just begun a creative zenith with his Batman while, let's face it, Prince's Batman uhhh... wasn't.

Agree with this.

I love(d) Prince and Batman and was way hyped for the film but even back then I didn't think it really fit, either when it was announced or when they were released. The album is OK. THe movie is OK. But neither one really lent anything to the other that couldn't have been acheived without them. Assuming I worded that right.

Elfman's contribution was much more effective.

jaawwnn said:

I have no evidence to back it up but the impression I get is that Prince was trying to write himself into the film with the Gemini character and the videos, I kind of wish some kind of straight-to-video official offshoot had been made with him and the actors.

Prince was trying to cash an easy check. He needed the money after the Lovesexy tour and it was easy money. Not saying I blame him and I like several tracks on the record but it's not great. I don't even think "Partyman" sticks the landing in the movie and felt that it was kind of shoehorned.

WB and everyone else were making mad stacks in 1989 off this thing so there was no reason for Prince not to make a dime but, tbh, it was the first time I caught a whiff of him doing something just for the cash.

As far as his acting, I think he could pull it off in the right role. Always thought he'd have been much better than Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka for instance.

poppys said:

Graycap23 said:

Any time U can book Prince.......U book Prince.

True dat.

I'm a big fan of Danny's talent but if I'm having 2 choose between him or Prince there is no contest.

I'm rolling w Prince 10/10 times.

The movie sucks, Elfman's score is adequate, and Prince's album is brilliant. So are all of his related Batman remixes and non album tracks, especially the Scandalous Sex Suite guitar solo.

TheBoneRanger said:

feeluupp said:

SoulAlive said:

TheGloved1 said:

EmmaMcG said: