Soundtrack Picks: “Conan The Barbarian” is one of the top soundtracks to own for December, 2012

Film Music Magazine memberi rekomendasi untuk bulan Desember 2012 dan Hitchcock termasuk salah satu dari lima yang direkomendasikan. Silver Linings Book juga disinggung. Berikut ini kutipannya:

Extra Special: If the slashing strings of “Psycho” didn’t immediately identify Herrmann (with the shower scene music thankfully not repeated here), then the orchestral version of pianist’s Charles Gounod’s “Funeral March For A Marionette” comes in second as the signature theme for “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” a darkly droll piece that’s wittily used to wrap the album up with.

If this golden “Playbook” had a dangerous sense of unpredictability that gave its lunatic love story a real edge, then part of that credit goes to filmmaker David O. Russell’s surprisingly whimsical choice in music. And one particularly inspired choice was giving Danny Elfman, a composer best known for ghoulish black comedy, the chance to go for positively sunny quirk. Think John Lennon in Elfman’s peace and love guitar stylings, beatific chorus and quirky percussion

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Soundtrack Review: HITCHCOCK (Danny Elfman)

Situs Scoretrack me-review Hitchcock, berikut kutipannya:

It is also possible to find some sort of humour/sarcasm to this dead-serious atmosphere with “Funeral March For a Marionette” and the jazzy/sexy “Selling Psycho”. The overall lesson for Elfman is that grey, black and beige are also nice and they match with everything else. So let’s try them!

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Danny Elfman's full deck

Variety mem-publish tulisan Jon Burlingame mengenai Danny Elfman, berikut ini kutipannya:

Danny Elfman is finishing his busiest year ever, with no fewer than six films in the marketplace, including two for longtime collaborator Tim Burton ("Dark Shadows," "Frankenweenie") and "Men in Black 3" for Barry Sonnenfeld.

Three more have arrived in time for awards season: "Hitchcock," Sacha Gervasi's offbeat making-of "Psycho" drama; "Silver Linings Playbook" for director David O. Russell; and "Promised Land" for another regular collaborator, Gus Van Sant (whose "Milk" and "Good Will Hunting" earned Elfman score Oscar noms).

As for "Promised Land," Elfman's initial thought was "Midwest, a simple story, country folks, I'll use fiddles and guitars." But Van Sant's attitude about music, Elfman says, is always, "let's try something completely different." He saw all the marimbas in Elfman's studio and so marimba wound up as a key musical component.

As it turns out, strings, marimba, guitar (and sometimes human voice) predominate.

"Gus is fearless," Elfman says. "He just likes to try things, and that makes it fun for me. What is or isn't right can be a subjective thing. With 'Promised Land,' it was intimate and small -- a chamber orchestra."

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Hitchcock

Situs Filmtracks me-review Hitchcock, berikut kutipannya:

Buy it... if you seek a throwback to Danny Elfman's early orchestral works of fiendish humor, his personality implanted well upon the topic despite limited opportunities to develop his effective themes for the famed director and his wife.

Avoid it... if you wish to hear Elfman channel Bernard Herrmann for the entirety of Hitchcock, for while he certainly rolls out such nods several times, this remains a score saturated with Elfman's own style.

Overall, Hitchcock is a fun score for the Elfman enthusiast and contains enough substance to justify its rather short album presentation. The themes do seem slightly underutilized, especially in how Elfman alternates between the darker and upbeat variations on the identity for the titular character. Then again, many of the film's best conversational moments exist without any music spotted in them, so the composer may have been restricted a bit in his opportunities for deeper development. Elfman collectors will be especially thrilled by how much of the composer's own musical personality thrives in this context, further connecting him with the Hitchcock and Herrmann legacy.

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Composer Danny Elfman's year: 6 film scores, 6 different styles

Dari L.A. Times, berikut kutipannya:

"With another director," Elfman said, "I may have tossed up my hands and just said, 'I can't handle this.' I like him personally, though, so I was able to kick back and relax and just let him go where he goes. If there ends up being music, there's music, if there ends up being no music, then that was my job. My job was to show him that he doesn't want any music."

In the end, there was music. "Silver Linings Playbook" was an anomaly among Elfman's scores. Largely centered on a jangly guitar, a cresting piano and fragile vocal harmonies, it was pop-focused and full of odd little melodies.

And though the composer does not like comedies ("It is a genre that is clearly off my list. I do not do them"), "Silver Linings" hooked him, and that's because it reminded Elfman of films that no longer exist. "I felt like this was Frank Capra and Billy Wilder. This film connected with a period when I actually did like romantic comedies."

Elfman had already revisited the work of famed composer and Alfred Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann, so he instead used a small orchestra and actually played it not too unlike that of an old-fashioned romantic comedy. Violins carry the score, but they're in a constant give-and-take with French horns and a piano.

"The music is in many elements a comedy, and Sacha [Gervasi] wanted to make it clear that it's OK to have fun with sections of this movie," Elfman said. "The heartfelt part needed to be very heartfelt. I tried to create an old-fashioned romantic theme, not from any particular era but in the mold of how a classic romantic theme might be."

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Hitchcock Music By Danny Elfman

Situs Examiner me-review Hitchcock score album, berikut kutipannya:

Sony Classical's album is a brief, but enjoyable, powerful experience that Elfman's fans will really enjoy on its own merits. I was actually quite surprised at how much I did like this one along with Silver Linings Playbook and it really seems to me that Elfman is really getting back to that late period in the 1990's where he really excelled and his work was getting broader and broader which is why he's become a really diverse composer able to score films such as Hitchcock and the many others in the past years he has since the late 90's in his mature mode. The most enjoyable aspect is how Elfman shifts his darker romantic material to a lighter tone and keep everything on an even keel musically and Elfman in this mold is something very special that's been somewhat missing the last few years. Hitchcock is a score that will remind alot of people of that great period and hopefully the start of a another great one for the great composer. Definitely recommended.

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HITCHCOCK/Danny Elfman/Sony Music

Randall Larson di Soundtrax: Episode 2012-11 tanggal 6 Desember 2012 me-review Hitchcock score album, berikut kutipannya:

Elfman does not provide pastiches of the PSYCHO score here but rather reflects its sensibility in his score’s orchestration and harmonic structure (the End Titles are perhaps the most distinctly Hitchcockian/Herrmannesque in their string and horn intonations). It’s very much a Danny Elfman score, and a superior one at that, evoking the personality of Hitch as only Elfman can, while also conveying a very heartfelt and honest emotion for his intense regard for Alma.

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OSCARS: Danny Elfman

Situs Deadline mewawancarai Danny Elfman, berikut kutipannya:

After composing five film scores straight, without a weekend off, it’s fair to that Danny Elfman has had a very long year. Still, there was no limit to what he would do to work on a film about his idol, Alfred Hitchcock. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this, but I have to do this,” Elfman recalls about committing to Fox Searchlight’s Hitchcock, which was scheduled for delivery right before his opus on Disney’s Oz: The Great And Powerful. “I wouldn’t have a film-music career if it wasn’t for Bernard Herrmann, who has inspired me since the age of 12.”

“He literally bought sections of the orchestra out of his own pocket,” says a gobsmacked Gervasi. “We were recording with the top musicians in London, and we couldn’t afford to keep them through lunch. Danny asked the orchestrator, ‘How much do the violas cost? 3,000£? I’ll take them. How much for the French horns?’ And Danny held the musicians through lunch.”

Also keeping Elfman at the top of his game is the company he keeps with offbeat directors who challenge him. At first, when Elfman heard Silver Linings Playbook was a romantic comedy, he resisted. “That is the genre that I feel no affinity toward at all, and it’s the only one I stay away from. I did a few early on in my career, and they were incredibly difficult.”

“I was playing around with instruments and put my vocals onto one piece as a goof, and David was like, ‘Do more of that! Do more of that!’, like he was producing me. Before we knew it, that’s what we were doing,” Elfman says with a laugh. “It was really crazy and off the track of what I’m usually doing, which is writing very intense, big scores.”

As one of the few scoresmiths who can churn out a panoramic orchestral creation, Elfman will likely get his due from the Academy one day. Already his eighth reteaming with Sam Raimi, Oz: The Great And Powerful, sounds like the type of epic, á la Lawrence of Arabia, that voters crave.

“The movie has this big, blustery old-fashioned feel, and I wanted to give it a big, effective, narrative score,” Elfman says. “It’s huge—105 minutes of music.”

A very good read. Baca lengkapnya di sini.

Hitchcock by Danny Elfman (Review)

Situs Film Music Media me-review soundtrack Hitchcock, berikut kutipannya:

The album is about 40 minutes long, which is quite short these days as film music fans have become accustomed to 1 hour plus OST releases and even longer archival ones. The average track length is roughly a minute and a half, so while it may initially feel disjointed, the album works tremendously well as a whole in the end. It breathes and does not feel too quick nor does it overstay its welcome.

In a year of Elfman duds, Hitchcock is a lovely gust of fresh air from the composer. Dark Shadows, Men In Black 3, and Frankenweenie all disappointed, yet this one ultimately delivers and displays Elfman's contemporary drama writing wonderfully. While the "Theme From Hitchcock" is less melodic and developed than other great Elfman themes, the score as a whole will keep listeners delighted without tethering you to your music player for too long.

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Hitchcock (2012)/Elfman

Situs Film Music: The Neglected Art me-review soundtrack Hitchcock, berikut kutipannya:

Highlights include the opening Logos which are lead by the harps while the reeds in the background enhance the creepy mood with harmony in the way of pizzicato strings. This is merely a prelude for the Theme from Hitchcock, a Largo tempo, which features yearning strings and a clarinet offering the harmony. It is a theme that will be repeated throughout the score, a motif for Hitchcock.

I found that with repeated listens much of the subtle nuances that Elfman used will come to the surface. It overall has a Herrmann sound but it doesn’t. It has an Elfman flavor but it isn’t. The music style incorporated is an Elfman original which is also a tribute to one of the finer film composers of all time Bernard Herrmann. Recommended

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Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Of "HITCHCOCK" With Music By Danny Elfman Available December 4, 2012

Press release dari Sony Music, berikut kutipannya:

The soundtrack is by Danny Elfman, four-time Oscar® nominee who has established himself as one of the most versatile and accomplished film composers in the industry. He has collaborated with such directors as Tim Burton, Gus Van Sant, Sam Raimi, Paul Haggis, Ang Lee, Rob Marshall, Guillermo del Toro, Brian De Palma, Peter Jackson and David O. Russell. Beginning with his first score on Tim Burton's PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, Elfman has scored a broad range of films, including: MILK (Oscar nominated), GOOD WILL HUNTING (Oscar nominated), BIG FISH (Oscar nominated), MEN IN BLACK (Oscar nominated), EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, WANTED, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, PLANET OF THE APES, A SIMPLE PLAN, TO DIE FOR, SPIDERMAN (1 & 2), BATMAN, DOLORES CLAIBORNE, SOMMERSBY, CHICAGO, DICK TRACY, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Most recently he provided the music for Gus Van Sant's PROMISED LAND, Tim Burton's FRANKENWEENIE and David O' Russell's SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. Up next for Elfman is Sam Raimi's OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL.

The music for the shower scene of PSYCHO, written by Bernard Herrmann, is one of the most famous compositions in movie history. Hitchcock had wanted this scene without music, but was so pleased with the effect of screeching violins, violas, and cellos that he later stated that "33% of the effect of PSYCHO was due to the music." Herrmann's original score was adapted by Danny Elfman in 1998 when Gus Van Sant directed a remake – connections that now come full circle with the choice of Elfman as composer for HITCHCOCK. With the release of this soundtrack by Sony Music, fans of the great director Hitchcock and lovers of movie music will be able to enjoy for themselves the quality of Elfman's work.

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Hitchcock Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Studio: The Montecito Picture Company, Cold Spring Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Sutradara: Sacha Gervasi
Composer: Danny Elfman
Tanggal rilis film: 23 November 2012
Tanggal rilis album: 4 Desember 2012
Label: Sony Masterworks

Track list:
1. Logos
2. Theme from "Hitchcock"
3. The Premiere
4. Paramount / Out the Gate
5. Mommy Dearest
6. In Bed
7. Impulses
8. The Censor
9. The Swim
10. Peeping
11. Sacrifices
12. Walk With Hitch
13. Celery
14. Telephone
15. Suspicion
16. Explosion
17. Selling Psycho
18. Fantasy Smashed
19. The Sand
20. It's A Wrap
21. Busted
22. Saving The House
23. Finally
24. Home At Last
25. End Credit#1
26. End Credit#2
27. Funeral March for a Marionette

Danny Elfman Talks Tim Burton, 'Simpsons,' and Why He Found the Anvil Film 'Emotionally Wrenching'

Situs Billboard melaporkan acara penyerahan Maestro Award kepada Danny Elfman di acara Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference tanggal 25 Oktober, berikut kutipannya:

Elfman said "the emotional side" of Hitchcock's story attracted him to Gervasi's picture. He had no intention of mimicking Herrmann, lest it sound like parody. As he rightly pointed out, John Williams' "Jaws" theme and Herrmann's "Psycho" shower scene music are perhaps the two most recognized bits of instrumental sound from any two movies ever.

Elfman was a huge fan of Gervasi's documentary about hard-luck Canadian metal band Anvil. "I take exception to the 'Spinal Tap' allegory," he said of the film. "In fact, the movie was so wrenching emotionally, my wife and I had to stop the first time. We couldn't finish it. We had to come back and finish it. We found it really engaging. One can look at it and say 'Spinal Tap like' because they're a crazy rock, heavy metal kind of thing. But it was really moving. Very rare that we have to pause before the last act of the film because we're almost afraid to see how it ends."

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Danny Elfman: 'My Constant Worry Is That I'll Run Out of Ideas' (Q&A)

Situs The Hollywood Reporter mewawancarai Danny Elfman, berikut ini kutipannya:

The Hollywood Reporter: How did you score seven films in about a year's time? 

Danny Elfman: Eight. Dark Shadows, Men in Black 3,Frankenweenie, Silver Linings Playbook, Promised Land,Hitchcock, Oz, Epic. I've never had a year like this. It's a blur. Ripping myself out of one and hurtling into another is like switching alternate universes, a ripping slash.

THR: What was Russell like on Silver Linings Playbook?

Elfman: I was apprehensive because I have a real fear of romantic comedy. It's the one genre I go out of my way to never do because I don't have a feel for it. I see very few comedies, even. But this was just strange enough, and I loved the chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. I thought it'd be easy, since there isn't that much music. It was far from easy, because David is such a character. He tortured me endlessly but never stopped amusing me. The trick with David is to be very patient, just kick back and try to enjoy the Russell Experience. Really worthwhile.

THR: You imagined yourself into composer Bernard Herrmann's head for Gus Van Sant's Psycho remake. What was it like to score Hitchcock?

Elfman: The main thing I wanted to know from Sacha was that he didn't want to do a Herrmann-esque score, a mock Psycho. The story is a romance between Alfred and Alma Hitchcock. It's a fairly romantic score, and it gets a little darker where Hitchcock is in the world of Ed Gein [the killer who inspired Psycho], talking to him. I found myself occasionally doing Herrmann-esque things but not intentionally. He's so much part of my DNA, there's moments where, yeah, there's a bit of an homage there, but it's just me.

THR: Why did you do Promised Land? Was it fun because Van Sant likes to let people take big risks?

Elfman: There's so many things fun about working with him, but that's an important one. He actually forces me to take risks. I start with ideas, and he'll say, "Let's try completely opposite stuff and see what happens." I just start playing Gus pieces I'm writing. For Promised Land, I'm thinking, "OK, guitars -- a very simple Americana score." Gus was like, "Why don't we do the whole thing on marimbas?" He's just a pure pleasure to work with.

THR: What makes music funny?

Elfman: I don't know.

THR: Do you have a "funny" button on your console?

Elfman: I wish. On Oz just yesterday, I was playing some music for [director] Sam Raimi, and he was laughing out loud. And what I did that was so funny in this particular moment was a pause. What's usually funny in music is timing. When I'm making Sam laugh effectively, which I've been doing quite a bit of this week, it's because I'm finding the timing of a scene, putting in accents and pauses in very specific moments. It's funny without trying to be.

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Danny Elfman to Receive Maestro Award

Situs The Hollywood Reporter melaporkan bahwa Danny Elfman akan mendapatkan Maestro Award di acara Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference pada tanggal 25 Oktober mendatang di W Hotel, Hollywood. Berikut kutipannya:

Ever since his first major film score, Tim Burton's Pee-Wee's Big Adventure in 1985, Elfman has been among the most gifted and prolific composers in Hollywood history, earning a Grammy for Burton's Batman, an Emmy for Desperate Housewives, and four Oscar nominations. His compositions, including the theme to The Simpsons and scores to most Burton films, are instantly recognizable and often iconic.

THR film critic Todd McCarthy will give the award and host a Q&A with Elfman and Hitchcock director Sacha Gervasi. Elfman is the ideal composer for Hitchcock, since one of his chief influences is Hitchcock's frequent composer Bernard Herrmann, whose score for Psycho Elfman "interpreted" for Van Sant's remake.

The Q&A will address not only Hitchcock but Elfman's other award-contender movies, David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook, Gus Van Sant's Promised Land, and Burton's Frankenweenie.

Baca lengkapnya di sini. Congrats, Mr. Elfman!

Hitchcock

Kraft-Engel Management mengumumkan dua proyek baru untuk Danny Elfman yaitu Promised Land dan Hitchcock. Hitchcock adalah film adaptasi dari buku Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho karya Stephen Rebello. Film ini dibintangi oleh banyak bint... oleh banyak aktor dan aktris terkenal antara lain Anthony Hopkins sebagai Alfred Hitchcock, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson sebagai Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel, dan Ralph Maccio. Film yang disutradarai oleh Sacha Gervasi ini akan dirilis paling awal di Swedia tanggal 8 Februari 2013 (belum ada tanggal rilis untuk Amerika Utara).

Danny Elfman belum pernah bekerja sama dengan Sacha Gervasi sebelumnya. Sacha Gervasi ini baru satu kali membuat film yaitu Anvil! The Story Anvil, sebuah film dokumenter mengenai band heavy metal Anvil. Namun demikian film dokumenter ini mendapat banyak sekali penghargaan.

Seperti telah disebut di atas, film Hitchcock ini terutama akan bercerita mengenai pembuatan film Psycho. Bernard Herrmann yang membuat score film Psycho adalah salah satu composer referensi utama bagi Danny Elfman; Danny Elfman 'nyadar' score pada saat nonton The Day The Earth Stood Still yang score-nya dibuat oleh Bernard Herrmann. Bahkan untuk remake film Psycho (1998), Elfman dan Steve Bartek mengaransemen musik asli asli Psycho, plus musik orisinal. Seharusnya Elfman tidak ada masalah untuk membuat score film Hitchcock ini.

Urutan rilis film-film Danny Elfman menjadi sebagai berikut: Frankenweenie (25 September 2012), Silver Linings Playbook (21 November 2012), Oz: The Great and Powerful (8 Maret 2013), Promised Land (28 Desember 2012), Hitchcock (8 Februari 2013), dan Epic (17 Mei 2013).