Who is Danny Elfman

1. His wit. Read the lyrics to songs such as Only a Lad, Capitalism, Reptiles and Samurai, and Nothing Bad Ever Happens to Me. The verses shine the glaring light of sarcasm and social commentary on the apathy and angst of America's middle class. Even when he's not displaying his social sensibilities, he's a funny guy, especially if you appreciate darker humor. Is it any wonder that he and Tim Burton work so well together?

2. His voice. The man can range all over the musical scale and does fun, quirky trills and yodels that many folks would never imagine, much less use, in music created for the masses. It makes sing-a-longs much more interesting!

3. His talent for composing. While you can identify his pieces, they are infinitely varied. The songs are creative, filled with emotion and mood. Like his voice, his emotional range is enormous. He does not limit himself to stop-motion films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride. See below for a partial list of the dozens of movies for which Danny Elfman has composed the scores. They range from dramas to comedies to action films. You may well be surprised at some of the titles listed.

If you've got a healthy sense of the macabre, you'll find Danny Elfman's music winding its way through many of your favorite shows and movies. You may also be surprised at the more mainstream projects in which he's been involved. Most recently, he's written the score for Tim Burton's new movie, Alice (as in Alice in Wonderland). The film isn't slated for release until March 5, 2010, but I can hardly wait to hear (and see) it.

With a whopping ten Grammy nominations for Danny Elfman's work on these films (and a win for Batman), I've only included a partial list, to save space. Try this page for a full list of the nominations and wins he's racked up for his various compositions.

Movies:

• Big Fish (for which he was also nominated for an Oscar)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (for which he also provided the vocals to the Oompa Loompa songs
• Edward Scissorhands
• Spiderman (1, 2, and 3)
• The Corpse Bride
• The Kingdom
• Charlotte's Web
• Sleepy Hollow
• Men in Black (1 and 2, with an Oscar nomination for the first one)
• The Family Man
• Batman Returns
• Meet the Robinsons
• Scream 2
• Beetlejuice
• Milk (which earned Mr. Elfman another Oscar nomination
• Mission: Impossible
• Dick Tracy
• Dead Presidents
• Nacho Libre
• Proof of Life
• Good Will Hunting (garnering another Oscar nomination)
• Scrooged

Television:

• Desperate Housewives (for which he won an Emmy)
• Point Pleasant
• The Simpsons
• Amazing Stories
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar
• Tales from the Crypt
• The Flash

If you can't get enough of Danny Elfman's compositions, try the Music for a Darkened People forum, where you can get insights and opinions on his entire, impressive canon.