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Danny Elfman

Composer

Danny Elfman

Born May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, California, USA138 films

Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores, as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall.

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Elfman has frequently worked with directors Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, and Gus Van Sant, contributing music to nearly 20 Burton projects, including Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as scoring Raimi's Darkman, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Van Sant's Academy Award-winning films Good Will Hunting and Milk. He wrote music for all of the Men in Black and Fifty Shades of Grey franchise films, the songs and score for Henry Selick's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the themes for the popular television series Desperate Housewives and The Simpsons.

Among his honours are four Oscar nominations, three Emmy Awards, a Grammy, seven Saturn Awards for Best Music, the 2002 Richard Kirk Award, the 2015 Disney Legend Award, the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award in 2017, and the Society of Composers & Lyricists Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Danny Elfman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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The best way into Danny Elfman's work
Spider-Man posterFirst watchSpider-Man20027.4After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Good Will Hunting poster8.2Good Will Hunting1997Avengers: Age of Ultron poster7.3Avengers: Age of Ultron2015Edward Scissorhands poster7.7Edward Scissorhands1990The Nightmare Before Christmas poster7.8The Nightmare Before Christmas1993Spider-Man 2 poster7.3Spider-Man 22004Corpse Bride poster7.6Corpse Bride2005Men in Black poster7.2Men in Black1997Big Fish poster7.7Big Fish2003

Filmography

138 films
  1. TBAHodja NasreddinOriginal Music Composer
  2. 2026Send HelpOriginal Music Composer
  3. 2026Dead Man's WireOriginal Music Composer
  4. 2025Wednesday: FireplaceMain Title Theme Composer
  5. 2025DraculaOriginal Music Composer
  6. 2025Bullet TimeMusic
  7. 2025Remember To Enjoy The Light Before It’s GoneOriginal Music Composer
  8. 2024The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye FaithfulMain Title Theme Composer
  9. 2024Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's Dance VersionMusic
  10. 2024Beetlejuice BeetlejuiceOriginal Music Composer
  11. 2024May the 12th Be with YouOriginal Music Composer
  12. 2023Bloody BridgetOriginal Music Composer
  13. 202365Music
  14. 2022White NoiseOriginal Music Composer
  15. 2022Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessOriginal Music Composer
  16. 2021The Woman in the WindowOriginal Music Composer
  17. 2021Aliens, Clowns & GeeksOriginal Music Composer
  18. 2020The Nightmare Before Christmas in ConcertMusic
  19. 2020Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"Main Title Theme Composer
  20. 2020DolittleOriginal Music Composer
  21. 2019Men in Black: InternationalOriginal Music Composer
  22. 2019DumboOriginal Music Composer
  23. 2018The GrinchOriginal Music Composer
  24. 2018Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on FootOriginal Music Composer
  25. 2018Fifty Shades FreedOriginal Music Composer
  26. 2017Justice LeagueOriginal Music Composer
  27. 2017Tulip FeverOriginal Music Composer
  28. 2017UrgeMusic
  29. 2017The CircleOriginal Music Composer
  30. 2017Fifty Shades DarkerOriginal Music Composer
  31. 2016The Girl on the TrainOriginal Music Composer
  32. 2016Vengadores Chiflados: La Era de PultrónMusic
  33. 2016Alice Through the Looking GlassOriginal Music Composer
  34. 2016Before I WakeOriginal Music Composer
  35. 2015Medieval Times: The Making of "Army of Darkness"Music
  36. 2015GoosebumpsOriginal Music Composer
  37. 2015The End of the TourOriginal Music Composer
  38. 2015Avengers: Age of UltronOriginal Music Composer
  39. 2015Fifty Shades of GreyOriginal Music Composer
  40. 2014Big EyesOriginal Music Composer
  41. 2014Mr. Peabody & ShermanOriginal Music Composer
  42. 2013American HustleOriginal Music Composer
  43. 2013The Unknown KnownMusic
  44. 2013EpicOriginal Music Composer
  45. 2013Oz the Great and PowerfulOriginal Music Composer
  46. 2013Cirque du Soleil: IRISMusic
  47. 2013Captain Sparky vs. The Flying SaucersOriginal Music Composer
  48. 2012HitchcockOriginal Music Composer
  49. 2012Silver Linings PlaybookOriginal Music Composer
  50. 2012FrankenweenieOriginal Music Composer
  51. 2012Promised LandOriginal Music Composer
  52. 2012Men in Black 3Original Music Composer
  53. 2012Dark ShadowsOriginal Music Composer
  54. 2011Real SteelOriginal Music Composer
  55. 2011RestlessOriginal Music Composer
  56. 2010The Next Three DaysOriginal Music Composer
  57. 2010Alice in WonderlandOriginal Music Composer
  58. 2010The WolfmanOriginal Music Composer
  59. 2010Do Not DisturbMusic
  60. 2009Taking WoodstockOriginal Music Composer
  61. 20099Songs
  62. 2009Terminator SalvationOriginal Music Composer
  63. 2009NotoriousOriginal Music Composer
  64. 2008MilkOriginal Music Composer
  65. 2008Hellboy II: The Golden ArmyOriginal Music Composer
  66. 2008WantedOriginal Music Composer
  67. 2008Standard Operating ProcedureOriginal Music Composer
  68. 2008Proud IzaMusic
  69. 2007The KingdomOriginal Music Composer
  70. 2007Meet the RobinsonsOriginal Music Composer
  71. 2006Charlotte's WebOriginal Music Composer
  72. 2006Nacho LibreOriginal Music Composer
  73. 2006Deep Sea 3DOriginal Music Composer
  74. 2005Corpse BrideOriginal Music Composer
  75. 2005Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryOriginal Music Composer
  76. 2004Spider-Man 2Original Music Composer
  77. 2003Big FishOriginal Music Composer
  78. 2003HulkOriginal Music Composer
  79. 2002ChicagoOriginal Music Composer
  80. 2002Red DragonOriginal Music Composer
  81. 2002Men in Black IIOriginal Music Composer
  82. 2002Spider-ManOriginal Music Composer
  83. 2001NovocaineOriginal Music Composer
  84. 2001Planet of the ApesOriginal Music Composer
  85. 2001HeartbreakersOriginal Music Composer
  86. 2001Spy KidsOriginal Music Composer
  87. 2000The Family ManOriginal Music Composer
  88. 2000Proof of LifeOriginal Music Composer
  89. 2000The World of StainboyMusic
  90. 1999Sleepy HollowOriginal Music Composer
  91. 1999Anywhere but HereOriginal Music Composer
  92. 1999Psycho PathMusic Producer
  93. 1999InstinctOriginal Music Composer
  94. 1998A Civil ActionOriginal Music Composer
  95. 1998A Simple PlanOriginal Music Composer
  96. 1998PsychoMusic Producer
  97. 1998Modern VampiresOriginal Music Composer
  98. 1997Good Will HuntingOriginal Music Composer
  99. 1997FlubberOriginal Music Composer
  100. 1997Men in BlackOriginal Music Composer
  101. 1996Mars Attacks!Original Music Composer
  102. 1996Extreme MeasuresOriginal Music Composer
  103. 1996FreewayOriginal Music Composer
  104. 1996Bordello of BloodMain Title Theme Composer
  105. 1996The FrightenersOriginal Music Composer
  106. 1996Mission: ImpossibleOriginal Music Composer
  107. 1996Darkman III: Die Darkman DieOriginal Music Composer
  108. 1995Dead PresidentsOriginal Music Composer
  109. 1995To Die ForOriginal Music Composer
  110. 1995Darkman II: The Return of DurantMusic
  111. 1995Dolores ClaiborneOriginal Music Composer
  112. 1995Tales from the Crypt: Demon KnightMain Title Theme Composer
  113. 1994Black BeautyOriginal Music Composer
  114. 1994Shrunken HeadsMusic
  115. 1993The Nightmare Before ChristmasOriginal Music Composer
  116. 1993SommersbyOriginal Music Composer
  117. 1992The Flash III: Deadly NightshadeMusic
  118. 1992Batman ReturnsOriginal Music Composer
  119. 1992Article 99Original Music Composer
  120. 1990Edward ScissorhandsOriginal Music Composer