Batman Returns

 

Batman Returns

(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Music Composed by

Danny Elfman

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Batman's first appearance in comic book history, and to celebrate, Renovatio Records presents a new release of Danny Elfman’s acclaimed score for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns. Directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, and Pat Hingle, the film follows Batman as he confronts the power-hungry crime lord known as the Penguin, who schemes to control Gotham City alongside the corrupt businessman Max Shreck. At the same time, Catwoman emerges as a volatile, morally ambiguous figure with her own agenda for revenge. As the dark underworld of Gotham comes to life, Batman is caught in a battle not only to protect the city but also to navigate a tangled web of allies and enemies who blur the line between heroism and villainy. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it was a box office success, grossing over $266 million worldwide and cementing its place in pop culture.

For the score, Burton once again turned to his longtime creative partner, Danny Elfman, marking their fifth collaboration. Elfman’s music for Batman Returns is a triumph of creativity, perfectly capturing the film’s darker and more eccentric tone. Departing from the more straightforward superhero sound of his original Batman score, Elfman crafted a richly complex and surreal composition. One of the most impressive aspects of the score is how Elfman tailored it to the film’s expanded roster of villains. While the iconic gothic theme for Batman, established in the 1989 film, returns, it is the two new themes for the villains that steal the spotlight.

The Penguin’s theme is an intricate blend of tragic operatic lyricism and circus-like whimsy, employing twisted woodwinds, low harp, and a haunting female choir. This mix of tragedy and carnival-style menace perfectly mirrors the character, sympathetically presenting him as both villain and victim. The development of the theme is nothing short of masterful. Cues like "The Penguin’s Lair" and the beginning of "Batman Vs. The Circus" introduce the theme in darker, more sinister tones, while tracks such as "Birth of a Penguin", "The Cemetery" and "Finale" offer solemn and tragic yet lovely renditions of the theme.

Equally brilliant is Catwoman’s theme, introduced in "Selina’s Transformation". With high-pitched strings mimicking a cat’s meow, the theme perfectly encapsulates her feral yet alluring nature. Elfman cleverly intertwines the themes for Batman and Catwoman, both beginning with the same three notes but diverging in opposite directions, with Batman’s line ascending and Catwoman’s descending. This adds complexity to their relationship, reinforcing the tension between them. Their themes clash and weave in tracks like "Sore Spots", "Rooftop Encounter" and "Final Confrontation", creating a musical narrative that speaks to their intricate dynamic. Similarly, the Penguin’s theme often finds itself in direct combat with Batman’s, particularly in action cues like “Batman Vs. The Circus” and “The Penguin’s Master Plan,” where the two themes battle for musical dominance.

Elfman’s score also blends in Christmas-like tones, maintaining a delicate balance between eerie whimsy and darker, more tragic elements. Some may argue that Batman Returns lacks the heroic grandeur of Elfman’s original Batman score, but it’s clear that Elfman was more focused on exploring new emotional and thematic depths. The score’s richness and complexity make it a fascinating, immersive listening experience, especially for those drawn to Elfman’s unique style.

In addition to the score, Elfman co-authored the song "Face to Face" with the alternative rock group Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song plays during the pivotal masquerade ball scene where Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle (Batman and Catwoman's alter egos) confront their identities, adding an additional layer to their romantic yet doomed connection. The song seamlessly blends orchestral elements from Elfman’s score, weaving in elements of all three of the major character themes, making it a standout piece in the film’s musical landscape.

Over the years, Elfman’s Batman Returns score has seen multiple releases, each offering different content and sound quality for fans and collectors. The original 1992 release from Warner Bros. Records offered a 54-minute selection of highlights, featuring the major thematic cues and action pieces, but presented them out of chronological order and omitted some of the more intricate transitions. Additionally, the sound quality of this release was a point of discussion, with its mix often described as flat and lacking in depth, causing many elements of the rich orchestral recording to be muted or lost in the background. In 2010, La-La Land Records released a 2-CD edition (reissued in 2014) that presented the complete score, including previously unreleased cues and alternate takes. This edition allowed listeners to dive deeper into the thematic richness and character motifs that Elfman carefully developed. However, for casual listeners, the expanded edition may feel overwhelming, as its extended length and intricate details can be too dense for those looking for a more streamlined experience.

Renovatio Records’ new release strikes a middle ground, offering a more concise, yet still comprehensive, version of the score. Presented in chronological order, it allows for a more cohesive listening experience while preserving the key musical highlights and thematic progression. Batman Returns remains one of Elfman’s most inventive and memorable film scores, a perfect companion to Burton’s dark, fantastical vision of the Caped Crusader, and a testament to Elfman’s unparalleled ability to create mood and character through music.

Track listing:

1. Birth of a Penguin (2:26)

2. Main Title (3:12)

3. Batman Vs. The Circus (4:11)

4. The Penguin's Lair (4:40)

5. Selina's Transformation (5:30)

6. The Cemetery (3:12)

7. Cat Chase (5:22)

8. Sore Spots (3:15)

9. Rooftop Encounter (4:10)

10. Batman's Wild Ride (3:41)

11. The Fall from Grace (3:42)

12. The Penguin's Master Plan (6:48)

13. Final Confrontation (4:47)

14. Finale (2:41)

15. A Shadow of Doubt (2:18)

16. End Credits (4:47)

17. Face to Face (4:18) - Performed by Siouxsie and The Banshees

Total Running Time: 69:00

Download Link

Size: 391.5 MB

Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]

Channels: 2 (stereo)

Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz

Sample Size: 16 bit

Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps

Cover Artwork:

Credits:

Music Composed by Danny Elfman

Produced by Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek

Executive in Charge of Music for Warner Bros. Inc.: Gary LeMel

Business Affairs: Keith Kajic

Orchestrations by Steve Bartek

Additional Orchestrations by Mark McKenzie

Conducted by Jonathan Sheffer

Contractor: Patti Zimmitti

Adult Vocal Contractor: Bobbi Page

Recorded by Shawn Murphy at Sony Music Scoring, Culver City, CA

Mixed by Shawn Murphy at CBS Television City, Hollywood, CA

Music Editors: Bob Badami and Bill Bernstein

Assistant Engineers: Sue McLean and Sharon Rice

Digital Editing and Mastering: Dave Collins at A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA

Copyist: Joel Franklin

Danny Elfman's Filmmusic Representation: Richard Kraft and Lyn Benjamin, The Kraft Agency, Inc.

Danny Elfman's Management: Mike Gormley and Laura Engel, LA Personal Development

Personal Assistant to Danny Elfman: Lisette Joselynn

"Face to Face"

Words and Music by Danny Elfman and Siouxsie and The Banshees

Produced by Stephen Hague

Record Engineered by Mike "Spike" Drake

Film Mix by Bill Jackson

Performed by Siouxsie and The Banshees

Courtesy of Polydor Limited and Geffen Records

Published by Warner-Tarmerlan Pub. Corp./Little Maestro Music BMI/Dreamhouse Music PRS.

Score Published by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI

Cue Assembly:

Track Title	Cue Title
1. Birth of a Penguin	Birth of a Penguin
2. Main Title	Main Title
3. Batman vs. The Circus	Penguin Spies (Edited) Shadow of Doom (Edited) Batman vs. The Circus (Edited) Introducing the Bat (Edited)
4. The Penguin’s Lair	Intro The Zoo The Lair (Edited)
5. Selina’s Transformation	Kitty Party Selina Transforms
6. The Cemetery	The List Begins The Cemetery (Edited)
7. Cat Chase	Selina’s Shopping Spree Cat Chase (Edited)
8. Sore Spots	Sore Spots Batman’s Closet (Edited)
9. Rooftop Encounter	Roof Top Encounters (Edited)
10. Batman’s Wild Ride	Batman’s Wild Ride (Edited)
11. The Fall from Grace	Fall from Grace (Edited)
12. The Penguin’s Master Plan	Umbrella Source The Children’s Hour War (Edited)
13. Final Confrontation	Final Confrontation (Edited)
14. Finale	Finale
15. A Shadow of Doubt	A Shadow of Doubt
16. End Credits	End Credits (Alternate)
17. Face to Face – Siouxsie and the Banshees	Face to Face – Siouxsie and the Banshees

Batman is a trademark of © DC Comics Inc. Motion picture artwork and photos © 1992 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. This compilation and cover artwork © 2024 Renovatio Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. For promotional use only.

Renovatio Records [0-01702-19070]

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow (Music From The Motion Picture)

Music Composed by Danny Elfman

Celebrate this year’s Halloween with our new release: Sleepy Hollow by Danny Elfman. Loosely based on Washington Irving's 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", the 1999 gothic horror film is directed by Tim Burton, and stars Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Christopher Lee, Jeffrey Jones, Michael Gough, Richard Griffiths, Ian McDiarmid, and Christopher Walken. Its plot follows police constable Ichabod Crane (Depp), who is sent from New York City to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of strange beheadings. There he not only untangles a complex web of family affairs, sinister conspiracies, and even his own childhood traumas, but also comes face to face with the ghost of a headless Hessian horseman, who rides through town chopping off heads.

Even though the film suffers from stale acting performances and the lack of a strong narrative (especially in its third act), Sleepy Hollow has all the traits you can expect from a director like Burton tackling the horror genre: black comedy, an eccentric protagonist, an outlandish design (courtesy of production designer Rick Heinrichs), beautiful monochromatic visuals shot by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki…  and countless macabre scenes of beheadings. 

For the film music community, Sleepy Hollow was highly anticipated because it meant the eighth collaboration between Burton and Danny Elfman, and because it saw the return of the composer to the gothic fantasy genre. Elfman's composing style had evolved considerably in the mid nineties, with many nostalgic enthusiasts lamenting that he could no longer write scores like Beetlejuice, Batman and Edward Scissorhands. However, Sleepy Hollow proved that Elfman was still able to reach back into the orchestral approaches he had become widely known for in the film music business.

For Sleepy Hollow, Elfman wrote a considerable amount of music. The complete score as heard in the film is about 95 minutes long. But a large number of re-shoots and last-minute edits of the movie required many musical revisions, inserts and alternate cues, eventually doubling the amount of recorded music. In spite of this, surprisingly, Sleepy Hollow is mostly a monothematic score. Elfman resorts to his usual approach of introducing his main theme at the start of the film (“Introduction”) and building it up during the main title sequence (“A Place Called Sleepy Hollow”). This theme consists of a malleable motif that Elfman originally conceived for Ichabod’s dreamlike flashbacks. Instinctively, he later decided to appoint the same theme to the Horseman itself, establishing a musical thematic connection between Ichabod’s childhood and the villainous monster he has to overcome. Therefore, the theme is omnipresent throughout the score. The lyrical main melody is ghostly performed by a boy soprano soloist, accompanying Ichabod’s oneiric flashbacks, heard in cues such as ‘Young Ichabod’, and ‘More Dreams’. Elfman also dresses the theme with alto flute, piano and string for the romantic scenes between Ichabod and his love interest, Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of Sleepy Hollow’s patriarch –cues “A Gift”, “Tender Moment”, and “Love Lost”. And lastly, aggressive arrangements of the theme with choir and a predominant brass section accompany those scenes in which the Horseman is onscreen –the cues “The Story of the Hessian” and “Masbath’s Terrible Death” are perfect examples. A secondary descending three-note theme exists for the Horseman for when he is rising up from his grave or galloping full blast. “The Tree of Death”, “Horror at Sleepy Hollow”, “The Church Battle”, “The Windmill”, “Carriage Chase”, and “The Final Confrontation” all exhibit excellent performances of this secondary motif, along with the other significant attribute of the score: the action music. The orchestra and choir are put to the test with these series of chase and fight cues, showcasing impressive low brasses, rolling percussion and the disturbing phantasmagoric tones of the Metro Voices.

The score for Sleepy Hollow was released as a 68-minute album by Hollywood Records in 1999 and it is indeed all that most collectors will require from the work. However, as expected, the album is missing some music as well as some of the composer's best alternate takes of several cues. The score was re-released two more times in expanded treatments. First, as part of the 2011 Warner Brothers Records set, "The Danny Elfman and Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box". And later, as a limited 4-CD set assembled by Intrada Records in 2021, including everything Elfman recorded for the film. As you can imagine, these two sets are very lengthy. This new program put together by Renovatio Records addresses those conflicts and presents an album with new alternate cues, a new track assembly, as well as improved sound, providing a tight yet enjoyable narrative arc. Hit play and enjoy what may well be one of Danny Elfman’s top five best scores to date. Happy Halloween!

Tracklist:
1. Introduction (4:15)
2. A Place Called Sleepy Hollow (3:12)
3. The Story of the Hessian (4:29)
4. Masbath's Terrible Death (1:37)
5. Young Ichabod (1:19)
6. A Gift (3:47)
7. Phillipse's Death (1:16)
8. More Dreams (1:41)
9. The Crone of the Woods (3:21)
10. The Tree of Death (4:00)
11. Horror at Sleepy Hollow (6:04)
12. Tender Moment (2:17)
13. Evil Eye (3:43)
14. The Church Battle (4:17)
15. Love Lost (4:31)
16. The Windmill (6:05)
17. Carriage Chase (3:18)
18. The Final Confrontation (4:17)
19. A New Century (1:27)
20. End Credits (3:21)

Total Running Time: 68:17

Download Link

Size: 398.3 MB

Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]

Channels: 2 (stereo)

Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz

Sample Size: 16 bit

Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps

Cover Artwork:

Credits:

Music Composed by Danny Elfman

Produced by Danny Elfman

Executive Album Producers: Tim Burton, Scott Rudin & Adam Schroeder

Executive in Charge of Music for Paramount Pictures: Randy Spendlove

Orchestrations by Conrad Pope, David Slonaker and Albert Olson

Additional Orchestrations by Steve Bartek, Mark McKenzie and Marc Mann

Orchestra Conducted by Allan Wilson

Orchestra Contractors: Andy Brown and Isobel Griffiths

Choir Contractor: Jenny O'Grady

Concertmaster: Rolf Wilson

Adult Choir: Metro Voices

Boys Choir: The London Oratory School SCHOLA

Music Production Supervisor: Graham Walker

Music Production Coordinator: Liz Schrek

Music Recorded by Shawn Murphy at The Colosseum, Watford, England; Air Studios; Abbey Road Studios; Whitfield Street Recording Studios, London, England

Additional Music Recorded by Jonathan Allen

Mixed by: Robert Fernandez at Manhattan Center Studios, New York

Digital Music Editing: Ellen Segal & Craig Anderson

Music Editor: Ellen Segal

MIDI Preparations and Supervision: Marc Mann

Music Preparation: Vic Fraser, Julian Bratolyubov and Ron Vermillion

Mastered by Andy VanDette at Masterdisk, NYC

Music Published by Ensign Music Corporation and Molly Girl Songs (BMI)

Renovatio Records [0-01702-19060]

Batman

 

Batman (Original Motion Picture Score)

Music Composed by Danny Elfman

Our next release is none other than Danny Elfman’s score for the 1989 superhero film Batman, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The film is directed by Tim Burton and stars Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, Jack Nicholson as The Joker, and Kim Basinger as the damsel in distress. Supporting characters were played by Michael Gough, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, and Jack Palance. The film takes place during Batman's war on the wave of crime terrorizing Gotham City, focusing namely on his conflict with his archenemy The Joker. Critically and financially successful, Batman was highly praised for the performances of Nicholson and Keaton, as well as Burton's direction, with special mentions given to its outstanding cinematography, production design, and Elfman's superb score.

This adaptation makes use of a dark tone, showcasing a serious version of Batman, in line with the way the creators of the character, Bob Kane and Bill Finger, had envisioned him in 1939. This approach allowed Burton to not only display his well-known artistic tendencies, but also to explore themes such as good versus evil from the perspective of two disturbed people, Bruce Wayne/Batman and the Joker. At the time of its release, the film was an astonishing success, making over $42 million on its opening weekend. Furthermore, it helped to establish a renaissance of costumed superhero movies that continues to this day.

For the score, Burton hired Oingo Bongo frontman Danny Elfman, with whom he had collaborated on Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Beetlejuice. Elfman had to face not only his concerns about working on a big budget production, but also skepticisms from the producers, who were unsure about the young musician's capabilities. However, Elfman managed to quickly conjure up the Batman theme, which was so remarkable that it quickly convinced everyone that he was the right composer. The theme is epic and full of energy, with nods to Bernard Herrmann, Richard Wagner, and Carl Orff in its orchestral choices. Many fans have even argued that it is the best superhero theme ever, head to head with John Williams’ Superman theme. Elfman’s five-note theme is so catchy and malleable that it is present throughout the score in many forms, either to accentuate the Caped Crusader's ghostly appearances or to accompany the action sequences. The Batman score makes heavy use of percussion, as it is an action-driven score. Nevertheless, Elfman still incorporates many lyrical passages, such as the cue "Flowers" which perfectly elicits the tragedy of Bruce Wayne and his difficulty to cope with the deaths of his parents. Another example of Elfman’s lyricism can be found in the love theme for Bruce Wayne and journalist Vicki Vale, an arrangement for strings and piano of the song “Scandalous” by Prince. For the villain, Elfman resorts to a circus waltz theme, first heard during “Joker Face-Off” and later presented in its full form during “Waltz to the Death”. Another thematic material used for the Joker is an arrangement of Stephen Foster’s “Beautiful Dreamer” in the form of an ethereal treatment with celeste and strings. Both, the music box effect and the waltz performances, provide a dark comedic side to the Joker’s sickness. Yet, it is in the action music where Elfman’s composition truly shines. His orchestrations range from aggressive percussion, to a heavy brass section with several layers of trumpets and tubas, to frenetic piano ostinatos, to an occasional pipe organ. The dynamism of the action passages of cues such as “Axis Chemicals Shootout”, “Batmobile Chase” and “Attack of the Batwing” is simply magnificent. Choir is also quite present in the score, with two major standouts. The first being the female vocals of the first half of “Remembering Childhood”, providing a haunting atmosphere over pulsing low-end piano beats. And the other being the “Descent into Mystery” cue, in which chanting voices resemble the techniques of Carl Orff, providing awe as the Batmobile races through the darkness toward the Batcave.

At the time of its release in 1989, Batman was one of the first films to spawn two soundtrack albums, one being a song compilation, with the other showcasing Elfman’s score, both by Warner Brothers Records. The score was later re-released by the same label as part of "The Danny Elfman and Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box" in 2011, with additional unreleased tracks. La-La Land Records would also issue two releases in 2010 and 2014, containing Elfman’s complete score. Now, Renovatio Records’ release provides a new program of Elfman’s music, which improves the album's narrative by omitting filler cues and incorporating tracks that were missing in the original release, thus providing a coherent listening experience of this classic score. Press play and feel free to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight!

Track list:

1. Main Title (2:39)

2. Roof Fight (1:42)

3. Bat Zone (1:51)

4. Axis Chemicals Shootout (5:28)

5. Joke Face-Off (2:04)

6. Flowers (1:55)

7. Photos (2:28) *

8. Museum Mayhem (2:02)

9. Batmobile Chase (4:18)

10. Descent Into Mystery (1:30)

11. The Bat Cave (2:35)

12. The Joker's Poem (0:56)

13. Remembering Childhood (4:24) **

14. Charge of the Batmobile (1:44)

15. Attack of the Batwing (5:58)

16. Up the Cathedral (5:04)

17. Waltz to the Death (3:54)

18. Final Confrontation (4:59) *

19. Finale (1:47) **

* Includes "Beautiful Dreamer" composed Stephen Foster

** Includes Scandalous" Composed by Prince with John L. Nelson

Total running time: 57:18

Download Link

Size: 326.7 MB

Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]

Channels: 2 (stereo)

Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz

Sample Size: 16 bit

Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps

Cover Artwork:

Credits:

Music Composed by Danny Elfman

Produced by Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek

Executive Album Producers: Jon Peters and Peter Guber

Executive in Charge of Music for Warner Bros. Inc.: Gary LeMel

Music Supervisor: Michael Dilbeck

Performed by The Sinfonia of London Orchestra

Conducted by Shirley Walker

Orchestrations by Steve Bartek

Additional Orchestrations by Shirley Walker and Steven Scott Smalley

Music Editors: Bob Badami and Robin Clarke

Contractor: Peter Willison

Engineered by Eric Tomlinson

Mixed by Shawn Murphy

Recorded at CTS Studios, England

Second Engineers: "Young" jonathan Morton and Steve Price

Digital Editing and Mastering: Bruce Botnick at Digital Magnetics

Danny Elfman's Filmmusic Representation: Richard Kraft, ICM

Danny Elfman's Management: Mike Gromley, Laura Engle, LAPD

Renovatio Records [0-01702-19050]