Music of the Knight: Analyzing Danny Elfman's Score for Batman (1989)

[DarkVengeance]

Yeah, what's up with that? It seems like Danny is either getting lazy or he's running out of ideas. Or maybe he's just not that interested in the movies that he's been working on.
[/quote]
I just dont get it, he's one of the greatest of his time, maybe he's just bored with doing superhero/comic book styled stuff, he's much more well rounded to just stick to that stuff.

[Gotham Knight]

Yeah, what's up with that? It seems like Danny is either getting lazy or he's running out of ideas. Or maybe he's just not that interested in the movies that he's been working on.

I just dont get it, he's one of the greatest of his time, maybe he's just bored with doing superhero/comic book styled stuff, he's much more well rounded to just stick to that stuff.
[/quote]

Agreed. Of the composers out there, he's done A LOT of Superhero/comicbook films.

[BatmAngelus]

21. Gas Attack (1:06)
The cue begins, adding to the restaurant atmosphere, as we see Vicki waiting at the table in the museum.  The maitre?d brings a package for Vicki.  The small box is wrapped in a green and pink bow, with a crayon-written note reading ?Urgent.? 
The score provides an uneasy feeling as we know that the package has come from the Joker and builds up as Vicki opens it.  When a plastic green and orange gas mask is revealed, a single note plays, relieving the tension.  But like the cue where Jack discovers his new face, the note continues playing, providing us more tension.  Gas starts to come in through the vents. 
The score provides a chaotic sound from various instruments, complimenting the chaos in the restaurant as employees and customers begin falling over from the gas.  The cue ends as the Joker and his gang enter to see the destruction they?ve caused.

22. I?m Melting! (1:02)
When Alicia takes off her mask, the music builds up the tension and screeches as her disfigured face is revealed.  Vicki stumbles out of her chair, in fear.  The music is brought back down and gradually builds up again as Joker moves closer and closer towards her. 
Elfman plays off the action as he tries to spray her with acid from his lapel flower.  Vicki throws water in his face and the strings suddenly begin screeching as Joker pretends to be ?melting,? like the Wicked Witch of the West.  The score provides a sense of panic and terror, as if Joker really were melting.  The cue stops abruptly, surprising us as Joker reveals his true face to Vicki.

23. Enter The Dark Knight (0:24)
Batman crashes through the ceiling lights and rescues Vicki.  The cue plays the Batman theme in a heroic manner to accompany his heroic actions.  The cue, like the previous one, ends abruptly for dramatic emphasis on the Joker?s line, ?Where does he get those wonderful toys??

24. Get In The Car (2:52)
As Batman and Vicki run, the score provides a frantic feel.  It suddenly builds up to a loud chord as Vicki and the audience see the Batmobile for the first time.  When the Joker?s goons chase after them, Batman drives off in the car, accompanied by a fast-paced version of the Batman theme. 
The score provides exciting action music as the Joker?s cars chase after the Batmobile.  As Batman makes a sharp turn with the Batmobile, Elfman hits on the action as the car swerves and the Joker?s cars are hit by incoming traffic.  The Batman motif plays again as the Batmobile drives down the street.  A construction truck, however, blocks the path and Elfman hits on the action as the Batmobile screeches to a stop. 
Batman and Vicki get out of the Batmobile and loud percussion plays off of their escape.  As Batman looks for a way out, he sees scaffolding above.  The music stops for a brief moment, emphasizing what Batman has seen, and builds back up as Batman fires his grappling gun.  As the grappling line hoists up Batman and Vicki, the Batman theme briefly blasts, but stops at the same time they stop.  Low strings continue with a lighter, quieter version of the Batman theme as he quietly tells her to take the grappling gun from him.  As she screams her way to the top, Batman falls. 
An organ plays the Batman theme, implicating the possibility of his death as well as playing on the heroism of letting Vicki go to safety.  After Batman lands, Elfman hits on the action as he kicks the Joker?s thugs and builds the music to a climax as the thugs surround him.  When they shoot him down, the cue stops, shocking us into thinking that they have killed Batman.

25. Alley Fight (0:54)
When the Joker?s thugs try to shoot at Vicki, a variation of the Batman theme accompanies Batman leaping up.  Various loud beats from the orchestra correlate with his punches and blows to the goons, once again providing intense music to accompany the action. 
The percussion takes over and builds upon the intensity as one final thug appears out of nowhere with swords.  The music sounds frantic as the thug tries to cut Batman down with the swords.  It builds to a climax as Batman kicks him unconscious.  To end the cue, Elfman provides humor to relieve the tension by hitting on the action of Bob getting up and then, Batman beckoning him.

[BatmAngelus]

26. Descent Into Mystery (1:28)
The Batmobile?s drive through the forest is an example of having a film?s underscore completely carry the scene.  Very little happens visually besides the Batmobile?s drive and Vicki?s foiled attempt to get a closer look at Batman.
Instead, the music carries our emotions completely, with its full use of choir, sweeping strings, and blasting brass.  The result is a fast-paced Gothic, yet strangely still heroic cue.  Elfman briefly brings the music down for Vicki?s one line, ?Where are we going??  To bring more dramatic emphasis on Batman?s silence, however, he builds the music back up.  It grows louder and louder as the Batmobile roars down the road even faster.  Elfman backs down again with a more pleasant sounding tune as Vicki tries to get a closer look at Batman.  We wonder if she recognizes Bruce.  The music grows darker, however, upon the next shot of Batman, who shines a light in Vicki?s eyes to blind her. 
The cue builds up to a crescendo as all elements of the orchestra and choir join together and Batman drives through a hologram wall to enter the Batcave.

27. The Batcave (2:32)
As Vicki gets out of the Batmobile, a softer sounding cue begins, highlighting Vicki?s curiosity with the strange cave she has entered.  As Batman leads her up to his Batcomputer, the music becomes sound dark and mysterious, yet still much lighter than the previous cue. 
It is calmer, quieting music for a lighter and tamer scene.  But after Vicki says, ?You?re not exactly normal.  Are you?? the music starts to sound more threatening as Batman moves towards her with the retort, ?It?s not exactly a normal world, is it??  It builds, making us wonder what Batman will do to her.  When he suddenly spreads his cape around her, the music crescendos with a loud and ascending tune, surprising Vicki and the audience.

28. Batman Cracks the Joker?s Poison Code (0:11)
The music gives a sense of urgency as a Gotham Globe truck pulls up and a man quickly delivers a stack of papers with an emergency report.  The headlines read: BATMAN CRACKS JOKER?S POISON CODE and reveals the code to the city to help them avoid the Joker?s poison.  Elfman briefly plays the Batman theme to highlight Batman?s good deed.

29.  Nice Place, Lots of Space (1:41)
Chiming bells begin as Bruce desperately tries to tell Vicki Vale that he?s Batman.  The bells have a light romantic innocence to them that also ties to the ringing doorbell in the film.  When the door opens, however, and Joker enters, the bells begin playing Elfman?s arrangement of ?Beautiful Dreamer,? signaling Joker?s twisted love for Vicki. 
The score once again provides a deceptively light, even romantic, tune to accompany a threatening scene.  After Joker startles Vicki by breaking Alicia?s mask, flutes play a whirling sound as Bruce Wayne enters the room, ready to confront the Joker.  The music is somewhat threatening, foreshadowing the inevitable confrontation between the two men.  It is still light in sound, however, to keep in the same tone as Foster?s song.  The cue becomes source music as Joker turns off the stereo and stops the music.

30. The Joker?s Poem (0:53)
As Joker recites a twisted poem for Vicki, a music box plays, once again playing off of Joker?s deceptively innocent clown look.  When the Joker switches from mock crying to laughing, however, the music becomes more menacing, indicating his threatening side.  The Joker leaves to sweeping music, but the music box continues playing.  Like with Batman in earlier scenes, Elfman shows that Joker?s presence remains even after he has left.  The music box stops playing and the orchestra takes over as Vicki opens the large box Joker has left for her.  When a mannequin hand pops out with dead flowers, the orchestra suddenly becomes louder, playing off of Vicki?s surprise and ending the cue as she faints.

[BatmAngelus]

31. The Truth About Bruce Wayne (0:34)
Knox shows Vicki an old headline about the death of Bruce?s parents. The music is appropriately tragic, with sad strings.  When Knox asks, ?What do you suppose this does to a kid?? Vicki realizes that Bruce is Batman.  Elfman subtly hints at her discovery by ending the cue on an ascending tune that echoes the ending music from the Batcave cue.

32. Remembering Thomas and Martha Wayne (1:48)
This cue begins with a dark mixture of sadness and foreboding as Bruce opens up a case file and reviews the newspaper article of his parents? deaths.  Parts of the orchestra wail out as we flashback outside the Monarch Theater. 
When young Bruce and his parents exit the theater, a choir starts to sing, signaling a time of innocence and happiness in Bruce?s life.  The music, however, continues to sound menacing with its mix of dissonant sounds and haunting soprano voices, foreshadowing the murder that is about to occur.  When we see two shadows appear behind the Wayne family, the choir eerily drops out.  The orchestra takes over as the Wayne family turns and notices the two men behind them.  The, the cue cuts out, completely. 
There is no music when we witness the murders, yet there is music in the scenes leading up to the incident and following it.  As such, the sudden silence and absence of music makes the murder scene more frightening.  We feel the same fear that Bruce felt when his parents were murdered and understand his need to instill that same fear into criminals today.

33. I?ve Gotta Go To Work (3:15)
As the killer moves closer to Bruce, the music fades back in, providing a sense of dread and terror.  A drum plays on the light hitting the killer?s face as we see that it is a young Jack Napier.  When he leaves Bruce alone with the bodies of his parents, the strings come back with the same sad melody as the previous cue.  We feel the tragedy of the aftermath and the loneliness that young Bruce must have felt.  The music then carries over to present day as Bruce looks over to Joker on the screen, in recognition that Joker was the man who killed his parents.  The strings briefly fade out as Alfred leads Vicki Vale up to the Batcomputer. 
When Bruce sees her, the love theme plays as the couple discuss if there?s any room in Bruce?s life for her.  Since the love theme is a variation on the Batman theme, Elfman foreshadows that Bruce will not give up being Batman to be with her. 
When Bruce tells her that he has to ?go to work,? the tone shifts and drums beat as Bruce opens a vault to reach his Batsuit.  The Batman theme builds our anticipation as Bruce dons his armored costume.  Sound effects briefly drown out the music as we hear the Batmobile charge into the gates of Axis Chemicals. 
Once the car crashes through, the Batman theme then picks up, following the car as it speeds through the Joker?s hideout and encounters gunfire the Joker?s goons.  The intense and heroic music instills excitement and suspense in the action sequence.   It then fades out to the first four notes of the Batman theme as the Batmobile drops off a bomb, holding the audience in suspense of what will happen.  The absence of music, like before, provides dramatic emphasis as the chemical factory explodes from the bomb.

34. Destroying The Joker?s Lair (0:33)
Directly after the first explosion of Axis Chemicals, the music builds back up again as the Batmobile races through the burning building, unscathed, as the Joker?s minions and chemical weapons all burn to the ground. 
The cue is loud and triumphant, yet also somewhat angry.  This is only the beginning of what Batman will do to Joker.

35. Enter The Batwing (0:19)
As we are introduced to the Batwing flying towards Gotham, Elfman briefly picks up a march version of the Batman theme, signaling his entrance and indicating that he will be coming to the city?s rescue.

[BatmAngelus]

36. Attack of the Batwing (3:54)
When Joker looks up to see the Batwing for the first time, the Batman theme picks up, building up the suspense.  In this cue, Elfman frequently uses only the first three notes of the Batman theme rapidly, adding to the intensity of the scenes. 
It begins, providing a sense of foreboding, as Joker, in reaction to Batman?s appearance, warns the crowd that he will kill all of them.  The music builds up as poisonous gas escapes from the parade balloons.  As panic erupts, the music keeps building, providing an intense feeling.  When we cut back to the Batwing, Elfman provides the Batman theme to show that the hero is on his way.  When we cut back to the crowd, Elfman returns to the same chaotic underscore as before. 
Later, when Vicki drives off, looking for Knox, the score briefly becomes more pleasant, having the strings play a lighter melody as Knox jumps onto the hood of her car.  The score gets more busy and intense as she drives him into an alley and away from the chaos.  When she gets out to try to help him, the score briefly becomes a lighter tone, relieving tension as she sees that Knox is still in one piece. 
Elfman then cuts back to the Batman theme at full blast as we see the Batwing heading for Joker?s balloons.  A cymbal crash briefly takes over, allowing us to hear Joker?s reaction (?My balloons!?).  As Batman tries to pilot the Batwing away from skyscrapers, the music becomes louder, making us unsure if he will crash.  When he succeeds in avoiding them, Elfman, once again, fades away, as we cut back to Joker?s reaction (?Those were my balloons!?).  The Batman theme plays triumphantly as the Batwing disposes of the deadly balloons and flies off. 
As a grief-stricken Joker and his goons walk off the parade float, we hear low drumming reminding us that these men are still a threat.

37.  Come On, Hit Me! (2:01) (Sorry, I couldn't resist)
After Joker shoots his Bob, his thugs scare away the crowds with guns.  The drumming and chaotic sounding music returns to signal their threat.  We cut back to the Batman theme as the Batwing flies up to the moon and back down again, to gain momentum. 
Later, the Batman theme becomes more understated than before as Batman prepares weapons in his Batwing.  In a way, Elfman?s music is preparing us for the final confrontation between Joker and Batman.  The Batman theme picks up in a loud and intense manner as Batman tries to shoot down the Joker and his goons.  When Batman stops shooting, Joker pulls out his own gun.  Snare drums play loudly, establishing the weapon as a threat. 
When Joker shoots the Batwing, a bell tolls, bringing the cue to a climax and sounding like a death knell for Batman.  It also foreshadows the upcoming fight in the bell tower between Batman and the Joker.  As the Batwing crash lands, the music builds up even further, playing off the chaos in the failing aircraft until the Batwing finally crashes and explodes at the Gotham Cathedral.

38. Up the Cathedral (5:00)
Much like the scene with the Batmobile in the forest, this scene relies very much on Elfman?s score.  As Vicki runs to the wreckage, the low bass drum plays, signaling doom in the aftermath of the Batwing explosion.  The orchestra then joins in and builds up as she gets closer to the Batwing, bringing up our hopes that she will find Batman there alive.  The cockpit, however, is empty. 
The Joker then puts a gun to her head and the music switches to signal a sense of dread.  When we see a long shot of the cathedral from the ground up, the music blares to play off the abnormally tall height of the building.  An organ joins in the music, adding to the atmosphere of the old cathedral and sounding rather threatening as it plays off of the Joker?s smile.  Batman, however, emerges from the wreckage to the Batman theme. 
The theme sounds slightly triumphant, since he has survived, yet also angry due to what Joker has done to him.  It builds up to a loud and angry tune as Batman pushes open the doors of the cathedral in pursuit.  The character?s fury and determination is portrayed entirely by the music.  The Batman theme later plays off of Batman?s actions, becoming more quiet as Batman stumbles and knocks over church pews, but then growing louder as Batman works through the pain and marches forward. 
When Joker takes off Vicki?s shoe and throws it over the stair railing, Elfman plays off the falling shoe with sweeping strings, which stop as the shoe lands.  As Batman sees it, he looks up and the music blares two descending notes.  Here, Elfman signals the large height of the cathedral and how many more stairs Batman must climb up in order to catch up to Joker and Vicki.  When the police arrive, the music then starts to give off a sense of urgency as they try to enter the cathedral to catch up to Joker.   
When the Joker uses acid to cause a bell to fall, the music picks up, louder, giving us a sense of danger.  It nearly hits Batman and ends up blocking the policemen?s entrance to the doorway.  The Batman theme angrily plays again as Batman continues in pursuit, knowing that only he can get to the top and save Vicki now. 
The strings continue building, further increasing the intensity and urgency of the scene as Gordon has his policemen shine searchlights over the cathedral.  The music dampens back down and plays a melancholy version of the Batman theme as Batman finally reaches the top of the cathedral, but finds it empty.

39. Waltz to the Death (3:54)
As a Joker thug approaches Batman to attack, Elfman builds up action music with percussion that increases in intensity as the thug gets closer to Batman.  It reaches its climax when Batman knocks him to the ground. 
Suddenly, the orchestra begins playing the Joker waltz as we see Joker forcing Vicki to dance with him. Elfman?s score here plays against the serious emotions of the scene, yet also plays off of the actions of the characters. For example, some punches or blows play into the rhythm of the music.  When a thug tries to swing a chain at Batman, his attempts are accompanied by twirling strings that still blend in with the waltz.  As a result, Elfman is able to sustain the Joker?s perversity and sick humor while keeping us engaged in Batman?s battles. 
When a thug kicks Batman off the edge of the belltower, the music dies down briefly to a few lone woodwinds and brass, making us wonder if Batman fell to his death.  Suddenly the music builds back up as two legs pop up, grab the thug by the neck, and sends him falling to his death.  After defeating all of the Joker?s men, the waltz dies down as Joker finishes dancing with Vicki and the music suddenly becomes tense as Batman appears behind Joker. 
The music box plays a playful and whimsical melody, but the orchestra continues building up intense music.  The playfulness and light tone from before remains, but the contrasting dark strings provide darker tension to the scene.  There is a sense of incoming danger as Vicki distracts Joker and tries to seduce him.  As she slides to the ground, the strings fade away, ending the cue and making the audience wait in anticipation for what will happen next.

40. I Made You, You Made Me First (1:11)
After Batman punches the Joker into the church bell, the cue begins with an intense, driven feeling that builds as the two men fight.  After Batman accuses Joker of killing his parents, the Batman theme creeps up into the cue.  This is appropriate since the scene points out that Joker, in killing the Waynes, is responsible for Batman?s birth. 
The Batman theme keeps building, making us anticipate whether or not Batman will finally avenge his parents and kill the Joker.  It builds to a climax and briefly stops as he punches Joker over the roof of the cathedral.  After Batman and Vicki look over, the music pops in again, surprisingly us, as the Joker?s hands grab them and pull them over.

[BatmAngelus]

41. End of The Joker (3:43)
As Joker laughs close to the gargoyle, the music builds up again with loud and intense chords.  When the film cuts to a shot of the cathedral from the ground up again, the music accentuates the height of the building and makes us fear for Batman and Vicki?s safety.  Strings play upon the terror as Joker causes Vicki to fall, but Batman catches her.  The music continues building and stops momentarily as Joker stops to catch his balance.  The score then accompanies Joker?s actions as he dances around the rooftop to the percussion. 
The film then cuts to the Joker?s helicopter flying towards the cathedral and the strings play a foreboding melody since the Joker is about to escape and wreak more havoc upon Gotham.  When Batman shoots a Bat-bola around Joker?s legs and a nearby gargoyle, the Batman theme plays with an angry and vengeful sound, indicating Batman?s determination to bring his parents? killer to justice. 
Snare drums play as Joker realizes that he?s been caught and tries to escape.  His frantic movements are matched by frantic percussion sounds.   The music builds up whenever Joker nearly falls, but backs down as he catches onto the ladder rungs.  The orchestra plays loud notes to give a dizzying feel, making us feel like we are hanging from the ladder with Joker.  As the music builds up one final time, we recognize the pattern and realize that, this time, Joker is about to fall to his death.  As he slips from the ladder, loud percussion accompanies his fall to the death. 
A cymbal crash transitions us briefly to the love theme as Batman tries to lift himself and Vicki back onto the roof.  The bricks give way, though, and they fall, accompanied by the same intense falling music that played in Joker?s death and making us fearful for Batman and Vicki?s lives.  The music then hits its climax as Batman?s grappling gun stops the two of them from falling further.  As they swing on the line, the love theme is brought back into the score, showing that the two lovers are now safe. 
We then fade to the corpse of the Joker, whose laughing bag has gone off.  Stephen Foster?s ?Beautiful Dreamer? plays eerily, giving us an uneasy feeling that even though the Joker is dead, he still had the last laugh.

42. The Bat-Signal/Finale (1:39) 
When Gordon turns on the Bat-Signal, the cue begins with a loud and triumphant melody.  Batman has been recognized as a hero in the city and the score plays off of the city?s acceptance of him.  As we cut to Vicki, we hear one last variation of the love theme.  When she looks up at the Bat-Signal, Elfman seamlessly switches to the Batman theme and then back to the love theme as Vicki sees that Alfred has a car ready for her. 
As Alfred drives her away, the music builds up into the most triumphant and heroic cue in the whole score, using loud brass to signal our hero?s victory over the Joker.  Over the final shot, however, Elfman briefly reprises the Batman theme, indicating that the streets may not be safe for long and that Batman will be needed once again.  The film and the cue fade out.

43. End Credits- The Dark Knight Will Return (1:18)
Over the end titles, Elfman briefly reprises the Batman theme in a sweeping fast-paced march.  Like the beginning titles, the cue ends on a cymbal crash, bringing the score full circle.

That's all.  Hope you liked it.

[batass4880]

EXCELLENT!!! I've never thought about some of the detail that you've illustrated. Very perceptive, both visually and audibly.

Are you interested in becoming a film composer?

[BatmAngelus]

^ Screenwriting, actually. 
I love film scores, though.  Soundtracks are my study/writing music, so this class was a natural fit for me.

Thank you very much for your compliments 

[batass4880]

Your welcome! What are some of your favorite film scores?