Danny Elfman has to be one of the most prominent composers today. With over 100 soundtracks created after his work with the seminal New Wave band Oingo Boingo, Elfman has consolidated his place in history books regarding film scores. He is best known for his collaborations with macabre genius Tim Burton, but his career goes far beyond their work together. Under his belt is The Simpsons theme song, which has to be one of the most iconic theme songs for television. Elfman even performed the theme song at this year's Coachella.
He also doesn't limit himself regarding genre, having done soundtracks for romance movies such as Fifty Shades of Grey and dramas like Good Will Hunting. Recently, he did the soundtrack to the new MCU movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with his longtime collaborator, Sam Raimi.
Soundtracks are a fundamental part of creating the tone of a movie. With a good soundtrack in the background, a couple confessing their love for the first time becomes even more romantic. A scary scene where the character walks into the basement with the lights out can take your breath away when the melodic rhythm increases. The scene's music dictates how the audience will feel when watching the story unfold on a more subconscious level. As such, Elfman's work is nothing short of fantastical; taking the audience to different worlds with music so many times, he is truly one of a kind. Here are Danny Elfman's best soundtracks, ranked.
8 Men In Black
Probably one of the most quoted movies of the late nineties, Men in Black had to be on this list. While everyone remembers Will Smith's song "Men in Black," Elfman's soundtrack shouldn't be forgotten when discussing the composer's vast body of work, and was the first that got the musician an Oscar nomination. Elfman does a great job at choosing weird elements and incorporating them into the songs, helping create the unique world The Men in Black is set in.
7 Mars Attacks
The funny offbeat movie various people love (and some love to hate), Mars Attacks is an alien invasion (very different from MIB) movie that has A-list actors, but that somehow didn't deliver much for the audience at the time. People are still discussing and hoping for a return of Mars Attacks in some form or another, whether a film remake or a series. Regarding the soundtrack, it has a mixture of lively orchestral elements with electronics, known in Elfman's previous work. This combination can be seen especially in the main theme, which happens in the emblematic opening sequence.
6 Mission: Impossible
One of the most instantly recognizable theme songs, the Mission: Impossible soundtrack has been an important part of the films' success. Drawing from the original TV theme song from Lalo Schifrin to create the adrenaline-inducing music for this spy film that later became one of the biggest action movie franchises with six Mission: Impossible movies and counting, Elfman's soundtrack is perfect for this narrative. Setting the stakes even higher with rapid melodies and gripping rhythms, this soundtrack is a must-listen to Elfman's fans and action fans combined.
5 Batman
One of the most iconic Batman (and Tim Burton) films had to have Elfman's score. Even though the soundtrack earned the musician a Grammy nomination and is loved by fans to this day, he expressed that he didn't like how the soundtrack was mixed and incorporated in the movie. A large part of this may have been due to pressure from producers, who originally wanted both Prince and Michael Jackson to do the music for the film.
Prince ended up making some strong songs for Batman and Elfman incorporated them wonderfully into his score, resulting in one of the rare instances of a film having two separate soundtrack albums. Working with Tim Burton's aesthetics became almost second nature to Elfman and usually turned out great, as you will see in the rest of this list, and this movie is no different.
4 Edward Scissorhands
A sad tale about impossible love and how it can change a person's life, Edward Scissorhands is a movie that will stay with you for years after watching it. Elfman's and Burton's fourth collaboration is as haunting as it is beautiful. Every song enhances the delicate romance between Edward (Johnny Depp) and Kim (Winona Ryder), making the audience feel like they are entering a unique fairytale. In the last scene, when the old lady is finishing her story for her granddaughter, while the choir sings, and the snow falls outside her window, it is simply impossible to not get emotional while watching (or even remembering), thanks in large part to Elfman's score.
3 Corpse Bride
The sorrow of a naive woman murdered because of love is translated into Elfman's phenomenal and underrated soundtrack for Corpse Bride, another Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaboration. The songs are filled with the despair the characters feel, though the soundtrack also has the occasional high tempo and fun song like "Remains of the Day." A sorrowful story about social prejudices, what it means to be truly alive, what real love looks like, and the price one has to pay for it, Corpse Bride is one of Burton's saddest stories, and the soundtrack moves the plot forward and increases the attachment the audience feels with the characters.
2 Beetlejuice
Having its own Broadway musical and talks of a sequel due to its popularity, even after over 30 years of its release, Beetlejuice remains one of the most iconic movies of all time; there is nothing like watching someone say his name three times. Burton consecrated himself and his style of filmmaking with this story, creating what would later become a legacy. The theme song of the movie already hints that this story is not like the ones you are used to watching: it's chaotic and fast, just like the main character, exemplifying the brilliance of Elfman's work.
1 The Nightmare Before Christmas
Arguably the best stop-motion movie ever made, The Nightmare Before Christmas might be the greatest representation of Danny Elfman's brilliance as a composer. Once again, Tim Burton's macabre vision of a depressed skeleton that doesn't want to be scary anymore, combined with the rock opera-based soundtrack by Elfman, proved that the one couldn't have worked without the another. From more happy songs like "What's This?" to the sad "Jack's Lament" and the iconic and spooky "This is Halloween," the soundtrack is an emotional rollercoaster and one of the greatest of all time.