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Music Analysis of Danny Elfman’s
“Edward Scissorhands”
Yip Sau Man
MMus in Scoring for Film, Television & Video Games
Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus
July 2014
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
3
1. Introduction
4
2. Danny Elfman’s Musical Background
5
3. Synopsis
8
4. The Music and Its Context
10
5. An Analysis of the Score
16
6. Conclusion
29
Notes
30
Bibliography
31
2
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Examples
5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33
15
5.2: Main Titles, bb. 57-64
19
5.3: Storytime, theme 1
20
5.4: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 1
20
5.5: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 2
21
5.6: Castle on the Hill, harp opening
22
5.7: Edward the Barber, bb.1-6
26
5.8: Edward the Barber, violin melody
26
Tables
2.1: Filmography of Tim Burton
6
4.1: Cue Sheet Information
11
4.2: Source Music Information
13
5.1: Thematic Variations
21
3
1. Introduction
Danny Elfman is undoubtedly one of the most important film composers in these
decades. His famous works include Batman, The Simpsons’ theme, The Nightmare
Before Christmas, Mission: Impossible, Men in Black and Spider-Man, etc.
Among all these great works, his favorite one is the 1990 movie Edward
Scissorhands. “I guess I got it right for Edward Scissorhands’ considering the
incredible number of times I’ve had it ripped off and the number of lawsuits I’ve had
suing people who have ripped it off – if that’s any form of compliment.”1
Tim Burton, director of the film, also cites it as epitomizing his most personal
work.2 In fact, this romantic dark fantasy movie received lots of positive feedback
when it was released, and also was a financial success.
The aim of this thesis is to investigate why both Elfman and Burton would
consider this film as their favorite one, and what are the success factors of the music.
We will go through the basic information of the composer and the movie first, then
analyze the soundscape and the film score.
4
2. Danny Elfman’s Musical Background
Early Life
Danny Elfman was born in Los Angeles, California, in May of 1953, the son of
Blossom Elfman who is a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman who is a teacher in
the Air Force. He grew up in a Jewish family, and spent much of his time in the local
cinema. He started a ska band in high school, and later followed his brother Richard
Elfman to France, where he performed with an avant-garde musical theater group.
He eventually returned home to the United States, where he started to take Balinese
music lessons.
First Film Score
In 1972, Richard Elfman founded the American new wave band, originally called The
Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. They played several shows throughout the
1970s. Later, Richard left the band to become a filmmaker, and created the film
Forbidden Zone based on their stage performances. Danny Elfman took this chance
to compose his first film score.
Relationship with Tim Burton
In 1985, directors Tim Burton and Paul Reubens made their first feature film, Peewee’s Big Adventure, and invited Elfman to write the score. Elfman was nervous at
first because of his lack of formal training. Fortunately, Steven Bartek, the guitarist
and arranger from Oingo Boingo, helps Elfman in orchestrating the music. Therefore
he can emulate the mood of his favorite composers such as Nino Rota and Bernard
Herrmann.
5
Elfman immediately developed a close relationship with Burton after their first
collaboration. We can tell this from the following table.
Table 2.1: Filmography of Tim Burton
As highlighted in red, Elfman scored all but two of Burton’s directed films: Ed
Wood which was under production while Elfman and Burton were having a serious
disagreement, and Sweeney Todd which is a ready-made musical.
Their relationship was described by Larry Rohter, an American journalist, as
this:
"In a recording studio one afternoon, a shrunken head
nicknamed Uncle Bill looked down on Mr. Elfman and Mr.
Burton from the console as a 79-piece orchestra recorded a 90-
6
second cue to accompany a key scene in the movie (which is
referring to Edward Scissorhands). Communication between
composer and director was as much by glances, raised
eyebrows, and guffaws as by words. It is not always that easy,
Mr. Elfman said." 3
Musical Instruments Played
In the Mystic Knights band, Elfman played trombone, violin, guitar and percussion,
which was like a little bit of everything. With Oingo Boingo, he was a guitarist and
singer. He considers himself as a mimicker when learning instruments, and trained a
pair of good ears during the process.4
Music Influences
Elfman’s music is influenced by modern classical composers such as Bela Bartok,
Philip Glass, Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky and Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Other influences based in film music include Bernard Hermann,
Nino Rota, Max Steiner, David Tamkin and Franz Waxman.
Film Scoring Style
Elfman’s compositions are usually quirky, odd, and weird. His sound is perfect for
goofy comedies and extraordinary characters, which often appear in Tim Burton’s
films. Other characteristics include frequent use of haunting vocals, bells, brass and
percussions. He also likes to combine orchestral sounds with electronic music, such
as the main titles of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
7
3. Synopsis
Once upon a time, there was an inventor (Vincent Price) living in an old castle
isolated on the hill. He had created a lot of different devices. One day, he decided to
create a young boy whom he named Edward (Johnny Depp). The kind inventor took
care of him and treated him as his own son. Soon the old inventor died and left
Edward uncompleted.
Edward has all the essential ingredients of a human body, except a pair of
real hands. Instead, he has scissorhands which gave him the ability to trim hedges,
but make him very inconvenient in daily life.
He was left alone in the castle, until one day discovered by an Avon lady Peg
Boggs (Dianne Weist). Peg feels pity for him and decided to bring him home, which
is located in a suburbia area full of colorful ranch-houses. Edward finds himself fall in
love with Peg’s beautiful daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder), who is dating Jim (Anothony
Michael Hall), the neighborhood bully.
Edward becomes friends with Peg’s husband (Alan Arkin) and her young son
Kevin (Robert Oliveri). His hedge-trimming and hairstyling abilities impress Peg’s
neighborhoods, especially an aging seductress named Joyce (Kathy Baker). He
becomes popular in town very soon. However, a religious fanatic named Esmeralda
(O-Lan Jones) thinks he is devil and urges people to repel him.
Jim takes advantage of Edward’s ability to pick locks, and asks him to break
into his parents’ house. The burglar alarm sounds and everyone flees except Edward.
He is arrested and released, and the neighborhoods begin to suspect him.
Edward also starts to realize, he can be dangerous to the others, since he is
not able to even touch the others without harming them, due to the sharpness of the
blades he has instead of hands. Later rumors spread and people begin to fear him
and wash him away.
8
The whole story is told by an elderly woman (who is actually Kim in her old
age) to her granddaughter in bedtime. Kim chose not to visit Edward again because
she wants him to remember her as a young lady. She believes that Edward is still
alive, seemingly immortal since he is not a real human being and will never old and
die.
9
4. The Music and Its Context
“The thing about Tim's first four films was that I had nothing to go
on … They wanted it to sound like John Williams' music but I don't
do that - only John Williams can do John Williams - so I had to find
another language for it. Same again on Edward Scissorhands:
there was virtually nothing to look at. All Tim's early films were like
starting out in complete darkness. There wasn't a genre of film to
model anything after.”
Danny Elfman5
I begin this part with Elfman’s quotation regarding his early collaborations with Tim
Burton. Just like other Burton’s works, Edward Scissorhands is a special one in terms
of the script, character design and set design. The macabre sense of humor, gothic
tone and fantasy world established by the movie suggest Elfman to build his own
style on the music.
The Dark and Bright Scenes
There are two completely different “worlds” in the movie. One is the dark gothic
castle overgrown with creepy vines that towers over the street, where Edward
originally lives in. Another one is the suburban area with colorful ranch-houses,
where Peg brings Edward to.
In order to emphasize the contrast between these two worlds, Elfman uses
different instrumentations, orchestrations, and music styles to distinguish them.
Usually the “dark” cues happen at night or indoors, and the “bright” ones vice versa,
10
but there are also some exceptional cases. Here we use the terms “dark” and “bright”
referring to the music but not the lighting of the scenes.
Before discussing the soundscape, let’s have a look on the cue list first.
Table 4.1: Cue Sheet Information
11
For better analyzing purpose, I would briefly divide the non-diegetic cues (except the
very short ones) into there groups.
i. Dark: Introduction (Main Titles), Storytime, Castle on the Hill, Esmeralda, Cookie
Factory, Etiquette Lesson, Heist, The Tide Turns, Rage, Confrontation, Wandering,
Rampage, Devil Bush, Paranoia, Strake Out, Death, The Plot Unfolds, Mob, Grand
Finale, End Credits.
In addition to a foundation of a traditional strings/ woodwinds/ brass setting, harp and
celesta are used to bring a magic feel. Choir usually joins the music in critical
moments and brings climaxes. Staccato bassoon and trombone solo give a dark
sense of humor. Timapni bring tension in action cues. Thematic ideas are often
recalled (will be discussed in the next part), suggesting that these are the most
essential cues in the movie.
Related emotions: Mysterious/ Fantasy/ Anger
ii. Bright: Beautiful New World, Housewives, Husbands, Ballet de Suburbia, Paper
Doll, Edward the Barber.
Most of these cues happen in daytime and in the suburbia area. They are all joyful
and easy to be recognized. Pizzicato strings or piano are often used to build the
basic rhythmic patterns. Special instruments like accordion and castanets are used
for an exotic flavor. Solo violins play fast and busy melodies to show Edward’s
craziness. Although these cues are usually short, they play an important role in the
12
movie to balance the seriousness of other cues, and let the audience to take breaths
in between. However, they all appear in the first half of the movie, which make sense
since the story becomes dark and tense in the second half.
Related emotions: Funny/ Pleasant/ Creative
iii. Neutral: Home Sweet Home, Kim at the Mall, Talk Show Shocker, Apology, Kim
Spies, Ice Dance, Dog.
These cues are all related to Kim. The instrumentations are similar to group one, but
lighter in texture, while violins and flute become more prominent. Choir is used to
create the sense of romance.
Related emotions: Romantic/ Beauty/ Warmth/ Sad
Source music
Table 4.2: Source Music Information
13
The story is set in the 1950’s and in Burbank of the United States. From the above
table, we know that all songs with lyrics (except the Christmas song sung by Alan
Arkin) come from Tom Jones. It makes sense to use different songs from the same
singer to retain consistency.
However, Jones was a popular singer since the mid 60’s. Regarding the
songs being used in the movie, Delilah was released in 1968, It’s Not Unusual in
1965, and With These Hands in 1965 also.6 The unmatched timing is not a careless
mistake. Burton didn’t feel that the people he grew up around really cared for music,
but everyone seemed to have a liking for Tom Jones. He refers to the singer as “the
music of the neighborhood” and says this proves the people in his neighborhood had
some taste. 7
Also, the lyrics fit the script very much, especially With These Hands.
“With these hands, I will cling to you.
I'm yours forever and a day.
With these hands, I will bring to you.
A tender love as warm as May.”
This song appears when Joyce turns on the radio and starts to seduce
Edward in the back room of the proposed site of hair salon. According to the scene,
Joyce has prepared this song before she meets Edward, which implies that she uses
the lyrics to express her interest on him. The song title also fits the story very well,
since scissorhands are the characteristics of Edward, also the only difference
between him and the real human beings.
For the organ playing scenes, it is interesting to know that the music was
actually arranged and performed by the actress O-Lan Jones herself, who plays the
role of Esmeralda in the movie.8 She chooses to play Christmas carols at her home,
14
which fits the Christmas background of the movie, as well as Esmeralda’s religious
fanatic character.
15
5. AN ANALYSIS OF THE SCORE
“I realized what fun it is to find a theme I like and just play
with it. I'd have killed to do thematic variations on Beetlejuice
and Edward Scissorhands. I could keep going on those for
ever.”
Danny Elfman9
As Elfman said, there are a lot of thematic variations through this movie, and we are
going to explore them. Then we will look into some specific cues, and study the
relationship between music and the scenes.
The Score’s Thematic Integrity:
Main Titles
The movie starts with the Main Titles, which provides a whole bunch of thematic
materials for the other cues to develop. The following transcription from bar 1 to 33
shows the first two of them.
Motif A
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33
16
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
17
Main Theme (Motif B)
Main Theme (cont’d)
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
18
Main Theme (cont’d)
Main Theme (cont’d)
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
19
Like many other film scores of Elfman, celesta plays a prominent role in the
music, especially when it is the solo instrument from the opening of the first cue. It
gives the magical and fairy-tale feeling, which determines the nature of the movie.
The main titles start in C minor. Motif A consists of four bars, where the first
three bars are basically celesta playing broken chords in tonic, and the last one a
downward stepwise motion leading to the dominant chord in the next bar. Then the
celli come in with a lyrical melody.
The music was quiet until the choir comes in bar 11, where the title of the
movie “Edward Scissorhands” appears on the screen. The main theme (motif B)
finally comes in bar 13. The first phrase is repeated which makes the melody easier
to be memorized.
The main theme is repeated by English horn after bar 33, then celesta plays
broken chords similar to motif A. After that, English horn introduces a new motif, and
I would call this motif C:
Example 5.2: Main Titles, bb. 57-64
The music then modulates to F minor, and the choir sings the main theme
again in the new key. It ends with repeating the first three notes “mi – re – do” with
rhythmic augmentation. The last phrase becomes “mi – re –do –ti,” (C – Bb – Ab - G),
while the last note G is a common note with the first chord (C Major) of the next cue.
It is a good trick for a seamless transition.
20
The Romantic Theme:
Kim’s Leitmotifs
The second cue “Storytime”, comes with the old woman (who actually is Kim) telling
her granddaughter the story of Edward Scissorhands. It starts quietly, with
woodwinds playing the melodies, accompanied by strings and celesta. This cue
provides three motifs that will be reused frequently later. The first one is introduced
by flute and violins in unison, we call it motif D:
Example 5.3: Storytime, theme 1
The other two are simple but catchy. Like the main theme in main titles, they
are sung by the choir. They bring to emotional climax naturally, and appear in all the
critical romantic scenes later. Due to their function, we conclude them to be Kim’s
leitmotifs. We call the first one motif E here:
Example 5.4: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 1
21
Another one motif F:
Example 5.5: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 2
Thematic Variations Through the Film
The first two cues, “Main Titles” and “Storytime”, function as the introduction of the
movie. Script-wise, they are in present tense, and the story begins after them. Musicwise, they serve the theme-providing purpose. Here is a table summarizing how the
other cues develop the above motifs.
Table 5.1: Thematic variations
22
We can tell from the table that motifs B, E and F are reused most frequently. It
makes sense since they are the main theme and Kim’s leitmotifs respectively.
Another thing worth to notice is when the motifs are recalled, they are usually in a
different key as the original one. This is to avoid the feeling of absolute repetition,
with the help of different orchestrations and tempos as well. We are going to look
into some specific cues in the following.
Perfect Demonstration of Mood Changes:
Castle on the Hill
It is the first original and non-diegetic music after “Storytime”, also the longest cue in
the whole movie (See table 4.1). With the duration of 6 minutes 16 seconds, which
is almost the double of the second longest cue except End Credits, it describes how
Peg finds Edward, and her psychological alterations during the process. I divide it
into seven stages according to the physical locations.
i. Discover the Castle
The cue begins, alongside Peg’s discovery of the castle in the wing mirror of her car,
with a six-note broken chord played by the harp:
Example 5.6: Castle on the Hill, harp opening
23
It is a Bm7(b5) add 9 chord, which can be derived from the whole-tone scale.
This unusual chord draws audience’s attention, and predicts something extraordinary
will happen. Long notes from violins and bass clarinet follow, which create suspense.
Choir, timpani and some other instruments come in when the camera angle
becomes full shot. This grand atmosphere underscores Peg’s decision of driving to
the castle.
ii. Enter the hill area
When Peg drives through the gate and enters the hill area, the arpeggiated celesta
figure (motif A) appears with pizzicato basses, after a harp glissando. All these
factors make the music nifty and childish, resembling Peg’s exciting mood when she
is getting closer and closer to the castle. When the camera pans out on the castle,
music becomes magnificent again, with the use of brass and timpani.
iii. Visit the garden
After getting out of her car, Peg arrives the garden of the castle. Here the music
suddenly becomes dreamy, when Peg is surprised by the fantastic topiary artworks.
Motif D is played by violins, and accompanied by music box like celesta, harp, choir
and pizzicato strings. The music matches the fairytale image perfectly, also suggests
that the character living in the castle is not evil.
iv. Enter the castle
Peg opens the door and enters the castle. Strings hold long notes and harp plays
arpeggios in diminished chords. Choir and bells repeat a short motif in descending
semitone. The music is as mysterious as the dark scene here.
24
Later trombones and tuba plays short repetitive notes while Peg is
approaching the stairs. Percussions are also used more frequently, indicates the
nervousness of Peg.
v. Arrive the upper floor
The music becomes very quiet when Peg arrives the upper floor, only sustaining
strings are left. She observes the environment carefully, and found something
interesting on a side. Harp and solo flute are added when she is walking towards the
corner.
As she sees the photos and new clips stuck on the wall, choir comes in to
create a sense of warmth. Audience can imagine pureness from the music.
vi. See Edward’s silhouette
Peg sees someone hiding in the dark, and she kindly introduces herself.
After
talking for a while, she realizes the weird silhouette of the character, and starts to be
afraid of him. The music becomes louder gradually, with timpani rolls and repeating
basses. Choir sings a phrase with short notes “mi-re, mi-re” here. Violins play slow
glissando from high D to high C. All these elements help to build a stressful
atmosphere.
vii. See Edward’s scissorhands
With Edward’s first dialogue in the movie, the music changes dramatically. Edward
says “Don’t go” with an innocent voice, where light falls on his face at the same time.
Choir sings long notes “Ooh-ooh” with descending semitone, accompanied by high
strings in tremolo. Woodwinds, low brass and celesta are also played in soft
dynamics.
25
Here the function of choir is totally different to the previous section. It
underscores a character as pure as angel. We can see that how flexible the choir
can be used for emotional expressions.
The music in this part shows Peg’s sympathy on Edward when she sees his
scissorhands. This long cue finally fades out with Peg repeating the question “Those
are your hands?”
“Dances” on the Hair:
Edward the Barber
The story goes that people just discovered Edward’s talent as a barber. Every
housewife wants him to cut her hair. This cue is funny not only because of the dance
rhythms used, but also how music is related to the psychological activities of the
characters.
Music starts with the cut of the housewives lining up for Edward’s hairstyling
service. Here is a transcription of the first six bars:
Example 5.7: Edward the Barber, bb.1-6
26
An interesting harmony is produced here, underscores Edward’s creativity.
The lower strings play the root (B) and the fifth (F#) of B major chord, while the
higher strings are playing tritones B and E#. They combine to become a B(#11)
chord. Later woodwinds play a five-note melody one by one, creating an echo effect.
After this rhythmic pattern, an eight-bar phrase is introduced by violins and
alto saxophone in unison:
Example 5.8: Edward the Barber, violin melody
This beautiful melody comes with Joyce’s adoration that can be told from her
eyes. When she asks Edward, “Have you ever cut women’s hair? Would you cut
mine?”, there is a subtle change in music. The rhythmic motion stops, and a long
tremolo note Ab is held by violins. This note is important since it declares the tonal
center of the next section.
Then the harp plays an Ab7 ascending arpeggio with a soft timpani roll on the
tonic Ab. After that, the rhythmic pattern suddenly changes to tango, with its
characteristic instrument castanets. This part indicates Joyce’s enjoyment when she
is preparing to receive Edward’s service. Her facial expression implies that she is
imagining a tango dance with Edward.
As Edward starts to cut Joyce’s hair, music changes again. The tempo
becomes faster. New instruments, guitar and accordion, are introduced alongside
27
with solo violin to add Gypsy music flavor. The fast sixteenth notes utterly
underscore Edward’s frenetic haircutting scene.
When Joyce’s new hairstyle is finished, the music style becomes tango again,
which brings the focus back to the customer rather than Edward.
The tango music goes on as Edward serving other housewives, until a
moment that he carefully brushes the chair, indicating a special guest is coming. The
music slows down. Violins play the same melody gracefully, and Edward welcomes
Peg to sit down.
Both the music and Edward’s action show his love to Peg as he
sees her as his mother.
This cue is probably the most colorful one among all, due to its frequent
changes of music style, instrumentation, texture and tempo. It does not recall any of
the motifs which have been mentioned above. The fresh elements bring audience a
pleasant listening experience.
28
6. Conclusion
After studying the soundscape and the score of the film, we can conclude its
successful music factors.
First of all, themes and variations are used appropriately through the movie.
When something important is going to be happened, the thematic ideas are played
which draw audience’s attention unconsciously.
Instrumentally speaking, the choir is absolutely a noteworthy instrument in the
score. It functions differently in different scenes, emphasizing the moments of
mystery, sadness, romance or majesty. Celesta and harp also appear frequently to
give a flavor of fairytale.
The contrast between the castle and the colorful houses is adequately
manifested in music. Thick texture, haunting choir, legato strings, low brass and
timpani are usually used in the “dark” cues, where the “bright cues” usually involve
cheerful rhythms, exotic instruments like accordion, pizzicato strings, and solo violin
cadenzas.
Theoretically, there are still a lot of other factors that make Edward
Scissorhands’ music successful, but people may appreciate it just because of its
enchanting melodies. For me, the funny cues like “Housewives”. “Ballet de Suburbia”,
“Paper Dolls” and “Edward the Barber” are very attractive and impressive, although
some of them are pretty short. After all, Elfman and Burton’s favor on the movie may
also bases on intuition, which cannot be explained.
29
Notes
1. Elfman cited in Butler, Mark. “Danny Elfman interview: ‘Tim Burton and I are like a
married couple’ ” WOW247.co.uk, 4 Oct. 2013. Web.
2. Page, Edwin. “ ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.”
London: Marion Boyars Publishers (2007): 78–94.
3. Rohter cited in New York Times (1990)
4. Braheny, John. “Danny Elfman Interview” Los Angeles Showcase Musepaper
(1990)
5. Elfman cited in Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview”
empireonline.com, 2013. Web.
6. Discography, Tom Jones, AllMusic.com
7. Kirk, Jeremy. “17 Things We Learned From the ‘Edward Scissorhands’
Commentary”. FilmSchoolRejects.com, 10 May. 2012. Web.
8. Trivia, Edward Scissorhands, IMDb.com
9. Elfman cited in Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview”
empireonline.com, 2013. Web.
30
Bibliography
Braheny, John. “Danny Elfman Interview” Los Angeles Showcase Musepaper (1990)
Butler, Mark. “Danny Elfman interview: ‘Tim Burton and I are like an married couple’ ”
WOW247.co.uk, 4 Oct. 2013. Web.
Florino, Rick. “Danny Elfman Talks Tim Burton Scores, Bernard Herrmann’s
Influence and More” ArtistDirect.com, 14 Dec. 2010. Web.
Kirk, Jeremy. “17 Things We Learned From the ‘Edward Scissorhands’
Commentary”. FilmSchoolRejects.com, 10 May. 2012. Web.
Page, Edwin. “ ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.”
London: Marion Boyars Publishers (2007): 78–94.
Stambler, Irwin. “The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul” St. Martin’s Press (1989):
495-497
Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview” empireonline.com,
2013. Web.
ge (2007). "Edward Scissorhands". Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.
London: Marion Boyars Publishers. pp. 78–94. ISBN 0-7145-3132-4.
3
Larry
4
Rohter, New York Times, 1990
http://www.bluntinstrument.org.uk/elfman/archive/JohnBraheny1990.htm
5
http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1652
6
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-‐jones-‐mn0000609396/discography
7
8
Organ
playing
9
31
“Edward Scissorhands”
Yip Sau Man
MMus in Scoring for Film, Television & Video Games
Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus
July 2014
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
3
1. Introduction
4
2. Danny Elfman’s Musical Background
5
3. Synopsis
8
4. The Music and Its Context
10
5. An Analysis of the Score
16
6. Conclusion
29
Notes
30
Bibliography
31
2
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Examples
5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33
15
5.2: Main Titles, bb. 57-64
19
5.3: Storytime, theme 1
20
5.4: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 1
20
5.5: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 2
21
5.6: Castle on the Hill, harp opening
22
5.7: Edward the Barber, bb.1-6
26
5.8: Edward the Barber, violin melody
26
Tables
2.1: Filmography of Tim Burton
6
4.1: Cue Sheet Information
11
4.2: Source Music Information
13
5.1: Thematic Variations
21
3
1. Introduction
Danny Elfman is undoubtedly one of the most important film composers in these
decades. His famous works include Batman, The Simpsons’ theme, The Nightmare
Before Christmas, Mission: Impossible, Men in Black and Spider-Man, etc.
Among all these great works, his favorite one is the 1990 movie Edward
Scissorhands. “I guess I got it right for Edward Scissorhands’ considering the
incredible number of times I’ve had it ripped off and the number of lawsuits I’ve had
suing people who have ripped it off – if that’s any form of compliment.”1
Tim Burton, director of the film, also cites it as epitomizing his most personal
work.2 In fact, this romantic dark fantasy movie received lots of positive feedback
when it was released, and also was a financial success.
The aim of this thesis is to investigate why both Elfman and Burton would
consider this film as their favorite one, and what are the success factors of the music.
We will go through the basic information of the composer and the movie first, then
analyze the soundscape and the film score.
4
2. Danny Elfman’s Musical Background
Early Life
Danny Elfman was born in Los Angeles, California, in May of 1953, the son of
Blossom Elfman who is a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman who is a teacher in
the Air Force. He grew up in a Jewish family, and spent much of his time in the local
cinema. He started a ska band in high school, and later followed his brother Richard
Elfman to France, where he performed with an avant-garde musical theater group.
He eventually returned home to the United States, where he started to take Balinese
music lessons.
First Film Score
In 1972, Richard Elfman founded the American new wave band, originally called The
Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. They played several shows throughout the
1970s. Later, Richard left the band to become a filmmaker, and created the film
Forbidden Zone based on their stage performances. Danny Elfman took this chance
to compose his first film score.
Relationship with Tim Burton
In 1985, directors Tim Burton and Paul Reubens made their first feature film, Peewee’s Big Adventure, and invited Elfman to write the score. Elfman was nervous at
first because of his lack of formal training. Fortunately, Steven Bartek, the guitarist
and arranger from Oingo Boingo, helps Elfman in orchestrating the music. Therefore
he can emulate the mood of his favorite composers such as Nino Rota and Bernard
Herrmann.
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Elfman immediately developed a close relationship with Burton after their first
collaboration. We can tell this from the following table.
Table 2.1: Filmography of Tim Burton
As highlighted in red, Elfman scored all but two of Burton’s directed films: Ed
Wood which was under production while Elfman and Burton were having a serious
disagreement, and Sweeney Todd which is a ready-made musical.
Their relationship was described by Larry Rohter, an American journalist, as
this:
"In a recording studio one afternoon, a shrunken head
nicknamed Uncle Bill looked down on Mr. Elfman and Mr.
Burton from the console as a 79-piece orchestra recorded a 90-
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second cue to accompany a key scene in the movie (which is
referring to Edward Scissorhands). Communication between
composer and director was as much by glances, raised
eyebrows, and guffaws as by words. It is not always that easy,
Mr. Elfman said." 3
Musical Instruments Played
In the Mystic Knights band, Elfman played trombone, violin, guitar and percussion,
which was like a little bit of everything. With Oingo Boingo, he was a guitarist and
singer. He considers himself as a mimicker when learning instruments, and trained a
pair of good ears during the process.4
Music Influences
Elfman’s music is influenced by modern classical composers such as Bela Bartok,
Philip Glass, Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky and Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Other influences based in film music include Bernard Hermann,
Nino Rota, Max Steiner, David Tamkin and Franz Waxman.
Film Scoring Style
Elfman’s compositions are usually quirky, odd, and weird. His sound is perfect for
goofy comedies and extraordinary characters, which often appear in Tim Burton’s
films. Other characteristics include frequent use of haunting vocals, bells, brass and
percussions. He also likes to combine orchestral sounds with electronic music, such
as the main titles of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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3. Synopsis
Once upon a time, there was an inventor (Vincent Price) living in an old castle
isolated on the hill. He had created a lot of different devices. One day, he decided to
create a young boy whom he named Edward (Johnny Depp). The kind inventor took
care of him and treated him as his own son. Soon the old inventor died and left
Edward uncompleted.
Edward has all the essential ingredients of a human body, except a pair of
real hands. Instead, he has scissorhands which gave him the ability to trim hedges,
but make him very inconvenient in daily life.
He was left alone in the castle, until one day discovered by an Avon lady Peg
Boggs (Dianne Weist). Peg feels pity for him and decided to bring him home, which
is located in a suburbia area full of colorful ranch-houses. Edward finds himself fall in
love with Peg’s beautiful daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder), who is dating Jim (Anothony
Michael Hall), the neighborhood bully.
Edward becomes friends with Peg’s husband (Alan Arkin) and her young son
Kevin (Robert Oliveri). His hedge-trimming and hairstyling abilities impress Peg’s
neighborhoods, especially an aging seductress named Joyce (Kathy Baker). He
becomes popular in town very soon. However, a religious fanatic named Esmeralda
(O-Lan Jones) thinks he is devil and urges people to repel him.
Jim takes advantage of Edward’s ability to pick locks, and asks him to break
into his parents’ house. The burglar alarm sounds and everyone flees except Edward.
He is arrested and released, and the neighborhoods begin to suspect him.
Edward also starts to realize, he can be dangerous to the others, since he is
not able to even touch the others without harming them, due to the sharpness of the
blades he has instead of hands. Later rumors spread and people begin to fear him
and wash him away.
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The whole story is told by an elderly woman (who is actually Kim in her old
age) to her granddaughter in bedtime. Kim chose not to visit Edward again because
she wants him to remember her as a young lady. She believes that Edward is still
alive, seemingly immortal since he is not a real human being and will never old and
die.
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4. The Music and Its Context
“The thing about Tim's first four films was that I had nothing to go
on … They wanted it to sound like John Williams' music but I don't
do that - only John Williams can do John Williams - so I had to find
another language for it. Same again on Edward Scissorhands:
there was virtually nothing to look at. All Tim's early films were like
starting out in complete darkness. There wasn't a genre of film to
model anything after.”
Danny Elfman5
I begin this part with Elfman’s quotation regarding his early collaborations with Tim
Burton. Just like other Burton’s works, Edward Scissorhands is a special one in terms
of the script, character design and set design. The macabre sense of humor, gothic
tone and fantasy world established by the movie suggest Elfman to build his own
style on the music.
The Dark and Bright Scenes
There are two completely different “worlds” in the movie. One is the dark gothic
castle overgrown with creepy vines that towers over the street, where Edward
originally lives in. Another one is the suburban area with colorful ranch-houses,
where Peg brings Edward to.
In order to emphasize the contrast between these two worlds, Elfman uses
different instrumentations, orchestrations, and music styles to distinguish them.
Usually the “dark” cues happen at night or indoors, and the “bright” ones vice versa,
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but there are also some exceptional cases. Here we use the terms “dark” and “bright”
referring to the music but not the lighting of the scenes.
Before discussing the soundscape, let’s have a look on the cue list first.
Table 4.1: Cue Sheet Information
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For better analyzing purpose, I would briefly divide the non-diegetic cues (except the
very short ones) into there groups.
i. Dark: Introduction (Main Titles), Storytime, Castle on the Hill, Esmeralda, Cookie
Factory, Etiquette Lesson, Heist, The Tide Turns, Rage, Confrontation, Wandering,
Rampage, Devil Bush, Paranoia, Strake Out, Death, The Plot Unfolds, Mob, Grand
Finale, End Credits.
In addition to a foundation of a traditional strings/ woodwinds/ brass setting, harp and
celesta are used to bring a magic feel. Choir usually joins the music in critical
moments and brings climaxes. Staccato bassoon and trombone solo give a dark
sense of humor. Timapni bring tension in action cues. Thematic ideas are often
recalled (will be discussed in the next part), suggesting that these are the most
essential cues in the movie.
Related emotions: Mysterious/ Fantasy/ Anger
ii. Bright: Beautiful New World, Housewives, Husbands, Ballet de Suburbia, Paper
Doll, Edward the Barber.
Most of these cues happen in daytime and in the suburbia area. They are all joyful
and easy to be recognized. Pizzicato strings or piano are often used to build the
basic rhythmic patterns. Special instruments like accordion and castanets are used
for an exotic flavor. Solo violins play fast and busy melodies to show Edward’s
craziness. Although these cues are usually short, they play an important role in the
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movie to balance the seriousness of other cues, and let the audience to take breaths
in between. However, they all appear in the first half of the movie, which make sense
since the story becomes dark and tense in the second half.
Related emotions: Funny/ Pleasant/ Creative
iii. Neutral: Home Sweet Home, Kim at the Mall, Talk Show Shocker, Apology, Kim
Spies, Ice Dance, Dog.
These cues are all related to Kim. The instrumentations are similar to group one, but
lighter in texture, while violins and flute become more prominent. Choir is used to
create the sense of romance.
Related emotions: Romantic/ Beauty/ Warmth/ Sad
Source music
Table 4.2: Source Music Information
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The story is set in the 1950’s and in Burbank of the United States. From the above
table, we know that all songs with lyrics (except the Christmas song sung by Alan
Arkin) come from Tom Jones. It makes sense to use different songs from the same
singer to retain consistency.
However, Jones was a popular singer since the mid 60’s. Regarding the
songs being used in the movie, Delilah was released in 1968, It’s Not Unusual in
1965, and With These Hands in 1965 also.6 The unmatched timing is not a careless
mistake. Burton didn’t feel that the people he grew up around really cared for music,
but everyone seemed to have a liking for Tom Jones. He refers to the singer as “the
music of the neighborhood” and says this proves the people in his neighborhood had
some taste. 7
Also, the lyrics fit the script very much, especially With These Hands.
“With these hands, I will cling to you.
I'm yours forever and a day.
With these hands, I will bring to you.
A tender love as warm as May.”
This song appears when Joyce turns on the radio and starts to seduce
Edward in the back room of the proposed site of hair salon. According to the scene,
Joyce has prepared this song before she meets Edward, which implies that she uses
the lyrics to express her interest on him. The song title also fits the story very well,
since scissorhands are the characteristics of Edward, also the only difference
between him and the real human beings.
For the organ playing scenes, it is interesting to know that the music was
actually arranged and performed by the actress O-Lan Jones herself, who plays the
role of Esmeralda in the movie.8 She chooses to play Christmas carols at her home,
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which fits the Christmas background of the movie, as well as Esmeralda’s religious
fanatic character.
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5. AN ANALYSIS OF THE SCORE
“I realized what fun it is to find a theme I like and just play
with it. I'd have killed to do thematic variations on Beetlejuice
and Edward Scissorhands. I could keep going on those for
ever.”
Danny Elfman9
As Elfman said, there are a lot of thematic variations through this movie, and we are
going to explore them. Then we will look into some specific cues, and study the
relationship between music and the scenes.
The Score’s Thematic Integrity:
Main Titles
The movie starts with the Main Titles, which provides a whole bunch of thematic
materials for the other cues to develop. The following transcription from bar 1 to 33
shows the first two of them.
Motif A
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33
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Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
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Main Theme (Motif B)
Main Theme (cont’d)
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
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Main Theme (cont’d)
Main Theme (cont’d)
Example 5.1: Main Titles, bb.1-33 (cont’d)
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Like many other film scores of Elfman, celesta plays a prominent role in the
music, especially when it is the solo instrument from the opening of the first cue. It
gives the magical and fairy-tale feeling, which determines the nature of the movie.
The main titles start in C minor. Motif A consists of four bars, where the first
three bars are basically celesta playing broken chords in tonic, and the last one a
downward stepwise motion leading to the dominant chord in the next bar. Then the
celli come in with a lyrical melody.
The music was quiet until the choir comes in bar 11, where the title of the
movie “Edward Scissorhands” appears on the screen. The main theme (motif B)
finally comes in bar 13. The first phrase is repeated which makes the melody easier
to be memorized.
The main theme is repeated by English horn after bar 33, then celesta plays
broken chords similar to motif A. After that, English horn introduces a new motif, and
I would call this motif C:
Example 5.2: Main Titles, bb. 57-64
The music then modulates to F minor, and the choir sings the main theme
again in the new key. It ends with repeating the first three notes “mi – re – do” with
rhythmic augmentation. The last phrase becomes “mi – re –do –ti,” (C – Bb – Ab - G),
while the last note G is a common note with the first chord (C Major) of the next cue.
It is a good trick for a seamless transition.
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The Romantic Theme:
Kim’s Leitmotifs
The second cue “Storytime”, comes with the old woman (who actually is Kim) telling
her granddaughter the story of Edward Scissorhands. It starts quietly, with
woodwinds playing the melodies, accompanied by strings and celesta. This cue
provides three motifs that will be reused frequently later. The first one is introduced
by flute and violins in unison, we call it motif D:
Example 5.3: Storytime, theme 1
The other two are simple but catchy. Like the main theme in main titles, they
are sung by the choir. They bring to emotional climax naturally, and appear in all the
critical romantic scenes later. Due to their function, we conclude them to be Kim’s
leitmotifs. We call the first one motif E here:
Example 5.4: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 1
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Another one motif F:
Example 5.5: Storytime, Kim’s leitmotif 2
Thematic Variations Through the Film
The first two cues, “Main Titles” and “Storytime”, function as the introduction of the
movie. Script-wise, they are in present tense, and the story begins after them. Musicwise, they serve the theme-providing purpose. Here is a table summarizing how the
other cues develop the above motifs.
Table 5.1: Thematic variations
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We can tell from the table that motifs B, E and F are reused most frequently. It
makes sense since they are the main theme and Kim’s leitmotifs respectively.
Another thing worth to notice is when the motifs are recalled, they are usually in a
different key as the original one. This is to avoid the feeling of absolute repetition,
with the help of different orchestrations and tempos as well. We are going to look
into some specific cues in the following.
Perfect Demonstration of Mood Changes:
Castle on the Hill
It is the first original and non-diegetic music after “Storytime”, also the longest cue in
the whole movie (See table 4.1). With the duration of 6 minutes 16 seconds, which
is almost the double of the second longest cue except End Credits, it describes how
Peg finds Edward, and her psychological alterations during the process. I divide it
into seven stages according to the physical locations.
i. Discover the Castle
The cue begins, alongside Peg’s discovery of the castle in the wing mirror of her car,
with a six-note broken chord played by the harp:
Example 5.6: Castle on the Hill, harp opening
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It is a Bm7(b5) add 9 chord, which can be derived from the whole-tone scale.
This unusual chord draws audience’s attention, and predicts something extraordinary
will happen. Long notes from violins and bass clarinet follow, which create suspense.
Choir, timpani and some other instruments come in when the camera angle
becomes full shot. This grand atmosphere underscores Peg’s decision of driving to
the castle.
ii. Enter the hill area
When Peg drives through the gate and enters the hill area, the arpeggiated celesta
figure (motif A) appears with pizzicato basses, after a harp glissando. All these
factors make the music nifty and childish, resembling Peg’s exciting mood when she
is getting closer and closer to the castle. When the camera pans out on the castle,
music becomes magnificent again, with the use of brass and timpani.
iii. Visit the garden
After getting out of her car, Peg arrives the garden of the castle. Here the music
suddenly becomes dreamy, when Peg is surprised by the fantastic topiary artworks.
Motif D is played by violins, and accompanied by music box like celesta, harp, choir
and pizzicato strings. The music matches the fairytale image perfectly, also suggests
that the character living in the castle is not evil.
iv. Enter the castle
Peg opens the door and enters the castle. Strings hold long notes and harp plays
arpeggios in diminished chords. Choir and bells repeat a short motif in descending
semitone. The music is as mysterious as the dark scene here.
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Later trombones and tuba plays short repetitive notes while Peg is
approaching the stairs. Percussions are also used more frequently, indicates the
nervousness of Peg.
v. Arrive the upper floor
The music becomes very quiet when Peg arrives the upper floor, only sustaining
strings are left. She observes the environment carefully, and found something
interesting on a side. Harp and solo flute are added when she is walking towards the
corner.
As she sees the photos and new clips stuck on the wall, choir comes in to
create a sense of warmth. Audience can imagine pureness from the music.
vi. See Edward’s silhouette
Peg sees someone hiding in the dark, and she kindly introduces herself.
After
talking for a while, she realizes the weird silhouette of the character, and starts to be
afraid of him. The music becomes louder gradually, with timpani rolls and repeating
basses. Choir sings a phrase with short notes “mi-re, mi-re” here. Violins play slow
glissando from high D to high C. All these elements help to build a stressful
atmosphere.
vii. See Edward’s scissorhands
With Edward’s first dialogue in the movie, the music changes dramatically. Edward
says “Don’t go” with an innocent voice, where light falls on his face at the same time.
Choir sings long notes “Ooh-ooh” with descending semitone, accompanied by high
strings in tremolo. Woodwinds, low brass and celesta are also played in soft
dynamics.
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Here the function of choir is totally different to the previous section. It
underscores a character as pure as angel. We can see that how flexible the choir
can be used for emotional expressions.
The music in this part shows Peg’s sympathy on Edward when she sees his
scissorhands. This long cue finally fades out with Peg repeating the question “Those
are your hands?”
“Dances” on the Hair:
Edward the Barber
The story goes that people just discovered Edward’s talent as a barber. Every
housewife wants him to cut her hair. This cue is funny not only because of the dance
rhythms used, but also how music is related to the psychological activities of the
characters.
Music starts with the cut of the housewives lining up for Edward’s hairstyling
service. Here is a transcription of the first six bars:
Example 5.7: Edward the Barber, bb.1-6
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An interesting harmony is produced here, underscores Edward’s creativity.
The lower strings play the root (B) and the fifth (F#) of B major chord, while the
higher strings are playing tritones B and E#. They combine to become a B(#11)
chord. Later woodwinds play a five-note melody one by one, creating an echo effect.
After this rhythmic pattern, an eight-bar phrase is introduced by violins and
alto saxophone in unison:
Example 5.8: Edward the Barber, violin melody
This beautiful melody comes with Joyce’s adoration that can be told from her
eyes. When she asks Edward, “Have you ever cut women’s hair? Would you cut
mine?”, there is a subtle change in music. The rhythmic motion stops, and a long
tremolo note Ab is held by violins. This note is important since it declares the tonal
center of the next section.
Then the harp plays an Ab7 ascending arpeggio with a soft timpani roll on the
tonic Ab. After that, the rhythmic pattern suddenly changes to tango, with its
characteristic instrument castanets. This part indicates Joyce’s enjoyment when she
is preparing to receive Edward’s service. Her facial expression implies that she is
imagining a tango dance with Edward.
As Edward starts to cut Joyce’s hair, music changes again. The tempo
becomes faster. New instruments, guitar and accordion, are introduced alongside
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with solo violin to add Gypsy music flavor. The fast sixteenth notes utterly
underscore Edward’s frenetic haircutting scene.
When Joyce’s new hairstyle is finished, the music style becomes tango again,
which brings the focus back to the customer rather than Edward.
The tango music goes on as Edward serving other housewives, until a
moment that he carefully brushes the chair, indicating a special guest is coming. The
music slows down. Violins play the same melody gracefully, and Edward welcomes
Peg to sit down.
Both the music and Edward’s action show his love to Peg as he
sees her as his mother.
This cue is probably the most colorful one among all, due to its frequent
changes of music style, instrumentation, texture and tempo. It does not recall any of
the motifs which have been mentioned above. The fresh elements bring audience a
pleasant listening experience.
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6. Conclusion
After studying the soundscape and the score of the film, we can conclude its
successful music factors.
First of all, themes and variations are used appropriately through the movie.
When something important is going to be happened, the thematic ideas are played
which draw audience’s attention unconsciously.
Instrumentally speaking, the choir is absolutely a noteworthy instrument in the
score. It functions differently in different scenes, emphasizing the moments of
mystery, sadness, romance or majesty. Celesta and harp also appear frequently to
give a flavor of fairytale.
The contrast between the castle and the colorful houses is adequately
manifested in music. Thick texture, haunting choir, legato strings, low brass and
timpani are usually used in the “dark” cues, where the “bright cues” usually involve
cheerful rhythms, exotic instruments like accordion, pizzicato strings, and solo violin
cadenzas.
Theoretically, there are still a lot of other factors that make Edward
Scissorhands’ music successful, but people may appreciate it just because of its
enchanting melodies. For me, the funny cues like “Housewives”. “Ballet de Suburbia”,
“Paper Dolls” and “Edward the Barber” are very attractive and impressive, although
some of them are pretty short. After all, Elfman and Burton’s favor on the movie may
also bases on intuition, which cannot be explained.
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Notes
1. Elfman cited in Butler, Mark. “Danny Elfman interview: ‘Tim Burton and I are like a
married couple’ ” WOW247.co.uk, 4 Oct. 2013. Web.
2. Page, Edwin. “ ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.”
London: Marion Boyars Publishers (2007): 78–94.
3. Rohter cited in New York Times (1990)
4. Braheny, John. “Danny Elfman Interview” Los Angeles Showcase Musepaper
(1990)
5. Elfman cited in Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview”
empireonline.com, 2013. Web.
6. Discography, Tom Jones, AllMusic.com
7. Kirk, Jeremy. “17 Things We Learned From the ‘Edward Scissorhands’
Commentary”. FilmSchoolRejects.com, 10 May. 2012. Web.
8. Trivia, Edward Scissorhands, IMDb.com
9. Elfman cited in Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview”
empireonline.com, 2013. Web.
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Bibliography
Braheny, John. “Danny Elfman Interview” Los Angeles Showcase Musepaper (1990)
Butler, Mark. “Danny Elfman interview: ‘Tim Burton and I are like an married couple’ ”
WOW247.co.uk, 4 Oct. 2013. Web.
Florino, Rick. “Danny Elfman Talks Tim Burton Scores, Bernard Herrmann’s
Influence and More” ArtistDirect.com, 14 Dec. 2010. Web.
Kirk, Jeremy. “17 Things We Learned From the ‘Edward Scissorhands’
Commentary”. FilmSchoolRejects.com, 10 May. 2012. Web.
Page, Edwin. “ ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.”
London: Marion Boyars Publishers (2007): 78–94.
Stambler, Irwin. “The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul” St. Martin’s Press (1989):
495-497
Williams, Owen. “Exclusive: Danny Elfman Carrer Interview” empireonline.com,
2013. Web.
ge (2007). "Edward Scissorhands". Gothic Fantasy: The Films of Tim Burton.
London: Marion Boyars Publishers. pp. 78–94. ISBN 0-7145-3132-4.
3
Larry
4
Rohter, New York Times, 1990
http://www.bluntinstrument.org.uk/elfman/archive/JohnBraheny1990.htm
5
http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1652
6
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-‐jones-‐mn0000609396/discography
7
8
Organ
playing
9
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