Music from Tim Burton Films @ Nokia Theater 10/31/14

[El Dingo]

So, for the first time in fifteen years (I think) we left the house on Halloween. Normally we stay home, carve pumpkins, play games and hand out candy to the few Oakland kids that still Trick-or-Treat.

This year we saw that the music of Danny Elfman for Tim Burton's Films was to be performed live for the second time in L.A.

Dee Dee's family are also Tim Burton fans so we bought a bunch of tickets and made the trip to L.A. Live.

Traffic sucked. From Camarillo to L.A. (about 45 miles) took nearly two hours. We barely had time to throw disgusting sums of money at the concession stand for drinks and pretzels (ATT Park has nothing on these guys) before grabbing seats and waiting for the magic.

And magic it was.

A full orchestra, choir and a Theramin played suites from every Elfman/Burton collaboration. "Batman", "Beetlejuice", "Mars Attacks", "The Corpse Bride", "Big Fish", "Edward Scissorhands" and others filled the hall while Burton's conceptual art and film clips danced on the screen.

There was a beautiful violinist in a skin-tight black leather costume who did a fierce, seductive solo during "Edward Scissorhands" and a 5-year old (at most) child who sang during the "Alice in Wonderland" finale.

The most powerful moment came when Danny Elfman himself came onstage and performed many of the key vocal pieces of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" live. His voice was amazing, reaching highs and lows, growling and crooning, rejoicing and lamenting.

Brilliant musicians, brilliant music, creepily brilliant composer with a supernaturally pure voice.

Seriously? How does a human put those melodies together? I swear every instrument was playing a different score.

Go see it.

[Drunk Monk]

u had me @ theramin

[Drunk Monk]

Big Fish (2003)
I know I've seen this before but I've forgotten a lot of it. The outstanding question in my mind is will Ewzn Macgregor grow up to be Albert Finney or Alex Guinness? It's a charming Burton film with a fine cast: Lange, Bonham Carter (HP1), Cottilard (underused), Devito and Buscemi. I liked the thin line between fibs and reality, and the winding course of the narrative. There was some good thematic elements, not as caricature as Burton can be, almost understated for him, yet still quite present. 
No sword fights. DOOM recommended if you've never seen it.