Scrooged (1988)
Music Composed By Danny Elfman
Performed By The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra
Conducted By Shirley Walker
Executive Album Producer: Dan Goldwasser
Executive Album Producers for LaLaLand Records:
MV Gerhard & Matt Verboys
LaLaLand Records LLLCD1195
Limited Edition of 3000 Copies
34 Tracks - Running Time: 49:20
After 23 years, Scrooged is still one of the more ingenious and comidically twisted takes on both A Christmas Carol (definitely the inspiration of the film) and It's A Wonderful Life (in parts and in particular the ending) thanks to the all out performance of Bill Murray who really solidified his carrer post Ghostbusters as a real go to leading actor. Scrooged was the brain child of former SNL writers Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue who were part of the writing team when Murray himself was one of the featured "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" and with the slick direction by Director Richard Donner (Superman The Movie, Lethal Weapon, The Goonies), who worked in television early in his career that give an edge to the look and style of the film that really enhanced the story.
This take on Dicken's tale involves a merciless and heartless Television executive Frank Cross (Murray) who simply just hates Christmas and reflects on his television programming like "The Night The Reindeer Died" starring Lee Majors no less (which is a funny spoof) as well his planned live version of A Christmas Carol. Just before Christmas Eve, he fires his long suffering executive Elliot (Bobcat Goldthwait) and receives a visit from his former love Claire (Karen Allen). Cross, who has lost friends and family because of his selfish, egomanical way of life, receives a visit from his former boss and mentor Lew (John Forsythe) who literally gives him a personal message (much like Scrooge's former partner in A Christmas Carol) that he will be visited by three ghosts the next day at 12 noon. Soon he receives a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansson aka. Buster Poindexter) who shows him his once happy past and his faults that lead to his present which is where the Ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) not only shows him his alienated family, as well as that of his assistant (Alfre Woodard) and her sick son (this version's Tiny Tim) and also, gives him one heck of an ass kicking to boot. Then of course, is the Ghost of Christmas future where of course the final wake up call for Frank to change his ways. The film ended with a long 12 minute improvized feel good monologue by Murrary himself that was just too good to be cut or scored for that matter.
Danny Elfman at the time was really starting to come into his own in Hollywood after the success of Pee Wee's Big Adventure and it's sequel, Big Top Pee Wee, as well two now memorable breakout hits, Beetlejuice and Midnight Run which had come out during the summer that year. Donner who had to that point had worked with the best composers in the business with the likes of Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, John Barry, Dave Grusin and Michael Kamen, had to be convinced that Elfman was the right composer for this film and was immediately won over after meeting him. The music the film is one of Elfman's most interesting and entertaining efforts which unfortunately was mixed badly in the final version of the film as well music being dialed out here and there. The music is very comedic with some playful mock tragedy in a dramatic sense and at times, it's goofy with a nods to the traditional Christmas standards of Jingle Bells and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker to boot.
The album opens with "Main Title/Terrorist Attack" with a wonderful choral opening much like the opening of Beetlejuice that leads into some rather action oriented material with a jazzy vibe as the audience while watching the film figures out that it's a TV promo for "The Night The Reindeer Died" starring Lee Majors. "Ellot Gets Fired/Loud And Clear/Frank's Run" starts out with a rather sad sack rag for saxophone for Goldthwait's character with a bit of schertzo with a brief quote of Jingle Bells and some frantic comic touches at the end. "Lew's Arrival, The Hand Grab and Lew's Reprise" reintroduce the brief opening choral theme that was featured in the film's opening titles as well as some more of Elfman's playful comedic touches with some more saxophone. Elfman introduces a sweet little love theme for Claire ("Claire's Theme1/Claire's Theme 2") that brings some warmth and feeling of longing to Cross with some Christmas styled charm to it that's almost like a lullaby. The beginning of Cross' wild adventure begins with "Wild Cab Ride" that intertwines Elliot's sax theme as well as some bombastic comic material along with the film's wonderful choral theme as he's now back in his childhood, his first encounter with Claire who gives him the nickname "Lumpy" and their breakup ("Ta-Ra-Ra Boom De-Ay/Cupid's Arrow/Change of Expression"). Then to the present ("Fairy) which introduces Frank to the Ghost of Christmas present to the strains of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker with an Elfman' styled twist and eventually kicks his butt and also introduces him to what is going currently in the lives of the people he's hurt, stepped on and alienated ("Toast to Frank", The Big Freeze") the later features an errie just romantic choral track to it and the final Ghost appears, Ghost of Christmas future in a rather macrabe playful way including subtle electronics. harpiscord effects and chorus employing a rather twisted take of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town along the way ("Family Portrait/Ghost On Screen", "Elliot Stalks Frank" and "Asylum/Luncheon/Crematorium/On Fire"). The score's big triumphant and lighthearted moments of Frank's new outlook on life and redemption ("Hallelujah Chorus/The Romp" and "The Big Speech") the latter was originally meant to be played through the final half of Murray's lengthy speech, but then mainly used in the final cut of the film to cap it off. The album provides the wonderful and longer alternate version of this track which really should've been the one that was used in the end. The music is very uplifting and triumphant with Elfman's cheerful touches that he would employ later on in other scores.
The album features a surprising amount of alternate and unused music that was either trauncated or just used in snippets. It is a great example of what happens after the music is recorded and while the film is edited changes occur for both good and bad. You can also why in parts why the music was the way it appeared in the film because at times, it did overpower some scenes, but there were times that the film really did need some of the unused music that written for a particular scene. Elfman's score is a wonderful effort and one that marked the transition from comedy to bigger and more expanded material he'd employ in Batman, Darkman, Dick Tracy and Night Breed soon after this film.
LaLaLand Records does finally bring justice to a score that everyone's wanted since its initial appearance on Elfman's Music for Darkened Theater compilation CD of Elfman's early work and one that will please his fans immensely. It's not a perfect score by any means, but it is a enjoyable one that nothing should be taken away from it. They did a great job in restoring the score the best they could from various sources and also great care in the process.
Scrooged is one of Danny Elfman's most requested scores and it really does show in this wonderful release that's been a long time coming. Like a fine wine, it has only gotten better with age.
Scrooged is available to order directly from LaLaLand's website http://www.lalalandrecords.com
1. Main Titles / Terrorist Attack (2:34)
2. Eliot Gets Fired / Loud and Clear§§ / Frank’s Run (1:22)
3. Montage: Frank’s Award and Eliot on the Street (1:39)
4. Lew’s Arrival (2:03)
5. The Hand Grab (1:51)
6. Lew’s Reprise (0:51)
7. Claire’s Theme I / Claire’s Theme II* (1:15)
8. Set Collapse* (0:20)
9. A Horror in Chez Jay / Highball / Waiter Ablaze** (1:20)
10. Wild Cab Ride (1:33)
11. Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay§ / Cupid’s Arrow / Change of Expression* (1:33)
12. Eliot Gives Blood / Christmas Present*(1:02)
13. Fairy†† (2:15)
14. Toast to Frank (0:32)
15. The Big Freeze (1:26)
16. Showtime at IBC (1:08)
17. Family Portrait / Ghost on Screen (0:49)
18. Eliot Stalks Frank† (1:08)
19. Asylum / Luncheon / Crematorium / On Fire (3:48)
20. Hallelujah Chorus* (G.F. Handel) / The Romp† (2:18)
21. The Big Speech (1:21)
BONUS TRACKS
22. Loud and Clear (alternate) (0:30)
23. Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay§ (alternate) (0:43)
24. Toast to Frank (alternate) (0:34)
25. The Big Freeze (alternate) (1:25)
26. The Big Freeze (alternate mix) (1:27)
27. Asylum (no choir) (0:59)
28. Crematorium (more percussion) (1:30)
29. The Big Speech (alternate) (3:12)
SOURCE CUES
30. Frank’s Promo (0:51)
31. Frisbee the Dog (0:57)
32. Chez Jay String Quartet (2:43)
composed by W.A. Mozart
33. Joy to the World (0:55)
composed by G.F. Handel / F. Watts
arranged by Elmer Bernstein
Sony/ATV Harmony (ASCAP)
34. Jingle Bells (1:48)
composed by James Pierpont
arranged by Danny Elfman
* not used in film
** contains material not used in film
§ composed by Henry J. Sayers, arr. D. Elfman §§ contains “Jingle Bells” (James Pierpont, arr. D. Elfman)
† contains “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (Haven Gillespie / J. Fred Coots) SBK Feist Catalog Inc. (ASCAP)
†† contains “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from “The Nutcracker” (P. Tchaikovsky, arr. D. Elfman)
TOTAL ALBUM TIME: 49:20
- Danny Gonzalez
Film Music Examiner New York-NYC
