This was Elfman's breakthrough score, catapulting him into the mainstream scoring business. In fact, this was the first non-John Williams soundtrack that I was to buy. Elfman is unique in that his style is not easily categorizable in a classical sense. Indeed, many traditionally classical composers may find fault with Elfman's dark and uniquely strange score for Batman (or, for that matter, any of Elfman's scores), but regardless of that fact, Batman was one of the soundtracks that many people enjoyed listening to.
Batman, was the first score to prove that Elfman was more than capable of composing for large orchestras. The main theme is the best Batman theme ever conceived, it captures the dark duality of the character perfectly and is still heroic, albeit in a darker way. It's a shame that Elliot Goldenthal had to completely ignore it in his efforts for the Batman series. With numerous secondary themes in Batman, it comes together like few soundtracks of its time did. The Joker's tinkleing little magic box theme is zany enough to parallel Jack Nicholson's over the top performance, while the deeper and mysterious cello passages are brooding enough to make the audience curious but fearful of learning more about Bruce Wayne's past.
The love theme is likewise dark, based partly on a song performed by Prince on the song soundtrack album. It is much more effective the way Elfman has composed it and works better without Prince's whiney voice. The Batman Theme dominates the soundtrack and screen during a few key points of the movie, and really enhances the depth of the film: specifically, the drumroll when Bruce Wayne opens up his costume closet to get into his armour and fight the Joker one last time, and the finale, in which the camera pulls up from the city street to reveal Batman and the spotlight on the sky --the buildup with bells and brass is enormously fun. Incidentally, it is ironic that the Finale was used in the previews of the later Batman films. Again proving that Elfman's theme is what defined the character. This CD is a classic and I recommend it to everyone. It's the best soundtrack of the Batman series to date.
Total time: 54:55
1: The Batman Theme (2:38)
2: Roof Fight (1:20)
3: First Confrontation (4:43)
4: Kitchen, Surgery, Face Off (3:07)
5: Flowers (1:51)
6: Clown Attack (1:45)
7: Batman To The Rescue (3:56)
8: Roasted Dude (1:01)
9: Photos/Beautiful Dreamer (2:27)
10: Descent Into Mystery (1:31)
11: The Bat Cave (2:35)
12: The Joker's Poem (:56)
13: Childhood Remembered (2:43)
14: Love Theme (1:30)
15: Charge Of The Batmobile (1:41)
16: Attack Of The Batwing (4:44)
17: Up The Cathedral (5:04)
18: Waltz To The Death (3:55)
19: The Final Confrontation (3:47)
20: Finale (1:45)
21: Batman Theme Reprise (1:28)