Nearly all facets of Guillermo Del Toro’s original Hellboy were highly praised; including Marco Beltrami’s stirring score. The 2008 sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army has been equally well received, but this time with veteran film scoring legend Danny Elfman on board. And while he delivers massive symphonic punches in spades, there remains the lingering question: why was Beltrami not asked to return? His score was certainly above average in thematic development and cool sophistication, but apparently Del Toro’s desire to work with Elfman was greater than any perceived need for musical loyalty within his franchise.
Nevertheless, Elfman’s score is great fun. With two fantastic scores already under his belt for 2008 (Standard Operating Procedure and Wanted), it’s amazing that Elfman can whip up such a frenzy of orchestral muscle without resorting to stale formulas.
It’s been quite some time since Danny Elfman wrote such a powerful score, and it’s certainly not a typical soundtrack for a comic book film. Instead of the usual rousing fanfares, love themes and soaring melodies, Elfman opts for a dark fantasy approach, with deep male choir, low violin and snarling brass.
Thematic Differences
Beltrami’s original themes for Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Father and the BPRD make no appearances here: but what may shock many listeners is the apparent lack of themes altogether, old or new. Indeed, listeners will be hard-pressed to find an easy melody in this score, but the themes are there. A low, mournful violin melody represents Prince Nuada and his family. A grunting six-note figure for brass represents the titular Golden Army. Surprisingly absent is an obvious theme for Hellboy himself, although an occasional electric guitar chord is a serviceable signature for his character.
The themes are few, however, and their austere construction does not make them easily recognizable. The thick layers of orchestration sometimes serve to make them even more opaque. Those who had a hard time finding themes in Sleepy Hollow and Spider-Man will have an even harder time with Hellboy II, but repeated listens and a basic familiarity with the film’s story and characters will make it easier. Happily, thematic clarity is not required in order for this score to be enjoyed.
A Classic Elfman Sound
This being an Elfman score, there are the usual bizarre flourishes: a swinging lounge-style piece in “Hallway Cruise” (which will be great fun for fans of Elfman’s Mars Attacks! and Meet the Robinsons), a short German Nationalistic fanfare (with full choir!) in “Mein Herring,” and an absurd but clever Hindu-styled source piece at the end of “Finale,” which, while unlistenable, works one of the themes into its construction in an intelligent fashion.
All the rest of Elfman’s trademarks are here: notably some lovely high-range choir and piano in “The Last Elemental” and “A Dilemma,” the former track being most likely to appeal to fans of Elfman’s classic fantasy sound, as it is perhaps his most romantic and uninhibited use of choir since 2006’s Charlotte’s Web.
The action music is dense and thunderous. “Hellboy II Titles,” “Where Fairies Dwell,” “Father and Son,” “Market Troubles,” and “In the Army Chamber” feature some grand but brutal mayhem, hearkening back to classic Elfman horror scores such as Sleepy Hollow and Nightbreed.
Summary
After the eloquent minimalism of Standard Operating Procedure and the wild Slavic action of Wanted, it’s good to hear a return by Elfman to the form which originally made him popular: this is a score firmly rooted in Elfman’s Gothic sensibilities, and should be a great pleasure for his fans. True, there’s no reference to Marco Beltrami’s fine score for the original Hellboy, and Elfman’s score isn’t nearly as thematically accessible as we’re used to hearing from his work, but it’s grand, dense, intelligent, diverse, thrilling, and great fun. Recommended.
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