The problem with directors who base so much of their technique on being stylish is that eventually the novelty wears off and the viewers demand something more substantial. This is not to say that Tim Burton is incapable of some substance in his films; his characters are often quirky, but we can also empathise with them. However, his recent films haven't been so successful, with the low point for most people being his ill advised remake of Planet of the Apes. In some ways, Danny Elfman could be viewed along similar lines, but unlike his collaborator, Elfman has effortlessly developed the substance and in scores such as Sommersby and Black Beauty shown a level of maturity that his flashier efforts don't always display. In some senses, Big Fish is Elfman's least quirky score for Burton; it has plenty of whimsy, but doesn't overburden itself with a needless level of self conscious wackiness and so gets to the heart of the characters and story with effective, but far from banal, simplicity,.

The album opens with songs that, with the exception of the newly written Man of the Hour by Pearl Jam (which is an enjoyable contribution), are all golden oldies. Pictures launches Elfman's score, but in truth it's little more than a delicate introduction to the Titles. There's something of the Thomas Newman approach here, not so much in the actual musical content (although there's a little cross pollination from time to time), but in the eclecticism of styles. Many of the cues function on their own terms and while there aren't drastic, random changes in direction, they don't directly relate to any of the other tracks. In truth, this isn't a great issue since most are delightful enough to work on their own, but Elfman doesn't seem to be building the themes up for a resounding payoff. The composer once said that if the audience hadn't grasped the main theme soon into the film, then he'd failed. By that reckoning, Elfman doesn't quite succeed with Big Fish, but as with most of his recent scores, repeat listens are very rewarding.

The middle of the album is filled with vignettes that are disappointingly brief, but all this is turned around in the more substantial Finale which moves from playful action towards a melancholy conclusion before the End Titles. A brief concert arrangement of the gorgeously melancholy Jenny's Theme concludes the underscore. An hilarious song caps the album, performed in the film by Siamese twins and Elfman emphasizes this with an oriental influenced Broadway showstopper. Silly, but entertaining all the same. Like the story it supports, Elfman's Big Fish is something of a collage, but one that diffuses little elements of the composer's career into one delightful fantasy. That it's not quite the sum of its parts is a touch disappointing, but the elements - playful bluegrass, melancholy strings and choir, plus brief moments of exuberance - are still supremely enjoyable and, while his use of electronics has been deft and exciting, it's nice to hear Elfman returning to simpler (and I don't mean that in any pejorative sense), acoustic sound world. Not a classic, but delightful all the same.

Rating ~

1. Man of the Hour (3:45)
   Performed by Pearl Jam
2. Dinah (2:17)
   Performed by Bing Crosby
3. Everyday (2:09)
   Performed by Buddy Holly
4. All Shook Up (1:58)
   Performed by Elvis Presley
5. Five O'Clock World (2:10)
   Performed by The Vogues
6. Ramblin' Man (4:57)
   Performed by The Allman Brothers Band
7. Let's Work Together (3:14)
   Performed by Canned Heat
8. Pictures (0:46)
9. Big Fish (Titles) (4:32)
10. Shoe Stealing (:56)
11. Underwater (1:52)
12. Sandra's Theme (2:26)
13. The Growing Montage (2:41)
14. Leaving Spectre (1:59)
15. Return to Spectre (2:13)
16. Rebuilding (1:19)
17. The Journey Home (2:10)
18. In the Tub (1:21)
19. Sandra's Farewell (1:16)
20. Finale (11:10)
21. End Titles (2:38)
22. Jenny's Theme (1:46)
23. Twice the Love (1:48)
    Performed by Bobbi Page and Candice Rumph

Total Time ~ 61:24