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FILMTRACKS.COM
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VIEW 
Review of Batman Beyond (Shirley Walker/Various)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... only if you are a loyal fan of the show itself, which in
and of itself indicates that you have the kind of character to actually
enjoy such vicious, hard rock trash.
Avoid it... if you have ever remotely entertained the thought of using an assault weapon against a group of fellow human beings.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
Batman Beyond: (Shirley Walker, Kristopher Carter,
Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuistion) When most casual entertainment fans
think of the "Batman" franchises on television and film, "Batman Beyond"
isn't the first incarnation to come to mind. After all the famous live
action television and cinematic versions of the Dark Knight saga, the
1990's took the concept into the realm of animation. Several years of a
series treating the Batman universe to stories consistent with the
original comics was concluded when Warner Brothers decided to translate
the concept for a younger audience, creating an animated show with a far
darker attitude and sharper edge (which was hard to imagine given the
shadowy, brooding nature of the character in its original form). In
1999, "Batman Beyond" was offered to do just that, and the 30-minute
show would be destined for 52 episodes that debuted between 1999 and
2001. The plot of the cartoon hands the role the caped crusader from an
aging Bruce Wayne to a troubled young teen who's already determined to
gain revenge for the murder of his own father, who just happens to be
Wayne's successor at his company. In a futuristic techno-noir Gotham,
this teenage Batman, who (as can be easily interpreted through the music
of the show) has a multitude of serious psychological issues, appealed
to a distinctly loyal and focused group of youngsters to which the
soundtrack for the series was also aimed. The producer of the show
initially believed that Shirley Walker (the lead composer for the
previous animated series and a vital participant in Danny Elfman's
original Batman film score) and her team of assistants were too
narrowly suited towards an orchestral sound to be effective for "Batman
Beyond," but after demos from Walker, Michael McCuistion, Kristopher
Carter, and Lolita Ritmanis impressed with their grungy, heavy rock
ideas, they were hired for the entire run of the show. Their music was
well embraced by its fans, and the strikingly different sound was
nominated twice for Daytime Emmy awards for "Outstanding Achievement in
Music Direction and Composition" (in 2000 and 2001), taking the prize in
the latter year.
Being different doesn't always ensure that something is actually good, however, and "Batman Beyond" is such a directly targeted work that it won't appeal to practically any collector of film and television scores, or even to most of those who enthusiastically maintain a healthy amount of Batman-related material in their music collections. It is precisely because of soundtracks like this that orchestral film score collectors wake up in cold sweats in the middle of the night, fearing the future existence of their genre of music. For such people, not only is the music from "Batman Beyond" a sure way of obtaining a headache, but it has the power of devious perversion working for it as well. It's amazing to think that Oscar-nominated film scores like Basic Instinct and The Omen (both by the outstanding Jerry Goldsmith) receive the full brunt of attacks from radical, right-wing Christian faith groups when, in reality, their target should logically be the trash heard in "Batman Beyond." Rarely will you hear a score with such a vicious and mean-spirited personality; even beyond its capacity for easily disturbing everyone within a 300 foot radius of your stereo, the music leaves you feeling like you've swallowed an oversized, expired garlic sausage with extra relish and a stale can of Jolt cola. Driven mostly by the harsh, bass-heavy crashing of electric guitars and an endless array of ripping, unorganized percussive rhythms, the soundtrack for "Batman Beyond" also contains a wealth of bizarre and sharply metallic mixes of bass, drums, distorted vocals, and overwhelming guitar accents. Relentless from the start to finish, the album's presentation of this pounding music only hints at sensitivity in "Farewells" and "The Legacy Continues," short relief that never escapes the morbidly grim atmosphere built in the more frenetic remainder. There is no thematic consistency in this music, no identity outside of its defiant attitude. Even the opening and closing titles feature different random ideas. On one level you have to admire the talents of Shirley Walker and her adventurous group of musicians, but how can they be proud of producing such demonic, unorganized crap as this? Here's a question that this score begs to be asked; What's more unsettling: the music, or those who can actually sit and obtain pleasure from listening to it? No strong themes, no consistency between the four composers, no stirring of genuine emotion, no guitar that doesn't crash, no drum that doesn't pound, no percussive mix that doesn't tear... There are no redeeming qualities to this music at all. Devoid of any positive character and only promoting anger and resentment, music like the score for "Batman Beyond" is the kind aimed at youngsters that could potentially commit the next fatal high school shooting. Given the immature audience for it, this soundtrack is court evidence waiting to happen. Put it this way: would you want your kids watching any cartoon with this music blaring in the background? The producers and composers, interestingly, were the first to admit that it is meant to be mean-spirited, vicious music. At some point, though, you go so overboard that you create almost a parody of what you're trying to accomplish, and "Batman Beyond" is so downright nasty that it crosses that line. Show producer Bruce Timm stated that the score is both "authentic" and "true to the mysterioso mythos of the original character," both of which laughable mischaracterizations of the original concept. There's nothing mysterious about straight-forward hard rock music, and you'll have difficulty proving that any these electronics will provide any "authentic" sound. Harmful to the ears and the soul, the music of "Batman Beyond" is among the most ill-conceived mutilations of a franchise concept ever to be attempted, and given the extremes to which the four composers went to extend the menacing tone of the show, parts of the near-parody score are only good for a laugh. This material is, amazingly, even less listenable on a sunny day than George S. Clinton's Mortal Kombat. The plight of Walker and her assistants to create disturbingly gruesome accompaniment for "Batman Beyond" leads, however, to an equally unsatisfying bombast of aimless noise. On the upside, the product does offer a jewel case that can be used as a spare for another CD. FRISBEE
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 40:08
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert includes a note about the music from the show's producer, Bruce Timm,
as well as extensive credits.
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The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from Batman Beyond are Copyright © 1999, Warner Bros./Rhino and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 9/2/99 and last updated 4/27/08. |
