Elliot Goldenthal COMPOSER OF MUSIC FOR THE MOVIES by D'Lynn Waldron,PhD

ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL COMPOSER OF MUSIC FOR THE MOVIES:
BIOGRAPHY, PHOTOS, FILMOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY by D'Lynn Waldron,PhD ©2006

Elliot Goldenthal winner of the Oscar & Golden Globe for Frida

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL
Elliot Goldenthal is a scholarly composer who spent over a year researching the music of Mexico, Brazil, Cuba and Spain in preparation for the score of Frida. He also brought to this movie his own background in New York where he grew up with Latin music. To play his music he sought out the finest of acoustic guitarists, some of whom were recorded in his living room in New York. He had an important song in the movie sung by a Mexican woman now in her 90's, and still performing in full voice, who sang that same song many decades ago for Frida Kahlo.

Elliot Goldenthal is a very pleasant, youthful man who generously shares his knowledge of music and scoring films with young composers. I was very impressed with his graceousness when after I was given a CD of Frida as a gift, he thanked me for asking him to sign it. (see above)

Elliot Goldenthal has for twenty years been 'happy unmarried' (as she puts it) with Julie Taymor the brilliant and innovative director. Their projects together include Titus and Frida and she was the lyricist on their Oscar-nominated song that was sung in Frida.

The Los Angeles Opera has announced that, as part of their 20th anniversary season, they will present the world premiere of Eliott Goldenthal's opera GRENDEL, to be directed by Julie Taymor. Eric Owens will play Grendel and Denyce Graves will play the Dragon. Grendel is based on the John Gardner novel, which retold the story of Beowulf from the monster's point of view.

This certainly should be a spectacular production!!

ELLLIOT GOLDENTHAL BIOGRAPHY
Elliot Goldenthal was born in New York. He attended the prestigious Manhattan School of Music where he was a student of Aaron Copland and John Corigliano.

His talent and education led to a successful career in the concert hall and theatre, and he now divides his time between between composing for films, theatre and the concert hall, including his critically acclaimed symphonic memorial to the Vietnam war 'Fire Water Paper', the carnival mass 'Juan Darien', the ballet 'Othello', and the eclectic Broadway musical 'The Green’.

Elliot Goldenthal’s film career began in 1979 with the score for ‘Cocaine Cowboys'. After a ten year interval he scored the first of his major movies 'Pet Sematary' in 1989.

Elliot Goldenthal has mastery of a wide variety of styles and types of instrumentation, which has made him the choice to score movies in many genre.

ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL FILMOGRAPHY AND AWARDS
The Tempest (2010)
Public Enemies (2009)
Across the Universe (2007)
Frida (2002)
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
Titus (2000)
The Green Bird (1999)
In Dreams (1999)
Othello (1998)
Sphere (1998)
Batman & Robin (1997)
The Butcher Boy (1997)
Fire Water Paper: A Vietnam Oratorio (1996)
Michael Collins (1996)
A Time to Kill (1996)
Batman Forever (1995)
Heat (1995)
Voices (1995)
Cobb (1994)
Golden Gate (1994)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Roswell (1994)
Demolition Man (1993)
Alien 3 (1992)
Grand Isle (1991)
Criminal Justice (1990)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Pet Sematary (1989)
Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass (1988)
Cocaine Cowboys (1979).

GOLDENTHAL AWARDS
2003 Academy Award Winner Best Original Dramatic Score - Frida
1996 Academy Awards - Nominee Best Original Song - with Julie Taynor- Frida
2003 Golden Globe - Best Original Score - Frida
1996 Academy Awards - Nominee Best Original Dramatic Score - Michael Collins
1994 Academy Awards - Nominee Best Original Score - Interview with the Vampire
1996 Golden Globes - Nominee Best Original Score - Michael Collins
1994 Golden Globes - Nominee Best Original Score - Interview with the Vampire