Did Michael Giacchino steal music from Batman?

[drfsupercenter]

OK, I know this sounds corny, but...

I was watching Batman 89 earlier and thought to myself "Why does this remind me of The Incredibles?"
So then I watched The Incredits and I remembered why.

See for yourself here:
Original Batman theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4ydxgekFls

Now, here's The Incredits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnTSsIAcaOw
Listen to the notes starting at 0:16. Ring a bell?

Of course, I'm only talking a 5-note sequence. But it still stands out in my mind.

[Escapay]

There's bound to be many sequences used/redone in many film scores, but it's not always considered "stealing".

For example, the 1953 Adventures in Music short "Melody" features a 6-note sequence that I've since recognized in two instances: the 1992-1995 theme song of "Loving" (an ABC soap opera from 1983-1997), and in the opening bars of a song in The Little Mermaid II.

And James Horner pretty much cannibalized his earlier works for music in Aliens (I always recognize bits of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan during certain recurring pieces).

Then of course, there's the infamous "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' in the Rain whose melody is based on The Pirate's "Be A Clown".

Albert

[drfsupercenter]

I wonder if that was intentional though... The Incredibles being a superhero movie, and Batman being one as well.

I know it's not considered stealing, but it caught my attention as being the same music I heard in The Incredibles.

[Escapay]

It's probably part of the movie's grand homage to many superheroes.

Personally, I'm a bit upset they didn't have any references to The Rocketeer. Not one "hood ornament" joke anywhere.

Albert

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

I don't see(err....hear) The Batman reference. If anything, I think The Incredibles theme is a rip-off of the James Bond theme.

But consider this...there are only 12 notes. After about a billion pieces of music going back centuries to the days of Mozart and Beethoven chances are you're bound to have two pieces of music that sound similar at some point.

[drfsupercenter]

Timon/Pumbaa fan, Listen to the first 6 notes of the Batman theme, then listen to 0:16 in The Incredits. It's the same sequence.

And that makes sense, about an homage to superheroes... The Incredibles probably has the best score of any of the Pixar movies (the ones I've seen anyway)

[magicalwands]

The Incredibles probably has the best score of any of the Pixar movies (the ones I've seen anyway)

I agree to that! It's just too bad Michael Giacchino's score for Ratatouille didn't live up to that standard, but it was good.

[SpringHeelJack]

Crap. Someone should tell Batman. He'd never stand for this. Unless he's careful, Michael Giacchino's going to find himself with a Batarang lodged into one of his orifices.

[magicalwands]

Crap. Someone should tell Batman. He'd never stand for this. Unless he's careful, Michael Giacchino's going to find himself with a Batarang lodged into one of his orifices.

I'm surprised Danny Elfman isn't after him yet.

[Ariel'sprince]

Well,The Incredibles pretty much rip-off every superhero (Espically the Fantastic Four) so I guess it's the same.

[KubrickFan]

Oh, it happens a LOT. Phantom of the Opera uses/steals a riff from Pink Floyd's Echoes. Danny Elfman uses his Penguin theme from Batman Returns almost verbatim for Doc Ock's in Spidey 2.
And talking about Batman, that main theme sounds similar to a bit of music from The Wolf Man. Listen to this clip, from 8:05.