Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. The soundtrack for the latest film by Gus Van Sant begins with some fierce but focused playing in the ’60s avant-garde jazz tradition, upheld by snappy snares and string bass. Then Elfman edges into moody, small ensemble instrumentals—often with evocative use of percussion. Elfman composes for context , and this film about quadriplegic cartoonist John Callahan requires a lighter touch than the orchestral Gothicism written for his frequent collaborator, Tim Burton.
