Craig Safan
Encyclopedia
Craig Safan is a Hollywood film composer whose biggest scores include The Last Starfighter
, Angel
, Fade to Black, Major Payne
, Remo Williams, and music to the TV series Cheers
, for which he won numerous ASCAP awards.
After getting his start in theater, Safan moved to film composing in the 1980s, and had at the time one of the most powerful Synclavier
synthesizer workstations available, and used it to a great degree on his scores for Warning Sign
, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
and Stand and Deliver
. His style consisted of often improvising as a form of composition that allowed him to quickly express himself.
In recent years Safan has returned to composing for theater, though he remains active in scoring for film and television as his time allows.
The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction adventure film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan , an average teenage boy recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also featured Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Norman...
, Angel
Angel (1984 film)
Angel is a 1984 film directed by Robert Vincent O'Neill, and written by O'Neill with Joseph Michael Cala. It was released by New World Pictures.-Plot:...
, Fade to Black, Major Payne
Major Payne
Major Payne is a 1995 comedy film, starring Damon Wayans. The film is a loose remake of the 1955 film The Private War of Major Benson, starring Charlton Heston....
, Remo Williams, and music to the TV series Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
, for which he won numerous ASCAP awards.
After getting his start in theater, Safan moved to film composing in the 1980s, and had at the time one of the most powerful Synclavier
Synclavier
The Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation, manufactured by New England Digital Corporation, Norwich, VT. The original design and development of the Synclavier prototype occurred at Dartmouth College with the collaboration of...
synthesizer workstations available, and used it to a great degree on his scores for Warning Sign
Warning Sign (film)
Warning Sign is a 1985 science fiction-horror film directed by Hal Barwood and starring Sam Waterston, Kathleen Quinlan, and Yaphet Kotto.-Plot:...
, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is a 1988 American slasher film and the fourth film in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. The film was directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
and Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver is a 1988 American drama film, based on the true story of high school mathematics teacher Jaime Escalante. Edward James Olmos portrayed Escalante in the film and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.-Plot:...
. His style consisted of often improvising as a form of composition that allowed him to quickly express himself.
In recent years Safan has returned to composing for theater, though he remains active in scoring for film and television as his time allows.