His whispered vocals and quietly nimble fingerstyle are perfect for the film's exploration of intimacy and underambition. While "Miss Misery" recalls the bouncy harmonies of Queen, most of Smith's contributions owe more to the mellow influence of Simon & Garfunkel. That honor is almost exclusively reserved for Broadway-style musical numbers and adult contemporary superstars. Six Smith songs appear here, including one new tune, "Miss Misery," which stunned observers by pulling in an Oscar nomination for Best Song. He had only three independent albums to his name before Van Sant (a fellow Portland native) chose his songs for this movie. However, the most impressive success story of all may belong to Elliott Smith. His use of acoustic guitars is a particularly fresh choice, lending humility and mobility to the sweeping string arrangements. The Elfman tracks on this CD borrow liberally from other composers ( Randy Newman, Ennio Morricone), but they also break the melodic mold of Elfman's Batman score, which has constrained most of his work since 1989. In 1998, he finally received his first two Oscar nominations, for Good Will Hunting and Men in Black.
Elfman had already become one of Hollywood's most popular and prolific composers, but until 1997 he never seemed to be fully accepted by his peers in the clique-ish world of film music.
But Van Sant made room for two talented musicians in his pumpkin ride to the Oscar ball: little-known folk popster Elliott Smith and film scorer Danny Elfman. Most of the headlines went to the film's young screenwriter/stars, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and director Gus Van Sant. 'But I did not write it, alas.The entertainment press loves unlikely princesses, but Good Will Hunting had so many Cinderella stories that one of them got lost in the shuffle: that of the soundtrack album. Goldman said at a Writers Guild of America seminar in 2003. 'I would love to say that I wrote "Good Will Hunting,"' Mr. He was widely believed to have written the script for "Good Will Hunting," the 1997 film that won Matt Damon and Ben Affleck the Oscar for best original screenplay. Goldman was also a sought-after script doctor, well known for his uncredited work. But Hollywood tends to do that with therapists." When Goldman died, his November 16, 2018, New York Times obituary did mention the rumor, but also debunked it, using Goldman's own words from the same WGA seminar: "Mr. I mean, that scene with Robin Williams gushing and Matt Damon and they're hugging, "It's not your fault, it's not your fault." I thought, Oh God, Freud is so agonized over this scene. Hollywood always has this idea that it's this shrink with only one patient. I'm going to assume that 148 percent of the people in this room have seen a therapist. I would not have written the "It's not your fault" scene. But I did not write Good Will Hunting, alas.
It's just got marvelous stuff, and then he stopped suddenly, because it's easier being a movie star and making all that money, than going in your pit and writing a script. I'll tell you who wrote a marvelous script once, Sylvester Stallone. I think people refuse to admit it because their careers have been so far from writing, and I think it's too bad. Go with the family, go with Boston, go with all that wonderful stuff.", and they did. I met with them in New York, and all I said to them was, "Rob's right.
Rob said, "Get rid of it." They then sent them in to see me for a day. trying to use Matt Damon for spy work because he was so brilliant in math. They gave it to Rob (Reiner) to read, and there was a great deal of stuff in the script dealing with the F.B.I. People don't want to think those two cute guys wrote it.
At a WGA seminar in 2003, William Goldman denied the persistent rumor that he was the actual writer of Good Will Hunting: "I would love to say that I wrote it.