Would Michael Kamen be the successor to John Williams?

Ty Rourke · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:43 am

Doug's Corner regarding "War Horse" got me to thinking about this. Every John Williams release is bittersweet at this point, because there are more Williams scores behind us than in front of us. With the newest release of "Die Hard," I can't help but thinking what could have been. Would Kamen have been...?

Eh Tar · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:15 am

I really don't know who will be the successor to Williams. In my mind, it'll be a hard job!

Michael Kamen died at 55. When Williams was 55, in 1987, he did WITCHES OF EASTWICK and EMPIRE OF THE SUN. I can't imagine my musical universe now without LAST CRUSADE, Williams/Oliver Stone's trtilogy, HOME ALONE, HOOK, FAr & AWAY, JURASSIC PARK, SCHINDLER's LIST, LOST WORLD, the new STAR WARS TRILOGY, ANGELA's ASHES, HARRY POTTER (I-III), A.I., MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, TINTIN & WAR HORSE...

When Kamen died, he was at a blessed moment in his work: BAND OF BROTHERS and OPEN RANGE were top scores... His symphony is an incrdible achievment. I still have a great sadness when I think about that he was taken far too young.
The evening before his death, he was still active on his discussion board, writing a very long message to a fan. His very last sentence was:
"Now I’ve got to stop writing letters and start writing music.
Best Regards to you
Michael Kamen"

Yes, 8 years after his passing, I'm still heartbroken.

T. Newman Fan · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:09 am

As with other talented film score composers who died too young, I do sometimes wonder what Michael Kamen would have done in today's film music landscape. He was up to some exciting things before his untimely passing, one of which includes the Bacchus Records music label that seemingly had potential in getting us many of his wonderful works. Regardless of whether he would have been a successor to Williams, Kamen was a titan in his own right as a composer, songwriter and orchestrator.

JGOnline · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:13 pm

I adore Michael Kamen's art and was a massive fan but I don't think you could link him with JW. I don't think there is a successor to JW and to any major composer. JG has not had a successor, nor has JB. Likewise MK hasn't either. They are individual talents. You can say Media Venture composers have successors because they do the same thing mostly and sound only slightly different from each other.

crwdfwtx · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:11 pm

I just watched THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN yet again and was stunned all over again by Kamen's amazing score. He really rose to the occasion then, writing a score crammed with great moments and gorgeous melodies. Very Williams-esque in its riches.

He left us far too soon but left us with at least a dozen works that will endure.

JGOnline · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:59 pm

I watched Brazil again and noticed how much extra score there was. As much as I had fun listening to score and dialogue on Milan's effort we need a proper score only release of this one. Is Milan holding on to this one? Or can someone rescue this epic early effort from the great Mr Kamen.

crwdfwtx · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:14 pm

lawandorder · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:20 pm

Douglass Fake · **Joined:** Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:48 pm **Posts:** 2773

Composers of the John Williams stature probably don't have successors. They offer a unique body of work that no one else can duplicate. That doesn't mean they are without peer, it just means they make an individual thumbprint in this art that remains theirs alone.

That said, and I'm walking out on a limb now, but if any composer were to ascend to the throne (so to speak) of John Williams, I think it might be Michael Giacchino.
--Doug

redokt64 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 10, 2011 4:57 pm

Marvdogger · **Posted:** Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:23 am

I think Silvestri's style of music is closer to Williams. They always have a more friendly and mellow sound to them than say Goldsmiths or Kamens which always have a darker edge and tone to them.

GOLDSMITHDAKING · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:14 am **Posts:** 22

Michael Giacchino is the true successor to John Williams.

Maleficio · **Posted:** Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:56 pm

John DeSentis · **Posted:** Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:25 pm

How about this, there is no successor to John Williams. I hate when people make comparisons and say this guy is the next that guy. There will never be another Jerry or another John Williams. Michael Giacchino will be Michael Giacchino and Alexandre Desplat will be Alexandre Desplat. And honestly, that is the best any of these guys can hope to be. Themselves. We can take the things we have learned from predecessors and apply them to now but we can never be our predecessors. And rightfully so we shouldn't.

MrM · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2009 2:34 pm **Posts:** 42

I think, from the position of "the face of film music", Giacchino definitely qualifies. His name's always attached to high-profile projects (or at least, the ones Zimmer and company aren't attached to), and some of his themes have entered the public consciousness.

But on a technical/output/quality level, nuh uh. John Williams is John Williams is John Williams.

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Would Michael Kamen be the successor to John Williams?

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