So here it is, the intermission is over! The anticipation
recedes! The truth is revealed! But before you see exactly who I think is the
next likely inheritor of John Williams’ deservedly unique position in the art
of film scoring, I’d like to say that if you haven’t read Part I of this
series, then I suggest you do so now so you can get up to speed with the rest of us.
I’d also like to take this time to explain what I am and am
not doing.
Taste in music, much like a sense of humor, is often akin to
one’s sexual preferences. It’s not something you really choose. It just kind of
happens. That said, don’t complain about what I’m NOT doing here.
I’m not talking about who is necessarily better in terms of
scoring nor am I talking about who is more prolific or more of a house-hold
name. I’m talking about who is most like our dear old pal John. So let’s take a
look at the winners, shall we?
While it’s an interesting afterthought that I can’t
necessarily prove, I like to classify film scores of the recent decades in post-9/11 terms, typically derived from
pre-2000 onwards or vice versa if we’re talking about the 1980s or 1990s. As odd as that may sound there is a certain
degree of resonance to this in that styles that have either fallen from favor
(Williams’s punchy melodies) or gained in prominence (Zimmer’s ultra-staid melancholy) typically reside at one end or the other of that epoch.
Two composers who straddle that divide are notable as our
runners-up in the quest for Williams’ throne. I’d like to thank Brian Tyler and James Newton Howard for casting in their votes but alas, the
contest continues.
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| 2nd Place - John Powell (that's right, he's a cartoon). |
Coming in at a close second my hat goes off to the English
composer John Powell.
Despite being stuck with gigs that included “The Adventures of Pluto Nash”, “Gigli” and “Paycheck”, Mr. Powell has made a name for himself in recent years
by scoring predominantly animated films, lending his charges a sense of sweep and poetic grandeur in
what might otherwise have been more happy meal toy fodder.
But it’s more than mere romance. There’s versatility in
Powell’s work that proves he’s not afraid to work outside the bounds of
tradition or convention, as his notable work with the original Bourne trilogy attests.
And while duty may require him to put on the serious face
from time-to-time, he is not above the farcical
or the happily mundane. Still, his
proclivity for synthesized beats ultimately works against him if he’s working
to replace good ‘ol (other) John.
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| 1st Place - Michael Giacchino |
That spot is
reserved for the rising Michael Giacchino. That’s right. He’s the best candidate for the job and I’m not
ashamed to say it.
Looking like a latter-day Mark Zuckerberg, this jazzy
44-year-old composer, best known outside of cinephilia for his work on shows like “Lost” and “Alias”, began
his career working in video games. Not the most likely place for the
neo-Williams, eh?
But don’t let that humble beginning fool you. Even from his
earliest work, with titles like the original “Medal of Honor” and “Call of Duty” franchises in the late
‘90s and early 2000s, he was already crafting the style that would ultimately
bring him to the attention of guys like JJ Abrams and Brad Bird.
While he might not be noted for his particularly “epic”
scores or his intensity, Mr. Giacchino’s recent collaborations with Pixar have
really allowed him to revitalize new generations
with old techniques. The end result
is something powerful yet humble. Wacky yet wise.
And if he can stand as any kind of an indication for our
post-9/11 world, then I can say without much reserve that I look forward to the
future, with or without our dear old John.
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