From 1991 we have Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which, while a box office success, was panned by the critics, but which was praised for the musical score by Michael Kamen. The picture’s theme song, “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” did win an Oscar for Best Original Song, but was composed by someone else. A New York City native, he attended The Juilliard School, and after playing in a rock band for a while, concentrated his early compositional efforts on ballet scores (eleven in all). A talented oboe and English horn player, in his varied career he worked with folks as varied as Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bon Jovi, Metallica, and Guns N’ Roses. Somewhat surprisingly, he wrote the score for Mr. Holland’s Opus, and as a result of the experience, created a foundation to support music education in the public schools. He died of a heart attack in London at the age of fifty-five.
--Wm. E. Runyan
©2019 William E. Runyan