BLADE RUNNER (OST)

Due to contractual disagreements, a so called soundtrack to Blade Runner was initially released as an orchestral adaptation of the original recordings in the U.S. Being the Vangelis freak that I am (and was), I bought it. Disappointment set in immediately. So, first here, is my review of that early release, followed by the review of the real soundtrack.

This is not really a Vangelis album. Due to contract disputes, the studio could not release Vangelis' original recordings for the movie so they released this orchestral adaptation. Neither the adaptation nor the orchestra is particularly good. Something is definitely missing. Vangelis has not only a composing style but also a unique performing style. The compositions here are rendered faithfully, but the actual orchestrations do not capture the tonalities that are so important to the modes and moods Vangelis so carefully creates. Synthesizers were a necessary inclusion here, but they are clearly not Vangelis himself. The main problem here is that the wonderful score has been reduced to sounding like background music for a bad 70's cop TV show. The occasional electric guitar on these recordings emphasize that. Merely a stopgap measure for the time, this album is rendered completely superfluous by the release of the real soundtrack 12 years later. Only the most rabid completist would want this one, and my guess is that it would not be listened to ? its acquisition would be merely one for the collection and nothing more. My recommendation is not to bother at all.

Finally, the REAL soundtrack. Here we have Vangelis' tonality and mood as well as the compositions. This is what we hear in the film. This is what sets the mood. It is somewhat astounding that this was recorded in 1982 as the sound quality is superior and that it is his best work in the 80's by far. Stands up to the best of them. Some dialogue mixed in helps enhance the moods and certainly sets the stage for the music ? an ironic turn. From the beginning, the Main Titles, we know we are in for something good. First, we hear Decker commanding the computer, analyzing a photo. Once it is printed, the music enters with a flourish and we get the grand theme, all synthesized. The mood is somber and strange. Another voice over introduces Blush Response and complex and bright work, almost a fugue. Other highlights include Blade Runner Blues ? one of Vangelis' best pieces, two new pieces, Tales of the Future, with special guest Demis Rousos, Damask Rose, and the End Titles. The latter had been previously released on the compilation, Themes, along with Love Theme. Teasers, really, for the real soundtrack. Blade Runner Blues is fairly extensive and does paint a melancholy scene deep in the heart of a futuristic city. We also have Memories of Green, which originally appeared on See You Later. The album does not end with End Titles though (and they should be at the end, unlike on Themes where the song was at the beginning), but with another bit of dialogue called Tears in Rain. This is the true climax of the film, where the replicant played by Rutger Hauer realizes that his pre-programmed time is up. His violence gives way to humanity in his final moments. He lived a life that no one on Earth could ever live, and now he cannot share it. "All those memories, will be lost, like tears in rain." A brilliant piece of dialogue that enhances, and is enhanced, by Vangelis' music. Poignant. Though the music is superior, we are reminded again and again that all of this is part of a larger project, a film. The oddities like One More Kiss Dear serve to accentuate the culture found in the film. There is not a bad track here anywhere, although I must admit that One More Kiss Dear and Love Theme took me some time to get used to. And most fans I know hear the former and say, "What the?" No matter. Odd, but appropriate if you know the movie. This album is a classic Vangelis work that was lost for 12 years. A crime. That this was finally released is a blessing. Essential Vangelis.