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Ladd Company Logo (0:24)
Composed by John Williams
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Main Titles and Prologue (4:03)
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Los Angeles, November, 2019 (1:46)
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Deckard Meets Rachael (1:29)
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Bicycle Riders (2:05)
composed and performed by Gail Laughton
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Memories of Green (5:39)
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Blade Runner Blues (10:19)
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Deckard's Dream (1:12)
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On the Trail of Nexus 6 (5:30)
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If I Didn't Care (3:03)
composed by Jack Lawrence
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Love Theme (4:57)
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The Prodigal Son Brings Death (3:35)
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Dangerous Days (1:02)
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Wounded Animals (10:58)
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Tears in Rain (2:41)
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End Titles (7:24)
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One More Kiss Dear (4:00)
composed by Skelling and Vangelis
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Trailer and Alternate Main Titles (1:39)
composed by Robert Randles
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Total disc time: 72:42
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"Have a better one!"
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BLADE RUNNER
Adapted from Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep?, Ridley Scott's film "Blade Runner" went before cameras late
in February 1981. Released the following summer it met with mixed
reviews and a moderate box office return, easily outgrossed by "E.T."
which was released only one week earlier. Yet more than a dozen years
later, "Blade Runner" has emerged as one of the most influential films
of the past two decades. Not only did it change the style of film,
music, literature, and fashion, it changed the perception of them.
Words like "retro," "cyberpunk" and "replicant" today fit easily into
the language of pop culture. The film was billed as a futuristic
detective thriller, which it is in the most classic film noir sense.
But on a more basic level it is the story of a quest for identity; of
the individual asking "Who am I?"
Music plays an integral part of "Blade Runner". A seemingly endless
variety of music is overlaid with the noise of the city, human voices,
sound effects, and intentional distortion, to create an aural texture
to match the dizzying visuals of the film. The original score was
created by electronic composer Vangelis, the known primarily for his
score to "Chariots of Fire". Initially "Blade Runner" was temp-tracked
with orchestral music from the films "Planet of the Apes," "Alien" and
"Humanoids from the Deep". In fact, the director was so unsure of
Vangelis's abilities that he contacted several other composers,
including Jerry Goldsmith, Gil Melle and Robert Rnadles, about a
replacement score before ever hearing a note. Ultimately Vangelis's
score was edited by Scott and supplemented with source music for the
final print. This led to a contractual dispute between the director
and composer, resulting in the re-recorded soundtrack album released
in 1982; a fine, but very different work by the New American
Orchestra.
To date there have been five versions of this film released, including
the recent "Director's Cut". Each interprets the story in a distinctly
different way and the music, like the images it accompanies, is altered
into a new message. It is hoped that this collection is representative
of that music and of the world of "Blade Runner".
Early in the 21st century...
1. Ladd Company Logo
2. Main Titles and Prologue
The film opens with our introduction to Hades: Los Angeles of the future,
watched over by an omnipotent eye (Batty?) descending upon it. Echoing
bells give way to the main theme which suggests the hum of flying
"spinners" around us and the flame-belching refineries in the city
below. This theme is reprised later when Deckard and Gaff fly to
THE TYRELL CORPORATION.
3. Los Angeles, November, 2019
Ex-cop Rick Deckard is arrested and brought to police HQ for a briefing.
With him, we see the metropolis that L.A. has become: a polluted city of
perpetual night with a population of 109 million people. The music
continues this sense of wonder with an underlying theme of oppression.
The introduction to this cue is slightly longer than when used in the
film.
4. Deckard Meets Rachael
Upon arriving at THE TYRELL CORPORATION, Deckard
meets Tyrell's assistant, Rachel. Dr. Tyrell presses him to interrogate
the girl, from which he learns she is a new generation of Replicant
with no knowledge of her own inhumanity. Wind chimes played throughout
this cue suggest a mystery and juxtapose the fragile tranquility of the
privileged corporate elite with the dystopic city outside.
5. Bicycle Riders
As Deckard begins his investigation, the fugitive Replicants
conduct their own agenda: to gain access to THE TYRELL
CORPORATION and the secrets of their limited lifespans. This
gentle harp music is heard as Batty and Leon stroll the unusually
quite streets of a typically dreary Los Angeles morning. The cue is
taken from the 1978 album "Harps of the Ancient Temples" and is the only
piece of source music actually credited in the film.
6. Memories of Green
Rachel confronts Deckard with the knowledge that she is a Replicant
and that all of her memories are merely brain implants. Deckard
alternately rebuffs her and tries to comfort her in his unsympathetic
manner, but is ultimately left to question his own humanity when she
asks, "Have you ever taken that test yourself?" This piece is from the
1978 Vangelis album "See You Later" and is probably a favourite of the
director's. An orchestrated version is used as the love theme in his
later film "Someone to Watch Over Me".
7. Blade Runner Blues
Rachel leaves Deckard brooding over the city from his 97th floor balcony;
feelings of doubt and regret hanging over him. This theme is
reminiscent of music used in the noir detective films of the 1930's and
40's, but with electronic overtones. This music continues after Deckard
"retires" the Replicant Zhora and again must come to terms with
his life as a hired killer.
8. Deckard's Dream
Alone with his thoughts, Deckard studies Rachel's and Leon's photographs
mixed among his own. In the "Director's Cut", Deckard drifts off to
sleep and dreams of a unicorn running through an unspoiled forest. This
image is repeated near the end of the film in the form of a tinfoil
origami sculpture, emphasizing that Deckard's own dreams and memories
may not be all that they seem. This choral piece is not included in
the original release of the film.
9. On the Trail of Nexus 6
Deckard follows the clues left in Leon's apartment room which take him
to Animoid Row, the seedy casbah-like marketplace in central Los
Angeles. The familiar use of wind chimes for an air of mystery and
Arabic chanting expands the already diverse ethnicity of the future
city. Portions of this cue are used in several scenes of the film.
10. If I Didn't Care
Feeling remorse over retiring another Replicant, Deckard is told
he must also hunt down Rachel who has fled Tyrell and is now at large
in the city. This song by The Ink Spots can be heard in the
background of this scene in the early test version of the film and is
probably another of Ridley Scott's favourites, as it is used in one of
his well known Chanel No. 5 television commercials.
11. Love Theme
Deckard recognizes a kindred spirit in Rachel after she saves his life
from a Replicant ambush. Their romance begins with this smokey
jazz piece as a moment of tenderness is found in the violent world of
the BLADE RUNNER and the Replicant. In
the film this cue is overlaid with Rachel's piano playing; actually a
variation n Chopin's 13th Nocturne. In the test release, a different
love theme is used which continues when Batty arrives at the Bradbury
building.
12. The Prodigal Son Brings Death
With the reluctant help of Sebastian, Batty carries out his plan to
confront Tyrell. The crescendo of this choral theme comes as Batty
first embraces, then brutally murders his "father." A poignant
moment, ommitted from most later versions of the film, comes next
when the blood-splattered Batty starts toward the helpless engineer
and says, "I am sorry, Sebastian."
13. Dangerous Days
Learning of Tyrell's and Sebastian's deaths, Deckard is sent to
Sebastian's apartment at the Bradbury building to confront what must
be the last remaining Replicants. He kills Pris after a
violent struggle and then awaits the inevitable arrival of the
Replicant leader, Batty. This brief but menacing cue
reflects Deckard's apprehension of what will be his final battle.
"Dangerous Days" is an early shooting title of this film.
14. Wounded Animals
Two lone warriors, Deckard and Batty each howl in the dark with their
own personal agony. (Both have defective right hands.) The music
begins here with shadows and rain surrounding their rooftop fight
and evolves into a variation on the title theme as Deckard hangs
precariously over the city streets far below.
15. Tears in Rain
Saved at the last minute by his nemisis, Deckard realises that Batty's
love for life is greater than his hatred of the BLADE
RUNNER. The music builds with a melodic, hopeful-sounding
variation of the "Wounded Animals" theme as Batty dies and his
adopted bird flies up into the clearing skies above (his soul to
heaven?). The line from Batty's soliloquy referring to the moments
of his life "lost like... tears in rain" was unscripted and, in fact,
improvised on the last day of shooting by actor Rutger Hauer and the
director.
16. End Titles
His mission accomplished, Deckard leaves the city with Rachel in search
of a better life together. In most versions of the film this cue is
prefaced with the love theme as Deckard's voice-over explains that
Rachel does not have a Replicant's normal limited lifespan and
thus, a happy ending. The "Director's Cut" of the movie has no love
theme or voice-over, but still features a truncated version of this
cue. The original screenplay describes a very different ending in
which Deckard, now certain that he too is a Replicant, heads
North with the knowledge that his ex-partner Gaff will be hunting him
not far behind. This somewhat downbeat ending would better explain
the soaring aerial photography and the still dark, malevolent tone of
the closing theme.
17. One More Kiss Dear
This pseudo-40's song is used in most versions of the film in place of
the Ink Spots piece. Written by Vangelis especially for "Blade Runner",
it uses the same melody and structure as "If I Didn't Care", but
perhaps does not convey both Deckard's desire and regret as well as
the original.
18. Trailer and Alternate Main Titles
Lacking any other title credits, the early test version of the
film pulled its title graphics and music from the advance theatrical
trailer, where it was used along with a synthesized variation of "If
I Didn't Care". In the context of the film, it immediately throws
the viewer into the nightmare city of the future, rather than gradually
immersing one into it though the opening prologue.
Music
Composed, arranged, performed and produced by
VANGELIS
Recorded and mixed at Nemo Studios, London
September 1981 by Raphael Preston
Published by Spheric Music, B.V.
Additional music by
John Williams, Gail Laughton, The Ink Spots and Robert Randles
Executive Producer for Off World Music, Ltd.
Christopher L. Shimata-Dominguez
Artwork and Photography © 1982 The Ladd Company
This is a special limited edition release
and is not licenced for public sale
© 1993 Off World Music, Ltd.
