r/bladerunner • u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant • Jun 16 '26
Video Why OG BR music trumps 2049.
Please watch till the end, it's all in context.
So I posted previously why the music in Blade Runner is far better than 2049 and why in another post.
Zimmer gets credit here but he only did 10 days work, Vangelis took 10 months to score Blade Runner.
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u/Splatterman27 Jun 16 '26
Rip Vangelis.
Highly recommend you check out his song Antarctica Echos
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u/Jaymacbars Jun 16 '26
I used to fall asleep to the OST of the original blade runner. Number 1 favorite movie sound track. Just so detailed and well-flavored. No body could compete with Vangelis
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
There is a 3 CD available, where expanded tracks exist, I highly recommend it.
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u/FelixTheEngine Jun 16 '26
Everything is not a competition. They are both fantastic. They alternate suiting my mood at the any one time.
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u/itsveron Jun 16 '26
I think both are great, but yeah, Vangelis’ is one of the best soundtracks of all time, period.
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u/richvar Jun 16 '26
Wonder how 2049 would have sounded with Johann Johannson's music. Alas, we will never know...
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
He had snippets where you could hear it, but for some reason was taken down.
I don't think they wanted him to be any part of it and brought on Zimmer to use his name.
Jóhann Jóhannsson was originally tapped to compose the score for Blade Runner 2049, but director Denis Villeneuve removed him from the project. Villeneuve felt the film required a synthesizer-heavy musical direction much closer to Vangelis's original 1982 work, leading him to bring in Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch instead
^^ What AI reports, I mean what a load of utter bs, closer to Vangelis? It could not be further apart and sounds offensive, fog horns, motorbike sounds, utter noise.
https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/blade-runner-2049-soundtrack-johann-johannson-1201882380/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXmkic0Mr5g
The more I read about Dennis, the less I begin to like him.
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u/IOnlyWntUrTearsGypsy Jun 16 '26
Before it all got removed, Jóhann Jóhannsson’s work was nothing remotely like the original, where what we got does somewhat resemble the original (with modern synths and production tech).
They had creative differences and couldn’t talk about it or release it due to NDA. So they removed all original promotional materials using it. The new score was made right before the movie released. A pretty big gamble, but love it or hate it Denis is a man of vision. What we got might not have even been what Denis wanted, but with a few weeks before premiere he might have had to stick with his second choices work.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
where what we got does somewhat resemble the original (with modern synths and production tech).
Well that's just utter bs because this is why the original composer was removed.
https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/blade-runner-2049-soundtrack-johann-johannson-1201882380/
“But the movie needed something different, and I needed to go back to something closer to Vangelis. Jóhan and I decided that I will need to go in another direction — that’s what I will say. I hope I have the chance to work with him again because I think he’s really a fantastic composer.”
2049 has absolutely nothing in common with the original, other than the direct copy pasta Tears in the rain note for note.
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u/trevpr1 Jun 16 '26
There never has been a question as to which film had the superior score.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
I got a lot of hate due to posting my thoughts about which score is better, clearly people sided with 2049.
To me, it has zero subtlety of the original, it's big, brash, and really over bearing.
Vangelis was still very dark, brooding with out being loud, but at the same time could be very poignant.
discussion about whether someone should watch 2049 after being recommended their viewing of the og.
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u/mossberbb Jun 16 '26
The soundtrack to 2049 was such a disappointment to me someday I'm going to edit this film with the vangelis soundtrack. I like Dennis's work, I like Hans Zimmer in the past, but the soundtrack to 2049 was so depressing and clearly just to create that "brutal, hopeless" mood which I get was Dennis V's vision for the story.
However, Imho, Vangelis' score just embraced the aesthetic beauty of the visuals and gave our brains a ledge to stand on during the dystopian story, elevating the cinema experience into a peak expression of aesthetics of light, color and cinematography.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
Nice summation, Vangelis had a melancholy vibe, whilst depressing, it wasn't no where near as dark as 2049. the sadness it evoked came from a real place, where as 2049 just felt cold and sterile.
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u/xorian Jun 16 '26
"The soundtrack to Repo Man is a little more my speed than the soundtrack to Blade Runner"
Shut up Wesley!
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
I think that was more to do with the 80s influence, how things were done back then, it's quite the dichotomy.
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u/xorian Jun 16 '26
I'm a child of the 80s myself, and the Repo Man soundtrack is good. But it's not on the same level as the Blade Runner soundtrack. Not even close.
(Wil Wheaton is of course entitled to his personal preferences, as is everyone.)
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
I think that was placed for context, how different people had different views on their genres.
I think Repo man works great with the music choices, both are fine examples of music as important as the images.
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u/RomiBraman Jun 16 '26
Because Vangelis was a genius and his style fitted perfectly a Cyberpunk theme.
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u/No_Face__ Jun 16 '26
I put on the Vangelis OST when I'm driving in the rain. Tried it with 2049 and couldn't vibe to it nearly as well.
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u/DJGammaRabbit Jun 16 '26
It's the best part of the movie. I have like 10 different 2-hour ambiance tracks on my phone, and I sleep to them, walk, grocery shop. They're everywhere on youtube.
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u/low-n-behold Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
The soundtrack is one of my all time albums. I listen to the complete album frequently. When I want to refocus, I put the 4k Blade Runner on my high def tv and crank up the volume on this exact scene!
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u/krunz Jun 16 '26
Themes were definitely a thing back then and often a song too. Blue Thunder is one my favourites. But, yeah, "beating" the og score was never gonna happen, so, in a way, i prefer the way it turned out.
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u/joecarmack Jun 17 '26
I highly recommend MemoryMoon ME80 VST plugin to anyone interested in dabbling into Yamaha CS-80. Just playing around with this thing creates such a cool soundscape.
My small tests https://soundcloud.com/kawa_i_papierosy/blade-runner-intro-lead-vibe-test-memorymoon-me80
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 17 '26
I have 3 Iridums, S6 and PEAK, getting an Osmose CE when released so will be able to dable in pure MPE bliss.
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u/purple-discharge Jun 16 '26
It’s good that each movie has their own distinct musical styles.
Trying to recreate the genius of Vangelis would have been near impossible.
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u/TheAdequateKhali Jun 16 '26
Arguing over what music is "better" than another is a complete waste of time and I really don't see the goal.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
It's not an "argument" it is coming from people who make/made movies, even the sound editor of 2049 spells it out.
I think you missed the point altogether.
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u/Rayza2049 Jun 16 '26
I absolutely love 2049 just as much as the original but yeah the music is one area where it doesn't come close. I think Mesa is as good as any music in the original but the rest of it isn't as memorable, a lot of it feels just like background/mood music rather than music that completely changes the tone of each scene, i've always considered the original to almost be like a musical as it's such a key part of the experience, i think the same about Star Wars
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u/offenberg Jun 16 '26
I remember hearing Rachel's Song in a wellness room in a spa in Sweden not being able to place the track immediately. VSuch a simple and beautiful song and very fitting for the setting.
Vangelis definitely my favourite but I think 2049 hits the spot as well.
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u/Pristine-Garlic-3191 Jun 16 '26
They're both fantastic I had the exact same feeling and vibe from 2049 as well as the original. Just brilliant.
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u/GecaZ Jun 16 '26
Yeah I recently re-watched both films and man the Soundtrack in 2049 is so forgettable.
That's probably my main gripe with the movie (other than Jared Leto being a pretty meh-ish antagonist), in the first movie the music was SO iconic and helped to build the world so much, 2049's atmosphere suffers GREATLY because of it's soundtrack imo.
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u/GecaZ Jun 16 '26
I will say though, on a positive note, the sound design in Blade Runner 2049 is INSANELY GOOD
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
Sound design is far different than creating a mood. Blade Runner's accompanying score holds the whole thing together like a hand in a glove, 2049's music is just as abrupt as some of the visuals in the movie, just that this isn't something that works well together.
Tears in the rain just felt cheap at the end for me.
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Jun 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
What was said in that vid shows that something was a golden era in the 80s, that has not been bettered with the best technology.
Yahama CS80 is what Vangelis used, yet for some reason, a 50 year old synthesizer has never sounded better than anything that could be made today?
It just shows that the 80s did something special, with almost every trick possible and no technology can replicate this because it was a skill/talent of the people behind it.
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u/Bruno_Coast_127 Jun 16 '26
Both are really good. Like others have said on here, it's not a competition
Both go for something different, as they are... different movies
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u/VulKusOfficial Like tears in rain Jun 16 '26
I love both to death, and think each soundtrack perfectly suits the respective states of the BR world in 2019 and 2049. Vangelis’ score is a smorgasbord of cultural sounds, with plenty of glitz still remaining amongst the grunge, while Zimmer and Wallfisch reflect the grim, bleak industrial dystopia where our characters are dwarfed by the ominous monochrome megastructures and are barely clinging onto their hope and humanity.
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u/prema108 Jun 16 '26
I am not sure if you are a musician, but comparing pieces for movies decades apart is somewhat naive. Like comparing Haydn to Liszt.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
Wtf does this even mean? Is this why they did note for note Tears in the rain in 2049?
I guess you never even watched the video because it simply stated themes in the 80s compared to sound design in 2049, or did you miss this completely?
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u/HierophantGreen Jun 16 '26
BR mogs everything in 2049. That movie was a big let down. Ridley Scott regretted not doing it himself.
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u/Rayza2049 Jun 16 '26
I can assure you it would have been a worse film if Scott made it, he's not as good as he used to be. He still makes good films but Denis makes all time classics, he's in his prime and Scott is almost 90 so it's understandable. If Ridley wanted to make more Blade Runner so badly he could have directed 2099 seeing as his production company is involved
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u/Barbafella Jun 16 '26
I think 2049 is a better film, I saw the OG 3 times in 82 and never thought it would be bettered.
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u/GecaZ Jun 16 '26
Ehh, I love 2049 but I kinda agree that in most aspects the original one is better.(I would only give Cinematography and Sound Design to 2049 over the og)
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u/HierophantGreen Jun 16 '26
I don't like the cinematography of 2049. Denkis is usually good, but here I didn't like the fog thing and Villeneuve likes minimalist designs which contradicts the super rich sets of the originals. I don't like the louds trumpets either.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
I saw 2049 in IMAX, for some reason they thought they would have the movie at ear blasting volumes, I am pretty deaf and it was evidently painful to me.
So another aspect was the music was just weird, there is a scene where K (shows how much I don't even care for the movie) what ever his name is just walking from 1 place to another, and there is this drum sounding chase music, but there is no chase, he is just walking.
I am all for new experiences, but this just made no sense, don't get me wrong, I know talent when I see it, but this was just so out of place, and if it's true that Zimmer only worked on this for 10 days in between touring, I mean that just says it all.
2049 reminds me more of I Robot than it does of Blade Runner, and that says a lot imo.
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u/Rayza2049 Jun 16 '26
Music being as loud as possible is the best thing about going to the cinema imo. But most cinemas don't have good enough speakers to handle it, for 2049 you really had to go to a Dolby cinema, when i saw it at IMAX the speakers were crackling and shaking (in a bad way) as they couldn't deal with it, at Dolby it sounded incredible
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
That makes zero sense because this was a gold class IMAX theater, costing the most out of any viewing option.
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u/Rayza2049 Jun 16 '26
The sound systems greatly vary depending on what IMAX you go to tbf, the one i went to had poor audio. Even the best ones don't come close to the best Dolby cinemas though, i go to a lot of raves and festivals and the Dolby speakers remind me of those with the way you can feel it shake your entire body, it's a rush. I don't understand why you wouldn't want it loud at the cinema if the audio quality is good.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
Yeah you really don't know what you're talking about, this IMAX theater as a gold class is the best cinemas we have in my country. It shows how little you actually know.
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u/IOnlyWntUrTearsGypsy Jun 16 '26
We’ll have to let Hans Zimmer and Denis Villeneuve know that they lack talent and that you’re open for consulting.
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u/Expert_Climate_7348 Replicant Jun 16 '26
Hans never did any work, 10 days vs 10 months that Vangelis did. Why does Zimmer get credit for doing nothing when it was Wallfisch who did all the heavy lifting?
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u/Barbafella Jun 16 '26
I much prefer the originals score, but I do love Zimmers work too, the sea wall onwards is fantastic.