Blade Runner and
Chariots of Fire composer
Vangelis has died at age 79. Vangelis (Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou) was born in Greece in 1943 and began making music at a very early age. The self-taught artist expanded into the European pop scene with a number of solo albums before capturing the attention of Hollywood. His music was featured in Carl Sagan’s
Cosmos in the late 70s and after composing music for a number of smaller films, Vangelis was offered
Chariots of Fire, which would become one of his signature works, particularly the main titles, netting him an Oscar for Best Original Score in 1982.,After
Chariots of Fire, Vangelis worked with Ridley Scott for the score to the sci-fi classic
Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Darryl Hannah. The moody, atmospheric synth score became synonymous with the film, which is one of the most revered sci-fi classics of all time. The composer worked with Scott again for his Christopher Columbus biopic
1492: Conquest of Paradise, as well as Roman Polanski’s
Bitter Moon and Oliver Stone’s
Alexander. ,Related: Blade Runner Complete Timeline Explained: Movies & Spinoffs,Sadly, it was announced today (via
Variety) that Vangelis has died of complications while being treated for COVID-19 in a French hospital. He was 79 years old. Vangelis was notoriously reclusive and private, leaving little information about his personal life or who he leaves behind.
Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, tweeted out his condolences and a tribute to the late composer, saying:,In addition to his film and TV work, Vangelis also composed for theater, podcasts, documentaries, and for his own solo albums, his last of which (
Juno to Jupiter) was released in 2021. Vangelis’ legacy includes 23 solo studio albums and 13 soundtrack scores. No doubt, Vangelis will be most remembered for his work on
Blade Runner, as the timeless music continues to be an influence today and was even featured in Denis Villeneuve’s sequel,
Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott has said that working with Vangelis on the original film’s score was ”
one of the best experiences” he ever had with a musician, noting the process of the composer while they worked on the film, saying,
“I would finish editing at night and Vangelis would be in the studio with his assistant. He would have been at this all day and would play what he had created. He understood the process of films brilliantly. He would literally watch sequence after sequence and start to play with it. It was a completely organic process.”,While little is known about Vangelis’ personal life, as a professional he was an inspiring, giving, thoughtful, and mesmerizing musician who changed the landscape of film composing forever, particularly with the use of synth sound, which has become a regular fixture in the industry at this point. His passion and vision for music is evident throughout his significant body of work, which will no doubt be celebrated for a very long time. As the next generation of composers take up their spots in the industry, many will no doubt find inspiration in the work of Vangelis, continuing his legacy into the future.,Next: What Alexander: The Ultimate Cut Changes About Oliver Stone’s Epic,Source: Variety