Overseer Music vs. Bladerunner Music

Just got the soundtrack for Bladerunner by Vangelis. I did notice some close similarities between a couple of songs in it, and a couple songs in Overseer. I'm specifically talking about 'Rachel's Song' and 'Love Theme'. 'Rachel's Song' has a striking resemblance to the music that plays when Gideon is defeated and shoots himself ~ 'Love Theme' has a striking resemblance to the music that plays when Tex first meets Sylvia - for at least part of the duration. Anyone ever noticed this before? Is it possible that the creators of the Overseer soundtrack used the Bladerunner soundtrack as inspiration? Makes you wonder :roll:

Bests, Rockefeller 8)
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do"

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Of course, it's possible that the Blade Runner music was an inspiration. However, Vangelis' music also appeared in a few other high-profile places. Most notably, Chariots of Fire and Carl Sagan's Cosmos series.

The somewhat haunting feel of Vangelis' music was part of a new and trendy musical movement called "minimalism". There are a few symphonic examples of minimalism also, but I can't recall who the composers were.

Anyway, Vangelis and minimalism was quite popular for a relatively short period of time back in the 80's. The Tex Murphy developers might have been inspired by it from any number of sources. But Blade Runner is a good possibility.
You know Rockefeller, it's funny that you mention it as I've said something to that effect before around these boards about a year and a half ago.

See this thread: http://www.unofficialtexmurphy.com/phpb ... c.php?t=80

Notice how I mention Vangelis in regards to the style of music used in a particular scene in Overseer.

And you are exactly right too. The first thing that came to my mind when playing Overseer and noticing the music was how closely it resembled Vangelis' style (particularly in context to Blade Runner, as you said).

It is my opinion that Matt Heider (Overseer music composer) unquestionably used some of Vangelis' work as an inspiration. It fits the profile too. Not only is the music similar, but the actual game setting is as well. Both Overseer and Blade Runner are set in dystopian futures. Both Tex Murphy and Rick Deckard are kind of old school detectives. There are many other similarities of course.

Go to Cubase's Tex Murphy soundtracks website here: http://www.provisionaustralia.com.au/Lo ... oundtrack/

Check out the Overseer soundtrack, track no. 2 - "Hello Handsome". You'll see how much it resembles the "Love Theme" from Blade Runner. The saxophone is a bit different, but the synthesizer/electronic keyboard work is nearly identical.

Actually, the fact I admire Vangelis' synthesizer work was the reason for me to hunt that particular music piece from Overseer.

So yeah, I definitely noticed it as well. The resemblance is indeed striking at times.
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Well sleuthed, rockefeller and kress. Yes, Adrian did indeed request Blade Runner "soundalikes" for those scenes. Additional continuity in the music was one of the reasons that the saxophone was used in all the scenes with Sylvia.
By the way the sax player's name is Greg Floor, who has gone on to some reknown (he's apparently played at the Kennedy Center). And I believe the singer on the Gideon scene also happens to be Kris Connors, Aaron's wife.
So yes indeed, the jig is up. Detectives rockefeller and kress have hit on the phenomenon of the "temp track", the bane of many a composer...
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Besides the music similarities in Tex Games and Blade Runner, I believe there was also a discussion at one point on how similar the box covers for Mean Streets and Blade Runner were. Mainly there being a protagonist with a gun pose, and a femme fatale (sp?) in the background, with the city below them.

Some graphics:
http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/i ... medium.jpg

http://140.115.95.15/wenchi/film/blade_runner.gif

Course, perhaps this is just a popular graphic design layout for film noir.
Wow! All this info is really impressive. Thanks to all.
"If you look to me for illumination, you better have a flashlight!"
I'm glad so many found interest in this thread. Here's a funny thing; after posting that post the other day I went to my television, flipped it on, and guess what was on - that's right, Bladerunner! Yeah, I'm haunted by coincidences and now the secret's out. By the way, is there anyone here who, whenever you look at a digital clock you see three or four identical numbers? Like 1:11, 2:22, 5:55, 11:11, etc? Happens to me all the time - freaky.

And yes, after seeing Bladerunner after so long I realize there are more similarities between it and Overseer than I previously thought - like the air advertising, the 'speeders' and the somewhat 'oriental' influence on everything (Tex and Chelsee go to a chinese restaurant), and so on...

Bests, Rockefeller 8)
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do"

"ERROR: Error Code Does Not Indicate An Error"
I remember pointing out the similarities between the two soundtracks to a friend of mine in college. I think it's very fitting that the two are as close as they are, seeing as how Mean Streets (and the Tex series in general) was obviously very much inspired by the Blade Runner aesthetic. It's a nice little tip of the hat to have the Overseer soundtrack be a "soundalike." :)
I just noticed another similarity between Bladerunner & Overseer (I'm watching all the footage from Overseer off the DVD). The similarity is script-wise, and it's during the fight with Big Jim Slade. Right when Tex is against the railing and Big Jim's about about to knock Tex's nose into his brain, the bell gongs and Big Jim says: "Oh look...time to die...". In Bladerunner during the fight between Deckard and Leon, right before Rachel shoots Leon in the back he says to Deckard who is semi-unconscious: "Wake up! Time to die!" Whaddya think aboot that? :shock:

Bests, Rockefeller 8)
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do"

"ERROR: Error Code Does Not Indicate An Error"
rockefeller wrote:By the way, is there anyone here who, whenever you look at a digital clock you see three or four identical numbers? Like 1:11, 2:22, 5:55, 11:11, etc? Happens to me all the time - freaky.
This happens to me alot, but not with identical numbers. I always seem to be looking at the digital clock when it is 3:16. Maybe because it is a bible reference, it just freaks me out a bit.
I'm not fat ... I'm festively plump.
Mr. Thomas Malloy wrote:
This happens to me alot, but not with identical numbers. I always seem to be looking at the digital clock when it is 3:16. Maybe because it is a bible reference, it just freaks me out a bit.
You watch wrestling don't you?

-Cub. =o)
Cubase wrote:
Mr. Thomas Malloy wrote:
This happens to me alot, but not with identical numbers. I always seem to be looking at the digital clock when it is 3:16. Maybe because it is a bible reference, it just freaks me out a bit.
You watch wrestling don't you?

-Cub. =o)
Yeah, that too! The whole Austin 3:16 thing. But that was so over 6 years ago.
I'm not fat ... I'm festively plump.
For me it's the numbers 7 and 17. As in 07:17, or something else that combines that two numbers. It's weird that I always notice it too.

-Fred
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