Blade Runner 'tears in the rain'; the contributions of vision & sound

This makes Stern’s point about the dominance of the visual absolutely. For me the primarily visual atmospherics dominate to such an extent that I feel swamped by so many screen- image techniques:

• suspension focus on the hand
• close photography of signs of physical strain
• close photography of signs of psychological stress
• rain, lightning
• steam
• chiaroscuro
• silhouettes
• looming technical presences
• scenes of devastation
• saved/ saviour
• cat and mouse devil’s plaything
• dove of peace

Of course the cumulative effect is different in the context of the whole film. Without that full context “moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain. Time to die” descends almost into cliche and bathos.

On the contrary the power of sound to dominate the visual is present in Vangelis’ opening of Blade Runner as the credits and background are being unveiled:

I am also reminded that when I thought again after years about ‘2001. a Space Odyssey’. It was the soundtrack Strauss’  ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ that dominated my memories of the film:

Reference:

Bendito machine (Episode 3 – Obey His Commands) – 6:46