“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off (the) shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.” is one of the most iconic monologues in film history. These words were spoken in Blade Runner by the android character Roy Batty when he reached the end of his life span. This happened in an alternate timeline in 2019 in the movie, but that year is ironically also the year that Batty’s actor, Rutger Hauer, passed away from pancreatic cancer. What made that scene so iconic is that Hauer removed some additional non-essential parts from the screenplay and added the final two sentences on the fly while shooting the scene. For those who do not already know this fact and want to know more about Hauer, his goddaughter Sanna Fabery de Jonge made an outstanding documentary called Like Tears in Rain about Hauer’s life, in which this Blade Runner trivia is mentioned, together with many other interesting aspects from his life.
Like Tears in Rain is a Dutch documentary that aired on national television, and it has a unique way of telling the story of Rutger Hauer. The backbone of this biopic is the interviews with Hauer’s friends and family, as well as with actors and directors from the Netherlands and Hollywood. What makes Like Tears in Rain such a great documentary is the footage that backs up the stories from these interviews. There is some official footage from TV interviews from the past, but what makes for a really enjoyable viewing experience are the amateur videos shot by Hauer himself or filmed by his close friends during his holidays. It portrays Hauer as a very kind person, which is quite a contrast because he is known for being the bad guy in many of his films.
It is not often that I talk so much about other aspects outside of the music in my reviews, but that is what makes the score of Matthijs Kieboom for Like Tears in Rain so amazing. The footage and dialogue of the documentary are so powerful that the music should not be the primary focus. Fortunately, music is present, and while it primarily plays a subtle role in the background, the melodies are no less remarkable.
Kieboom opted to go for a more intimate score by using strings, guitars or piano. “Meeting Rutger” is a marvelous piece and my highlight of the album, in which the strings play a playful irregular rhythm that perfectly suits Hauer as someone different. “Adventure” is a bit of a stand-out on the album because halfway through the track, it transitions into a more funky piece with electric guitars, drums, bass and brass. This outburst was ideal for when Hauer was going on an adventure. The last track I want to mention is “Love of My Life.” Hauer was married to Ineke for around 50 years, and their relationship and love for each other is one of the main focuses of this film. Kieboom has perfectly captured their love in that track with beautiful melodies, performed on the piano and supported by acoustic guitars.
The titles I have mentioned are just some of the highlights of the album, but every track is worth a listen. Their melodies perfectly reflect the emotions of happiness, regret, mourning or love. It is a shame that the documentary has only been shown on Dutch television, as I think more people should be able to see it. Rutger Hauer was a fantastic person and had a wonderful life. Luckily, the music that Matthijs Kieboom composed is available on all major music platforms, so you can at least enjoy the excellent music that he wrote to illustrate the life of the famous Dutch actor.
Listen or buy
- Buy this soundtrack from Amazon or Apple Music
- Listen to this soundtrack on Spotify
Tracklist
The highlights are in bold.
- Meeting Rutger (2:10)
- Sanna (4:00)
- Love of My Life (2:00)
- Time Moves Slower (0:59)
- Ask Me a Question (1:33)
- Rutger’s Childhood (1:55)
- Adventure (2:04)
- Turkish Delight (1:01)
- Monique and Rutger (1:19)
- No Fear (2:15)
- Real Friend in Hollywood (2:09)
- Hanging Out Together (1:51)
- Marius (3:48)
- Her Son, Her Brother, My Friend (2:56)
- Ineke (1:39)
- Unhappy (4:32)
- If You Forget Me (3:09)
- The Legend of the Holy Drinker (1:10)
- Turn on the Headlights (3:26)
- Film Factory (4:08)
- Time to Die (4:13)
- See Ya Next Time (2:48)
Total length: 55 minutes
Reality Bytes / MovieScore Media (2024)
