Vangelis: Chariots of Fire

23 August 2014, 17:19 | Updated: 29 August 2014, 11:03

Director Hugh Hudson took a great leap of faith when he took on Vangelis to compose a synthesiser-heavy score for this classic film set amid a rivalry between two athletes at the 1924 Olympics.

The famous 'Titles' theme - known to almost everybody as 'Chariots of Fire' was only composed at the last minute because Hudson originally wanted to use a song from one of Vangelis's music albums. Happily, Vangelis insisted on at least trying to compose an original opening theme and came up with the tune we know and love today. 

The stark contrast between the film's 1920s setting and very modern score would pay off. Vangelis produced one of the finest film themes of the 1980s - and the entertainment world has taken it to heart, using it frequently to accompany slow-motion athletic sequences over the past three decades.