Jan zonder vrees

In 1984 the Brussels composer and sound designer Alain Pierre recorded what was to become an iconic soundtrack for Flanders' first full-length animation film. With famous voice actors such as Jan Decleir and Dora van der Groen, John the Fearless became an instant classic Sunday afternoon VHS tape for a whole generation of Flemish kids. It is the soundtrack that resonates the strongest, to the extent that it was recently released on vinyl, followed by some rare live performances by Pierre using his vintage synthesisers to recreate the score which mixes catchy tunes with upbeat medieval melodies. Although hardly a familiar name himself, Alain Pierre composed for the biggest names, but also collaborated with Belgian avant-garde filmmakers like Thierry Zéno and Chantal Akerman. This 1980s animated children's film remains fresh thanks to its pioneering synthesiser soundtrack. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)