The Escape Artist, released in 1982, starred Griffin O’Neal and Raul Julia with a tale of a young boy determined to follow in the footsteps of his father, "the greatest escape artist except for Houdini”.

Revered for his melodic skill and an innate emotional compass, French composer Georges Delerue could bring to bear music that was sweetly sentimental and drenched with pathos. He was a composer who could create magic, and that’s why he was director Caleb Deschanel’s one and only choice for The Escape Artist.

An already prolific screen career back home had seen him work with some of cinema’s greatest auteurs – everyone from François Truffaut and Bernardo Bertolucci to Alain Resnais and Jean-Luc Godard. Then there were the English-language films for directors like Jack Clayton, Fred Zinnemann, John Huston, Mike Nichols and John Frankenheimer. He had won an Oscar at the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980 for his music for A Little Romance and he took the plunge by moving to Los Angeles soon after.

This long unavailable soundtrack features extensive liner notes from film and music journalist Michael Beek.

1. Main Titles
2. Getting Ready for The Big Time
3. Danny's Arrival
4. Burke & Sybil's Act
5. Harry Masters
6. Leaving The Apartment
7. The Bridal Shop
8. Picking Up Sandra
9. The Water Tank
10. Drowning
11. Ted's Rancho
12. Fritz Threatens Danny
13. Danny's Escape
14. The Secret Revealed / Levitation
15. Opening The Safe
16. Stu Chases Danny
17. The Mailbox / End Credits

Bonus tracks
18. Harry Masters (Alternate)
19. Source Music I
20. Source Music II
21. Stage Band
22. Ted's Rancho (Source Music)
23. High School Band
24. Music Box
25. Practicing The Piano (Delerue Solo)
26. Main Theme - Original Piano Demo