Film Of The Week #31 - Blade Runner

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/

It seems that 12 Monkeys had been the only Sci-Fi film in the FotW list for a long time, but lately, quite a few Sci-Fi films have been voted in, such as Serenity, Aliens (one could argue The Prestige and V For Vendetta as having elements of the genre) and now Blade Runner.

Anyway, the film is obviously a classic of the genre, possibly Ridley Scott's greatest film, and standout preformances from Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and the very sexy Sean Young.

I'm not sure what exactly to say about the film that hasn't been said before, but the upcoming 25th Anniversary edition is going to spark some debate, I'd imagine.

Discuss!

The Denouncer

Ah yes now this is what its all about. My favourite movie of all time.
I remember renting it on video back in the late 80's, and even watching the theatrical version on a 14" portable TV I was completely blown away..I grew up reading 2000AD and Blade Runner was the first movie where the images came to life with such technical finesse.
I caught a midnight screening of the theatrical edition, and of course a few years later, the Directors Cut. I bought both on video and of course DVD and watched multiple times, I'd say 40 times easy. When I got a projector a few years ago I beamed the DVD copy on that screen loads of times, the images are so over-whelming that within minutes it sucks you in..probably the most cinematic sci-fi movie I have ever seen.
Blade Runner is a very special movie, no other movie has that affect on my senses..Vangelis score, the acting from EVERYONE, the screenplay, the Douglas Trumbell FX, Sid Meads futuristic visuals and Ridley Scotts direction..and the Philip K Dick influence.. all combine to a startling effect..it has never been equalled in its presentation of a dystopian society. Ever.
Its just amazing in every single aspect and for me of course the most deserving Film of the Week to date..read the book Future Noir by Paul M Sammon just shows what trials and tribulations were encountered along the way, and check out fansite www.bladezone.com for more information on this amazing movie.

Roll on The Final Cut in December.

Petey2006

Pre-ordered the 5-disk special edition final cut of Blade Runner. Needless to say, I'm tremendously excited about it! Blade Runner is a classic of the genre.

ClarenceOveur

Yes, excellent film. I love films that leave questions open so you can go back again and again and watch/wonder. I never saw the theatrical version but I can still appreciate that it should only be watched this way.

Is it true that when PKD saw the opening scene, he told Ridley Scott that it was exactly as he imagined? Or had he died by then?

johnny_ultimate

I haven't watched it for two or three years, but I really didn't like this film at all. Bear in mind that I am a big Phillip K Dick fan, and that I was watching the supposedly inferior Director's Cut (unicorn dream and all), but rarely has a film bored me so completely. This could have been due to inexperience, but the second time I tried to watch it I couldn't even stick the whole thing again.

I admit that I really need a re-watch for a proper critque, and perhaps this is a good chance to do so, but my memories of Blade Runner are extremely negative. I remember being impressed by the visuals and city, and disliking the aged soundtrack, but mostly I remember the film being a chore to sit through.

ActorSeeksJob

and that I was watching the supposedly inferior Director's Cut

The Directors Cut is considered the best version if I remember correctly..?It has no voice over and no cheesey ending.

One of my favourite all time movies, the last scene is just amazing. What a performance by Hautger. I wish I had chance to see this masterpiece in the cinema. Will definitely be buying the latest version when it comes out.

calsatron

Loved the film when I was younger. I think its unfair to judge it harshly based on the fact that Vangelis's synth sound has dated quite badly, all films will have elements that are of their time. My Dad loved the soundtrack so much that he used the tried and tested eighties technique of putting the stereo up to the tele to record it.

I'm divided on whether or not the directors cut radically improves the movie or not.

The Unicorn sequence adds a whole new dimension to the movie and clearly warrants inclusion.

The removal of the voiceover however I'm not so sure about. Ford hated the voiceover so much that he deliberatly delivered the lines as poorly as possible to try to render them unusable. However I find Fords deadpan delivery and the voiceover itself gives the movie a wonderful noir feel that it loses in the directors cut.

And the happy ending was terrible and should never have been included.

Dick did see rough drafts of the film and commented that the city was exactly as he imagined it though he wasn't keen on the characterisation.

Really looking forward to the commentary as I think Scott generally does them very well.

Oh and its got the Millenium Falcon in it!

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have never seen all of Blade Runner. It's just one of those films that everytime I sit down to watch something happens that results in having to miss the last hour.

I have the 5 discs preordered and plan on spending a wekend devouring the box set.

missingtime

Really really enjoy this movie, such a pity that Harrison Ford started doing sh!t films in the last few years - hopefully indie 5 will kick a$$

Where are people ordering that Blade Runner Five-Disc Edition?

galactus

Arguably the best s/f movie of all time. A well deserved (and overdue) place on FotW.

Much like Alien (Ridley Scott's other masterpiece) this is an excellent collaboration of director, actors, script, casting, score and set design. All top-notch: One famous example of Scott's approach here was that Roy's "Time to die" soliloquy was suggested by the actor Rutger Hauer. Apparently Philip K. Dick saw the early rushes and said to Scott "How did you know? Its just as I imagined it".

The theme of the movie is the biggest one of all: What Does It Mean To Be Human. This is dealt with in many ways but an important subext is the question of whether Dekkard is himself a replicant. Interviewed, several years after the release I saw Scott deny any suggestions as to whether Dekkard was a replicant. He's since changed his tune of course: I wonder was he fibbing in that earlier interview.

I have always preferred the original. Harrison Ford was *not* happy at having to do the voice-over (apparently because people couldn't understand the movie) and the laconic drawl worked very well. I even like the original happy ending (some parallel with the closing scenes of Se7en: sunlight after all the shadows).

Some scenes are pure art: the opening shots, Rachel's entrance. The scene with Deccard playing the piano and later kissing Rachel is touching, slightly shocking, sexy and sad.

Worth pointing out is that the movie was panned by the critics on its release - definitive proof that critics are buffons!

For BR fans Future Noir: Making of "Blade Runner" by Paul M. Sammon is an excellent read.

ixoy

Excellent sci-fi and extremely influential - this movie is responsible for the look and feel of countless books, tv shows, and films afterwards.

Lots to like here, with Galactus summing it up pretty well. I think the movie's style is perhaps its most famous factor with the rain drenched, decaying streets brilliantly enforced with an insane degree of touch (I seem to recall that Scott filmed news-papers in different languages for international releases). It's got inarguably one of the most beautiful opening scenes in a movie and, for what it's worth, the best ever in-film ad (the Coca-Cola sign).

Thematically it actually has something to say - cerebral sci-fi is in very limited supply but here's how it can be done. The unicorn dream sequence is something I like - it's not explicitly spelt out (as far too much is in this genre) and makes us question what we understand what it is to be human.l Rutger Hauer's powerful performance, of hurt, pain, and righteous anger make you do wonder whether those androids see sheep in their dreams.

Lots of other things - nice bits of technology, good plot that unfolds rather than unravelling, many superb scenes and some great dialogue. In fact it's got my favourite final delivery of any character in any movie:

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 Tanhauser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost ... in time, like tears ... in rain. Time ... to die.

A must-see for any fan of not just the sci-fi genre, but film in general.

Jello

Classic indeed. Like Twelve Monkeys, I first saw this when I was very young and hated it - hadn't a clue what was going on. Then as I grew older I realised how great it really is.

This is one I'd really love to see on Cineworld's classic screenings - it'd be some experience...

Earthhorse

I've never really gotten why people make such a fuss over this film. Aside from the brilliant sets it has little to recommend it. A humdrum script, wooden acting, an incredibly slow plot and pace; all combine to make it a chore to watch. None of the characters, not Dekkard nor the replicants (sic.), are sympathetic. In fact they're positively annoying; I want them to be retired.

Ford denies that he purposely dead panned the voiceover to make it unusable though who can say for sure?

galactus wrote:

The theme of the movie is the biggest one of all: What Does It Mean To Be Human.

As far as I'm concerned the movie doesn't explore this theme at all.

The book was great though and anyone interested in Dick's work should pick it up.

_Kaiser_

I'm afraid I have to agree with a few others here - never understood the hype around this film (but then I'm not a Godfather fan either for example).

Haven't seen it in a few years either but like Earthhorse says, it's so slow and - frankly IMO - boring that it's a chore to sit through.. alternative ending or not.

The Denouncer

I did find it boring and frankly hard to understand, when I was 14. But now I love the pacing and flow of the film. When I watch it I allow myself to get sucked in and experience it..if you haven't seen it on the big screen it loses a lot on a small screen. I recommend it to people whole heartedly, but never know how they will react!

joe_chicken

Before I say anything, it's been a few years since I've seen this, will really need to give it a rewatch, but from what I remember...

It has a handful of very memorable scenes ("Let me tell you about my mother"... brilliant) and the set design, as stated before, is second to none.

There's only one problem, it's a boring movie.

I love film noir and sci-fi, so I thought this film would suit me down to the ground. But like a few others have said it's a choir to sit through.

Thematically, I'd contrast it with last weeks FoTW, V for Vendetta (was that last week?...) where the themes are strong but don't get tangled in the story. They are like a backdrop, a location or a sound track, still prominent but don't interfere with the story in the foreground.

In the case of Blade Runner, I felt the themes got in the way. Every 5 minutes there seemed to be a long diatribe from some human-wannabe-android that I didn't give a crap about speeling on about how they dream of sheep... after the initial scene that I referenced above, it just becomes boring.

It's one of the few movies in my life that I really want to like, but don't... really need to give it a rewatch.

mike65

The greatest achievement of Blade Runner, or if you prefer the greatest failing of human society is that the future never looked more convincing and ever more so as we get closer to 2019.

The set design is a work of genius but all the production aspects from Jordan Cronenweths' cine photography to the sound production are top notch this film should have cleaned up at the oscars for technical achievment. It won two for Set Decoration and visual effects. The score by Vangelis is peerless never did a Yamaha CS80 sound so good. (I prolly should'nt mention it but try finding the "Esper Edition" its the full monty which was complied by someone who had the keys to cabinet!)

You get sucked into its world. The pacing is fine and dialogue works perfectly well in context while the story does have a geniune philosphical core about the whether the qualities that make a human human or not can stand up to scrutiny and where the difference lies.

As we move into the age of 'bio-design' this is something our children and grand children will have to tackle.

Mike.

Krusty_Clown

It was Christmas time, the family were watching some song and dance Christmas movie on the colour TV set in the living room, so to relieve the boredom, I switched on the black and white TV in the back room, and twisted the dial, until I could make out a crackling hissing movie, which presented a fantastic new world. A dark, gritty, futuristic world, where many cultures crashed together in a large melting pot, that for me, still best represents a glimpse of what the future holds for us. Thus began my love affair with the movie Blade Runner..

Having missed the start, and much of the dialog (due to weather interference), at times I was a little lost, but was nonetheless captivated by the complex characters (so much going on, behind the cool expressionless faces), the wonderful futuristic technology (much of which is available in present day) and the haunting synthesizers that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up (even on a mono-speaker B&W TV).

It doesn't take a leap of the imagination to realize that this is my favourite movie of all time. Not the best movie of all time, but my favourite.. When thieves broke into my house and stole my DVD collection, Blade runner was the only one they didn't steal, because it spent so much time in my DVD Player. It is the only movie that I can re-watch once a year and still enjoy it as much as I did, when I first saw it, fading in and out, in black and white, on that otherwise boring Christmas evening..

Boring? How can a looking glass into the future be boring?

Krusty_Clown

BTW: Is there a Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS release of the film available?
The versions I have are all DD 2 channel stereo, and I'd love to hear the soundtrack in 5.1.

I guess I'll just have to wait for the Final Cut.

calsatron

I think there's a clear devide developing between people who seen this for the first time years ago and loved it and people who've seen it more recently and fail to see what the fuss is about.

Personally I seen the film for the first time in the early nineties at high school about the same time I read Neuromancer by Gibson. The cold war was winding up and the first rumblings of the chimpernet were underway. I personally was absolutely convinced that it was a vision of the future and was exactly where society was heading so it had tremendous resonance for me.

Watching it fresh today it would lose all of that, of course, so I can see where people are coming from when they say they didn't like it.

On another note I think its a shame that relatively character driven sci-fi never really gets a decent run out at the pictures the last really good one i can remember was Solaris.

projectmayhem

calsatron wrote:

Personally I seen the film for the first time in the early nineties at high school about the same time I read Neuromancer by Gibson.

if i could go back in time i'd read neuromancer before seeing this. i'd be far more gobsmacked (and i'm stunned by the film as it is), but i'd also curse the matrix a lot more for it's content rapage.

fantastic film. anyone who likes sci-fi should love it, but apparently they don't...

The Denouncer

projectmayhem wrote:

if i could go back in time i'd read neuromancer before seeing this. i'd be far more gobsmacked (and i'm stunned by the film as it is), but i'd also curse the matrix a lot more for it's content rapage.

fantastic film. anyone who likes sci-fi should love it, but apparently they don't...

Yeah I'm amazed its got so many detractors, and so few positive comments on the boards to this FOTW. Considering when it was made in the early eighties its incredibly realistic, a real work of wonder. A whole world created by cinematic craftsmen. I remember a quote from Daryl Hannah where she said it was the first set she was on that felt like a real huge movie. Considering the money pumped into it, the effort involved, the idea that Ridley wanted to retrofit a future world as he imagined would exist on earth while he was making Alien, and he also retrofit the story around Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep beautifully.
I suppose some people don't, or can't, appreciate a movie like this. Its not your average no-brainer or action flick, its not a comedy, its not a straight drama..it wouldn't get made now for love nor money. The only movie that came close recently was Minority Report.
Some say its a cult classic. I'd say its pure sci-fi writ large.

ixoy

The Denouncer wrote:

Its not your average no-brainer or action flick, its not a comedy, its not a straight drama..it wouldn't get made now for love nor money. The only movie that came close recently was Minority Report.
Some say its a cult classic. I'd say its pure sci-fi writ large.

Very true. I'm a big fan of sci-fi, but generally it's very poor when committed to film celluloid. Most attempts at sci-fi don't attempt to envisage a world or give it an individual look, instead substituting some gimmick of a weapon or plot device instead. 'Blade Runner' stands out because it did both, giving an original look and feel to an often stale genre whilst still examining high concepts. It's that balancing act performed so well, creating a dark noir world so convincing, that has it my own all time best sci-fi flicks.

The Denouncer

ixoy wrote:

Very true. I'm a big fan of sci-fi, but generally it's very poor when committed to film celluloid. Most attempts at sci-fi don't attempt to envisage a world or give it an individual look, instead substituting some gimmick of a weapon or plot device instead. 'Blade Runner' stands out because it did both, giving an original look and feel to an often stale genre whilst still examining high concepts. It's that balancing act performed so well, creating a dark noir world so convincing, that has it my own all time best sci-fi flicks.

Exactly, its simply classic science fiction committed to celluloid. No other movie has ever presented so rich and detailed a future cityscape.