Bladerunner

[Tonto]

KANEIT said:

I believe he was a replicant. I was under the impression that those left behind on earth are mainly those with an ailment who can't pass the medical test, so why is he still there? There are a few pointers other than the unicorn. Sepia pictures on his piano that don't really suit, none with him in them as a child or with family, a moment when he has uncontrolled pupil dilation and so on.

He can't be a replicant. He's a well respected actor with kids!

[Tonto]

DBSV8 said:

If you like Bladerunner then this DVD is an absolute must


Blade Runner: The Final Cut (5-Disc Ultimate Collectors' Edition Tin) [DVD] [1982] £12.38
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blade-Runner-5-Disc-Ultima...

it has all 4 versions and the final disc has the making of the Final cut .
Disc 1 - Ridley Scott's All-New "Final Cut
Disc 2 - Documentary - Dangerous Days: Making of Blade Runner
Disc 3 - 1982 Theatrical Version
Disc 4 - BONUS Disc "Enhancement Archive
Disc 5 - Workprint Version - This rare version of the film

trivia : did you know that in the Final cut version ,when re making the scene where Deckard confronts Zhora (Joanna Cassidy snake dancer )Ridley Scott , Used Harrison Fords Son to double as his father , and Joanna Cassidy was invited back to re-enact the scene where she gets shot through the glass amazing when you think there is a 25 year gap !!!

Also interesting interview with author Philip K. Dick on the original book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" which Bladerunner was based on

more trivia : Dick wrote several stories that have been made into films :
Total Recall
Screamers
Minority Report
Paycheck

enjoy

Edited by DBSV8 on Monday 28th December 02:00

Or, one up from that!

http://www.avforums.com/movies/Blade-Runner-5-Disc...

[qube_TA]

Jim Shoulder said:

So then, was he a replicant or not? Iwould say there's nothing definitive to say. The origami unicorn is very suggestive though.

He has glowing eyes like the other replicants
He has the same obsession with old photos like the other replicants.
Rachel asks him if he'd ever taken the Void Comp test which would show that he's a replicant.
The dream about the Unicorn and then the origami one at the end, suggesting implanted memories, like the other replicants had.
And the "Too bad she won't live, but then again who does?" line when he find the unicorn, suggesting the 4 year lifespan - like the other replicants.

Also Ridley Scott says he's a replicant and would be an idiot to think otherwise given all the clues throughout, I would argue that he's the authority on his film.

Fantastic Blu-Ray disc to boot!

[KaraK]

I know I'm going to get flamed for this... but I think Blade Runner is overrated. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic film but I just don't find it worthy of the sort of fanatical devotion it seems to recieve. Admitedly I've only seen the one version (the one with the Narration) and I'm told that the director's cut/final cut are much better.

[derestrictor]

It is painfully pretentious, art house cack for yetis circa the tail end of NWOBHM.

Very much one of those things the mob feel they have to admire; it's the Led Zep of sci fi film noir and I recall Lorraine Kelly professing it to be her fave many years ago on GMTV...

I must confess, for my own part, I genuinely and independently devour it at each and every opportunity; seeing it refreshed on Blu-ray had me close to tears.

The other Vangelis effect from the same epoch arose in 'Bounty,' with a bunch of grade A, Brit luvvies; his synth scores are sublime.

[Dakkon]

russ_a said:

IIRC Rutger ad-libbed the death speach

Yes he did, as quoted in a post above

[Eric Mc]

Do you know, I've never seen this film in its entirety. If I was to do so, which version would be best to watch?

Over the years I've read quite a few of Philip K Dick's books although I never read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", the story on whioch "Blade Runner" is based. Does anyone know how close book and film are in style and content?

Batty's speech may be lyrical and poetic, but it displays a very poor grasp of astronomy. Don't they educate androids properly in the future?

[qube_TA]

Eric Mc said:

Do you know, I've never seen this film in its entirety. If I was to do so, which version would be best to watch?

Over the years I've read quite a few of Philip K Dick's books although I never read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", the story on which "Blade Runner" is based. Does anyone know how close book and film are in style and content?

Batty's speech may be lyrical and poetic, but it displays a very poor grasp of astronomy. Don't they educate androids properly in the future?

The film and the book are completely different as the film spent about a decade in re-writes and re-cuts before it eventually hit the cinema (there's that many deleted scenes that they run for longer than the actual film).

The 'Final Cut' release is the only one that's now worth watching as the previous releases were very poor quality and didn't have surround sound. They spent a lot of effort restoring it and really shows, the Blu-Ray version in particular is fantastic. If you buy the boxed set then it also includes restored versions of the earlier cuts.

The Original cut has the voice over and silly studio happy ending (that makes no sense).
The Director's cut is great however it does contain the problems of the original (obvious stunt-doubles, continuity problems, dialogue not syncing with what's on screen etc), loses the happy ending & voice-over.
The Final cut re-shot the duff scenes to fix the problems so is arguably the definitive version.

[stigmundfreud]

fans of the film you remember the excelent PC point click adventure game with multiple endings based on actions? It was fantastic

[Skywalker]

stigmundfreud said:

fans of the film you remember the excelent PC point click adventure game with multiple endings based on actions? It was fantastic

I liked that - especially the photo enhancer

[varsas]

Skywalker said:

stigmundfreud said:

fans of the film you remember the excelent PC point click adventure game with multiple endings based on actions? It was fantastic

I liked that - especially the photo enhancer

Got it with my first CD (DVD...maybe) drive...was great, in some of the endings deckard was a replicant, I think.

[stigmundfreud]

varsas said:

Skywalker said:

stigmundfreud said:

fans of the film you remember the excelent PC point click adventure game with multiple endings based on actions? It was fantastic

I liked that - especially the photo enhancer

Got it with my first CD (DVD...maybe) drive...was great, in some of the endings deckard was a replicant, I think.

few years back i found it in the loft along with Day of the Tentacle and played them both (now lost them both boo hoo) its one of my favourite all time games

[Oakey]

I still have the game here.

[qube_TA]

One of the re-shot scenes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ule_plKQ6_w

[mattviatura]

KANEIT said:

I believe he was a replicant. I was under the impression that those left behind on earth are mainly those with an ailment who can't pass the medical test, so why is he still there? There are a few pointers other than the unicorn. Sepia pictures on his piano that don't really suit, none with him in them as a child or with family, a moment when he has uncontrolled pupil dilation and so on.

Did the sepia pictures move slightly at one point?

[southendpier]

http://issuu.com/futurenoir/docs/bladerunner_sketc...

The long out-of-print Bladerunner sketchbook, which shows all the original production artwork, is on-line!

[papercup]

I read that Scott deliberately coloured in Ford's eyes in the Final Cut to remove any question of him not being a replicant. So they glow the same as the Owl's did near the beginning of the film. That annoyed me slightly, it being reminiscent of Lucas' continued infernal tweaking of A New Hope (among others...).

[bashful]

papercup said:

I read that Scott deliberately coloured in Ford's eyes in the Final Cut to remove any question of him not being a replicant. So they glow the same as the Owl's did near the beginning of the film. That annoyed me slightly, it being reminiscent of Lucas' continued infernal tweaking of A New Hope (among others...).

...because if replicants' eyes just glowed, why bother with the whole Voigt-Kampf test procedure?

[Brilad]

I don't like the fact that there have been endless 'tweaks' to it..but in one interview I believe Ridley Scott said that there was meant to be some doubt about whether he was a replicant or not. Overall most fans seem to think that there are enough clues to suggest he is. I like the more subtle hints such as the origami unicorn etc rather than making his eyes glow. And the line "you've done a man's job" which is double-edged if nothing else. Plus his superhuman effort to catch Batty.

I think that the viewer's doubt and realisation should be happening along with Deckard's own...ie by the viewer empathising with Deckard.

The final scene is two replicants, one who spares the life of another even though he knows that that lifespan will be limited. The fact that they are both replicants doesn't really 'matter' at that point. There is sanctity of life in whatever form (hence the religious symbolism I think??) That's my take on it anyway, but it's one of those films where everyone's got an opinion.

[Silverbullet767]

I watched this a few weeks ago for the first time on the strength of it being a classic, must see etc.

I'm a sci-fi fan, there's nothing I like more than watching Star Wars(4-6) Star Trek, Alien etc... but I found blade runner incredibly boring, next to no dialogue and a story that took forever to have a point.

I agree the visuals and soundtrack were excellent, maybe a lot of the praise was from people who seen it at the time and appreciated it compared to other films from that period.

I switched it off 3/4 of the way through. Not for me I'm afraid.