Posted on 11/05/2011 7:40:04 AM PDT by Kaslin
And it’s a “liable to be a sequel” according to Scott himself, who was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal‘s Speakeasy blog.
When I first heard about this project, back in the summer, it was unclear whether the movie would be a prequel or a sequel. But saying I was intrigued would be falling short. Blade Runner wasn’t much of a hit when it was released in theaters back in 1982, but I could never get my eyes off it — without fail — every single time I rented it (Yes. On VHS). And I rented it several times between the age of 14 and 19. How many, I can’t recall. Like Scott’s prior work Alien, I just can’t get it out of my mind.
I didn’t see Blade Runner on the big screen till 1990 or so (awfully scratched print). And when the Director’s Cut was released in theaters in ’92, I actually drove 2 hours to see it (and it’s not that I’m a sci-fi geek. I drove 3 hours to see Robert Altman’s The Player — I was living in a small Texas bordertown at the time). In 2007, Warner Bros. celebrated Blade Runner‘s 25th Anniversary with another theatrical release (digitally remastered under Scott’s supervision as a so-called “Final Cut”). I drove about 40 minutes to see that one on the big screen, mostly because of L.A. traffic. That’s how much I enjoy the film. And I know I’m not alone in this. The truth is, it’s a strong film. And despite it’s sci-fi/neo-Noir wrapping, I believe it has plenty to recommend it to mainstream audiences.
The visuals and sound design in Blade Runner are simply arresting. And the narrative — based on a short story by the prolific Phillip K. Dick — ain’t bad either, focused as it is not only on a multiple manhunt (synthetic manhunt?) but also on the existential angst of the characters, grappling from their own particular points of view with the sadness of the human condition. But not in that annoying French New Wave way. This is an American movie. A Hollywood movie. It just happens to come across as artsy because it is beautiful to watch and hear.
If Blade Runner is unfamiliar to you, I’m probably coming across as too mysterious. But I don’t want to spoil it for you, not even with a plot summary. But a little background wouldn’t hurt: suffice it to say the movie is set in a future in which synthetic humans — called Replicants — are mass produced to be used as labor. But they’re not seen as human, nor considered human at law. They’re simply genetically engineered lifeforms designed to be “more human than human”. And, as you might expect — especially if you are a fan of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica — they’re just deemed to be too dangerous to mix with naturally-born folks. So they’re illegal on Earth. The job of a blade runner is in fact to locate illegal Replicants and kill them on the spot.
In sum, the movie does force the viewer to ask what the meaning of “being human” actually is, while exploring the themes of identity crisis that so obsess Phillip K. Dick. But watching it is far from being a mere exercise in philosophy. It’s exciting; and beautiful to both watch and listen (the soundtrack by Vangelis is also an old favorite). It’s best appreciated in a theater, but a nice big screen TV will do. There is no doubt that the upcoming Blade Runner sequel will be quite an event. So might as well get ready and acquaint yourself with the original movie. Make it part of your weekend. You won’t regret it. Even if you don’t like it as much as I do, you’re bound to get something worthwhile out of the experience.
it’ll be PC...Scott seems to disdain Western Civ and loathes Chrisitianity and it shows even in some of his rather good stuff
Yes, I know Hollywierd is completely out of original ideas.
Communism kills creativity.
The worst part about Bladerunner was the insufferably boring Harrison Ford. Almost anyone else would have been better. The director’s cut got rid of the awful monotone voiceovers, but Ford’s acting inability still makes it a little rough. The sound and effects are great. The story is great. The final cut was still lacking. 3 stars.
whatever edition they had on tv recently omitted the narration by Harrison Ford...which explained the whys and wherefores...
as it had been 30 years since I watched it originally I had forgot a good deal of the story.
without the narration it was UNWATCHABLE....
>> There is no doubt that the upcoming Blade Runner sequel will be quite an event.
I doubt it! It will be full of PC messages, glowbull warming, and plenty of anti-capitalism—and it will all come from a multi-millionaire who uses more energy than some small nations.
Agreed. What I hate most is the studios release THREE versions from theater-extended-director. So basically they con you THREE times to pony up the cash for an extra 5 minutes of scenes.
I have always thought that Rutger Hauer was the lead actor in it as head Replicant Roy. Saw him on the movie THE RITE recently and even though he played the father of the lead actor, he was a more complete actor than Ford. I recommend that film and how did a pro-Christ, anti-devil movie ever got produced by Hollywood is beyond me..
I never like liberal movies where mankind devolves into the gutter in the future.
I prefer the future as portrayed in Star Trek, where mankind is prosperous and the leaders of the universe.
Blade Runner is a classic.
...based on a short story by the prolific Phillip K. Dick..."Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" is a novel, not a short story.
I heard that Ford hated the idea of the voice-over and so deliberately read it in that mono-tone; hoping, I guess, that they would cut it out. Whether that's true, or not, I like the original version much better than the "director's cut" w/o the voice-over.
FWIW, I didn't much care for the original story by Phillip K. Dick. In my opinion, "Blade Runner" was one of those rare instances where the movie was superior to the written work.
If you meant THE KINGDOM, yes it was full of crap from end to end.
Hollywood has ALWAYS stolen ideas and remade their own movies. It literally goes back to the beginning of the industry. Some of the most highly regarded movies in history are remakes. You like Charlton Heston’s Ben Hur? 3rd time that play based on a book got turned into a movie (the first time is actually one of the earliest movies made for release). Bogie’s Maltese Falcon? 3rd time in 10 years they filmed that novel.
In this instance Scott has never been satisfied with Blade Runner, he considers it one of his worst movies and has generally been visibly annoyed that it’s his best regarded. Probably his re-acquisition of the Alien (his other most highly regarded film) franchise probably made him think about finally doing Blade Runner “right”. Hopefully he won’t screw it up.
I agree, but then again, I like movies with Voice over narration, particular detective type stories.
Of course that Star Trek future came AFTER mankind devolved into the gutter and managed to rise back up. Blade Runner humans were already in space, they could just as easily have turned into Star Trek mankind.
I could watch it without the sound and be hypnotized by it. Visually breathtaking.
I like movies with lots of unexplained back stories. Why is it always raining there? Why are there so many Asians there now?
Yes, Because Scott did such a crappy job with movies like Alien,Blade Runner,Gladiator,Hannibal, Black Hawk Down....
Hell, even GI Jane with it’s PC message, and feminist hero was well done. And It’s not like he spared the very non-pc beatdowns on Demi Moore. NO sanitizing.
There’s no good argument against how great the man is at what he does.
In fact there's been a nuclear holocaust. But no nuclear winter. I always wondered why the left didn't complain about that anti-PC vision of the future.
I never read Blade Runner....had I read it I might have felt differently about the narration.
on a similar note...I read AC Clarke’s ‘2001 a space odessey’ BEFORE seeing the movie back in the 1960’s.
I spent hours in a diner afterwards trying to explain to my friends what they had just seen...
>>Yes, Because Scott did such a crappy job with movies like Alien,Blade Runner,Gladiator,Hannibal, Black Hawk Down....Hell, even GI Jane with it’s PC message, and feminist hero was well done.
All of those were made before Bush Derangement Syndrome poisoned liberals’ brains with irreversible hate for America.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.