Stunned, yet again, by its noir power and darkness. With all its technology and futuristic alienation, it is actually an art film.
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I watched this two nights ago, too. It is one of my all-times, red. It is 25 years old and it still looks fabulous. Love, love, love that movie. I learn something new with every viewing. There are many things I still don’t understand like how did Roy know Deckard’s name and how good he was supposed to be at the end? And the big one: Why did Roy save Deckard?
Rob – it was your post recently about this movie that made me bump it to the top of the queue. God, it’s just an extraordinary movie. And I think Sean Young is the perfect noir heroine … you know? The woman with secrets and sadness and gorgeous outfits … and Harrison is just awesome.
Why do you think Roy saved Deckard? What theory do you lean towards??
I really don’t have one. It has mystified me and intrigued me for years. Full disclosure: I didn’t read the book although I’ve picked it up a few times. By the way, the version you probably saw recently is the one I recently saw, too. It is the “Director’s Cut”. The original has Deckard narrating some of it. I have that VHS tape. The Blade Runner cult is divided over which one is better and truer to Dick’s novel. I like both.
I am also a huge fan of this film. In my top 10. While I do like both versions, I feel that I prefer the director’s cut exactly because you don’t have the narration. You have to read more into it from yourself.
I think Roy saved Deckard because in the end he realized the tragic irony in that his whole mission involved him attempting to preserve life, but here he was taking all these lives. When he realized the beauty he’d seen in his life, perhaps he also realized the futility in ending all these others.
Well, it’s a theory anyway.
I originally saw the movie in the theatre with the narration – and then when the much ballyhooed director’s cut came out I saw that when it was re-released in the movie theatres. I haven’t seen the original since it first came out, and really can’t remember much of what was different. I’d like to check it out.
I do like the lack of narration – because you’re kind of tossed into this world with no introduction and you have to make your way thru it, figuring it out as you go. But I’ll put the original one on my queue cause I’d love to see it again.
In defense of the original, Deckard’s “Sushi. That’s what my wife called me. Cold Fish.” is priceless, Cullen. His narration also mentions that he understands the gibberish the cop speaks to him at the sushi stands but doesn’t want him to know it. That’s why he had the vendor translate. The dream sequence (Not in the original) in the Director’s Cut quite possibly gives something away, though, and that still bothers the fans of the original the most. Remember it?
And I just have to say that the fight between rutger hauer and harrison ford on the rooftop confirms my belief that Harrison Ford is one of the greatest of all action heroes. Because he lets himself look bad – the way people sometimes look in fights – he doesn’t play tough-guy – what he plays is the actual struggle. So he grimaces, and squirms – and it all seems so damn REAL. He’s always been like that – that was one of the main endearing qualities about Indiana Jones – the fact that he seemed like a real guy, trying to get himself out of scrapes.
“But I’ll put the original one on my queue cause I’d love to see it again.”
I don’t think it’s available on DVD, red.
Oh it’s not? I thought I saw it on there. Bummer!
Rob – I just checked and there are 2 listed – and one says “directr’s cut” – the other one doesn’t say that it’s NOT the director’s cut – it just says Blade Runner but I’m assuming it might be the original??
I’ve always liked the reality of the fight sequence also, Sheila.
Rob, I don’t remember the dream sequence. Now I’m going to have to watch this again this weekend. I own it, haven’t watched it in a year or so.
I think I remember them talking about releasing the original version because of all the grief over it not being available originally.
“it just says Blade Runner but I’m assuming it might be the original??”
Maybe it is now, Sheila. My brother-in-law, a huge fan of the original, told me that.
Hmm. I’m looking at Amazon, and all the DVDs available are Director’s Cut versions. Maybe there still isn’t an original version available.
There’s also a math problem that I can’t resolve in this film. Bryant says six “skin jobs” slaughtered the crew and passengers on the off world ship. One was electrocuted trying to break into Tyrell Corp. That leaves Roy, Leon, Zhora, Pris, and ???
Rob – you know, I noticed that too. I was like … who else?
From IMDb trivia:
The dialogue in all releases of the movie alludes to another replicant who dies before Deckard’s final battles with Pris and Batty. The conflicting dialogue occurs in the first conversation between Deckard and Bryant. Bryant initially tells Deckard there are four “skin jobs” on the loose, but minutes later says six escaped, and one was killed by the “electronic gate”, which should leave five. The explanation is that the script originally contained an additional replicant named “Mary”, but time and budgetary constraints resulted in her being written out. M. Emmet Walsh who plays Bryant, reports that new dialogue was recorded to change the number of replicants in this scene, but Scott inexplicably only used half of the new dialogue, resulting in the inconsistency.
Rachael was added to Deckard’s “to do” list by Bryant later but I never considered her as one of the six. This movie is a puzzle and this is just another mystery and I think I’ll just have to watch it another 50-60 times.
I’m surprised I missed that bit of trivia, Cullen, considering the almost embarrassing amount of trivia I have read.
Rob – hahahaha This is my favorite way to spend a saturday morning. talking with 2 guys who love this movie too
I love IMDb.
I am actually in class right now. I much prefer having this discussion to anything that is going on out here.
And now we’re done. Hope you both have a great day!
Just to add a little more fun for this theme, sports fans: When Roy broke Deckard’s fingers, he broke one for Zhora and one for Pris. He didn’t break one for Leon. Did he know that Deckard didn’t kill Leon?
Maybe he didn’t like Leon. ;-)
You’re all, those who said so, dead right about Ford as an action hero. It carried over into more comic sequences–remember the fight with the big bald mechanic in Raiders? When the guy hit him the first time, and his knees just wobbled a little and then he fell on his behind?
Blade Runner has always been a favorite.
“I didn’t know how long we’d have together…who does?”
one of the few times the suits are right.
the narration connects blade runner solidly to the noir that informed and inspired it. inside the tough guys head.
and the color. almost black and white, the muddy browns and oranges. the light never fills up the room, it barely reaches the corners. all the light seems to come from an uncovered bulb, a searchlight, neon flickering through pollution.
this movie was unlike any i had ever seen.
almost a painting. (by a criminally depressed genius who could only afford brown and black and orange. ) but at its heart, just like all the movies i loved best. duty and honor in an imperfect world. struggle through best as you can. and someday , you’ll get a beautiful women who is better than you’ll ever deserve.
even at that age i preferred my color movies black and white.
http://media.bladezone.com/contents/film/image-library/Html/2210547_Rachael.htm
i think roy recognized his own desperate struggle and appetite for life in dekkerd.
plus, who wants to die alone in the rain?
Excellent, redclay. I take it you’re a fan of the original (With narration)? I love narration with my noir not so much for the information but for the language. It sets a tone. I like Cullen’s theory about why Roy saved Deckard but I think I like yours better. Roy’s “like tears in the rain” is just beautiful.