Blade Runner

BR-DC is true to the original story, where the original release seemed more an attempt to emulate James Ellroy. The elimination of the voiceover was a huge step to getting out of the '40's film noir style, and the ending, like the ending of the book (and the PC game) left just enough doubt to Deckard's humanity to give the viewer something to think about.

The unicorn scene, while not in the original story, gave something back to it. Dick's book had a sub-storyline about Deckard's wife (really?) and attaining a real animal. The unicorn scene accomplished this same effect while still being viewable in a reasonable amount of time. Without this scene, the DC ending would fall flat.

Speaking of the DC ending, it is much closer to the story's original ending than the "happy ending" WB forced on the theatrical release. It's also a lot more real. How often have you had a happy ending? Remember, it has to be happy, and it has to be an ending.

Blade Runner: the Director's Cut should be in every true sci-fi fan's collection just for sticking (mostly) to the original story. Ridley's direction, wonderful acting, a great soundtrack, and incredible effects are only bonuses tacked onto what was already a masterpiece waiting to be captured.


Great Film, Much Improved Transfer, But...   September 7, 2006
K. Davis (Atlanta, GA)
21 out of 23 found this review helpful

I'm like the other reviewers who couldn't wait until next year for the boxed set. The transfer shows the age of the film in some shots, notably in the beginning, but through most of the film it looks great. At times, it looks fantastic. There can be no doubt that it's a huge improvement over what we've had before. The sound seems clearer too although I hope there is a 5.1 mix added to the ultimate release next year.

For anyone who doesn't know, Ridley Scott is preparing a "Final Cut" of the film that's going to be shown in theaters next year prior to the release of the big Blade Runner boxed set. That release is likely to appear on HD-DVD/Blu Ray as well.

I'm in the minority, but I prefer the theatrical release of the film to the version presented here. For the theatrical release, the studio insisted on a narration by Harrison Ford to explain the film to audiences. I find that this director's cut has a lot of unnatural silences where the narration used to be and for me, that throws the pacing of the film off. I've heard that Ridley's final cut will include some of the narration. That could very well be the best version of this film yet.

We'll know in 2007.

Meanwhile, seeing this great film finally look great is worth the $12.99, even for a "double-dip" release.


Technically Impressive and Gorgeous Classic   March 1, 1999
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

The DVD version of this film is definitely worth seeing; details and images which were not discernable in the videotape version are clear as a bell here. The sound is also very clear and projects well, even on a purely stereo system. My only caveat is that the original version has not been made available; I may be swimming upstream on this one, but I enjoy the narration. First, the fact that it's a bit corny just places the film squarely in the film noire tradition, where the private detective hero frequently provides a cliche-laden voiceover. Second, it adds to our understanding of the character. Ridley Scott's contention at the time the director's cut was released that the voiceover didn't add anything to the film is simply not true and must be attributed to pre-release hype; without the voiceover, for example, we wouldn't know that Deckerd had a failed marriage in his past caused by his emotional coldness (he was as cold as sushi), which adds to our understanding of the emotional toll caused from his job as a Bladerunner. However, the director's cut does restore the original, haunting ending and provides a useful service by deleting the tacked-on and awkward sunny ending added to the film originally. All in all, a great release and a classic film.


"IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO MEET YOUR MAKER"   August 31, 2006
Michael JR Jose (the UK)
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

Set in a grim Los Angeles of the future, many of earth's inhabitants have migrated to other planets. Roy, the replicant leader has returned to earth, but he, like the other replicants, is scheduled to die. His four years are almost up, for him soon it will be `time to die'. The greater part of his tragedy is that he lives life hyper-aware of his death. A death which is decreed to the day by his maker. He is made by the Tyrell Corporation as a product, a being who looks human but having extra-human powers, but with sub-human emotions as he will not live long enough to build up a soul of true humanity. The Tyrell replicants are too powerful to be allowed to run loose---on earth or elsewhere---so they have a fail-safe built into them: they are designed to fail after four short years of life.

Roy is the most dangerous of all replicants, a warrior class officer, a combat model. And having fought for his owners in space battles, he has now escaped and returned to earth with a few other replicant model types to somehow extend their artificially limited lives. The police have the Blade Runners out, death squad cops who specialise in hunting renegade replicants. The replicants are hard to spot, they are tougher, smarter, and more determined than any designed before. There is even the worry that they will develop fully human emotional responses, and so become too similar to humans to tell apart.

The whole film is replete with religious signs and symbols and quotes. Lines from the bible and scriptural imagery are woven throughout. One of female replicants performs onstage with the snake `which tempted Eve'. Tyrell, the heartless genius who is the chief replicant designer, calls Roy `the prodigal son' [prodigal - a waster who returned home]. Roy says to Tyrell `It's not an easy thing to meet your maker', and in a confessional tone, `I've done questionable things'. When Roy meets Chou, the eye designer, he quotes `Fiery the angels fell, deep thunder rolled around the shores, burning with the fires of Orc' (a replicant who has read Blake's prophetic poem, `America', he deliberately misquotes). Pris, the pleasure model, says to Sebastian the geneticist, `I think Sebastian, therefore I am'. The question is, with all the human beings so flawed, so unlovely, so downright unpleasant, what is the difference between the replicant products and them? Maybe just a few more years on earth.

Mortality, humanity, time, finitude, purpose, salavation, redemption: all these and more are here. Roy is the only replicant left. He fights Dekkard, the best of the Blade Runners, fights for his life although he knows he has minutes left of his deathday. He was created to fight, so in fighting he fulfils the purpose for which he was created. He wins a few more minutes of life by stabbing his hand through with a large nail. It is impossible to ignore the symbolism. The pain clears his mind and focuses his will. The tables are turned, Dekkard is going to fall to his death. But the hand with nail is the hand he uses to grab Dekkard before he falls. He saves his life. But now for him it is indeed `time to die'. He has always known that this moment would come. The crisis is upon him: he is created to kill, but at the last he preserved life. He does not want to die alone. He last words to Dekkard are of the all beauty he has seen in his short, violent life, which are now to be lost as he passes from this world. It seems that he has won his humanity at the last. Being created to kill, at the last he found he could choose not to. The dove he holds in his hands flies up free as he loses consciousness, the last symbol impossible to miss. But Dekkard the professional killer has to live on, he has demons of his own to fight. He is still looking for happiness, and he needs a relationship above all to make his life worthwhile. There is all too little beauty, goodness, and love in his life. He knows he is still searching, but who cares?

The Frankenstein theme is unmistakable. When God created, He created a Man who was `very good', not yet complete, not yet perfect, but without errors or flaws. The Man chose his own path, wanted to make it on his own. The world he goes on to create is so very flawed. Above all, when Man creates in his own image, he makes in his own flawed image, with the weaknesses inevitably magnified in his sub-creation. He is no substitute god, he is a tyrant and exploiter, and his creation turns angrily on his maker. So who can redeem him?