Blade Runner

Carlos M. Icaza · August 10, 2004

Hi,

I did a search on the forum and it came up empty for "Blade Runner". So I know it has got to be on the forum discussed before somewhere, but search came up empty.

So here it is,

I saw it for the first time today, Blade Runner Directors Cut.

Excellent lighting, great use of smoke all over the place. Great camera work, and set design was top notch.

Great DVD addition to my collection.

C.-

Luke Prendergast · August 10, 2004

Wish I could see it again for the first time.

Filip Plesha · August 10, 2004

Actually for me there is nothing like watching a well known film after a long pause

(of a year or two). Like watching Blade runner after not seeing it for 2 years.

This feels better to me than watching it for the first time. Fist time I have no idea

what kind of a film it is and I am critical about it. After it has become a "classic" in my head, it is eye candy for me to watch its cinematography over and over again.

It's like watching a favorite photograph. I like Ridley Scott's films a lot. And specially Alien and BR. These two have such beautifull textures and lighting.

Plus the music from Vangelis gets me every time. It's so "huge" and powerfull

Wendell_Greene · August 10, 2004

Now that you've seen the film for the first of what I'm sure will be at the very least a 100 times, :D you may want to check out some material about the making of this great film. The first is "BladeRunner: The Inside Story" which is basically a hardcover reprint of the out of print, and if you do find it, expensive, 1982 Cinefex issue about the film's visual effects.

Less impressive in my opinion, is the book, "Future Noir -The Making of Blade Runner" which in early printing runs, omitted complete chapters (nearly 300 pages) including the most criminal: the stellar work of the late, great Jordan Cronenweth, ASC. Fortunately for us, you can read the missing chapters online at http://scribble.com/uwi/br/fn/

Also thanks to the editors at American Cinematographer who focused on Mr. Croneweth's contribution to this film in several article, including one reprinted in the March 1999 issue:

http://www.theasc.com/magazine/mar99/blade/pg1.htm

Cinematographer Daniel Pearl heralded Cronenweth's work in "Blade Runner" as "the beginning of modern cinematography."

FYI, it's worthy to watch the bonus disc of the "Alien Quadrilogy" DVD to see how influential Cronenweth work on "Blade Runner" was to David Fincher on "Alien 3". his work before leaving the film due to illness set the tone for his replacement Alex Thomson, BSC. Several of the behind the scenes shots of Fincher and Cronenweth in action on set along with the commentary underscore that point.

Carlos M. Icaza · August 10, 2004

Wendell,

I'll look into the books.

Thanks for the tip.

I'll post my "after watching it" feelings on the movie. I still think extraordinary cinematography. Them light beam shafts = awesome.

C.-

Aaron Tan · August 13, 2004

I've only watched the Director's Cut (which is an awesome film) but when the film was released, apparently the studios decided that the ending was too depressing and replaced it with some cut footage from a Stanley Kubrick film. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, check out this site Deckard is a Replicant. The biggest debate about the movie finally settled.

There's so much I want to say about this film. It's so good. :P

David Mullen ASC · August 13, 2004

No, the ending was not replaced, just added to. The original director's cut ended with Deckard and Rachel leaving his apartment and the door shutting -- that scene was in the studio release version too.

But Scott added the shots of Deckard & Rachel driving (with voice-over) and then the helicopter footage from "The Shining" which Scott borrowed from Kubrick. Luckily the footage was shot spherical so that the VW Bug at the bottom of the frame could be cropped out when blown-up to 2.35 anamorphic.

Vivian Zetetick · August 13, 2004

Did the Director's Cut precede the Studio Release, or did Ridley Scott create the "Director's Cut" after the Studio Release, as a kind of variation?

I was under the impression he restored his original ending for the Director's Cut, but then added/subtracted additional footage, and then removed Deckard's voice-over narration, which was always supposed to be in the film?

The Studio release does not include the brief shot of the unicorn running through the trees, purportedly taken from Scott's film "Legend". However, the Studio Release sequence in which Roy murders Tyrell is actually more violent than the Director's Cut....

I've seen "Blade Runner" so many times I could replay the film in my head from beginning to end, and I love Jorden Cronenweth's golden opium-den photography.

I must admit, however, that Blade Runner is one of the films which I prefer in the Studio Release. I like the hard-boiled voice-over narration. I think it adds to feeling & tone of the film.

I believe the LaserDisc release of the film is the only format where the Studio Release can be found in letterboxed widescreen....

David Mullen ASC · August 14, 2004

The Paul Sammon book lists the many variations of "Blade Runner". I believe there was a Criterion Collection laserdisc of the original studio release version. There is also a laserdisc of the director's cut.

This "director's cut" was an after-the-fact creation based on the studio release version. Scott removed the "happy ending" epilogue and the narration, added the unicorn shot. Not much more else was different.

The call for a director's cut began with the emergence of a "preview cut" that WAS more radically different than the final studio cut. It had temp music, some different edits, some different angles and lines of dialogue.

I saw this version a couple of times, first at the Fairfax Odeon, where it appeared in a 70mm festival and caused an uproar (the festival people had been looking for a 70mm print of the studio released version and stumbled across this unknown preview version in a vault). It only existed as a 70mm print (which is odd because when they later released the movie after the previews, a decision was made to make no 70mm prints.) This 70mm print was then used to make a dupe neg so that 35mm prints could be made for a second release of the preview version at the Nuart Theater. The popluarity of this release caused the studio to consider a "director's cut". But Scott, being busy, only mildly tampered with the original studio release version.

I've heard that Scott has gone back again to make some more changes for the upcoming DVD release.

Carlos M. Icaza · August 14, 2004

I have to say, having not seen the movie until now, (ok, don't kill me ;-) it holds up pretty good. Learning about all the details made it even more fun for me to watch again.

I can only comment about the directors cut because is the only one I seen and now would like to see the release cut.

I did not however, picked up on the unicorn, both with the faslhback and the end where the unicorn origami was left.

Seeing it again, I was more keen to little things like this and of course having read your posts as well so it was a complete surprise to learn that Deckerd himself was a replicant.

Very well made. I will have to see the release cut which I don't think is out on DVD yet. I'll share my thoughts then.

Cheers and thanks for your feedback.

Carlos.-

Filip Plesha · August 14, 2004

The director's cut is not really the last version. The final "archival" edition is expected to come out on DVD this or the next year. Ridley has talked about it

in inteviews a lot. They will make a new digital mix, and recut the original negative (the good old fashion way) and make it the way Ridley wanted it a long time ago.

The new transfer will probably look gorgeous. They will make a new positive.

Stas Tagios · August 14, 2004

Unfortunately, reports of a three-disc ultimate version of "Bladerunner," containing the theatrical cut, director's cut, and a new director's cut, were premature; though such a project was in the works at Warner, it apparently stalled because the film's completion-bond guarantor, Jerry Perenchio, reportedly refused to let Warner distribute the theatrical version, to which he owns the rights.

Warner currently sells on DVD the director's cut, and the latest rumor is that said cut will be re-mastered and released, along with some supplementary material (Ridley Scott supposedly recorded a commentary track, so hopefully that will be included), sometime in 2005.

Read more about the Bladerunner DVD debacle at the www.hometheaterforum.com.

Here's the direct link to the thread:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/sh...y=&pagenumber=1

Here's the info on the rumored upcoming release, from thedigitalbits.com:

"Here's some good news and bad news all at once. Sources are telling us that Warner is FINALLY at work once again on a Blade Runner: Special Edition. That's the good news. The bad news is that instead of the 3 or 4-disc ultimate edition we all hoped for (featuring all the different versions of the film), the title is now likely to be one of the studio's 2-disc editions, featuring only the recent "director's cut" version of the film (remastered from a new HD transfer), the Channel 4 On the Edge of Blade Runner documentary and perhaps a few other odds and ends. Look for it sometime in the first half of 2005."

DanStewart · August 14, 2004

I'd love to see the 'preview' version.

I was always bugged by the 'Deckard is a replicant' thing. Scott chucked in the unicorn so it's the only explanation, but the actors weren't playing it that way and it undermines his whole character.

He gets his ass kicked by every one of the escapees, even the 'pleasure model', so what kind is he? Punchbag model? Roy is already dangerously close to stealing the emotional centre of the film and if Deckard is just a more stupid, less self aware version of Roy then you might as well just cut the Deckard scenes completely.

And the Captain was playing along? More so in the studio version, but still he hates replicants, why would he humour one to that degree?

BTW I heard that the studio 'lightened' the film for the studio release. Not sure what that means.

Lloyd G · June 16, 2010

Hello to all. I'm the resident green apple.

Glad you finally found this beautiful film. This was the first feature to really capture my eye at age twelve because of it's imagery, the keen use of color, the effective use of natural elements and lighting all meshed with an incredible score by Vangelis and a story that to this day blows me away in it's depth.

I own nearly all copies mentioned here including the unrated VHS released in 1987 by Embassy Home Entertainment as well as the remastered last edition of this film. One of the things about the final edition is just how extremely sharp and crisp some of the imagery is. This took a little getting used too having grown up in the days of Betamax, VHS. Coming from that old school blurred vision I cant help but think that sometimes what you don't see in the shadows or fog is just as powerful as what you do see. Even the earlier Directors Cut DVD doesn't appear as sharp as the Final Edition.

Anyway, I realize this was an old thread but honestly, it's only fitting that the first feature I discuss here be my favorite.

Shaan Aslam · June 18, 2010

Jordan Cronenweth's work was absolutely fantastic. Everything I've ever wanted to do with light, he did in that film. I really admire strong sourced lighting, growing up watching Zsigmond and the like, and I think the cinematography really catapulted the story to another level. Personally, I would easily rate this as one of my top ten because something rare happened: every department shone through. The production design was out of this world (;p), the score was stuck in my head weeks after watching it. Everything just fit in together more than perfectly.

Stuart Brereton · June 18, 2010

Glad you finally found this beautiful film.

Lloyd, glad you like Blade Runner, but some of us have been enjoying it for 20+ years!!

blake williams · July 16, 2010

I wonder why scott messed with the contrast and the colors in "the final cut". looks terrible. I enjoyed the added scenes, but I always watch the directors cut because it looks substantially better.

Patrick Cooper · July 19, 2010

Vivian Zetetick: "I like the hard-boiled voice-over narration. I think it adds to feeling & tone of the film."

Absolutely spot on. This is why I prefer the regular studio version. When I watch the Directors Cut, the absence of Harrison's narration really gets to me. Something is missing!

Dan Stewart: "He gets his ass kicked by every one of the escapees, even the 'pleasure model', so what kind is he? Punchbag model?"

Lol! Great point! I agree that Deckard being a replicant doesn't gel with me either. Another reason why the original studio version is my preferred choice (back when most of the movie going audience simply assumed that Deckard was human.)

Frank Glencairn · July 19, 2010

Jordan Cronenweth's work was absolutely fantastic. Everything I've ever wanted to do with light, he did in that film. I really admire strong sourced lighting, growing up watching Zsigmond and the like, and I think the cinematography really catapulted the story to another level.

Word. There are not much films from 1982 you can watch today and not have the feeling you look at an almost 30 year old flick.

Frank