Elite Rep Detector
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A BR review on Amazon.com
The facts regarding Blade Runner on DVD, August 15, 2003
Reviewer: "thebij" (St. Louis Park, MN) - See all my reviews
There is a 3 disc Special Edition DVD of this all time classic film on the horizon. This Special Edition will have 3 different versions of the film: the original theatrical version, the directors' cut, and a new Ridley Scott updated version of the film. It will also have numerous special features. It will be very similar to Scott's Black Hawk Down 3-Disc Special Edition DVD.
The person in charge of the design of this disc is Charlie DeLuzika (sp?) who is responsible for some of the best special edition DVD's made.
Ridley Scott himself stated that the actual completion/restoration of the versions that will appear on these discs was finished in 2002 (see Sound & Vision Magazine-"15 Minutes with Ridley Scott" published in 2002.)
What's holding up the discs are legal problems. Apparently the production company that owned the rights to the movie went out of business, and there is fighting over who now owns those assets. That is also why there is a lack of other Blade Runner related items such as action figures. The only ones of those available are Japanese bootlegs.
The reason that this Director's Cut is so dreadful is that it, along with "Twister", was one of the first DVD's ever released. That's why there is just a blue screen with a WB logo for the menu!
There is no known release date for the 3 disc special edition. It was suppose to be released for the 20th Anniversary of the film in 2002. My guess is that the earliest it will appear is fourth quarter 2004.
Hope this info was helpful. I just can't wait for a DVD release that finally does Blade Runner justice!