ridleynoir wrote:I am curious to your sources? I know Hampton Fancher wrote about the killing of Rachael long before Syd Mead came into the project. As was the idea of Deckard a rep discussed before Mead (all this is in Future Noir).
When I saw Syd at RIT last year he said he basicaly just worked on Ridley's Ideas and tried to make them real. He said Ridley deserves all the credit for the design of the film. That doesn't sound like someone who pushed his ideas on Ridley.
I am not calling a liar or anything, because you sound like you may know a lot more than you are telling.
Ok, I should clarify. First, I am telling it as I see it. My info comes from many of the same sources that are available to everyone else. However, when I can find more sources though, I do ask. It took me years of knowing Bear before he mentioned his relationship to the Blaster.
If you mention the name Syd Mead even outside of BR circles you get "Oohh, ahh". You mention Hampton Fancher even some BR fans will say "Who??"
That was my point about it being a "Syd Mead arguement" aside from the lack of clarity in the film. He was the one most notibly in interviews talking about replicant Deckard.
For years Syd Mead insisted Deckard was. Scott sometimes said "maybe" then years later finally 'yes'.
Fancher was probably indeed the source of the idea, but how many people even know who he is? Despite his background, writers rarely get the credit of directors.
What makes the whole issue worse was that the execution of the idea all could have been unintentional. The one shot that Deckard's eyes shine in could have just been a lighting error.
The main clues: shining eyes & memory implants are pretty meaningless considering the technology.
Let's look to another PKD story for a hint " If someone stole your mind...how would you know??"
With the technology of memory transfer, it is possible to know another person's most intimate secrets. You could then turn around and say " You know that secret you keep? That's just an implant."
How would your victim know you were lying??
And about shining eyes...pretty stupid clue in a world of surgical enhancements. Anyone who could afford them could have them.
Tyrell:"Would you like something enhanced?"
The best clue actually in any version of the film is the last leap. This clue rarely gets any attention but it is incredibly important. If anything in the film proves the point; this is it.
A while back I took a look at the distance from the Bradbury and the closest point on any building. The street is a good 20' or more across. The sidewalks are wide. I would estimate that the distance from building to building actual distance between the walls would be close to 40'!
Someone in the L.A. area who is adventurous enough to spend time in that part of town can confirm this with a measuring tape.
Even subtracting 15' for overhangs as in the film that still leaves close to 25'. Even in the future, city blocks would keep their size. This means Deckard almost made a 25' leap without special assistance/equipment.
I don't know about you, but on my best day with a springboard I doubt 20' would be within reach. If there was ever proof, that is as close as I have seen.
I never said Mead thought of shooting Rachael. It was Fancher I referenced when I presented the anti "Mice and Men" arguement. I think the end I mentioned would have been both acceptable and logical within the genre.
BTW Masao is my real name.