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Monitored and Edited by Gerry Kissell Have a question or comment you want addressed? ASK ME HERE.
Oct 15, 2001
Dear BladeZone:
After recently watching Blade Runner for the first time, I was fascinated by the images and intriguing story plot. But i was wondering if you knew if blade runner set any precedents in the movie industry. I know that star wars was a groundbreaking movie, but blade runner seems as if it is another level above with the superior scenes and cinemetography. Maybe you can enlighten me about innovations that Blade Runner introduced in terms of how movies are made. Also, I was wondering if you could inform me about the direct influence that Blade runner has had on sci-fi movies that were created after it.
Samux
Dear Samux:
Well, I once read that Blade Runner is one of the most borrowed from SF films in cinema history. I would say, personally, that it set many standards. The slew of SF films depicting urban decay as opposed to clean sterile SF environments was obvious. "Moon 44", by the boys that brought us "Independence Day" and "Godzilla", was an homage to Blade Runner... Their film "The 13th Floor" was as well. Special FX from Blade Runner wasn't so much innovative. The glare and smoke effects used on the spinners had already been used by Doug Trumbell in "Close Enounters" back in 1977. In fact, most of the FX used in Blade Runner had been used before. It wasn't the FX that broke new ground with Blade Runner, but the overall look of the film. It was the dark, retrofitted look to the world that made people stop and take another look.
I don't think it possible to list all the films inspired by Blade Runner. But some obvious films I recall are "Cherry 2000", "Moon 44", "The 13th Floor", "Big Trouble", "Dark City", "Trancers", "Cyborg" and "Nemesis".
Gerry
Oct 12, 2001
Dear BladeZone,
A few quick story points. In the scene with Priss, Roy, and JF, when Priss is first waking JF up the robot toy who looks like a German soldier has some kind of apparatus attached to him, and has a very uncomfortable, perhaps scared look on his face. Is he undergoing some kind of torture here (some kind of recharging or mind control?), or is he just apprehensive about the approach of Roy? If it is some kind of torture it would better explain why Roy apparently kills JF later. Also in the same scene Roy and Priss share a number of seemingly questioning looks, with the occasional glance in JF's direction. Is this Roy trying to determine whether Priss actually slept with JF to win him over, being that she is a pleasure model? This would also be a good reason to kill JF. In the last scene Roy breaks 2 of Deckard's fingers for Zhora and Priss. What about Leon?? And finally one of those questions that everybody asks - why does Roy know Deckard's name?
Thanks!
Desslar
Dear Desslar:
Well, some answers are going to be speculative.
- The device I guess is a charger, or holding device. Kaiser seems to be growling when Pris enters. I assume, it is sort of a watch dog as well as toy.
- There is no doubt in Roy's reaction that he wonders how far she had to go. I am sure that he was relaxed by JF's jealous reaction of splitting them up. That is a telltale sign that a guy hasn't gotten "it" yet.
- Roy broke the fingers for the females. A sexist thing.
- Originally Ridley had a scene where Roy taps into the police mainframe, and get's Rick's name. The scene was never shot, but it was left in his knowing Rick's name. Left to the audience's imagination that his being smart must mean he used his Intel skills to find out whom his hunter was.
Gerry
Oct 12, 2001
Dear BladeZone,
Visually BLADE RUNNER is one of the most original and striking films of modern cinema. It's original release was sadly unsupported by the media regards artbooks documenting it's production values and design work. While some good books have been released over the many years since, i was wondering if the 20th anniversary might be marked by a deluxe 'art-of' book. If ever a film deserved it, BR does. Is BLADEZONE aware of any plans by a publisher for just such a book?
Stygian
Dear Stygian:
So far, there is nothing that has been announced to us. There is such a tight grip on the legal rights to Blade Runner and the licensing rights. I have been told by a couple of companies whom approached those whom own all rights, for obtaining rights to produce merchandise, that the bill was some hundred times higher than even getting a license for Star Trek merchandise. So far, I know of at least two major companies whom wanted to produce items that I cannot mention here, that they simply dropped the idea when they were told the amount expected for the license to produce them. This means for the two I know about, you can bet there were more none of us will ever hear about. I hope that we will see more from Warner when the special edition is released.
Later,
Gerry
Oct 7, 2001
Dear BladeZone,
Very nice website you have here, I am very happy to see so much info in one place !
I know this has been discussed a milion times, but is there anything we can do to show that Mr. Scott should at least put the narration and the happy ending in the options menu, or at least in the features.
If the new DVD has not these simple options I will simply not buy it, and will get myself a old VHS of the original version, and simply burn it on a DVD burner.
Blade Runner was known, and regarded by many generations as it was with Narration and Happy ending, I don't see why we should not be able to see them again.
If Mr. Scott does'nt see this point of view, then it will be a sad loss for us all.
Is there ANYTHING we can do to make them happen in options menu ?
Thank you,
VDM
Dear VDM,
First of all, thanks for your comments.
Second of all, the issue isn't whether Ridley chooses to do it or not. I am certain he would like to see all versions of the film included in this special edition release. The real issue deals with licensing and permission from the Blade Runner partnership, and the cost for these rights. If the cost is too high, there will probably be no release of the theatrical version. Personally, I was hoping Criterion, who did the best release on laser disc of the theatrical release, would release it, but most likely because of the cost of rights, this is why we haven't seen them release it on DVD.
As far as burning a copy of the film on a DVD burner, I cannot say "go for it", because that's illegal. But, if it weren't illegal, and I could say "go for it", I would also say to use the laser disc... it would be the best source if one were to do such a horrible thing as make an illegal copy of the film.
Gerry
Oct 6, 2001
Dear RepDetect:
I asked Ridley Scott at a screening of the supposed "Directors Cut" of Blade Runner what happens to the original version of the film the one I fell in love with. Well he went on about how daft or stupid it was and how he was preparing the definitive version for dvd next year. Well what I want to know is if the original version with narration and happy ending is or will be available on video since I believe this to be the superior version of the film, and I don't understand his comments considering the reputation Blade Runner has today is based on the original theatrical cut which he cut and ok'd.
Thank You,
a worried and perplexed fan
Dear Perplexed Fan:
I know many fans of the original theatrical version seem to feel offended by the comments made about it by other fans and even by Ridley. What you must understand is he is the artist whose vision it was, and what was done to the film would be like having someone coming in and altering an artist's sculpture. Changing the nose a bit, making the mouth fuller. As an artist myself, this is unacceptable.
If you have read some of the interviews on BladeZone with cast and crew as well as Paul Sammon's interviews with cast and crew in his book FUTURE NOIR, you probably know then that the original release was not what Ridley intended. In fact, Morgan Paull stated that Ridley was absolutely disturbed at the version the studio originally released in 1982. The original WorkPrint was closest to his vision, and to my understanding, this is probably what Ridley's new cut will be like, sans the dubbed narration. The original theatrical version was good, but many felt its happy ending made no sense and was insipid. Ridley and many fans never liked the theatrical version from 1982. Like yourself, I did like it, but I also liked the studio's attempt at a Director's Cut. As you may or may not know, Ridley, nor his original editor, had anything to do with the Director's Cut released in 1992, and Ridley has wanted to do an actual Director's Cut, or as it will now most likely be called, a "Special Edition", for some time. Something he promises to be closer to his original vision. This DVD, I am certain, will have many exciting special features as well. And, if I know Charlie de Lauzirika, it will be an outstanding DVD.
If we ever see the original theatrical version get a new release on VHS or ever reach DVD is still yet to be seen. BladeZone's close relationship with Ridley's office will hopefully always deliver good and exciting news about the film and it many different versions, so my advice is to keep your eyes on BladeZone.
"A film is never completed, only abandoned."
Sincerely,
RepDetect