In the early twenty-first century, the Tyrell Corporation, during what was called the Nexus phase, developed robots, called "replicants", that were supposed to aid society, the replicants which looked and acted like humans. When the superhuman generation Nexus 6 replicants, used for dangerous off-Earth endeavors, began a mutiny on an off-Earth colony, replicants became illegal on Earth. Police units, called "blade runners", have the job of destroying - or in their parlance "retiring" - any replicant that makes its way back to or created on Earth, with anyone convicted of aiding or assisting a replicant being sentenced to death. It's now November, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Rick Deckard, a former blade runner, is called out of retirement when four known replicants, most combat models, have made their way back to Earth, with their leader being Roy Batty. One, Leon Kowalski, tried to infiltrate his way into the Tyrell Corporation as an employee, but has since been able to escape. ...Written by
Huggo
As well as using Edward Hopper's painting "Nighthawks" for visual inspiration during the making of this movie, director Ridley Scott also used the French comic strip "Métal hurlant", especially the artwork of Jean 'Moebius' Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius) in the story, "The Long Tomorrow". In fact, Moebius was asked if he would like to work on this movie, but he turned down the opportunity to work instead on Time Masters (1982), a decision he always regretted. See more »
Goofs
(at around 1h 13 mins) Daryl/Pris's airbrushed-on eye mask makeup is black as she applies it. When sitting behind and "encouraging" Sebastian, it is medium-royal blue. When she fights Deckerd it is black again, and when Batty is kissing her it is blue again. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Female announcer over intercom:
Next subject: Kowalski, Leon. Engineer, waste disposal. File section: New employee, six days.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The opening credits sequence features a detailed, dictionary-style definition of the word Replicant. See more »
Alternate Versions
The European theatrical release (also available on Criterion Laserdisc) is 117 minutes long and has more explicit/violent than the original American version, with a few additions/differences from the US release:
When Batty kills Tyrell, we see him pushing his thumbs into Tyrell's eyes, and blood spurting out.
Pris lifts Deckard up by his nostrils during their fight.
Deckard shoots Pris a third time; there are also more shots of Pris kicking and screaming when she is shot.
When Roy pushes the nail through his hand, we see it burst through the skin on the other side.
Dark, deep, uncertain, unsettling imagine the most beautiful nightmare you've ever had this is Blade Runner (1982).
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is a brilliantly crafted science fiction film that not only touches upon, but bravely plunges into deep philosophical questions, making it simply ten times more important than any film of its genre. I love it not only for the initial feeling it gives, but because of its perseverance none of the visuals, themes or technology feel dated but as deep, gripping and current as ever. It is timeless beauty with huge doses of emotion.
Set in 2019 Los Angeles, Blade Runner zooms in on the eerily-lit, urban streets of the city and follows Richard Deckard superbly played by Harrison Ford who brings an exquisite moral ambiguity to his character a special policeman who tracks down and terminates artificially-created humans called replicants, who have escaped from an Off-World colony and made their way to earth and need to be stopped. The things Deckard encounters on his detective journey raise many philosophical questions like: Who is really a replicant? Are replicants really bad? If replicants are bad, when why did we go to such lengths with our technology to create them? Are replicants really humans? Is Deckard a hero? This truly is a film that demands subsequent discussion and its ambiguous ending leave a haunting and eerie feeling.
In spite of a rich glaze of science fiction and futurism coating this adventure, there are distinct film noir elements present primarily in the bluish haze that the film is seen through and its gritty urban atmosphere. Whoever thought of this combination is a genius. Since it is all about technology, it fits then that Blade Runner features a ridiculous amount of product placement, especially from Atari. In any other film, this would have felt out-of-place but here it is simply perfect. The score by Vangelis is strangely gripping when combined with the striking cinematography of the film.
Blade Runner deserves credit, celebration and remembrance for it is simply an excellent film.
10 out of 10 (and I don't just throw this grade out like SOME people)
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Dark, deep, uncertain, unsettling imagine the most beautiful nightmare you've ever had this is Blade Runner (1982).
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is a brilliantly crafted science fiction film that not only touches upon, but bravely plunges into deep philosophical questions, making it simply ten times more important than any film of its genre. I love it not only for the initial feeling it gives, but because of its perseverance none of the visuals, themes or technology feel dated but as deep, gripping and current as ever. It is timeless beauty with huge doses of emotion.
Set in 2019 Los Angeles, Blade Runner zooms in on the eerily-lit, urban streets of the city and follows Richard Deckard superbly played by Harrison Ford who brings an exquisite moral ambiguity to his character a special policeman who tracks down and terminates artificially-created humans called replicants, who have escaped from an Off-World colony and made their way to earth and need to be stopped. The things Deckard encounters on his detective journey raise many philosophical questions like: Who is really a replicant? Are replicants really bad? If replicants are bad, when why did we go to such lengths with our technology to create them? Are replicants really humans? Is Deckard a hero? This truly is a film that demands subsequent discussion and its ambiguous ending leave a haunting and eerie feeling.
In spite of a rich glaze of science fiction and futurism coating this adventure, there are distinct film noir elements present primarily in the bluish haze that the film is seen through and its gritty urban atmosphere. Whoever thought of this combination is a genius. Since it is all about technology, it fits then that Blade Runner features a ridiculous amount of product placement, especially from Atari. In any other film, this would have felt out-of-place but here it is simply perfect. The score by Vangelis is strangely gripping when combined with the striking cinematography of the film.
Blade Runner deserves credit, celebration and remembrance for it is simply an excellent film.
10 out of 10 (and I don't just throw this grade out like SOME people)