1,001 LaserDiscs 11: Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

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Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

Today is the anniversary of the release of the spectacular film, Blade Runner, released on June 25, 1982, in 1,290 theaters. That date was chosen by producer Alan Ladd Jr. because his previous highest-grossing films (Star Wars and Alien) had a similar opening date (May 25) in 1977 and 1979, making the 25th of the month his "lucky day".

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover

photo by Styrous®

There have been many versions of the film and the history of them is very confusing (links below) but the Director's Cut without the voice over used in the original version is my favorite. In one story I read actor Harrison Ford objected to the voice over, in another Ridley Scott objected but in either case, the producers thought the audience would not get the story. A battle ensued but the producers won out and it was released with Ford doing the voice over which he has stated he hated.       

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

And of course, the score for the film by Vangelis (link below) is stunning! The music ranges from heartrendingly beautiful to disturbingly surreal and eerie to dramatically thundering. It is one of finest electronic scores ever written, a dark but melodic combination of synthesizers that mirror the futuristic film noir envisioned by director Ridley Scott.

The original soundtrack release was delayed for over a decade, until 1994, despite the music being well-received by fans and critically acclaimed—it was nominated in 1983 for a BAFTA and Golden Globe as best original score. The soundtrack is regarded as a historically important piece in the genre of electronic music. 

    

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

 

Blade Runner is a neo-noir science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young, it is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968). The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as replicants are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on off-world colonies. When a fugitive group of Nexus-6 replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer) escapes back to Earth, burnt-out cop Rick Deckard (Ford) reluctantly agrees to hunt them down.

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover

photo by Styrous®

Back in the sixties I read the short story by Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which Blade Runner was based on. The book is nothing like the film version. In the book Deckard is not in the slightest bit sympathetic, warm or even human as Ford eventually becomes in the film. The story takes place in San Francisco in the book, in Los Angeles in the film. The story in the book is dismal from the start and remains so to the very end. The film ends with some hope. There are very many other differences (link below).      

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

So, the upshot is I loved the film not only better but in a way I have never loved a film; and I love many.                

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

This 1991 LaserDisc pressing is on two discs and is a special widescreen edition in CAV standard play format.            

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc

detail photo by Styrous®

Viewfinder links:   
       
Harrison Ford          

Vangelis         

   
        

        

Net links:              
        
Plot    
Cast           
Versions of Blade Runner         
Blade Runner Fandom ~ Blade Runner versions         
The Bonus View ~ A History of Blade Runner on Laserdisc      

         

YouTube links:              

        

Blade Runner (1982) Official Trailer         
Blade Runner original version opening (1982)                    
Final scene, "Tears in Rain" Monologue        

What Makes 'Tears in Rain" Special     
Vangelis - Blade Runner Soundtrack (complete)        
Blade Runner - book & movie Difference     
       
         
   
The Blade Runner LaserDisc will be for sale on eBay  
       
      
        
       

"Blade Runner needs no explanation."   

                        ~ Rutger Hauer   

 

       
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, June 25, 2019

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1,001 LaserDiscs archive

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