AG Monday!
This week: Blade Runner.
Calling Blade Runner “iconic” is a bit of understatement. There was nothing like it when it premiered: a future noir thriller, based on a science fiction novel, but also taking it in directions that changed filmmaking. We were impressed at the time, way back in 1982. How do we feel about it today? Do the warnings in this cautionary tale about the near-future apply today? And why does Hollywood love Philip K. Dick? And how does it compare to the other early Ridley Scott SF classic, Alien?
A dystopian Los Angeles where it rains all the time! Amazing cinematography and production design! Heavy-handed Christ metaphors! Flying cars! More smoking! It’s all here.
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
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TL;DR: Meh.
Maybe I just don’t care for film noir. I saw it in a theater, didn’t quite get what goes on or why. I read the book later and can’t recall much of it. What I remember most about the movie is that Sean Young was in it.
Oh, a review of another Ridley Scott movie, I forget which, mentioned something like “the man’s incapable of filming a dry sidewalk.” That’s the reason for the perpetual rain in LA in Blade Runner 😉
So, who among us dreams often of sheep anyway?
I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen this film, both the theatrical and the director’s cut. Personally I like the narration because it increases the noirish vibe and enjoy reading the signs and the movie marquis. I’m sure Deckard is a replicant although obviously without the strengths of the combat models (Roy Batty). I didn’t realize the Bradbury was a real landmark; for years I thought the name was a tribute to Ray Bradbury. The Christ metaphors are definitely heavy handed (Dove? A bit much.) Dick’s short story was too impenetrable for me but I didn’t read it until after I saw the film.