Blade Runner (1982) Dir: Ridley Scott
- Ridley Coote
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
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I first watched this 1982 cult classic during my early teen years, and from then on, I have harboured a special love for it. It's one of Ridley Scott's finest films, and amongst the best science fiction films of the Twentieth Century. It's based on Philip K. Dick's acclaimed novella; 'Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?', which I read back in 2022. There are a few versions of the film, but, on this occasion, I watched the 2007 'Final Cut'.
The score for this film, composed by Greek electronic musician Vangelis, is as epic as it is thematically attuned to the film. The sound encapsulates the mysticism, the romance, and the danger of the world brilliantly. It's not a particularly complex piece of music, comparatively speaking, but it I'd extremely effective.
The cinematography is also, typically for Ridley Scott, sublime. His visual worldbuilding has always been a great strength of his, and some of his establishing shots are immaculate. A lot of this has to do with the masterful set design and model usage throughout the film, which really makes this neo-noir dystopian world feel real.
The narrative explores identity, purpose, love, morality, and more. Depending on the cut you watch, the impact of these themes varies in effectiveness. With the Final Cut, and indeed the Director's Cut, the story conveys itself with the utmost fluidity and efficacy. This is a very character-driven story, and both its protagonist and antagonist give so much juice to the plot.
I really enjoy this classic Harrison Ford protagonist, I think he makes the character more than his own, as has been the case with many of Ford's other major roles. Yes, this role is far more understated than, say, Indiana Jones, but I think Ford is able to bring so much to his character in a subtle way that I really don't think gets spoken about enough.
Rutger Hauer's antagonist is one I absolutely adore. He has a clear personality, he has an understandable need, and he feels like a severe threat to the protagonist - its excellent writing, and Hauer's performance is exactly the right combination of deranged and poised to make him both memorable and sinister.
Sean Young has comparatively little screentime, but is strong when she does appear on-screen. She has an enigmatic feel to her acting, which feels very appropriate. I also think that Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, and William Sanderson, all deserve at least a mention for their respective supporting roles.
Overall, I will never get bored of revisiting this brilliant sci-fi film. The more you watch it, the more you notice, and the more you feel. It looks and sounds phenomenally good, and it has aged a lot better than many much newer sci-fi films. It really is a sentimental favourite of mine, but I think it stands on its own as a legitimately very good film either way.
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