Deckard, a blade runner, is given the job of finding and eliminating four replicants that have escaped an offworld colony and returned to find their maker.
Directed by – Ridley Scott
Written by – Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples, Philip K. Dick, Roland Kibbee
Starring – Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James, Joe Turkel, Joanna Cassidy, James Hong, Morgan Paull, Kevin Thompson, John Edward Allen, Hy Pyke
It feels a little weird having this one in the Remake Monday segment as it’s not really a remake. However, the two versions have some differences that really do make it seem like two very different films. Now, I’m still experimenting with how these Remake Monday blogs will look and read and doing this film isn’t helping. I can’t really tell you to look out for specific scenes in each film as it’s literally the same film. The format may be a little different this week but it’ll be more organized next time. Right, time for the face-off!
And the winner is…. The Final Cut. Why has the Final Cut won you ask? For one reason, it reinforces my thought that Deckard is a replicant. That’s the only reason. The theatrical version doesn’t contain the unicorn dream although the director’s cut does. The director’s cut is the version I’m used to seeing so I’ve always associated that scene with the film, as most people probably have. I’ve read plenty of arguements for and against this point but it’s just always something that I’ve felt so I just can’t be swayed. Harrison Ford has said that it was his understanding that Deckard was human and that Ridley Scott had agreed with him. Rutger Hauer explains that if Deckard was a replicant then it’s taking away from the man vs. machine aspect of the film. I can see that point and it almost makes me want to think differently. With the unicorn dream inserted, along with the origami unicorn at the end of the film, it really seems like he’s supposed to be a replicant. There’s one other small moment that points in that direction as well. Every replicant in the film has an odd shine in their eyes for a moment and at one point in Deckards apartment you can catch this in his eyes. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Basically this is just one of my absolute favorite movies ever. The soundtrack is incredible. Vangelis crafted a masterpiece and the sounds fit so perfectly with the look of the movie. There’s another great part of the film, the scenery. It’s dark, gritty, crowded and is such a mash-up of cultures. Like Japan meeting New York and having a baby out of wedlock. This carries over into the dialogue of the movie as there is a mix of many different languages used throughout the film.
Something I think is missing now from films is the use of miniatures. The opening scene of the fireballs shooting out of smokestacks is actually this massive miniature. I love the lack of CGI and it seems that things always seemed more real back in the good old days when computers weren’t used for every little moment. The Final Cut manages to clean up some of the mistakes from the theatrical version such as wires being seen and the very odd looking moment when Zhora smashes through a plate glass window and it’s very obviously a stunt double.
There’s so many great things to this film. Harrison Ford plays his part perfectly and I can only once again praise his ability to be likeable while at the same time being a smug smartass. Rutger Hauer delivers some of the more thought provoking lines of the film and his final moments in the movie are still some of my favorites. The film noir feel of detectives in smokey rooms approached by sexy women works well with the gritty atmosphere and Sean Young as the sexy woman is even better. I love the look they give her in the film. A very classic look set in the future = hot!
I could probably go on and on about this movie, and I almost have really, but I can’t say enough good about it. It looks great, it sounds great, the plot is amazing, the acting is top notch, hell, every moment of this movie screams classic. If you haven’t seen it then shame on you. The ultimate edition is the best movie purchase I have ever made and I devoured every single piece of information included. An over 3 hour documentary is there along with numerous commentary tracks and a few other behind the scenes pieces. Not to mention every version of the film is in there. After having seen this movie more times than I can think of, I’m still not bored of it. Quite possibly the only film I’ve seen more than this one would be Star Wars, another film that I think benefited from the addition of miniatures. Now go out there and watch it again and let me know what you think of the movie. You could also try to convince me that Deckard isn’t a replicant but I’m warning you now that’s an uphill battle!
Under the marquee – Will
Lord Of The Rings is another film that used minatures and look how stunning that film is visually. Minatures work, and sometimes ninjas do too. Ninjas make everything better.
I haven’t seen the two films back to back to fairly compare them, but I HAVE seen the Final Cut very recently, and I have to agree with you that there is far more ambiguity about Deckard being a replicant in this version. The thought never crossed my mind in the theatrical cut. I don’t know that this is enough reason to deem one better than the other, though I do lean towards Scott’s logic, I just am happy there are two different versions to debate.
Besides if you can’t have a Ninja in a movie, you should at least have a Unicorn. It was the only saving grace of Harold and Kumar II.
In any case, I agree with you on this as being one of the greatest films of all time. It’s simply astounding on multiple levels.
I hadn’t realized that LOTR had used miniatures, that explains why it looks so damn good. Of course their CGI was equally impressive as well. There’s nothing worse than bad CGI.
I actually thought the Final Cut kinda smacked you in the head with the Deckard as replicant idea. With the unicorn dream and the unicorn origami at the end it’s almost screaming it. And while I can’t really say that one is better than the other, I just prefer how my opinion seems more verified in the Final Cut! HAHA!
It’s one of those things that is confusing. LIke Lucas and Han Shot first. In the original Han clearly shot first. Why in the re-released did he make Gweedo shoot first? It makes essentially no sense.
So for Ridley Scott to make the theatrical cut (which I agree with Scott gives no signs of Deckard being a replicant) seem to have a complete different point than the “Final” cut was it a purposeful thing or did he really just have two different ways he wanted to end the movie? What is the true significance behind the unicorn if not an allusion to Deckard being a replicant.
What are your thoughts?
It seems as if he changed his mind on Deckard being a replicant. Harrison Ford had said that he and Ridley Scott agreed that Deckard wasn’t a replicant but Ridley Scott years later said that Deckard was.
I had always thought that Deckard had escaped from offworld because of the police chief (his name eludes me) saying that 6 had escaped, one got fried in an electric fence and Deckard was hunting for 4 of them. I figured he was the fifth. It wasn’t until I saw the documentary that the reason for the wrong numbers was a fifth replicant cut from the movie.
I think Ridley Scott just wants to keep the mystery going, it would explain why he loves to keep making new versions. To think that years after the film people were still asking if Deckard was a replicant and then he provides another cut of the film that seems to support it only makes it more of an arguement. You’ll have those that see the original vision and say he isn’t and others who see the newest version and say he is.