Review of Blade Runner (1982) by Philip L — 05 Oct 2017

The original 1982 version of 'Blade Runner' is largely ignored now having had it's narration silenced, it's 'happy' ending cut and a curious unicorn dream added by those who know better. Well do they? On original release I don't believe it was ever criticised for those reasons more though that it was slow paced and lacked humanity. Traits that could be levelled at the later cuts too by those more critical nowadays.

I actually quite like the narration which adds to the noir Raymond Chandler feel of the proceedings - perhaps another cut this time in black and white? And the 'happy' ending - well who doesn't like a happy ending - for a rather bleak film we deserve one!

'Blade Runner' quickly and quite rightly became a classic from the hugely influential setting (which inspired virtually every future setting film to follow most notably Back To The Future Part II's 2015), ideas of artificial existence (which inspired virtually every future setting film and TV series to follow most notably the re-imagined Battlestar Galacxtica also starring Blade Runner's Edward James Olmos), trance soundtrack which...you get the picture.

Rutger Hauer's career best role and 'that speech' is as vital to this as Robert Shaw's Quint to 'Jaws'. It is Harrison Ford himself who is amazing here and even more incredible is that he creates a third iconic character is as many years after Empire's Han Solo and Indiana Jones. No star has ever been bigger for so much so quickly after each other. What only dates this 'timeless' film are the fags, small square tvs and reliance of physical photos. The future has turned out slightly differently as we near a different 2019.

It's too bad that this version won't live, but then again what does.