Blade Runner (film) sequels/prequels!

[shootemindehead]

One wonders why Scott agreed to cut the unicorn footage out in the first place. I've also seen a theory that the unicorn is actually an implant for Rachael, which Deckard and Gaff have seen in her files at the Tyrell Corp. and Deckard is simply recalling it. Not too sure I like that explanation though. As for the replicant thing. Ford is on record as saying that he considered him human. Other actors too. In a documentary I saw ages ago, M. Emmet Walsh looked bemused at the question and said that there was never any such suggestion on the set ever. Although I believe Ford and Scott have come to terms about most things from Bladerunner's past. Apparently, there was endless bickering on the set and after the film had wrapped. As I said though, if anyone is fine with Deckard being a replicant, that's grand. Scott certainly wants it that way in the later versions. But in the source material, he's a human being and in the original, there's only the very merest of a hint. But making Deckard a replicant is just stupid, as he clearly acts human throughout the film and he demonstrates very human frailties, including having to be saved at the end by the physically superior Roy Batty. If Deckard was a replicant, he wouldn't have needed that. In fact, he wouldn't have been battered by each replicant in turn. They all have a go and come close to getting the better of him (Leon, Zhora, Pris and Roy). Why make Deckard a replicant and then have him so weak. It's silly. It would also mean that everyone, but Deckard would have to be in on the game, but there's no indication that that's the case and such a plot twist would require that all the conspirators from Bryant to Tyrell would have to be fantastic actors in order not to give the game away. If Deckard was a robot, it would make much more sense to have him at least as strong as the other robots he's chasing. As a human, he relies on his senses, humanity and ingenuity to catch the androids. How would an android use the Voight-Kammpf machine? They wouldn't understand the humanity or the empathy involved as they're completely devoid of emotion. A human Bladerunner catches the unfeeling replicants because they are human and can trip up the robots with questions based on human situations and the non-human reponses given by them. Also, replicants are designed by physical and not that intelligent. They're labourers, not "computers", as Roy Batty says. Bladerunners rely on their wits to catch rogue replicants. Of course Deckard could have been programmed to have superior intelligence, but then that would mean that Tyrell would have to have created Deckard as a special model. But there's no hint that Tyrell has done any such thing. It's still just all a bit silly, for me, though. All this yap actually has me wanting to watch the flick again.

[MinionZombie]

All this yap actually has me wanting to watch the flick again. A big old ditto on that. I've even had bits of the soundtrack filtering into my head when I'm not even thinking about it.

[shootemindehead]

Just listened to the end titles on YouTube

[EvilNed]

One wonders why Scott agreed to cut the unicorn footage out in the first place. I've also seen a theory that the unicorn is actually an implant for Rachael, which Deckard and Gaff have seen in her files at the Tyrell Corp. and Deckard is simply recalling it. Not too sure I like that explanation though. To be honest, I don't think Scott agreed to anything. Hence, a "Directors Cut" being necessitated. The original version wasn't "The Directors cut". It was the studio's cut. It had three big things that Scott didn't want in the film: A voice-over, a happy ending, and an absense of unicorns. Clearly, the film needed more unicorns. As for the replicant thing. Ford is on record as saying that he considered him human. Other actors too. In a documentary I saw ages ago, M. Emmet Walsh looked bemused at the question and said that there was never any such suggestion on the set ever. Although I believe Ford and Scott have come to terms about most things from Bladerunner's past. Apparently, there was endless bickering on the set and after the film had wrapped. I'm sure he did, but Ford didn't direct the film.

[shootemindehead]

I'm sure he did, but Ford didn't direct the film. Yes, but surely if Scott had wanted Deckard to be a replicant from the get-go he would have stated this to the actors involved in the film? It would have been explict in the script? And everyone would have been on board, so it wouldn't have ended up looking silly. I can't imagine that Ridley Scott would have been that obscure about it, if indeed he'd wanted to communicate or even strongly hint that from the beginning of production. But it wasn't. It was something that Scott came up with during filming, it seems, and forceably bolted it on. Even more so with the subsequent versions. He's only come out and given a definite answer in the last few years anyhow. It all just doesn't sit right with me at all.

[EvilNed]

Yes, but surely if Scott had wanted Deckard to be a replicant from the get-go he would have stated this to the actors involved in the film? Why? If the director wanted to keep it ambiguous, then maybe he didn't tell Ford. As for it being in the script, again, if it's ambiguous, why put it in the script? The script obviously included an image of a unicorn, and that's our biggest clues - Gaff knows his dreams - so I just don't buy all this "it has to be explicitly stated"-stuff. There's nothing about Blade Runner there's explicitly stated anywhere.

[MoonSylver]

Of course Deckard could have been programmed to have superior intelligence, but then that would mean that Tyrell would have to have created Deckard as a special model. But there's no hint that Tyrell has done any such thing. That's the possibility I had always entertained. That Deckard is a special model (maybe Blade Runners in general? Or certain ones?). Same for his lack of physical prowess. Sacrificed for the qualities of emotion, ingenuity, & intellect need to catch the replicants. Maybe even not made by Tyrell? Dunno. Not saying I buy it. Nothing in the film to say for certain. But the possibility is explainable or conceivable, so it entertains me anyway.

[MinionZombie]

Just listened to the end titles on YouTube Aye, that's my favourite piece from the soundtrack. I've listened to that track so many times. There's few films that I'll watch the credits roll, but Blade Runner is one such film - everytime I've gotta listen to that piece of score, and it's a wonderful way to ride out the closing moments of the film ... to kind of filter away into the ether of that world, away from the central plot we've been watching, and then back into our own world in front of the TV ... if that makes sense?

[EvilNed]

Re: Deckards strength, I got the impression that only the Nexus 6's had superior strength. So that explains that.

[shootemindehead]

Why? If the director wanted to keep it ambiguous, then maybe he didn't tell Ford. As for it being in the script, again, if it's ambiguous, why put it in the script? The script obviously included an image of a unicorn, and that's our biggest clues - Gaff knows his dreams - so I just don't buy all this "it has to be explicitly stated"-stuff. There's nothing about Blade Runner there's explicitly stated anywhere. Framton's scripts didn't include the unicorn though. Maybe a later re-write did however. Or it was an onset addition. - - - Updated - - - Re: Deckards strength, I got the impression that only the Nexus 6's had superior strength. So that explains that. But why send a shit replicant after good ones? That makes no sense.

[Neil]

Deckard is in the sequel/prequel thingy? - http://www.aintitcool.com/node/67332 ...they've sent out an offer to Harrison Ford to reprise his role of Rick Deckard If Harrison Ford is being asked, then surely it's a prequel thingy then?

[bassman]

Several months ago I would've said "no way Ford will sign on for this". I also would've said the same for the new Star Wars trilogy, so that all just went out the window....

[Neil]

A little bit more on it today - http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_New...?spt=hts&or=11

[Neil]

Script for sequel written - http://www.aintitcool.com/node/68514 “It’s written and it’s damn good,” Scott says of the Blade Runner sequel. “Of course it involves Harrison, who is a survivor after all these years—despite the accident,” he says with a laugh (referring, no doubt, to Ford’s Star Wars injury). “So yes, that will happen.” Personally I'm not very excited. I suspect this film is 10-15yrs too late! Scott has definately lost his mojo IMHO!

[MinionZombie]

Personally I'm not very excited. I suspect this film is 10-15yrs too late! Scott has definately lost his mojo IMHO! I'm more optimistic. I thought "Prometheus" was good ... it's only real problem was the ridiculous amount of hype (and, as it turned out, spoiler-ific teasers/clips/trailers/etc that were blurted out all over the media). It was grown up, it was about big ideas, it didn't pander to the lowest common denominator, it didn't fill itself with expository explanations for lazy audiences, and it was creepy as hell. I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do with BR2.