Bladerunner

guilliano

Just watching it now on Sky...... how sexy was Darryl Hannah??? Maybe she should be added to the girls in lycra thread!

Monty Dog

Classic film - hard to believe it's 30 years old, that and the original Aliens are my fave Sci-Fi films, both directed by Ridley Scott.

downfader

The original was Alien, not Aliens, important to remember for scifi buffs.

Bladerunner is an epic. Love it to bits. Also love Dune for similar reasons - the mythology created, the sexuality and the sheer viciousness of the bad guys... although in Bladerunner you do feel sorry for Rutger's character.

KevinMcC

my word, still gives me goosebumps when rutger says "time to die"

downfader

..theres another kitsch (sp?) scifi flick from the early 80s in much the same vein, perhaps even a cash in. It stars the Dad from The Wonder Years iirc and he gets given tools to go back in time.

Also both Solaris flicks are worth a watch and have cult status.

guilliano

Is Solaris the one where they are being "attacked" by having their dead loved ones brought back?

Splottboy

Don't forget, "Bladerunners" scenery was based on Port Talbot, Wales, the most polluted place in Europe! Apparently, the director is Welsh and used to see the flames coming from the steel works etc. Having worked in another Welsh steel works, I've seen similar scenes.
There's a great CD of the music by Vangelis, and a limited edition of 3 CD's that weren't used, but written for the film.
There's also a brilliant documentary around too, tells of all the problems they had with money/time/actors. Great stuff!!
( I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...)

BigG67

Some great stories abound on Bladerunner.

My fav is that what became Scott's Director's Cut was originally shown to test audiences, they couldn't understand it so the unicorn scene was removed and the studio demanded a voice over be added to explain what was happening. Ford and Scott were so annoyed that this was deemed necessary that Ford turned in an awful performance in the voice over hoping it'd be so bad that the studio wouldn't use it.

Unfortunately they did......

Also read an interview by Scott recently where he finally confirmed that Decker is a replicant.

mmitchell88

Splottboy wrote:

Don't forget, "Bladerunners" scenery was based on Port Talbot, Wales, the most polluted place in Europe! Apparently, the director is Welsh and used to see the flames coming from the steel works etc.

It's good, but it's not right...

Crapaud

downfader wrote:

... Bladerunner is an epic. Love it to bits. Also love Dune for similar reasons - the mythology created, the sexuality and the sheer viciousness of the bad guys... although in Bladerunner you do feel sorry for Rutger's character.

I quite enjoyed Dune, but can't agree that it's epic. It's too complex a storyline with too many concepts that need to be explained to the viewer. If you haven't read the books it must seem really odd. IMO it's not very well done. I'd like to see it remade in the same way as LOTR, film all the books at the same time and make each one longer to fill the gaps and fit in more expanation.

Monty Dog wrote:

Classic film - hard to believe it's 30 years old

I didn't realise it was until you mentioned it, MD. :shock:

Splottboy wrote:

( I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...)

That was an ad lib by Reutger, I believe.

BigG67 wrote:

Some great stories abound on Bladerunner.

In a similar vein, William Gibson was pretty pished off when he saw Blade Runner the first time. In his imagination Blade Runner was the city that he was trying to create for his Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive etc. books.

You can't have a Sci-Fi film thread without mention of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's looking a bit dated now, but for .... the shuttle sequence. Sfx are as good, if not better, than anything that can be produced today. You really have to see it in the cinema, though, from near the front. Absolutely stunning!

Gratuitous Darryl Hannah pic:

Le Commentateur

Going for the Klaus Kinski look there.

Gtreat film. I remember the first time I went to Tokyo I took the train straight from the airport and a connection into the subway system -- so far, so like London, people sitting in carriages avoidign eye contact, reading – then I emerged above ground at Shibuya at night -- Incredible, the massive TV screens stretching up the sides of the buildings (this was the early 90s, when there was nothing comparable in the UK), the crystal clear advertising soundtracks playing, the masses of people. It was just like being in that film.

I like the ambient bootleg Los Angeles -- November 2019, an aural collage made mostly from sound effects tracks from a Blade Runner video game combined with subtle layers of music from the film.

downfader

Crapaud wrote:

downfader wrote:

... Bladerunner is an epic. Love it to bits. Also love Dune for similar reasons - the mythology created, the sexuality and the sheer viciousness of the bad guys... although in Bladerunner you do feel sorry for Rutger's character.

I quite enjoyed Dune, but can't agree that it's epic. It's too complex a storyline with too many concepts that need to be explained to the viewer. If you haven't read the books it must seem really odd. IMO it's not very well done. I'd like to see it remade in the same way as LOTR, film all the books at the same time and make each one longer to fill the gaps and fit in more expanation.

Dune was redone in 2001 iirc. TV movie. Cant have been that great as I dont remember a single thing about it or who was starring in it. Sadly I never read the book - I'm not a big reader, always wished I was though.

Hmm who could direct it and do it justice though.. the guy doing the new Robocop flick?

..and theres another scifi flick I love - Robocop! Classic, if awefully made too.

Porgy

Crapaud wrote:

downfader wrote:

... Gratuitous Darryl Hannah pic:

She still does it for me in Kill Bill and kill Bill 2 :P

shockedsoshocked

mmitchell88 wrote:

Splottboy wrote:

Don't forget, "Bladerunners" scenery was based on Port Talbot, Wales, the most polluted place in Europe! Apparently, the director is Welsh and used to see the flames coming from the steel works etc.

It's good, but it's not right...

Actually based on the beautiful petro-chemical works based Vista that is the Teesside skyline!

Anyway, let's get things rolling. Deckard, android or not?

I'm going to stir things up and say Android

Porgy

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

mmitchell88 wrote:

Splottboy wrote:

Don't forget, "Bladerunners" scenery was based on Port Talbot, Wales, the most polluted place in Europe! Apparently, the director is Welsh and used to see the flames coming from the steel works etc.

It's good, but it's not right...

Actually based on the beautiful petro-chemical works based Vista that is the Teesside skyline!

Anyway, let's get things rolling. Deckard, android or not?

I'm going to stir things up and say Android

well, yes, clearly he is. The film is pretty pointless otherwise.

Crapaud

Porgy wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

... I'm going to stir things up and say Android

well, yes, clearly he is. The film is pretty pointless otherwise.

:roll: Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! He's a replicant!

Git wi da lingo, gais.

bobpzero

It's good, but it's not right...

your back in play
i want the police car. one other thing which dvd edition do you buy (all of them?) like even for apocalypse now, with the re deux its just confusingly annoying.

Not Another Hill

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. of course (Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep). He's written some good sci-fi books. Considered a bit of a pulp writer but he has some interesting ideas and very readable.

Porgy

Not Another Hill wrote:

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. of course (Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep). He's written some good sci-fi books. Considered a bit of a pulp writer but he has some interesting ideas and very readable.

Electric Sheep isn't a short story - it's a full-on novel. You might be thinking of The Black Box - which was the short story which inspired Electric Sheep.

I think the days of PKD being considered a pulp writier are long gone - his genius has now been recognised.

Kyrotek

That police car is featured on teh inside cover of teh Iron Maiden album Somewhere in Time, I think it is an actual road driveable version in the pic...

I purchased the 5 disc tin set that features 5 different versions of teh film so I can watch whichever one I fancy at the time. Bladerunner madess!

And I believe that the film is designed to make you believe that Deckard is a replicant but isn't one really or he would suffer the same psychosis as Rachel thus preventing such a simple ending.

Crapaud

Porgy wrote:

Electric Sheep isn't a short story - it's a full-on novel. You might be thinking of The Black Box - which was the short story which inspired Electric Sheep.

I think the days of PKD being considered a pulp writier are long gone - his genius has now been recognised.

Or .........he was off his tits:

Wikipedia wrote:

Dick's thematic focus strongly reflected his personal interest in metaphysics and theology. He often drew upon his own life experiences and addressed the nature of drug use, paranoia and schizophrenia, and transcendental experiences in novels such as A Scanner Darkly and VALIS.

(The full thing on Wiki.)

I've read most of his work and can't decide if he really was a genius or just off his rocker. It's good fun though and often gives pause for thought.

balthazar

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

Actually based on the beautiful petro-chemical works based Vista that is the Teesside skyline!

Anyway, let's get things rolling. Deckard, android or not?

I'm going to stir things up and say Android

Gaff knew that Deckard was a replicant, which he revealed when he left the origami unicorn – meaning that he knew about Deckard's dreams. It's a reflection of Deckard showing Rachel her fake family photos.

That's why the removal of the dream sequence for the first cut changed the nature of the film so completely, and made Gaff's origami a senseless cipher. Naughty studio!

Splottboy

You say, Teeside, I say Port Talbot. Documentary will tell...
Anyway, get the Dune music CD, nearly as good as Vangelis/Jean Michele Jarre.
Considering it's by "TOTO" - Remember their "Africa" hit ? - It's great.
Atmospheric eerie rifts, rocket ship type blastoffs, heavy orchestral "The Planets" overtures.
One of the best synth/electro CD's ever made.
Spooky female voice intro draws you right in...Brilliant!

shockedsoshocked

Splottboy wrote:

You say, Teeside, I say Port Talbot. Documentary will tell...

Considering Ridley Scott is from Hartlepool, either the documentary is wrong, or it's about a completely different film.

DaveyL

Or what about the other top quality Sci-Fi film based on a PKD story ("We can remember it for you wholessale") - Total Recall

Crapaud

DaveyL wrote:

Or what about the other top quality Sci-Fi film based on a PKD story ("We can remember it for you wholessale") - Total Recall

... and Minority Report. Excellent sci-fi, despite Tom Cruise being in it.

ownworstenemy

It's funny - Dune is widely considered to be a bit duff but I remember watching it at a fairly young age and being blown away by it. I wasn't into sci-fi at all until then but the whole crazy vision of it really captured my imagination. Apart from Sting - he's rubbish in it!

Also love Bladerunner - had to watch it on video for years so it was great to see the (non-narrated) version in the cinema when they re-released it in 92. Likewise Alien - went to see it in the cinema a few years back and was scared silly despite seeing it numerous times before on the small screen. The sound was amazing.

Porgy

Crapaud wrote:

Porgy wrote:

Electric Sheep isn't a short story - it's a full-on novel. You might be thinking of The Black Box - which was the short story which inspired Electric Sheep.

I think the days of PKD being considered a pulp writier are long gone - his genius has now been recognised.

Or .........he was off his tits:

Wikipedia wrote:

Dick's thematic focus strongly reflected his personal interest in metaphysics and theology. He often drew upon his own life experiences and addressed the nature of drug use, paranoia and schizophrenia, and transcendental experiences in novels such as A Scanner Darkly and VALIS.

(The full thing on Wiki.)

I've read most of his work and can't decide if he really was a genius or just off his rocker. It's good fun though and often gives pause for thought.

I think both - but he certainlyhad his lucid moments.

Just read a really good biog about Dick written by a french bloke - can't remember the name of it now - but you get the sense of a guy who was extremely bright but with "issues" - and that the issues gradually came to take over - but despite this and the fact that he was churning out story after story - his own - shall we say unique? - take on reality, shines through as well as loads of just really good ideas and images that have become the staple of visual sci fi - films, comics, games - since the late 70s.

Crapaud

Porgy wrote:

... Just read a really good biog about Dick written by a french bloke - can't remember the name of it now - ...

"I Am Alive and You Are Dead: A Journey Into the Mind of Philip K. Dick" by Emmanuel Carrère?

Le Commentateur

Porgy wrote:

I think the days of PKD being considered a pulp writier are long gone - his genius has now been recognised.

Indeed, his Man in the High Castle, a story set in an alternative post-war period in which America had lost the Second World War and was divided and occupied by the Axis powers, is published as a Penguin Classic.

Porgy

Crapaud wrote:

Porgy wrote:

... Just read a really good biog about Dick written by a french bloke - can't remember the name of it now - ...

"I Am Alive and You Are Dead: A Journey Into the Mind of Philip K. Dick" by Emmanuel Carrère?

yup 8)