Blade Runner Final Cut out tuesday- gettin' it?
POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Sunday, December 23, 2007 20:49
VIEWED: 5843
PAGE 2 of 6
Well, I think the best futures are the even balance ones. In the commentary for the FUTURAMA pilot, they talked about how the future they wanted to depict was neither a utopia like THE JETSONS or a dystopia like BLADE RUNNER because both of those get boring after a while. So they decided to go with a future where while there have been leaps and bounds in some areas, there were still a few things that need to be worked on.
And actually, in Roger Ebert's review of CHILDREN OF MEN, he pondered why sci-fi writers always think that the future will suck. Do we have so little faith in our children and how they will shape the future that we constantly depict them fracking up the state of the world? I'd like to think that while we do repeat some mistakes (I imagine 20 or 30 years from now our kids will be asking us what the 90's and 00 were like the same way we have a fascination with the 60's and 70's), I'd like to think that we would make some advances towards a better age or something like that. Is the future depicted in STAR TREK really that unbelievable and Narnia-like today? I'd like to not think so.
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"And it starts with a sentence that might last a lifetime, or it all might just go down in flames. If I let you know me, then why would you want me? Each day I don't is a shame. Each day I don't is a great shame."
Loudon Wainwright III - "Strange Weirdos" off the "Knocked Up" soundtrack
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Quote:
Originally posted by reginaroadie:
I just think it's pretty looking, but totally cold and emotionless.
Its definitely a film that's more about atmosphere than plot - and, at the time, the style was groundbreaking.
But that's part of the story - its about Deckard (and by implication, the earthbound reminant of the human race) gradually having his humanity undermined and questioned. In the book, this is rather more subtle than the "is he or isn't he" question invented by the film. In the book:
Select to view spoiler:
Deckard is definitely human, but by the end of the story he's discovered that so much of what he knows and values is a fraud, and his life is "programmed" by social convention that he might as well be an android - at least, that's what I got from it.
Another thing which is not obvious from the film is that the bustling streets are not due to overpopulation - rather, the earth has been depopulated by nuclear war and emigration to space that the remaining population - still on Earth because they are either gentically flawed or are needed to do an important job - are huddling together for comfort.
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Yep I completely geeked out on this one. I ordered the 5 disc briefcase version way back in August. Received an e-mail that it was shipped on Saturday so there's a chance it will arrive on the release date.
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We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
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Quote:While the nuclear war thing isn't so obvious, the rest is (to me, at least). The great thing about the voice-over version is that at the end we see Deck and Rachael driving in unpopulated wilderness, willing to take a chance away from the masses in a bid to elude capture...how will they live? Where will they run out of fuel? Are there others out there that reject the 'city ways'?
Originally posted by ImNotHere:
Another thing which is not obvious from the film is that the bustling streets are not due to overpopulation - rather, the earth has been depopulated by nuclear war and emigration to space that the remaining population - still on Earth because they are either gentically flawed or are needed to do an important job - are huddling together for comfort.
Will Deck grow a beard?
I didn't know how long we had together- who does Chrisisall
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Quote:
Originally posted by reginaroadie:
Do we have so little faith in our children and how they will shape the future that we constantly depict them fracking up the state of the world?
…I try to remain optimistic, but I also think that there is evidence to support the bleak scenarios purposed by many writers of science fiction. Over population, deteriorating eco-system; irresponsible world leadership, greed and indifference are all prevalent in today’s world. It’s not that I don’t have faith in future generations – I know many intelligent, socially active 20 somethings who are idealistic enough to think they can change our world for the better – but, truth is, as I witness a shift to corporate dominance in all facets of our lives – where the bottom line is more important than the human cost – I have to think that the future as depicted in films such as Children of Men is not so far fetched… I keep thinking of a line from Serenity – “Earth that was could no longer sustain our numbers, we were so many…” maybe not in our lifetime – but our lifetime is just a little blip on the evolutionary map – I’m of the opinion that things will get much worse before they get better…..
oh, and have a nice day…
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
The voice-over makes all the difference IMO. It gets you a little bit into Deckard's head, and by the end you see that he's just been trying to shut off his feelings like so many others.
Which is why I'll pass up on it: I *need* the voice-over. Without it, it feels barren to me.
--
"If you're not cop, you're little people."
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
While the nuclear war thing isn't so obvious,
Well, there was much talk of lead codpieces in the book.
Also, the whole thing about the cultural obligation for everybody to care for an animal (and fake it if they couldn't afford a real one, which is where the "electric sheep" of the book title come in) got cut out. Pity, because that makes it obvious that the VK test for androids is, shall we say, culturally biassed.
Oh, and of course Deckard's wife didn't feature in the film...
Its not one of those films where you can say "Read the book - its much better!" because its more different than better - and the later "cuts" of the film are no closer to the book than the original film.
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Quote:The three disk set includes two cuts of the voice-over version- the U.S. theatrical and the international release. I'll glance at the new cut, then watch my narrated version, thanks, as I agree with you fully here.
Originally posted by asarian:
Which is why I'll pass up on it: I *need* the voice-over. Without it, it feels barren to me.
It's too bad she won't live Chrisisall
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I'll certainly be picking this one up. Though I prefer the non-voice-over version. The V/O is cool, but doesn't really add much to the story, other than to spoon-feed some of the subtext to the audience. That, and forcing Ford to read the lines against his and the director's will, produced a flat performance, and also flies in the face of my feelings on artistic choice and the director's vison. And I prefer the more nihilistic ending, as well.
What I'm really looking forward to, is seeing all the making-of stuff, particularly the feature-length documentary, and the hour or so worth of deleted and alternate scenes.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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I remember (or maybe I'm misremembering) an interview with Ford where he said he didn't want to do the narration and did not try to do it very well in hopes they wouldn't use it.
wo men ren ran zai fei xing.
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