Blade Runner Film Vs Film

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Director Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner (1982) is a visually stunning example of storytelling. Those visuals come courtesy of the cinematography of Jordan Cronenweth, the film’s Director of Photography. In the years since the initial release of the film a number of versions of the film have been presented to the public. The original screenplay by Hampton Fancher was rewritten by David Peoples to produce the original theatrical version. In 1982 a sneak preview of the film was shown to test audiences in Denver and Dallas and based on feedback from those screening further modifications were made to the film (Sammon 394). This critique focuses on that sneak preview version, also known as the “work print” version, of the film as it presents…show more content…
Yet upon its initial release the film was not well received by test audiences or critics (Sammon 313-15). Unlike much of the science fiction of its time Blade Runner is neither upbeat nor simplistic in its theme or plot. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) and its sequel Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, though arguably space fantasy and not science fiction, provided visual spectacle with clear cut delineations of good and evil. Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extraterrestrial (1982) likewise avoided moral ambiguity and offered an upbeat cathartic ending. All of these movies differed from Blade Runner in that they do not ask the viewer to do a great deal of thinking about difficult issues. By contrast Ridley Scott’s 1982 film requires a great deal of introspection about a great man things from where humanity is as a species, where it is going, and what truly defines being alive. Philosophical questions like whether or not humans are more than the sum of their memories permeate Blade Runner like the nervous system of a human body, they are inseparable. A film which combines stunning visuals and special effects alongside thought-provoking themes can come as a shock to audiences used to straight-forward actioners or feel-good films. The lack of any cathartic release or clear answers are two of the traits earned the film recognition in the years subsequent to its release. Rare is the person who can digest everything the film has to offer in one sitting, as with other film of this depth new information can be gleaned with each subsequent viewing. Blade Runner dazzles with not only its themes and powerful dialogue such as the exchange between Tyrell and
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