Blade Runner, 1982. My Journey into Science Fiction Part 3.

Hello, and Welcome to My journey into Science Fiction Part 3. The premise is simple, each review has to have a connection to the film that came before it. Blade Runner is a 1982 science fiction film, directed by Ridley Scott. It is also an adaptation of Philip K. Dick‘s 1968 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Blade Runner will be a difficult film to discuss, as it is probably one of the most analysed films ever. The most simple way for me to approach it, is to just let you know how it makes me feel. Well let’s start the test. I’m always kind of nervous when I take tests.

I first watched Blade Runner when I was a child, and it’s one of those movies that has always been around, and you just can’t remember the first time you watched it. I can always remember being in awe of the visual effects, and thinking this is unlike anything I have seen before. Pure escapism for the mind. I find it hard to imagine that so much time has passed since this film was released. It’s reminiscent of a great album that never succumbs to time, that still sounds great, and is still appealing. The Tyrell Corporation Headquarters has always been that cherry on top of that visual mountain for me. It’s so monolithic, and reminds me of a building that you were never meant to visit. The water shimmering on the walls is a huge contrast to a city starved of that very element itself. Now don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t like to see this dystopian future ever happen on our planet, but the appeal of some many different cultures in one zone, all living together has always held a strong appeal to me. Walking those streets as an actor, must have been such an out-of-body experience. I wouldn’t like to think how many times I have put this film on before falling asleep, and having some of my best dreams ever.

What is Blade Runner trying to tell me? I will admit, that when I watched this film when I was younger, the visual style of the film is what I enjoyed, and the story went right over my head. I don’t know if this has something to do with my intelligence, but something tells me it has more to do with becoming an adult. I think it’s only after I hit thirty, that I started thinking about my own existence a little bit more,  and started to appreciate the metaphors about life, and this film has plenty of those. Ridley Scott lost his own brother just before the start of this film, so I’m guessing he would have been thinking a lot about life and death around this time. I have never been to concerned about the question, if Deckard is a replicant or not? However, the film makes me feel that we are already living as replicants in our current society? The issues raised in that film are no different than some of the struggles people live through today. There is still poverty, while a small majority of people control most of the Earth’s wealth, with more money and property than we could ever imagine. Yet, we still accept it. The replicants in the movie are the only people who ask why? I know this film has a lot more layers, and if I wrote a thousand posts on each topic, I still wouldn’t run out of things to discuss. Today, this film really appeals to me, more than it ever did before. What is life, love, and death? I think you have to learn how to appreciate everything life has to offer, but it isn’t easy. The beauty of the film, is that it could mean something completely different to someone else. That is why it is so special, and rightly so. The soundtrack, composed by Vangelis is something truly wonderful. I have been listening to the orchestral version today and it’s beautiful. Blade Runner is a modern masterpiece, and I have barely scratched the surface. These are early days for my writing, and I hope that one day, I can write something that is far more descriptive, and takes me deeper into its meanings and philosophies. but for now, I have taken my fist step in this world, and I am already feeling the rewards.

So, where will My Journey into Science Fiction take me next? I was going to go with A Scanner Darkly, because that was also based on a book written by Phillip K Dick. I was contemplating going with A New Hope, because as we all know Harrison Ford played the legendary Han Solo. The next review is a pretty simple connection, but it leaves me smiling and quite excited as I haven’t watched this film before. The film is Legend, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Ridley Scott. I guess it’s fantasy, but I will allow it this time. 

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