Review on Blade Runner

Review on Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner

Blade runner is a science fiction film noir and has cyberpunk elements, with bright neon lights and a futuristic run down dystopian feel to it. On its first release the film did not do so well as expressed by Nick Camp in review on BBC.co.uk. 'Ironically "Blade Runner" did not do well on its initial release. The film was burdened by numerous studio impositions, including an inane happy ending and a frankly embarrassing voice-over from Harrison Ford. The film was criticized for its thin story line, gaps in logic, and over reliance on spectacle. Reaction varied between indifference and hostility.' (Camp, 2001) 

Futuristic Los Angeles

Now though the film has been given an overhaul by its director; Ridley Scott and been released as a director's cut, explained by Owen Gleiberman in a review. 'In the new director's cut, there are a few nips and tucks in the ending. The main change, though, is the elimination of that pesky narration. Now maybe audiences and critics alike can discover what a few have been saying for years - that Blade Runner is a singular and enthralling experience. Never mind the plot. From its spectacular opening shot, a hellishly beautiful vision of 21st-century Los Angeles, the movie casts a druggy, hypnotic spell.' (Gleiberman, 1992) As well as scrapping the embarrassing voice over by Ford the film has been enhanced visually with a more clean picture quality and avoided using C.G.I, mentioned by Roger Ebert on Chicago Sun-Times. 'Scott has resisted the temptation to go back and replace analog special effects with new CGI work (which disturbed many fans of George Lucas' "Star Wars") and has kept Douglas Turnbull's virtuoso origonal special effects, while enhancing, restoring, cleaning and scrubbing both visuals and sound so the film reflects a higher technical standard than ever before. It looks so great, you're tempted to say the hell with the story, let's just watch it.' (Ebert, 2007)

Rating;

List of Illustrations

Figure 1. Scott Ridley (1982) Blade Runner [Poster] At: http://www.scificool.com/a-remake-of-blade-runner-sure-why-not/blade-runner-movie/ (Accessed on: 27.11.11)

Figure 2. Scott Ridley (1982) Futuristic Los Angeles [Screen cap] At: http://www.scene-stealers.com/columns/1-year-100-movies-97-blade-runner-1982/ (Accessed on: 27.11.11)

Bibliography

Camp, Nick (2001) Movies http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/02/07/blade_runner_1982_review.shtml (Accessed on: 27.11.11)

Ebert, Roger (2007) Blade Runner: The Final Cut  http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071103/REVIEWS08/71103001 (Accessed on: 27.11.11)

Gleiberman, Owen (1992) Blade Runner http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,311946,00.html (Accessed on: 27.11.11)