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| Blade Runner, why I think it is the perfect film |
I don't usually do blogs about films but seeing that this is a subject that has been a central passion throughout my life since childhood, it seems like something I ought to be talking about.
Lately I've been reconnecting to one of my all time favorite films, Blade Runner. The next question most fellow film geeks ask, "Theatrical or Director's cut?" It's irrelevant really. As an adult, I prefer the Director's Cut and being given the benefit of the doubt of understanding the story and character dilemmas. As a child of 12 who saw this in the theater and was riveted every moment, I had no problem with the narration, which rendered things clear to me then I surely would have missed at that age. Now when I hear the narration I find it irritating and even laughable. It was obviously meant as a method of dumbing down a brilliant film that asks tough questions from start to finish, and never delivers neat and tidy answers for us.
Much of the credit for that belongs to the author of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", Philip K. Dick, the coveted sci-fi author whose story serves as the foundation for this Hollywood interpretation. I also thank goodness that it was entrusted to the venerable Ridley Scott, because we need only look to mishaps like "Dune" (sorry David Lynch, I worship you but it was terrible and very dated) to appreciate how utterly sublime this film was and remains. If not for Scott's ability to render science fiction as realistic, forward-thinking and human as possible, this could have been a farce. What we have instead is something of great power and depth, that poses intriguing questions about our morals, ethics and responsibilities.
Every aspect of this story and film presents somewhat of a challenge or at the very least a really juicy philosophical exploration, the kinds of things you'd want to discuss in a real cafe with intelligent people. While this particular vision of the future in a rainy, dark, overpopulated Los Angeles has yet to materialize (but certainly shows hints today), I have a feeling that Dick's vision of where we're headed is only off in terms of timeline. We won't be there in 2019, but we'll get there.
The overwhelming commercialism and general ownership by Asian corporate entities is already present. The obnoxious floating digital billboard has its little sister right now in a similarly disgusting apparatus I have seen in malls when I've been forced to venture inside. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, not understanding why no one else seemed to regard these Blade Runner harbingers as odd or upsetting. No one seemed to notice or care about the giant screens blaring and floating by overhead...but I cared. And I thought about this film and how important it really is.
Looking at the incongruent weather in the film, with arid Los Angeles in 2019 sitting amidst incessant rain and darkness doesn't seem so farfetched in light of the climate issues we're all having now that we've done too much damage to even repair, at least in our lifetimes.
The issue of ethical and moral responsibility with regards to the creation of these "Replicants" as off-world slave labor with 4-year lifespans and artificial memories as a means of control is intriguing as well. Mankind tends to revel in its own splendor without much thought to the responsibility that comes with the ability to create. Ego reigns supreme with our race, and I have no doubt that one day something akin to a Replicant will be viable, and possibly even necessary, with the way species are becoming extinct every day and so many seemingly healthy humans are unable to conceive naturally. It seems a matter of time until other means of conception lose their efficacy as well. We might just be in the midst of being naturally selected out of the picture, despite our fight against it. Movies like "Children of Men" (which I did not particularly enjoy but admired the daring subject) address this bleak reality and it's certainly more than hinted at in Blade Runner.
While the renegade Replicants run rampant and hide from certain death, I find myself feeling incredible empathy for them. Try to imagine what it might be like to comprehend that every memory you have that you THINK defines you, your life and who you are is completely, utterly fabricated, and what's more, you're not WHAT you think you are either; you're a lab creation, meant as slave labor or sexual amusement for unethical humans who mistake their abilities for the hand of God. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where this unassuming sci-fi film becomes incredibly pertinent and important. It offers us a frighteningly clear picture of where we are headed globally, economically and even in terms of our own existence.
The riveting scene in which the assumed leader of the Replicant rebels, Roy Batty, finally meets his maker, as it were, is something that could be discussed for hours. On one level, it speaks to our universal desire for more life, particularly when you are so near to death you can smell it. But I think it also brings the audience face to face with the cruelties of letting human ego run rampant without thought or regard to basic HUMANITY. It calls into question the issues of compassion, rights for all living things, and what really constitutes "life". While the replicants do terrible things, commiting murder without batting an eye, we can hardly fault them when they are simply doing the only things they can know and understand with what they've been taught and allowed to understand. On the other hand, despite rather horrifying circumstances in their short lives, at the very end we see that Roy ultimately loves life so much, if he can't continue to live he'll at least save the man who was trying to destroy him so that he might live. The obvious and beautiful symbolism of Roy holding the dove, which he only lets go of at the moment of his "death", is something that still moves me to tears, as does his final few moments when he is explaining himself to Deckard, who simply listens and watches. Major kudos to both Rutger Hauer and Harrison Ford, who manage to convey endless levels of depth and meaning to a very simple scene that's light on dialogue but heavy on impact and importance.
I'm not even going to delve into the much talked about question of whether Deckard might be a Replicant himself, possibly being like Rachael, the experimental Replicant who didn't know what she was thanks to the implanted memories. There are certainly arguments for it and it gives the entire film and story a different tone of course, but I think at the end of the day this film functions as an important philosophical landmark in cinema history regardless.
A few continuity issues aside, with or without narration (that yes, does sound a bit hokey nowadays), you can watch this film today and enjoy a sense of timelessness that allows you to melt into its world. I find myself endlessly fascinated with Roy in particular, who seems to develop the greatest level of depth and understanding of just how unfair and tragic their situation is. When you consider that they all face the limitation of a 4 year lifespan and only implanted memories to aid them in emotional support, they would essentially have a childlike ability to understand anything beyond a dry intellectual level. Watching moments where Roy struggles with his own reactions, as in the scene where he is telling Pris that Zorah and Leon are dead, gives you a clue into the odd emotional landscape they stumble across.
As a film, every single time I watch this (and it numbers in the hundreds at this point) I am always mesmerized because of the way story, script, cast, camera and music come together to transport us into a dark, sad, poignant story that gives us no easy answers. It's daring, it's gorgeous to the eye and raises so many important questions.
For me, this ranks as one of the most important films in the history of cinema, for all the reasons stated above and more. The obvious noir-beauty and classic gum-shoe dialogue at times give this unique style and class among science fiction based stories, and ultimately, this is NOT just a sci-fi genre picture. This is a film about humanity in all its aspects, and where we are headed. It subtly introduces questions about spirituality and not so subtly addresses our own fears of mortality and death.
If this is a film you have not yet seen, I implore you to take the time some night when you can sit in a dark room, undisturbed, and see where this takes you afterwards. If this is a film you have seen but not in a while, now would be a good time to revisit the story and see how relevant it remains.
Few films can lay claim to addressing the most crucial questions faced by humanity while also telling a compelling suspense story and including a terribly moving love story along with a possible hidden story-within-the-story. I will always count this among the most influential, important films ever made.
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Posted by marathongal on 2009-09-02 15:41:50 | Rating: | Views: 41
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