40th Anniversary Review -- Blade Runner

                                            

On June 25, 1982, a cinematic work of art was released. 

A film that began its pop culture ascent slowly, only to become one of the main influences on the science fiction genre. A film that has polarized and delighted audiences for decades and one that filmophiles still love analyzing and interpreting. A rare film for which one version is not enough, with seven in existence as a result of proposed changes by the studio.

Much has been written and discussed about Ridley Scott's 1982 Blade Runner. For four decades, terms like 'replicant' and phrases like 'more human than human' have been part of cinema and the cultural zeitgeist in general. It is a complex, artful contemplation on the meaning of humanity, on our sins and vices, as well as our relationship with planet Earth.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

In 2019 Los Angeles, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is the titular 'blade runner' who is called back into action when several genetically engineered humans known as replicants escape their slave existence and return to Earth. With help from Rachael (Sean Young), a worker from the Tyrell Corporation which engineers the replicants, Deckard starts piecing the puzzle of who these creations are and what it is that they want...

The very opening is a master metaphor and one of the most beautifully merciless -- and mercilessly beautiful -- opening scenes in cinema. The savage landscape of industrial darkness and gas flares coloring the desolate sky are contrasted with a close-up of an eye, seemingly gazing upon the scene, its iris a curving reflection of the fluid fire. At the beginning of the film, we assume that the eye is human and that the person is watching the panorama. However, as the film unfolds, we can assume in equal measure that it is an eye of a replicant witnessing the shifting terrain. Who is to say that it is not a replicant gazing at what humans hath wrought upon the Earth? Who is to say that they might not be better leaders? It is one of the many scenes that provide food for thought and it also introduces us to the film's gorgeous cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth, Douglas Trumbull's ravishing visual effects and Vangelis's electronically lustful music.

The replicants' journey and search for identity parallels humanity's search for our own identity and origins. There are strong philosophical and religious connotations to the replicants' narrative, namely in their desire to obtain answers from their maker, Dr. Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel). Even when one of them manages to meet him, the character does not get what they want and ends up murdering Tyrell. This act is a violent and intriguing twist on the parallel relationship between humans and their belief in God -- the created have turned out to be more powerful than their creator, albeit for a short period of time. Just like Frankenstein's monster from more than a hundred years earlier, Tyrell's beings did not choose their existence and have not only been left out in the cold, but also exploited. They are orphans with no past or future -- the memory implants are an insult to injury -- and are dangerously set on enjoying the life that they have been cruelly teased with. These creations represent a warning to humanity in turning against their creator. They are relentless in carving out their own history and, most importantly, their place in the universe.   

Animals play a prominent role in the story and an even more prominent one in Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", which was the basis for the film. This is a world in which most if not all animals are engineered and pet ownership is a status symbol. While the novel accentuates this issue, the film utilizes being a visual medium to opt for a metaphorical approach. Scott and screenwriters Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples choose to look at the dystopia's fauna as an integral part of the story and an indivisible part of certain characters' trajectories. The owl in Tyrell's possession is a symbol of wisdom in the modern West, which is ironic, since Tyrell is not nearly as wise as his incredible intellect might suggest. In certain African cultures, it is considered a harbinger of death, which is more appropriate given the character's fate. The mythical unicorn also abounds, with Deckard dreaming of one and his colleague Gaff creating an origami unicorn at the end of the film. One of Merriam-Webster's definitions for the word 'unicorn' is 'something unusual, rare, or unique', which makes sense when we look at Deckard and Rachel as a rare type of replicants, knowing that Scott has confirmed Deckard as one of them. Also, in the novel, a spider meets a gruesome end at the hands of a group of replicants. In certain cultures, spiders symbolize good luck, so this scene might be interpreted as replicants trying to change theirs.

The cast is well chosen, giving us some iconic performances. What else can be said about Harrison Ford? The man is too cool for school and makes acting look easy, which is quite the feat to accomplish. His Deckard is a wounded, conflicted individual, searching for something without realizing it. These traits gain an even deeper significance in the context of Ridley Scott's confirmation that Deckard is a replicant, a question that has been on fans' minds ever since the film was released. Essentially, Deckard is searching for what we are all searching for -- the meaning of and purpose in life. He gets an education in his quest from Roy Batty, played magnificently by the late and great Rutger Hauer. For Batty, Deckard's quest is a luxury; all Batty wants is more life, an extension on the replicants' built-in four-year lifespan. Masking his powerless desperation with brute force, Batty is a tragic figure doomed from the start. His "tears in rain" monologue is one of the best monologues in the history of cinema and Hauer himself had rewritten the speech before filming. It is unfathomable that Hauer was not nominated for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his nuanced portrayal. Young is also a standout as a being who does not know or comprehend what she is, while Daryl Hannah shines as Pris, a deceptively demure replicant and a subtle commentary on society's expectations and stereotypes of women.  

Blade Runner is one of the most cinematically and culturally significant works of the 20th century. Its scope of philosophical questions wrapped up in dazzling visuals is a unique phenomenon in the science fiction genre and film in general. It is a cult piece for a reason -- created to discover and rediscover, interpret and discuss, all the while making the audience assess and reassess our views of emotions, life and humanity. A multifaceted masterpiece, this film has been lauded and analyzed for four decades and is going to remain a topic of discussion for a number of decades to come.  

10/10