Ridley's "Final" Blade Runner Cut is Coming!
Filed under: Classics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Home Entertainment
Like most of you, I just freaking love Ridley Scott's Blade Runner ... but even I find myself overwhelmingly confused by the flick's varying versions. I was too young to appreciate the film upon its 1982 theatrical release (I'd have been bored stiff by it, I bet) but have ravenously devoured the sci-fi noir at least 6 or 8 times on home video -- so I do know the differences between the theatrical cut and the DVD director's cut (which isn't really a director's cut, as it turns out), but that's where I get kinda fuzzy.Apparently there are only two major differences between the theatrical and director's cut: A voice-over narration and a "happier" ending. OK, maybe not "happier," but the theatrical cut is a lot less ambiguous, and I suspect that's partly why Scott hates it so much. And even if these were the only changes made to the movie, they're really important changes that absolutely mar an otherwise fantastic film. (Oh yeah, and that "unicorn sequence" that everyone seems to hate!)
But anyway, the REAL Director's Version of Blade Runner will be released on DVD this September ... for four months only ... and then there'll be a theatrical run ... and then a mega-huge DVD release that includes ALLLLL the Blade Runner versions in one handy (and inevitably pricey) package. WB might have taken their good sweet time in doing the right thing by Blade Runner (which was dissed and dismissed upon its debut but has since gone on to be accurately cited as one of the finest science fiction films ever made), but they sure do seem to be making up for lost time now. (And if you've ever seen what Ridley Scott helped put together for the Extended Editions of Alien, Legend, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and Kingdom of Heaven, then you have an idea of what these Blade Runner DVDs will look like.) Yay!
Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams Reunite for 'Mission Impossible 4'
'Big Top Pee-Wee': The Original Benicio Del Toro Wolfman
Spin-ematical: New on DVD and Blu-ray for 2/9
Watch This: Brilliant Oscar-Nominated Short 'Logorama'
Chris Nolan to Lead 'Superman' Reboot!?
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-26-2006 @ 2:14PM
Peter said...
Great, great news (especially the theatrical run). So this is why the current BR release was pulled from shelves a few months ago...
Reply
5-26-2006 @ 2:31PM
Scott said...
I still remember being baffled by all the poor reviews of "Blade Runner" when it was originally released. It was the perfect cinematic obsession for a 13-year-old boy back in 1982. And, damn, was crazy Sean Young hot back then!
Reply
5-26-2006 @ 5:05PM
Michael Mayo said...
My understanding is that this isn't going to be the complete set, which was originally supposed to include the workprint. For my money, the workprint cut is still the best version; darker and grittier than the later incarnations. Too bad Rid won't let it out...
Reply
5-26-2006 @ 8:46PM
Matt said...
Well, not everyone hates the unicorn version.
I find the unicorn version better because it shows that perhaps Deckard is a replicant.
And Here's part of an interview with Scott:
S: I think the idea of the unicorn was a terrific idea...
M:The obvious inference is that Deckard is a replicant himself.
S: Sure. To me it's entirely logical, particularly when you are doing a film noire, you may as well go right through with that theme, and the central character could in fact be what he is chasing...
M:Did you actually shoot the sequence in the glade with the unicorn?
S:Absolutely. It was cut into the picture, and I think it worked wonderfully.
Reply
5-26-2006 @ 11:38PM
jmchez said...
If they add all of the great background material that was only seen on the Criterion Laserdisc, I'm sold.
Bladerunner was the first movie for which I bought the video. It was VHS and the cover said that it was a more violent version than the theatrical run (How many versions are there?). It seems they included the scene when Roy pushed the nail through his hand. I couldn't remember if saw that scene in the first run in theaters or not.
Reply