BLADE RUNNER (1982)

It took fourteen years for an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, to come to life. It had already been unsuccessfully optioned once with another script before director Ridley Scott joined the project. Screenwriter Hampton Fancher had originally envisioned Robert Mitchum in the lead role of Rick Deckard, but Harrison Ford landed the part after his performances in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film franchises. The film follows Deckard, a “blade runner” who hunts down four rogue bioengineered humanoids—known as replicants—led by the charismatic Roy Batty (played by Rutger Hauer). Sean Young stars across Ford as Rachael, a replicant who believes herself to be human. Deckard finds himself conflicted with his knowledge of Rachael’s true identity, as well as his developing feelings towards her. Scott blends the aesthetics and conventions of both the neo-noir and cyberpunk genres to create his high-tech, retro-futuristic Los Angeles. His complete artistic vision is shown here in the 2007 Final Cut.  

d. Ridley Scott, 117m, DCP

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Classics.