Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2-Disc Special Edition) [1982]
£3.99
blade runner. the final [?] cut - originally released in 1982, this is a science fiction movie featuring harrison ford as a man who tracks down androids from outer space who have come to earth illegally. set in a permanently rainy near future city, he tracks the androids down, but may be in danger of falling for one in the process. and could it be that they are just a little more human than him?a classic of science fiction cinema, and a landmark in many ways as it introduced a style of future vision that has been often copied. not an action flick, it s quite slow at places but it s thoughtful and makes you consider the nature of existence. originally released with a voiceover and a tacked on happy ending there have been several amended releases over the years, which lost both these elements and added some extra footage. this version is the latest one. they call in the final cut. we shall see! the picture and the sound have been restored, although the age of the film means it looks good rather than great as a result. beyond that the director has made a few minor changes to the movie but I really couldnt spot anything major.some films you need to see, whether you end up loving or hating them. and this is one such, because it s so talked about and has had an awful lot of influence.the first disc in this contains the movie. with direct scene access. a very short introduction from the director.a commentary from him. and two other commentaries from various members of the production team.it offers language tracks in english castillan spanish german and polish.subtitles in english finnish swedish danish norwegian greek polish german and castillan spanish.and closed captioned subtitles in english and german.all the above foreign language options are on disc one only. the second disc contains a documentary about the film. this is an amazing piece of work, divided into eight sections that run from 25-30 minutes in length, and you could not possibly imagine a more comprehensive documentary as it goes into incredible depth. and has a few bits of strong language so you may want to watch out for that.do you need this new version of the film? that s up to you. definitely worth seeing the documentary though
If it ain t bust, don t try and fix it !! - Blade Runner is one of my most favourite films of all time. I won t repeat everything that has been said here about its artistic and very stylish qualities but it is pure class and one of those films you must see in your life time. I love the way it transposes the 1940 s Sam Spade detective style into the future.However, this version was a real disappointment. Overly long and drawn out, my main problem with this version was the way too much horror and gore. The whole point of Blade Runner was that its sublety and clever storyline made it stand head and shoulders above other movies, without having to dumb down to get bums on cinema seats. Instead we have the camera lingering on a prolonged, gory Tyrell head-crushing scene, with blood pouring out his eyes and the old crushed walnuts sound effects of his skull being crushed as he dies in agony. Plus more lingering shots of the nail popping through Batty s hand etc. Plus Deckard s pistol fires off twice as many rounds, Robocop stylee. Why Ridley Scott has released this beefed up gung-ho version, I don t know. All the other versions retain the original top Blade Runner style.Blade Runner was never a mindless blood n guts shoot em up: it was a thoughtful, intelligent and yes, arty, subtle film. As they say, less is more, and this unsubtle version will remain in it s DVD box at my home.
The Value of a Life - This new version like the The Director s Cut is another glorious interpretation with a slight shift of emphasis from the book. In Dick s work life is so precious because it is unique and impossible to replicate despite initial impressions. In the film life is precious whatever it s beginnings. Two equally valid points of view, both brilliantly told.
Futuristic Vision Restored! - The digital restoration and re-editing of this sci-fi classic was long overdue. Ridley Scott now has the film he always wanted. This new version is, for me, the best now available. It s even more visually stunning, with lots more detail, and benefits from a crisper and less intrusive soundtrack. The generous extras are also informative, particularly the lengthy documentary Dangerous Days on the bonus disc. There is also a 5-disc version available, but this 2-disc release should be enough for most fans. Gratitude to Ridley Scott for revisiting one of his finest films - highly recommended.
At last! - Unlike a few of these reviews, I m writing this after actually seeing the Final Cut 2 disc DVD.I won t say too much about the film itself. The Final Cut is basically the Directors Cut (i.e. no voiceover) plus tweaked special effects and a few minor changes (it s been some time since I ve seen the Directors Cut, so I can t give precise details, but it didn t seem drastically different) And yes, the unicorn scene is there and the happy ending is missing.The picture quality is probably as good as could be expected for a film of this age. Perhaps not quite as sharp as a modern release and some black levels are very slightly off, but overall a good picture, with no noticable dirt, scratches or grain.The 5.1 mix is particularly impressive. Vangelis soundtrack fills the room. There are also some nice ambient effects of rain etc, plus the rocket ships have real oomph and zoom from left to right speaker.The documentary is also worthwhile (not the usual promotional stuff) and is certainly something you can watch more than once.Overall, a classic film, with good picture, extras and very good sound. Unless you re a sci-fi geek or completist, I d opt for the 2 disc edition, rather than the 5 disc.