Bladerunner: the Final Cut

Television, Movies Games and Books Other Science Fiction
#1

The GWC krewe have provided hours (and hours!) of wonderful distraction and perhaps the best rationale for my iPod expenditure! With the upcoming release of the new DVD, I pray to the gods we’ll get a podcast/D2A on Bladerunner.

I’ve always thought there are some specific thematic parallels between Bladerunner (aka DADoES?) and Battlestar Galactica that would certainly not be lost on you guys, and it would be fun to hear and read a discussion in the community. Many questions have been aired in Bladerunner fandom, and many of these are addressed in BSG.

QUESTIONS! [said in Roy’s cold delivery]

  1. What truly distinguishes between manufactured humanoids (cylons/replicants) and humans?

  2. Is the humans’ need to subjugate their creation an expression of some primal drive to be the superior, or is it ultimately in our best interest to learn to live with–or even love–our creation?

  3. Is Deckard a replicant? This relates to Baltar’s quandary. In both BR and BSG, it’s what these characters dream (project?) that leads us to suspect their identity.

PARALLELS

  1. Anders has referred to the humanoid cylons as “skinjobs,” an homage to M. Emmett Walsh’s character.

  2. Like replicants, humanoid cylons are physically indistinguishable from humans. While Baltar was able to devise a blood test that identified Boomer as a cylon, with replicants it was a test of emotional response. One suspects the self-aware humanoid cylons would fail the Voigt-Kampff (especially Cavil!). The unaware cylons, those who have “memories” of growing up, etc. would pass with flying colours.

  3. Female replicants: good-looking. Males, not so much…though this point is falling apart at this point in the series.

Anyway, thanks for all the great discussion!

#2

Yes, a DTA for the new Bladerunner DVD’s would be great!

It’s not as direct a parallel as the ones you’ve mentioned, but the Sixes in the Miniseries and early episodes of S1 who would stare at a human quizzically and ask, “Are you alive?” before kissing him always remind me of the scene in which Roy and Pris kiss each other with odd expressions, like they’re curious why this activity is supposed to be emotional.

#3

Great idea for a DTA but if possible could it wait until after X-mas? A little birdy told me not to buy the Final Cut, which leads me to believe the fat guy in the red suit will have it under my tree on Christmas.

#4

that box set looks sweet

#5

Maybe a multimedia blowout extravaganza, a joint read-DTA discussion of both the Blade Runner DVD release (contrasting versions) AND a group read of “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”? Hopefully a bunch of us will get the five-DVD version for Xmas.

I know narratives are widely regarded as a crutch for weak writing, but I like 'em. Glad to get Decker’s deadpan commentary back.

In the early episodes, I totally caught a strong whiff of Blade Runner. Most notably in the Arrow arc, in the museum, where Six was dashing around, all Batty-like, as Starbuck tried to shoot her. Adama beating down Leoben reminded me of BR too.

#6

Hey,

I would completely be up for this. I have a question, though. I don’t think I’ll be finding this under a tree, so I’ve been looking at getting it. My question to all of you (those who have seen it or know) is: is the ultimate edition worth it, i.e. the one with the workprint? The suitcase and other stuff is cool, but pretty much boils down to flare to me.

Thanks,

#7

Yeah I have picked up some thematic similarities as well. One that I have noticed is that in Blade Runner the replicants are dealing with something they were not built to deal with: developing emotional responses, which is the key reason the Tyrell corp decided on a 4 yr lifespan.

I’ve seen the same theme in BSG: notice the “feelings” six has for Baltar and Deanna’s inability to understand them. Hence when Deanna asks Six “is all of this worth it just for the love of this man (Baltar)” and Six replies: “If you’d ever been in love you wouldn’t have to ask”…

gaf

#8

I KNOW the jolly fat man in red is delivering the Blade Runner briefcase to me for Christmas so…

I really, really think that a DTA cast on Blade Runner, one of the most influential scifi films in the last couple of decades, is well and truly appropriate. That would be a cast not to miss. Compulsory.

Of course if the appropriateness of the DTA cast is not a valid reason, I can resort to begging. But none of us wants that…

gaf

#9

This is really a neat set of DVDs (Blu-Ray or HD-DVD)

Ron Moore and Edward James Olmos are in some of the extras, which are very extensive (Four DVDs).

I’m waiting for Edward James Olmos to say “You’ve done a man’s job” at the end of BSG season four (from the ending of Blade Runner) to a Cylon

There is some really interesting stuff in the extras. I did not know that Rutger wrote some of the lines that Roy Batty says just before dying.

Jim

#10

Oooooh…this may be the first thing I purchase after getting my HD-plasma! Woohoo!

#11

i think a DTA on Bladerunner would be awesome, not to mention a group read of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to go along with it.

BTW if you’re one for extras, this release(i ended up getting the 4-disc) is fantastic, it has a really long and indepth making of, clocking in at around 3.5 hours, and a ton of other special features including 3 commentaries(i love commentaries)

oh, and in one of the special features i caught Edward James Olmos slipping and saying cylon instead of replicant, made me chuckle =P