Customer Reviews

Blade Runner [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have both versions, the original release with Ford's voice over, and the "Director's" cut (which is surprisingly, shorter than the original). Of the two, I tend to prefer the original.

Purists tend to find the voice over of the original distracting and un-necessary, but I find it adds to the mood.

I love the cinematography.

It also sports early or first appearances of many now well known actors.

I would consider this movie to be within my top favorite movies.

Okay, the voice-over detective's dialog is hokey, but I love it; it's Sam Spade with smog. Years after the original release, the movie isn't dated or tired. It may always be my favourite flick.

Blade Runner tells of human-like robots which are in danger of gaining emotions and becomming too human to exhist by human laws. I loved this movie when I first saw it and I find it wonderful to notice in the background the company logos (which at the time were powerful up and coming companies) of which most are out of business (though Atari has made a comeback). The soundtrack sets the tone and the weather (which it always is raining in the film except for the very ending) also keep things looking bleak. I do enjoy the directors cut cause I am a big fan of Widescreen... but that is the only reason I like it. I wish they had kept the narration (or at least had a two sided disk so a person could chose to have the original unedited narration or the directors cut version). I know some people think the narration is the studios way of saying that the audiance cannot understand the film without dumbing-it-down with narration. This is definitily not the case. The narration reminds me of those old TV Cop dramas where the cops thoughts are always stated as the action is happening. I do feel that it adds to the film. I highly recommend the movie regardless of which version you see. Rutger Hauer is my favorite.

A truly fabulous cinematic work, I only wish it was still available for purchase. Philip Dick would be proud of the adaption of his novel. Vangelis renders a beautiful score. No one does it better than Rutger Hauer.

It is very unclear from the description that this is the so called director's cut, which is much different than the original theatrical release. In fact, no where does it explicitly say that's what it is.

Please make this more clear! People should know what they are getting here.

This is a profound movie; the visual world Syd Mead created is a mind-blowing abstraction of a capitalist-ruled society. Profits over people, and intelligent lifeforms as commodities for our whims. While not always sticking to the focus of the replicants as "emerging humans" --not unlike children learning the mores of social interaction-- Blade Runner soars for its examination of the question, "Once we can create life on the human level, what seperates us from them? Why do we deserve to live, given that the replicants ultimately want to understand what it is to be human?" This film posits serious questions and morals that are more relevant today than ever, now that we are at the dawn of the age of biotechnology." This film caught my attention a decade ago (thx blade runner pc game!) and I am still enthralled with what this movie stands for. If you envision a future that's dirty, corrupt and as unpredictable as the present, this is YOUR movie.

I love the film, both versions. HOWEVER, one thing most reviewers seem to overlook regarding the Director's cut is that we already know the film and are familiar with the general film noire approach to the story, character interaction, development, and so on.

Classic film noire often needs narration. Even if Ford initially narrated poorly on purpose, it kind of fits in with the character. Besides which, the D Cut does nothing to replace the narration, so there are great gobs of panoramic dead air, with maybe a bit of background music. It becomes a struggle to stay focused. I tested this with two of my Media Studies sections, and the narration kept the most audience attention hands down, not to mention a keener grasp of the film.

I think a perfect marriage would be to include the extra footage, the D cut ending, and selected portions of the narration.

I went to see this movie on the Wednesday after its release in 1982. There where about ten people watching it including me, which made me sort of regret going, but the style of the movie gripped me from the first moment. The Batty "shores of Orion" soliloquy at the end is certainly, for my money anyway, one of the best moments in movie history. The scene in which Rachel shows off her photos reminded me a lot of the pathos of the photo scene in "Das Boot" (1981) when the sub is sinking. I returned to see this movie to an even emptier theater which I thought was a real shame. For those who could not experience the movie in a theater, the DVD is the next best thing. This one is a keeper.

Rated only 1 star because you (Amazon) must make it crystal clear what the user is getting here, as there are now three versions - the original, the director's cut, and the most recent director's final cut!!!

I love Blade Runner. But my 3 star rating has to do with version unbox downloaded for rental. I'm not hip to the names of the various versions, but I had heard there was one with an annoying Decker narration... FYI - The version provided through unbox is, of course, that one. I think it was essentially added to the film to help those who like their films spoonfed - maybe for tv/cable release. I'm kind of annoyed about this because it is totally distracting.