Customer Reviews

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(663)
4 star:		(100)
3 star:		(40)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

Having seen this movie probably more times and in more different formats than most people, I thought it was time I write a few words about this masterpiece of filmmaking. Truly, I wasn't boasting with my assertion that I've seen this movie as much as I have (I watch this movie almost once a week and have done so for almost 10 years). I own several, still unopened, VHS tapes that for a large part of the nineties I did my best at collecting. I own the Japanese Laserdisc version, a rare bootleg VHS version that was distributed over the internet a handful of years ago that has the narration selectively placed back into the Director's Cut version of the film, not called the Esper Version as some would want to label it, the Director's Cut and now the HD version of the Final Cut. That makes 5, but 6 if you count the Workprint version that comes with this box set. So, I would say that's one more than most.

Blade Runner first and foremost, is probably the greatest film ever made, from beginning to end and in all of its variations. A bold statement when the film doesn't even rank in the top 10 in the American Film Institute or on IMDb. Spots #97 and #104 respectively (ahem). But as these kind of lists are subjective and truly under the control of mere mortals and their own strange whims, and I take no offense that so many so-called aficionados have over-looked this film for so long. Roger Ebert slammed Ridley Scott and the film during the first theatrical release by stating that `Scott cared more about the lush environment of the film than he did of the story', which as we all know - and even Ebert now, in hindsight, has stated that he was unkind and grossly unfair to both Scott and the film.

For years, Blade Runner was divided into two different camps, or rather four and they are: Those that preferred the narration and those that did not and the other camp was those that thought Deckard was a Replicant and those that thought he was either human or felt it was left ambiguous. Ridley Scott has very gracefully over the years, given homage to these thoughts and made many statements that most readers are aware of, chiefly - that Deckard was a Replicant. Unfortunately, due to the studios fingering with the film during post-production, Warner Brothers had the right to trim anything after the 120 min mark, and thus butchering the nuance of the film and leaving several things vague and forcing Scott to tack on the Happy ending and the narration - because as we all know ... we're all just too stupid to get it.

The new and most refreshing part of the new argument, evinced in the 210 (wow!) min documentary `Dangerous Days' is that Scott gives equal time to those that enjoyed the film with the narration, with Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth / Hellboy) in the forefront, with his very candid telling of how Blade Runner changed his life and launched him down the road into filmmaking. We also get to hear a very lucid and warm retelling from Harrison Ford of the nightmare that he not only endured making the movie but the further commitment of having to do the Voice Over narration months later, which ended up having its own strange story as well.

So, now with 5 versions available in this box set, you get to see Blade Runner in every single angle imaginable and it is engrossing every time. Ebert also said in the Nineties that the re-release of the movie for the Director's Cut gives you yet another version of the film, but fails to handle the main problems that were so apparent the first time around. As the film has changed Ebert has gone from student flippancy to utmost respect and enjoyment. Ebert's own site has all three versions of his reviews which are interesting to read in context to the passage of time if you're interested.

There are so many layers to Blade Runner and so many things that can be said from the brilliant look of the newly restored cut, the awesome remixed sound, the Original Score by Vangelis, and the story itself. Blade Runner is probably the high water mark of all films and will probably stay that way for quite some time. Internet voting puts the film as the 4th greatest movie of all time, according to AFI's own user polls - so that really puts perspective on AFI's and IMDb's so-called Final Lists.

On a final note, when people watch this film, a lot of people come away with a strange feeling of familiarity regarding the content, the story and the character of Rick Deckard the protagonist, the Detective, the Blade Runner. You should know that Philip K. Dick was an incredibly huge fan of Raymond Chandler and absorbed every one of his stories on a personal level. Hampton Fancher, the screenwriter was privy to this when he penned the screenplay while making the adaptation for `Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' and did his best to not only pay homage to this for Dick but for Chandler as well. Movies like `The Big Sleep' really bring it home and make it evident to the viewer. The novel almost reads like the narration and in latter years I find impossible to not hear Harrison Ford's voice as I read `The Big Sleep'.

"What do you think of my Owl, Mr. Deckard?"

"Is it real?"

Due for re-release in December, this motion picture is one of the finest science fiction films of the 20th century. Part of this is because it projects a future that could be - the earth as a place with a ruined environment populated by people that couldn't or wouldn't make the jump to one of the more habitable off-world colonies. The other part is because the film questions what it means to be human, and explores the possibly unsatisfactory answers you might get if you could, like the replicants, hunt down your maker and ask him Why am I here? Why must my life end? I'll pretty much let Warner's press release do the talking from this point forward. Basically you have your choice of three different sets - 2-disc, 4-disc, and 5-disc. The discs are described as follows:

Disc 1 - Ridley Scott's All-New "Final Cut" Version of the film - Restored and remastered with added & extended scenes, added lines, new and cleaner special effects and all new 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. Also included is commentary by Ridley Scott and a host of others that worked behind the camera.

Disc 2 - Documentary - Dangerous Days: Making of Blade Runner - A feature-length documentary revealing all the elements that shaped this cinema landmark. Cast, crew, critics and colleagues give a behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at the film from its literary roots and inception through casting, production, visuals and special effects to its legacy.

Disc 3 - 1982 Theatrical Version - The original that contains Deckard's narration and has Deckard and Rachel's (Sean Young) "happy ending" escape scene.

1982 International Version - Also used on U.S. home video, laserdisc and cable releases up to 1992. This version is not rated, and contains some extended action scenes in contrast to the Theatrical Version.

1992 Director's Cut - Omits Deckard's voiceover narration and removes the "happy ending" finale. It adds the famous "unicorn" sequence, a vision that Deckard has which suggests that he, too, may be a replicant.

Disc 4 - BONUS Disc "Enhancement Archive" - Eight featurettes, image galleries, radio interview with the author, and screen tests for the part of Rachel.

Disc 5 - Workprint Version - This rare version of the film is considered by some to be the most radically different of all the Blade Runner cuts. It includes an altered opening scene, no Deckard narration until the final scenes, no "unicorn" sequence, no Deckard/Rachel "happy ending," altered lines between Rutger Hauer and his creator Tyrell (Joe Turkell), alternate music and much more.

Also included is commentary by Paul M. Sammon, author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner and a featurette - "All Our Variant Futures: From Workprint to Final Cut".

2 Disc Edition : Discs 1-2
4 Disc Edition : Discs 1-4
5 Disc Edition : Discs 1-5

The downside of this 2-disc version is that you are only getting the Final Cut version of the film and the documentary disc. You won't get the bonus disc of featurettes, the disc of past releases, and the workprint version of the film. The upside is that the 5-disc version of the film has some expensive packaging and promotional material included that seems to really raise the price of the entire package.

Wow. Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" looks absolutely stunning in its Blu-ray presentation. Aside from Orson Welles' "Mr. Arkadin", there probably hasn't been a movie as fiddled with as "Blade Runner". This set features the 1) theatrical cut from 1982, 2) the "International Cut" which appeared on cable 3)the "Work Print" version which was premiered for a test audience and, aside from a showing at a film festival, hasn't been seen since 3)"The Director's Cut" which was created after the buzz from the "Work Print" showing and created by Scott with Terry Rawlings the original editor tweaking the film (by eliminating the narration, adding in a Unicorn dream sequence -borrowed outtakes from "Legend" when the original footage couldn't be found-and with the more uncertain ending. The the film was trimmed here and there as well) and 4)"The Final Cut" where Warner gave Scott, Rawlings and DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika the chance to go back and do fixes that Scott had always wanted to do such as digitally eliminating the cables lifting the Spinners, digitally eliminating crew members that were accidently seen in the edge of the frame, fixing continuity errors, backgrounds and tweaking the opening with the eye a bit.

The result is a "Blade Runner" OCD fan's dream--every version of the movie plus a brilliant three hour documentary "Dangerous Days" (Hampton Fancher's original title for his screenplay of Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)directed by de Lauzirika (who used to be an assistant at Scott's Scott Free Productions)featuring archival and new interviews with all the usual suspects. I'm not sure if this was isolated to my disc but the documentary would occasionally stop for no reason. It could be that the firmware on my unit needs to be updated but I thought I would bring this up if others have any problems with the set.


The extras would take a day to run through. In the documentary we get a huge volume of deleted/alternate scenes, a pair of fascinating screen tests for the roles of Pris and Rachael (actors that were the first runners up for the roles), commentary tracks by author Paul Sammon (who wrote a series of terrific articles and a very good book on the film Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner), Scott, producer Michael Deeley, Production Executive Katherine Haber, Visual Futurist Syd Mead along with Visual Effects Supervisors Douglas Trumbull and Richard Yuricich and writers Hampton Fancher & David Peoples (who pointedly state that they never intended Deckard to be a Replicant--Scott may feel that way in retrospect but I have always felt that it was much more metaphorical with Deckard becoming like a Replicant and rediscovering his humanity from Batty--something that adds power to the ending of the film. I suspect that Scott wasn't sure when he shot the film but has become convinced over the years that he did indeed intend that from the beginning).

Packaged in a very nice, slim Blu-ray case with a booklet featuring stills from the film, "Blade Runner" finally gets the love that it deserves. Luckily for us it didn't take a Criterion or 50 years to allow the film to get the recognition and appreciation it deserved (only 25). Even with its minor flaws, this is a classic and one of Scott's best films.

This is from Hi-Def Digest printed in August:

Responding to persistent questions from early adopters on both sides of the aisle, Warner has provided further details on the exact configuration of its upcoming high-def 'Blade Runner' releases.

As officially announced late last month, Warner Home Entertainment will at last be debuting the definitive 'Blade Runner' in two editions apiece on Blu-ray and HD DVD. Set to street on December 18 are 'Blade Runner: The Complete Collector's Edition' and the even more elaborately-packaged 'Blade Runner: The Ultimate Collector's Edition,' each a five-disc set boasting several different versions of the film and hours of newly-produced bonus content.

Since that announcement, speculation has run rampant over just how much of the material on these mammoth sets would be presented in full high-definition. (Warner famously released the HD DVD edition of 'The Ultimate Matrix Collection' last May with the final two discs presented in standard-def, a fact that wasn't revealed until just days before that disc's release.)

This time around, the studio apparently going the full disclosure route, revealing to Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits that while all five versions of the film included on the next-gen releases are being mastered in actual 1080p video, all of supplementary materials (including the new documentary "Dangerous Days," and the deleted scenes) will be presented in 480p standard definition only.

According to Hunt, Warner says the reason for this has nothing to do with disc space on either format, but rather the compressed time schedule in which the various extras are being produced.

Warner has set a $39.95 list price for the five-disc 'Complete Collector's Edition' of 'Blade Runner,' while the deluxe 'Ultimate Collector's Edition' (featuring the same disc configurations but with special "Deckard Briefcase" packaging and other collectibles) will list for $99.95.

We've added these latest details to our disc details pages for each of the four next-gen editions of 'Blade Runner', which you'll linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and our HD DVD Release Schedule, under December 18.

You can also discuss the various editions of 'Blade Runner' in our Forums area -- click the following links to visit our dedicated threads for the 'Blade Runner' Blu-ray releases or the 'Blade Runner' HD DVD releases.

I bought this set from Amazon on January 1, 2009. Like other reviewers I too received a duplicate disc, the "work print" content on both discs 1 and 5.

Just contact the Warner service hotline at: 1-800-553-6937. The operator I talked to was very helpful and fully aware of the problem. She took down my information to send me the correct disc 1 when they become available. She said currently they are waiting on more to be printed and it will take at least 3-4 weeks before they are available.

*FYI, I rated this item one star to get the attention of folks who are having the same problem.

2/10/09 UPDATE: I have now received my replacement disc 1 with the correct content so my set is now complete. I'd highly recommend you contact the number above if your set came with the defective disc.

I had the opportunity to see the new "Final Cut" of BLADE RUNNER on screen in New York City this past weekend. As always, it's one of my favorite science fiction films of all time and I welcome any opportunity to see it on the big screen, in any version.

First, I have to say that I saw this when it was first released in June 1982. The original theatrical version with Harrison Ford's voice-over and the Hollywood happy ending is still and will always be my favorite version. That said, the only thing I can honestly claim is an improvement with the "Final Cut" is the sharper, remastered print. As far as the film itself, it is almost completely identical to the 1992 Director's Cut. There are some extra pieces of dialogue and extended scenes thrown in, which in my opinion, don't expand the film at all. The added scenes of violence are not new to the BLADE RUNNER fan. They've been available for view ever since the film first appeared on video cassette in the '80's.

If you already own the Director's Cut of BLADE RUNNER on DVD, then save your money. Buying it all over again for the "Final Cut" will not gain you much, except a larger hole in your wallet.

Length:: 4:12 Mins

Sorry about the quality (or lack thereof) of the video segment; I had like 15 minutes to git 'er done and this was the only take where I didn't blank out and stare at the camera for half a minute.

So "Blade Runner: The Final Cut" is finally here after over 25 years of waiting and the million dollar question is: do I double dip? The answer is an absolute "yes". Even if the 3 1/2 hours of documentary on this measly two-disc edition isn't enough, you can always upgrade to one of the killer boxed-sets available and get the other versions of the film as well. Not that anybody in their right mind would want to see the lame tacked-on "happily ever after" BS ending that was forced onto the theatrical cut instead of this or the director's cut. If special features and alternate cuts aren't your thing, there's still the fact that this restored edition looks and sounds AMAZING. Make no mistake, this is the treatment one should expect from a classic film of this caliber. Eat it, George Lucas. "Blade Runner" is an absolute necessity for sci-fi fans or film buffs in general and this is the way you wanna see it. After seeing Ridley Scott's realistic and gritty vision of the future here and in Alien it is really hard to picture our future being any other way.

Buy it. Buy it now. Buy it for your friends. Buy it for the children. Buy it because you love film.

As Originally printed in Hi Def Digest in August:

Responding to persistent questions from early adopters on both sides of the aisle, Warner has provided further details on the exact configuration of its upcoming high-def 'Blade Runner' releases.

As officially announced late last month, Warner Home Entertainment will at last be debuting the definitive 'Blade Runner' in two editions apiece on Blu-ray and HD DVD. Set to street on December 18 are 'Blade Runner: The Complete Collector's Edition' and the even more elaborately-packaged 'Blade Runner: The Ultimate Collector's Edition,' each a five-disc set boasting several different versions of the film and hours of newly-produced bonus content.

Since that announcement, speculation has run rampant over just how much of the material on these mammoth sets would be presented in full high-definition. (Warner famously released the HD DVD edition of 'The Ultimate Matrix Collection' last May with the final two discs presented in standard-def, a fact that wasn't revealed until just days before that disc's release.)

This time around, the studio apparently going the full disclosure route, revealing to Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits that while all five versions of the film included on the next-gen releases are being mastered in actual 1080p video, all of supplementary materials (including the new documentary "Dangerous Days," and the deleted scenes) will be presented in 480p standard definition only.

According to Hunt, Warner says the reason for this has nothing to do with disc space on either format, but rather the compressed time schedule in which the various extras are being produced.

Warner has set a $39.95 list price for the five-disc 'Complete Collector's Edition' of 'Blade Runner,' while the deluxe 'Ultimate Collector's Edition' (featuring the same disc configurations but with special "Deckard Briefcase" packaging and other collectibles) will list for $99.95.

We've added these latest details to our disc details pages for each of the four next-gen editions of 'Blade Runner', which you'll linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and our HD DVD Release Schedule, under December 18.

You can also discuss the various editions of 'Blade Runner' in our Forums area -- click the following links to visit our dedicated threads for the 'Blade Runner' Blu-ray releases or the 'Blade Runner' HD DVD releases.

The words "Ultimate Edition" are thrown around a lot with DVDs these days. But this one finally looks to live up to, and even exceed, the word "Ultimate".

Fans of Blade Runner have been in for a rough treatment over the years. For a time getting a genuine copy of Blade Runner on DVD was a rarity because there were so few in print. The movie was not the darling of the film world when it first come out, so being a fan of Blade Runner back then was like being in a small dedicated cult. Which is exactly the best way to describe Blade Runner, the biggest cult classic of all time.

We were also tempted with rumours of the famous "master copy", the copy of Blade Runner that had no alterations to it, nothing cut out and no voice overs added in. The want, no the NEED for this master copy was tremendous with us fans, not least of all because there has been so much said about which version is best, talks about how Ridley Scott was forced to do a screen freindly version, how Harrison Ford was forced to do a voice over at the last minute (which is he allegedly did half arsed in the hope that it would be unusable and wouldn't make the cut) and we were even given a "directors cut" which not even the director was happy with. But here it is in this ultimate collectors edition, all copies of the movie AND the master cut in HD DVD. It really doesn't get any better than this.

Well it does actually. You get all the extras that Blade Runner dvds had been missing all these years, you get it all in a Voight-Kampff style suitcase (Voight-Kampff being the famous android test from the films), you get the famous spinner toy car (the flying car that was even referenced in the Star Wars movies, look it up on imdb), you get a cheeky reference to the famous endings I was talking about with the unicorn figurine. You even get one of those movie frames that people keep putting on their book cases, you know like the star wars film frames some people have. It's all here and it's all coming soon, and it is all worth 70 measly bucks after a 25 year wait. For hardcore Blade Runner/sci fi fans I couldn't recommend this enough. For movie fans there is the same set on HD DVD, but you don't get the physical extras like the figurines or the suitcase, but it is half the price of the suitcase edition.

25 years in the making this collectors edition was, and it looks like we are finally being rewarded for our enthusiasm for this film. And what an outstanding reward it is =D

I'm not going to rate the movie itself. I have already done that months ago. The five stars that I am giving are for the sheer presentation and production value of this collector's set.

Since the director's cut in 1992, there has been a bone of contention among fans of the film, and that was; which version is better? The one with the voiceover or the one without?

It doesn't matter because you get to choose which version you want to watch, PLUS one version that no one has ever seen before (the Final Cut) and one version that has not been seen by most (the workprint). You also get the 1992 director's cut, the original 1982 US theatrical release, and the 1982 international release. Five, count 'em, FIVE versions of the film to please everyone's tastes. You want voiceover and a happy ending? You got it. You want no voiceover and a gloomy ending? You got it. You want Deckard's unicorn dream sequence or do you prefer a half-drunk Deckard plinking away on the piano and staring at old family photos? Either way, you got it. NOW, STOP COMPLAINING!!!!!!!!!!

There are also numerous documentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes from the past as well as some recorded for this new DVD edition. They are all VERY insightful and give you a whole new appreciation for what everyone went through to make Blade Runner a reality. How everyone managed NOT to kill one another during the film's production is beyond me. There are also a few really nice deleted scenes that give a bit more depth to the world that Ridley Scott had created.

With that out of the way, this masterpiece of sci-fi celluloid has finally been given a proper home video treatment after 25 years. Let's start with the case.

VERY nice. It's made of sturdy plastic, but painted to look like it's made of brushed aluminum. It resembles Deckard's Voight-Kampf case, but a slightly smaller version. The Blade Runner title logo and Harrison Ford's name is printed with raised lettering on the top cover.

When the case is opened, the first thing you seem to notice is the shiny origami unicorn replica (also made of plastic) and the spinner replica. Both are very detailed, not some cheap piece of junk that I was originally expecting. The "toys" are packed inside form-fitting foam (say THAT fast 3 times!) next to the DVD box which contains 5 discs. The DVD box itself is very nicely done with conceptual art and screen shots from the film on the inside covers. Each disc has different screenshots from the movie on them as well and are nicely presented.

On the inside top cover is a dossier-like folder containing conceptual art by Syd Mead on one side, and an actual screenshot of the corresponding artwork brought to life in the film itself on the other. There is also a "holographic motion art" mini-plaque that shows Deckard drawing his blaster just before entering his apartment to find a sleeping Rachael.

There is a clear piece of plastic that separates the top cover from the bottom, and a letter from Ridley Scott is printed on it telling you a little bit about what the set contains.

This product deserves 5 stars just for it's production value alone. A lot of thought, consideration, and love went into this limited edition DVD set. THIS is what Blade Runner fans (like me) have been waiting for for a LONG time!

If you are just a casual fan of Blade Runner, or if you've never seen it and would like to, there is a less-expensive version of this release out there that does not have the case or any of the "toys" or conceptual art. It is just a bare-bones case containing the same 5 discs you get with this limited edition set. There is also a version that has only the "Final Cut" and the "Dangerous Days" documentary dics that is even less expensive than that.

Again, there is something for everyone and something within everyone's price range to celebrate the 25th anniversary of such a landmark film.