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Warner Bros.
"Blade Runner's" Deckard (Harrison Ford), hunting for six replicants in a city of 106 million.
Come in out of the acid rain, I've got troubling news.
Ridley Scott is planning to return to the futuristic world of "Blade Runner," his iconic 1982 film, which for me set the bar for what all films dealing with the future should look like. Yes, living in this world, today, I fully anticipate a future world that will be bleak, dark and rainy -- and possibly inhabited by fake humans (no comment.)
I just came across "Blade Runner" (not the director's cut) the other night on cable and found it still meets the requirement to be considered a favorite film: no matter how many times you've seen it, or how far along it is, you'll sit and watch what's left -- even with commercials and even with a DVD copy 6 feet away.
We see plenty of stories out of Hollywood these days about plans to remake or reimagine classic films. Just last week, readers were fired up about news of a new "Dirty Dancing" film and who could possibly replace Patrick Swayze. "Hollywood has no original ideas!" you always shout, across the Internet. And "Dirty Dancing" didn't even have Harrison Ford!
This "Blade Runner" project is described as a "follow up" to the first film and The Hollywood Reporter says, "filmmakers have not yet disclosed whether it will function as a prequel or a sequel to the original." That doesn't appease some diehard skeptics. "I'll only watch it if it's in 3-D, and they get Shia LaBeouf," one sarcastic commenter said on a co-worker's Facebook post about the plans.
I can't imagine plans for any remake these days that wouldn't be met with some level of disdain by the 3-D-weary public. Maybe I'm just depressed by the fact that a film I loved so much in my youth is already ripe for revisiting. The future ... it came so fast.
And all those moments will be lost in time, like ... tears ... in rain.
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Yeah, caught the last strains of music and fraction of a scene as that ended the other night, and even that was enough to bring back that rush of something that Blade Runner always sends through me. You can't deny the haunting soundtrack from Vangelis is a crucial part of the mystique of that film, along with the workaday dreary depth of the setting and the philosophical ramifications. Still an all-time favorite. I admit I'd be skeptical of another film, but as long as they don't try to reproduce it I'd at least be open to the possibility. But then, maybe the questions the original leaves unanswered, are truly best left unanswered....
The author keeps spouting the word "remake". This isnt going to be a remake of the original. As the producers have already indicated, they havent decided if the story will be prequel, sequel, or just in the same fictional universe. If you're worries about spoiling what's already there with a lesser second volume, that's natural, considering how bad some other recent ones have been. I think we'll get a good idea if the movie is in the right hands when we see how Ridley Scott is handling Prometheus, the upcoming film based in his "Alien" universe. If he pulls that off beautifully, then I think we can expect another masterpiece from Scott, who I consider one of the 3 best directors ever.
Also the producers' rights to the franchise specifically prohibit them from making a remake of the original, so it'll be original. I think I might be concerned if this was in anyone else's hands other than a Scott or James Cameron.
In and of itself, the idea of a remake should have a termination date! This simply sickens me to no end. :(
I hope Ridley shows the relationship between Deckard and his wife, the "pets", and the replicant that he falls in love with.
Yes, it was a good movie. But I'd love to see a remake that remains more true to the original book (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep). So much of what was great about the book was left out of the movie and I didn't care for the heavy-handed "Christ" imagery at the end. And Pris was completely lost in the movie. Though I like "Bladerunner", a lot even, I think more could have been done with it and I, for one, would like to see what Ridley Scott can come up with here...
Stephen,
totally agree that the music Vangelis did was amazing for the movie.
If they do a sequel, I'm hoping they can keep the same cyber-punk theme in the new one.
I'm glad it won't be a remake!!!
I hope he gets this right, I have grown up with this film, have every version on DVD, VHS, Blue Ray, the sound track. I have watched it so many times, I can quote it, I would be fascinated to see what RS does with it, on one hand I don't want him to touch it, on the other I am fascinated by where he will go with it. I'm thinking it wont be Harrison Ford, nervous, excited, yeah ok, do it Ridley! Sequel or prequel, just don't do a Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace PLEASE!
I just dialed a 517 for anticipating disappointment.
I'm with you; Blade Runner has always been one of my top ten favorites. Leave it alone. It is perfect the way it is. Why doesn't this generation come up with its own ideas? Why is everything a remake? And never as good as the original. Blade Runner is a classic...don't do it.
Exactly. You cannot remake a classic. Bladerunner is an iconic film and any attempt to do a prequel, sequel or re-image of the film will be a desecration of the original in my opinion.
Films you cannot/should not remake.
The Wizard of Oz
Gone with the Wind
Star Wars
To Kill a Mockingbird
Casablanca
The Shootist
Stage Coach (the John Wayne verion)
High Noon (Gary Cooper version)
Beau Geste (Gary Cooper version)
Alien and it's sequel Aliens
The Producers, Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles.
This list could go on and on.
Keep you hands off the classics.
As much as I agree with you, I do think time will come that the world will be ready for certain remakes. Wizard of Oz and Star Wars are too iconic to be left alone for the rest of the time man kind is on this planet. Maybe it won't be in our life times but I think it's inevitable these movies will be remade in someway somehow sometime.
Some of these characters are our modern day legends and mythical characters. To tell future generations to never retell the stories in their own way would be wrong.
That said, I'd be up for a series of Oz movies based faitfully on the original books and done in a new and unique style that sets itself apart from the original movie.
I came across a movie magazine from the early 80's and I forget the movie they were wanting to remake but the writer of the article was lamenting even then that Hollywood was out of original ideas even then.
I am confident there are plenty of original ideas left. I've seen plenty of movies in the past years since Blade Runner came out that were fantastic, original and unique all unto themselves. But, for whatever reason, it seems Hollywood wants a certain number of remakes/sequels each year. It's never going to end, either.
I can only visualize a deep dark pre-quel with 'Decker' (Ford) as a young idealistic blade runner learning secrets of the Tyrell Corp and the offworld colony as a total scam, thus making him a bitter old cop. There, prequel's done. Film it.
Remakes are the worst... However...
A prequel...? I might like that... It'd be interesting to see Roy, Leon, Zhora, and Pris off-world, working as automatons when they slowly start to discover their humanity, and the shocking realization that their lives were vastly shorter than their creators from the Tyrell Corporation. Wouldn't it be fascinating to watch their awareness grow, as they start to buck the system, plan their escape, and eventually hijack an off-world ship back to Earth. The prequel can end when they crash land back on Earth, become scattered in the original, gloomy Los Angeles. The prequel can end when Leon, after securing a job with the Tyrell Corporation is asked to come up to the main office for a "quick test".
I'd pay to watch that. As far as a sequel goes... What more can be said after Roy so eloquently said, "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe: Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion; I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die."
Excellent comment. And I have to agree that a prequel would be the best option. I don't want to know, really, what happened to Deckard beyond the original.
The only problem with a prequel with Roy, Leon, Zhora, and Pris is Roy.
Rutger Hauer, and the part he played in the original Blade Runner was just too perfect. His performance in this film was the perfect convergence of his acting abilities, his look, and the emotions he conveyed with this character he was playing. Roy, in Blade Runner, was psychotic, but also caring. Intelligent, menacing, and yet always had a slight smirk as if he found the whole situation he was in as some sort of farcical, tragic comedy (why wouldn't he? He just achieved enough consciousness to realize that he was built to break in only 4 years).
Any prequel would have to be carefully cast in order to find an actor capable of developing the early Roy character as the prequel unfolds to explain how Roy achieve this set of complex emotions when the original Blade Runner came to an end.
To Anjisan63,
Well said, perhaps somehow along the way roy could have discovered a dark secret about the off world colonies, something along the lines of "soylent green"
Blade Runner is my all time favorite movie, to me it embodies what I love about sci-fi - the Dystopian future.
I wouldn't be opposed to a prequel or a sequel - a sequel for me would have to have Harrison Ford in it though.
I first saw "Blade Runner" on a b&W TV, no color at all, and it was marvelous! Try it that way. Also read the original Phillip K Dick novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, that the film comes from. If the next movie is a prequel, who plays Harrison Ford? A sequel, can Harrison Ford still play Harrison Ford?
Read the book only saw the movie on TV Would love if they remastered directors cut for IMAX, would blow peoples minds. James Cameron who? One of the greatest SciFi movies ever made.
I think Nathon Fillion should play a young Harrison Ford. And I think he should have been the son in Indiana Jones 4. He looks more the part than Shy LeBuff or however you spell his name.
This movie has always gained my attention. If I see it while surfing the channels, I will stop to watch it everytime (Just like when it was on cable the other night, just like Kurt).
This movie will gain my attention every time. I was surfing the channels the other night and saw that it was on and caught the beginning (unfortunately my old video of the movie was in beta :( ). Like you Kurt, I was drawn to the movie like a magnet...awesome movie!!
B.R. fans should check out "On The Edge Of Blade Runner" if they haven't already. The turmoil behind the scenes makes as fascinating of a story as the original movie. They say Harrison Ford to this day will not make comments about the movie.
I hope it's either a prequel or sequel involving a character other than Decker. That would be the best way to dodge the scrutiny of the purists. Hey nobody wants their memories screwed with. Now I sound like a replicant!
Blade Runner is one of my top three movies of all time. It can't be tarnished no matter how bad a sequel may be. I would like to see a sequel. I am interested in seeing where the story of replicants goes from there. Oh yeah, if you guys didn't already know, Deckard is a replicant. Remember folks not all sequels have to bad things - think Star Trek Wrath of Khan, think Battlestar Galatica (new version).
Blade Runner may be a perfect movie in many skin jobs minds, but the evolution of this film is that it has been tinkered with on two very major occasions and multiple minor ones over the years....depending on the print that is your favorite.... enjoy.
However, if Scott is in fact back in a creative groove, I say let him have at the BR universe and create some NEW material. Another poster mentioned Prometheus (sp?); it would appear Ridley has reached deep and may be in an artistic mood that could prove to be a boon to movie fans. Let's hope he can redeem himself from the mess that was the Robin Hood film...yikes that was a let down....
Philip K Dick never wrote a prequel, never wrote a sequel, all this is the opportunity to cash in on a masterpiece. Blade Runner can only be diminished by a second film, do we need a sequel to the goddman Mona Lisa? Please Ridley san NO, let some upstart retard with a movie contract embarrass himself without a nod of approval. Blade Runner is my favorite movie, and if I thought that one good thing could come of this I would be excited, but I can't think of anything that could be improved upon. Isn't there any new material out there? Hey HOLLYWOOD!! Check out Richard K Morgan! Awesome and plenty of visual material and no one has even touched it yet!!!
It is not a remake it is a sequel or prequel. I would rather see a sequel where artificial humans are enslaving humanity across the worlds that rutger was talking about. I look forward to a sequel or even a prequel. I don't think they could remake Blade Runner. It is a stand alone classic that doesn't need to be remade. When they do a remake they rarely get it right. I enjoyed rise of the planet of the apes but planet of the apes with mark wahlberg was a typical hollywood remake flop. Everyone raves about the star trek remake but I think they betrayed their LOYAL fans to appeal to preteens. I was looking forward to the three musketeers until I saw the previews with flying frigates having a cannon broadsides battle in the sky. That's when I said frig it, all right, another preteen movie. Conan looks good but that is not really a remake since the first conan with arnold was only loosely based on the world created by robert e howard. Anyway, I look forward to another blade runner movie because it is not a remake. I cringe whenever I see hollywood talking about other remakes. They remake classics to appeal to preteens so they can have a new fan base and basically say to hell with any original fans.
Philip K Dick never wrote a prequel, never wrote a sequel, all this is the opportunity to cash in on a masterpiece. Blade Runner can only be diminished by a second film, do we need a sequel to the goddamn Mona Lisa? Please Ridley say NO, let some upstart retard with a movie contract embarrass himself without a nod of approval. Blade Runner is my favorite movie, and if I thought that one good thing could come of this I would be excited, but I can't think of anything that could be improved upon. Isn't there any new material out there? Hey HOLLYWOOD!! Check out Richard K Morgan! Awesome and plenty of visual material and no one has even touched it yet!!!
She's not really babelicious, more of a smirk than a smile, and she's fully clothed. So I say YES!! SEQUELS ROCK!!
On a slightly more serious note, I'm in the prequel camp. And if it were anyone other than Ridley Scott, the movie would be doomed before casting was completed...with Scott, at least it has potential.
The original "Blade Runner" was and shall always remain the best! That includes being better than the 'Directors Cut'. It is so much more than just a visual and audio experience. It connects on so many levels it is hard to explain. I have every version of "Blade Runner" ever released and nothing compares to the original; they can only mimic it. It is akin to the 'holy grail' of futuristic movies. Leave it alone!
In all honesty, I'm quite surprised Ridley Scott is even considering it. Please leave well enough alone! Go find a new play toy!
Loved the book and love the movie but the movie was nothing like the book. So a remake that is more like the book might be good, but I doubt it.
I love the original, but remakes should always be made. if the Greeks hadn't made so many kraters (vases) we might not know how they felt about Hercules or any others from their mythology. so make the remakes, and remake them again and again. if we don't like them, we don't have to watch them....we can just watch the ones we think are good. i do hope Scott gets Vangelis to do the music to the new Blade Runner.
Ridley Scott can do with his films what he wants. I certainly believe that the genius behind the original, Alien, Gladiator, etc. can decide to make four or five sequels he wants. Fanboys and fangirls should realize that Blade Runner is not YOUR movie. If Ridley Scott wants to make a pornographic paradoy of Blade Runner, he should be allowed to. Until fans actually contribute to the process of making a film, why don't they just shut up? Sir Ridley owes you nothing.
Contribute? They pay for it dude. And since "Sir Ridley" has not quite lived up to his early work, "Sir Ridley" should leave well enough alone.
There's still no creative contribution to a film by a film goer. Just like a book --- you either read it or you don't. You either like it or you don't. But Ridley Scott doesn't owe fans of Blade Runner anything. Ever heard of the maxim "Those who can, do. Those who can't, criticize."
Can you say, Chinatown II?
These remakes and seq/pre-quels for movies where none were intended just shows how greedy Hollywood has become for easy money. They are willing to sell out their own legacy to make more cash today. Since the idea is proven, its an easy pitch that the producers, writers, and directors can phone in. People will buy tickets out of morbid curiosity even if the critics bomb it, everyone loves a freak show. Oh and if the critics don't bomb it than its a, "cha ching" franchise.
Sadly while the greedy Hollywood has-been's take a second third and forth bite of the apple somewhere in middle America a new generation of excellent writers and directors with original ideas go ignored.
Now if you will excuse me I need to go pitch Casablanca as a modern love story between robots in New York city.
One of the great films of all time and by far the greatest sci-fi. It should stand alone. No prequels, sequels or fakeuels.
Despite our disagreement earlier, I certainly agree with you on this. Blade Runner is most definitely one of the best movies ever made, science fiction or other. I also agree that it should stand alone, but that's not gonna happen.
I am a fan of both the the Philip K Dick original idea - and the actual interpretation that the Blade Runner script took - probably one of the greatest interpretations of a sci-fi book ever!
I do have good/bad news for those out there - there are already a set of sequels written, and I have been very impressed with the K.W.Jeter Blade Runner novels, and would particularly like to see Replicant Night made - or something like it, as it would probably allow Harrison Ford to star again, given the story line.
Harrison Ford won't be in any Blade Runner project. But Air Force One Two? Yeah, he'd be up for that!
I'm all for more stories about fictional worlds so revisiting the world of Blade Runner makes great sense if the script is worth the journey. I just saw the new Planet of the Apes movie and I thought it was fantastic filmmaking and a great story. They didn't try to tell the same story but an alternate one which actually makes more sense than the original "origins story". As oppose to Tim Burton's take which for all his talk about "reimagining" was in fact a remake and a terrible one at that and made no sense what so ever, even within the that fictional universe. The ending to that still baffles me. As long as this new film is a complement to the earlier one and the story explores new philosophical questions, then I'm in. You must realize that science fiction and historical films both reflect the societies of the times they were made. A lot of things have changed since the 1980s and are worth exploring within this universe.
I can't wait for Hollywood to remake THE GODFATHER because you know that's next.
Funny you should mention that. Godfather 1 & 2 are the holy grail of great cinema. However, #3 sleeps with the fishes!
I screened Blade Runner in a theater built in the 1930's. The plaster falling off the walls and faded art deco decor of this main street movie house only added to the surreal images crashing on me. Reality and fiction were meshing together and my teenage mind was beginning to wonder if the world outside this theater would somehow be different when the credits rolled and we walked outside. Would it be raining? I only wish I could have appreciated more the accomplishment of this cast and crew. I was still in Star Wars mode. A remake won't be viewed by me.