Five good reasons to go see Blade Runner (again)

After more than a decade, Blade Runner is back. You know, that monumental sf classic in which Harrison Ford hunts down fake humans led by Rutger Hauer.

From 18 June, the digitally restored Blade Runner: The Final Cut in Dutch cinema. Created in 2007, this final edit of Ridley Scott's most important film has not been seen here before. A great opportunity to immerse yourself (once again) in that claustrophobic future jungle of Los Angeles anno 2019, as envisioned in 1982.

1. Blade Runner and Metropolis

If Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) (recently at the Holland Festival) is the mother of all science fiction films, Blade Runner is the homage that carries on the legacy. In particular, the magisterial design of Scott's fantasy of the future commanded widespread admiration. The designers themselves had been largely inspired by Fritz Lang's example. See, for instance, this photo series or better yet this obvious video essay.

2. Blade Runner and Los Angeles

The almost entirely night-photographed city itself, with its steaming streets and alleys, the restless beams of light, swirling vehicles, giant screens and ever-downpouring rain, feels like a groaning and groaning creature of life in a way never equalled. Also striking is that blending of American and Japanese culture. The expansion of Asia is an obvious idea that we don't often see fleshed out anyway.

3. Blade Runner and Rutger Hauer

Blade Runner was Rutger Hauer's American breakthrough. And how well he does it! He is perfectly cast as the leader of a group of rebellious androids, or replicants, fake humans doomed to work as labourers in the alien colonies. They are intelligent and ruthless, and unintentionally appear to develop emotions. That is why they are not allowed on Earth.

In Blade Runner, a few have landed anyway. They want to have a heart-to-heart with their creator. They want to live longer. Who doesn't?

Replicant hunter Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) has to take them out. It is not easy, as they are barely distinguishable from real people. About one of the characters in Blade Runner, even the filmmakers differed on whether it was human or a replicant.

4. Blade Runner and the unicorn

There are at least four different mounting versions of Blade Runner. After initially disappointing test screenings, an explanatory voiceover and a sort of happy ending were added to the first theatrical release. This was very much against the wishes of director Ridley Scott.

The now-showing Blade Runner: The Final Cut is the version that did come about in 2007 entirely according to Scott's wishes. Importantly, in it the famous unicorn dream has returned. Early in the film, Deckard has a vision of such a fabled beast trotting through a forest. As a result, the origami unicorn at the end finally gains meaning. I won't say more about it.

5. Blade Runner and Ex_Machina

It is almost unavoidable to start feeling sympathy for the replicants. Blade Runner is not only spectacular, but also philosophical. What is really any difference between these man-made androids with their implanted memories and real people?

Blade Runner thus points ahead to recent films like Ex_Machina and the moving Her. What makes us human? That is the question that connects these films.