Join the Doctor from Speakeasy and me as we watch one of the most influential film noir movies of all time. Thrill to the dark, rainy setting! Gasp at the rumpled trenchcoats! Stand in awe of the game of 20 questions! We dissect the film as sci-fi as well as film noir. We attempt to determine what “blades” are being “run”.
We compare the film to other sci-fi movies, other Ridley Scott movies, and other Philip K Dick stories. And we discuss the possibility of Deckard being a replicant—which he DEFINITELY IS NOT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE STUPID, RIDLEY SCOTT.
NEW: Intro music! By 42 Shades of Gray.
We’re watching the Region 2 (PAL) version, so you will need to pause the commentary from time to time to keep in sync if you are watching a US release. Start the commentary after the Ladd logo, on the countdown.
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Hi. I just wanted to say I started listening to your commentaries earlier this year and I enjoy them very much.
I would just like to mention some movies that I’d like to hear commentaries for:
Akira (1989) anime movie
A.I. (2001)
Apocalypse Now (any version)
Batman Begins
Being John Malkovich
Blade 1 and 2
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Dark Knight
Tarantino Movies
Terence Malick movies
District 9
Fight Club
The Frightners
The Godfather Trilogy
Heavy Metal
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (the movie)
Ridley Scott’s Legend
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Fritz Lang’s Metropolis
Minority Report
Pan’s Labyrinth
Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive/ Braindead
Predator 1 and 2
Raging Bull
Seven
Saving Private Ryan
More Kurosawa films (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Rashomon)
Stanley Kubrick movies
Spiderman 1 and 2
Taxi Driver
Tropic Thunder
True Romance
Chan Woo Park’s Revenge Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Lady Vengeance)
Tetsuo the Iron Man
Thanks.
Ali
Wow, that’s a great list! Some of those are definitely going on my “Possibles” list. Some I haven’t done because they actually kind of intimidate me, but I’ve gotten a bit more confident, so I’ll try to tackle a few.
Another great commentary combination of Tysto & the Doctor. It was interesting to hear info with regards to the book, especially regarding the relavance of the book title.
I agree with it being a flawed but excellent film. The first time I watched it I was amazed by the sets & special effects. You can really get into the world. Although for me there are some nagging issues. I don’t really like J.F. Sabastian and his ‘toys’, creepy.
When the Final Edit came out the picture quality (and extras) were amazing. They did a really good job.
This is a film where the world they created runs very deep in modern culture. The computer game ‘Syndicate’ in the ’90s was the one for me, which I loved and made me feel part of the Bladerunner world.
Here is a film link:- 1492: Conquest of Paradise. Vangelis did the soundtrack and Mr Scott also directed!
Thanks again,
Sean.
For most viewers who didn’t read Dick’s novel this commentary could be very interesting – Blade Runner wouldn’t be sci-fi masterpiece without the basics from that brilliant novel.
For me, Blade Runner is sort of ornament to SF culture, corner stone of dystopian films, beside Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange…
You missed a fundamental point, Just because the EARTH as a whole is depopulated does not mean that a major city like LOS ANGELES is depopulated. Come on! It made perfect sense to me, anyways…
Well, JF Sebastian seems to have a whole building to himself. But it doesn’t take all that many people to make a crowd, so it’s no big deal, but it seems weird to make a point of saying that there aren’t many people left and then show streets and clubs crowded with people.