Bladerunner Ultimate Edition

The release on DVD of all five versions of Bladerunner is pretty exciting imo, I saw it 6 times on original release and for me it has yet to be matched as a true cinematic experience. If its not on your Xmas list already.....shame on you

Personally I find the Directors and final cut versions a bit sterile and manipulative, I like the ability to discuss and arrive at my own conclusions as to the future of the main characters at the end of the movie, and of their respective parentage. The original and the more violent International versions of this movie therefore are the true masterpieces imo...yes I know the voice over is creaky in places and I know the ending is curiously out of place but they build an enigma that actually enhances the movie as a whole and makes it work on so many different levels.

Films are the composite of so many professionals, each adds an element that makes up the whole, handing a movie back to a director after its settled into the movie consciousness seems to give one person too much sway and results in limiting the initial appeal. Although Bladerunner survives better than most, overall, like Star Wars, Close Encounters etc etc, I still wish everyone had left well alone.

I recently did a paper for a film class where I had to provide an example of exemplary cinematography. I remember reading that Ridley Scott said that Bladerunner was for him what Star Wars was for Lucas; a great movie, but somehow unfinished. If I remember right, he wasn't really happy with the wires and the obvious fakery of some of the shots, even though it lent some campiness to the film that he admits helped endear the movie to its fans. He also said that they originally set out to a dark movie, and felt that it really didn't get close enough. Scott's kind of strange that way.

I'll be buying this set, though not for Christmas. I'll wait until it goes on sale like the Matrix Ultimate Collection did, and I can pick it up for about half what it originally retails for ($55 US on Amazon.com). Although, that case does look extremely cool.

I'd love to have this, simply for collectors purposes. Its a great movie and broke alot of ground when it comes to Si-Fi.   Roy Batty is one one of my favorite villians of all time.

"If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes"

A pitch-black, shadowy dystopia.  A noir-ish, cynical lead, superlatively drawn, menacing 'villains', and an ambiguity centred around the humanity (literally) of the central character.

Despite all these things ticking the vast majority of my 'movie greatness' boxes, I've never 'got' Bladerunner.  It's one of those movies I watch ever-so-often because I'm convinced that something will click eventually, but it never does.  I will keep trying, however.  I'm definitely missing something.

Sidenote: Going on record to say I do prefer it without the unicorn decision-maker and narration.  I prefer to think for myself, thank you Mr Ridley.