Yes, readers, I was there -- my butt firmly planted in a theater seat -- all those years ago when Ridley Scott's Blade Runner enjoyed its first theatrical engagement ever.
Well, no: I wasn't at any major Hollywood premiere, if that's what you're thinking. Where I was was at my hometown theater in Nowhere, America. If I remember correctly, I was there with a few friends and an adult guardian who -- though he insisted on taking us to this R-rated flick -- wanted to witness the spectacle anyway. And -- if I'm fully remembering it correctly -- there was even one of us who'd actually read the Philip K Dick story (at the time) that the script was based on. (I would eventually read it a few years later.) The lights went down, and the screen lit up, leaving us to watch Harrison Ford assume one of his greatest iconic roles alongside Han Solo and Indiana Jones.
Once the credits rolled, we were a bit ... well ... flummoxed.
You see, Blade Runner isn't your typical Science Fiction on any level. It takes a bit of time for its story to truly sink in with those who've appreciated what the flick tries to say about life, the universe, and everything. We went in expecting something a bit different than what was delivered. While we weren't exactly disappointed with the production, I think it's safe to say that the story stuck with us for some time because -- over the next few weeks -- we found ourselves debating some of the smaller points here and there. Where we went wrong -- we were young, so you'll have to forgive us -- was that we kept comparing it to other SciFi juggernauts from a few years earlier. That's a very difficult prospect because -- frankly -- there really isn't anything quite like Blade Runner ... then or now.
(In case you're wondering ... no, I don't think any of us who read the Dick story were all that enamored with it, either, not seeing a whole lot of direct association to what Ridley Scott brought to life.)
To me, I've always thought that a project like Blade Runner functions culturally much like Citizen Kane (1941) did back in its day ... which is to say that it was almost entirely misunderstood. Folks went in expecting X, but Orson Welles had almost something else entirely on his mind. Those of us who've done some reading and research, we can tell you what's important about Kane; but it took years for the film to be as highly regarded as it is today. Blade Runner's time also came, but, yes, I think it took it's sweet, sweet time.
So ... Happy Anniversary, Blade Runner.
There's really nothing else quite like you in the cinematic universe.
-- EZ
Well, no: I wasn't at any major Hollywood premiere, if that's what you're thinking. Where I was was at my hometown theater in Nowhere, America. If I remember correctly, I was there with a few friends and an adult guardian who -- though he insisted on taking us to this R-rated flick -- wanted to witness the spectacle anyway. And -- if I'm fully remembering it correctly -- there was even one of us who'd actually read the Philip K Dick story (at the time) that the script was based on. (I would eventually read it a few years later.) The lights went down, and the screen lit up, leaving us to watch Harrison Ford assume one of his greatest iconic roles alongside Han Solo and Indiana Jones.
Once the credits rolled, we were a bit ... well ... flummoxed.
You see, Blade Runner isn't your typical Science Fiction on any level. It takes a bit of time for its story to truly sink in with those who've appreciated what the flick tries to say about life, the universe, and everything. We went in expecting something a bit different than what was delivered. While we weren't exactly disappointed with the production, I think it's safe to say that the story stuck with us for some time because -- over the next few weeks -- we found ourselves debating some of the smaller points here and there. Where we went wrong -- we were young, so you'll have to forgive us -- was that we kept comparing it to other SciFi juggernauts from a few years earlier. That's a very difficult prospect because -- frankly -- there really isn't anything quite like Blade Runner ... then or now.
(In case you're wondering ... no, I don't think any of us who read the Dick story were all that enamored with it, either, not seeing a whole lot of direct association to what Ridley Scott brought to life.)
To me, I've always thought that a project like Blade Runner functions culturally much like Citizen Kane (1941) did back in its day ... which is to say that it was almost entirely misunderstood. Folks went in expecting X, but Orson Welles had almost something else entirely on his mind. Those of us who've done some reading and research, we can tell you what's important about Kane; but it took years for the film to be as highly regarded as it is today. Blade Runner's time also came, but, yes, I think it took it's sweet, sweet time.
So ... Happy Anniversary, Blade Runner.
There's really nothing else quite like you in the cinematic universe.
-- EZ
RSS Feed