Blade Runner Group 2

Veronica Hall, Angela Farley, Annabeth Eickemeyer

Blade Runner Original

(Movieclips Classic Trailers)

Scott, Ridley, director. Blade Runner. Warner Bro’s., 1982.

 Performances by Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Joanna Cassidy. The running time is 1 hour 57 minutes.

The film takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles in which Detective Deckard, a Blade Runner, has to hunt and kill four robots, called replicants, created by the Tyrell Corporation. These replicants have illegally returned to Earth from their off-colony enslavement to extend their lifespan. To test if they are replicants or humans, Deckard uses a retina scanner and asks questions designed to invoke an emotional response, since replicants aren’t supposed to have developed emotions.
Roy, the lead rogue replicant, manages to find one of the replicant designers, JF Sebastian, who takes him to Tyrell himself. Once Roy finds Tyrell, he kills him. Meanwhile, Deckard retires three of the replicants, including Pris, Roy's girlfriend, while falling in love with Rachael, a more advanced replicant who was introduced to him by Tyrell.
At the end, with only Roy left. Roy and Deckard have a stand off, but Roy reaches his four year lifespan before he can kill Deckard. The film closes with Deckard running away with Rachael. 

In Blade Runner, many interesting cinematic techniques and theatrical elements are used to intensify the action, reveal more emotion from the characters and help the viewer better understand the intricate details behind the film director's vision. In the next section, we highlight some notable cinematic techniques and theatrical elements that particularly caught our eye.

Editing

When Deckard is examining the photograph of the living room with a replicant in it, the editing is quite simple. The way the shots are put together, it’s the classic Hollywood style that they would use to switch between two characters when there is dialogue. When there is an action appearing, you see it happening as the person who would be observing the action. So in this scene, it consistently cuts between seeing Deckard looking at the image and at the TV screen where the image is being enhanced and moved around. This effect lets the audience really immerse itself in the examination as Deckard while still getting a feeling of what he is thinking.

In the chase scene where Deckard is retiring Zhora, editing was a lot faster. It cuts between all the different actions that were going on: Zhora running away, her expression, the obstacles she had to face, all the people around, Deckard chasing her, the way he looked at her, his gun, where he was aiming, etc. In a fast-paced scene, you need fast-paced editing. It’s only when Deckard actually comes close to and then hits Zhora did the editors decide to slow the whole thing down. Both in cuts and time. They put her retirement scene in slow motion to add to the dramatic effect.

Sound

The non-diegetic sound, aka, soundtrack of this film was composed by Vangelis. The sound is very synth-based which immerses the viewer more deeply into the atmosphere of the world that Scott is creating. It is exactly how you would imagine a sci-fi film set in the future would sound like: very dream- and space-like, futuristic and mysterious at the same time.

As for the diegetic sound, especially in scenes where there are a lot of people, the foley and sound effects were done beautifully. For example in the scene where Deckard is getting his noodles there is so much sound that can be broken down: the rain, people moving about, their footsteps, their voices, any electronic sounds that come from machines, the sound of nearby instruments being played, traffic, announcements on the loudspeakers, food frying and boiling, children playing, people eating, his chopsticks and plates being put down… the list can go on forever. The point of that is to make sure that every detail has its own sound which enables the viewers to experience the scene through multiple senses, not just the visual, and to make the film feel as believable as possible.

Sets

The first important set in the film is the futuristic Los Angeles city which contains many technologically advanced features such as blimps, giant screens and flying cars. However, at the same time, the city is very chaotic, dirty and not well-kept with garbage flying around everywhere. The futuristic aspect of the city demonstrates the importance of technology in society. Furthermore, the uncleanliness also demonstrates the importance of technology since society prioritizes building replicants and flying cars over keeping the city well-kept. The chaos of the city is also prominent to the viewers understanding of how hard it would be to find the replicants rather than if this film was shot in a smaller town.

Another important set is Tyrells penthouse. Located at the very top of the building, Tyrell’s apartment is white and very fancy with silk curtains and a large bed. The decoration and location of his penthouse shows his position in the social hierarchy. Not only is Tyrell at the top of his building but he is also at the top of society’s hierarchy. With such a large emphasis on robots and artificial intelligence, Tyrell occupies an important part in society which can be seen through his luxurious lifestyle compared to others who live in dark abandoned buildings.

Framing

A close-up framing is used when Deckard is observing a picture he discovered from Leon’s room through a television that can zoom in on objects. This picture identifies one of the replicants, Zhora, and is vital to learning where Zhora is hiding. By shooting this scene in a close-up frame, the viewer is able to understand the concentration in Deckard's face and the importance behind the clues given in the photo since we see Deckard's face appearing stressed and tense.

A long shot framing is seen towards the end of the film when Deckard is being chased by Roy through JF Sebastian’s building. When Deckard goes up onto the rooftop and Roy follows him up there, he must find a way to escape. Therefore, he runs to the edge of the rooftop and jumps to the building across. This is shown through a long shot in order to show how far Deckard had to jump and how risky of a move it was. This also shows that Deckard is a talented blade runner and he knew that it was worth it to risk his life to make the jump.

Characters

One central character in Blade Runner is Decker who is an ex-blade runner forced to resume his duties after retirement. His character is very distant and cold at the beginning of the film. An example is when he tells Rachel that all her memories are implanted by Tyrell Corporation which shocks her and makes her sad. Decker clearly wasn’t thinking about the effects this could have on Rachel. However, as the film progresses, and we see Decker and Rachel’s relationship develop we also see Decker become more aware of his emotions. For example, after Rachel shoots Leon and is talking with Decker, he reveals how he shakes too after killing someone, even if they’re not human but replicants. Therefore, at the end, Decker is still not a bubbly or emotive character, but he becomes more open and sensitive compared to the cold blade runner he resembles at the beginning.

A second important character in the film is Rachel played by Sean Young. At the beginning of the film, Rachel is clueless to the fact that she is a replicant and when she first finds out she’s scared a blade runner will chase her. Rachel is a replicant but acts very much like a human and has emotions as well. When Rachel first learns her memories about her family are implanted in her mind, she is very sad and wants to be alone. Therefore, Rachel is a sensitive character who reacts like most humans do. As the movie advances, I’d say Rachel becomes less fearless as she runs away from Tyrell corporation and shoots Leon. Finally, in the end she runs away with Deckard. Therefore, throughout the film, Rachel is rediscovering herself and finding her new identity.

Universal Themes, Issues or Questions Raised by the Film

An issue explored in this film is the consequences of creating such lifelike robots to function simultaneously with humans in society. When the robots become too lifelike, people get the feeling of being in the uncanny valley. In this movie, it is clear that the robots are so lifelike that it necessitates a test to determine whether they are replicants or not. This is seen twice in the film when Deckard performs a test on Leon and Rachel. Therefore, this raises the issue of humans and robots being able to coexist and humans can accept not necessarily knowing if they are talking to a person or a replicant.

A question raised in this film is whether the creation of such lifelike robots can potentially cause more harm than peace. Western culture has a tendency to fear technological advancement in robots, which in turn creates the fear of robots rebelling against humans. Unlike the eastern culture, which perceives the integration of robots in society as a positive thing, westerners tend to be reluctant to such changes. Tensions between robots and humans of western culture could lead to violence. For example, in the film, blade runners are being paid solely to hunt and kill the replicants. 

One theme in the Blade Runner Original is the inevitability of death and avoidance of death. This theme is seen through the replicants who have a lifespan of four years and illegally return to earth to find their creator in order to try and earn more time. However, this pre-set lifespan cannot change and the replicants must accept their fate that they will die when their four year lifespan is attained. This is a prominent theme in the Blade Runner since the whole film is centered around the return of the replicants on Earth. Although we, westerners watching this movie, may see the replicants as the “bad guys”, they are only causing this violence to desperately try and save their own lives. Even though the replicants are sentient beings and possess a self-aware self, they are sentenced to die. This fate reinforces that the replicants are not considered persons legally or socially.

Word Count: 1456

Average Rating:★★★✰☆ (3.5/5)

Why we gave it 3.5/5 stars

Overall, Blade Runner is a good film, just not one of our favorites. On one hand, it’s definitely not from a genre any one of us would have chosen ourselves and it was very slow paced. On the other hand, when we look at it from a critical point of view and put our own feelings aside, we agreed that Blade Runner was very well shot and had beautiful scenes with deep intricate characters and a lot of foreshadowing and symbols. The writers and director really thought of every last detail when it came to putting the whole thing together. 

The idea that replicants could be so lifelike is hard to imagine since in the movie the replicants are played by humans. However, in the future this goal could actually be accomplished which shows the high potential of technology. The actors did a great job portraying their characters and it was clear who the antagonists and protagonists were. For example, Deckard played by Harrison Ford did an amazing job of showing his cold unemotional side as a ruthless blade runner and then opening up during scenes when he was with Rachel. The character of Rachel played by Sean Young was also very well written. Her character’s development through the film as well as her costumes and the meaning behind her character were unmistakably well done. 

One part we feel lacked in this movie were the unrealistic fighting scenes. An example is when Zhora, played by Joanna Cassidy, slaps Deckard across the face several times and the sound of the slap is not coordinated with Deckard turning his head. Another is the fact that it was very slow and drawn out without much of an “entertainment factor”. While there was a good balance between close-ups and long shots, the shots themselves were often left on for longer than necessary. For example, in the beginning scene, an overhead shot of the city is shown for nearly a whole minute which isn’t required for the audience to get acquainted with the vibe of the film. However, the close-ups did emphasize important parts. For example, a close up of Rachel after she looked at the pictures on the piano was used to show the audience her reaction and how she was feeling. 

It’s when art - including movies - were made to have a meaning that they lose their focus. Because the creator is not necessarily making something that they want to make, they’re thinking too much about “what makes a good movie” and thus forget about the story and what the audience actually wants. If you have a high tolerance for films that are more in the art cinema path and you like sci-fi or old classic films, then Blade Runner would be a good choice. However, since it’s not outwardly “good”, be wary of length and what you’re actually looking for. It is a movie made for you to read between the lines, not for a straightforward and obvious plot and storyline like Hollywood films usually do.

Connection to course material

The first course concept explored in Blade Runner is epistemology. Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It explores questions such as what is the truth?, can we ever know everything? And when are we justified in saying that we know something? (McKinney, 21) All these questions arise in the film through the inability to know who is and who is not a replicant due to the uncanny resemblance of replicants and humans. After Deckard reveals to Rachel that she is a replicant she asks him if he ever took the test himself. This makes Deckard realize that the technology of Tyrell corporation is so advanced that for all he knows he could be a replicant. Equally, anyone around him such as the head of police or Tyrell could also be replicants. Furthermore, the test Deckard performs on Rachel at the beginning of the movie tells him if she’s a replicant, but how is Deckard supposed to be 100% certain that this test detects every single replicant? Therefore, in this film epistemology is relevant since with advanced technology and the replicants, characters are not fully aware of the truth.

Another concept seen in class and in this movie is the self-aware self. The self-aware self is defined as a self that can represent itself . It is the subject of experience and the object of its experience. It can reflect, introspect and knows it exists (McKinney, 7). I would argue that the replicants have a self-aware self even though they do not qualify for one characteristic which is having neural capacity. Rachel shows that she has many feelings throughout the film, which qualifies her to be able to reflect and introspect. An example is how she feels guilty after shooting Leon or how she is saddened to learn that she is not human. Other replicants also have feelings as we see through Priss and Roy who are in love. Also, when Priss is talking to JF Sebastian she directly says: “I think Sebastian, therefore I am”. This implies she is the object of her experience. Finally, an example showing that the thinker and thoughts go together is the whole goal of the replicants returning to Earth. They are aware that their lives will expire so they come back on a mission to extend their lives. Therefore, the thinker and the thoughts go together. 

Cognition a term referring to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension. These processes include thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving. These are higher-level functions of the brain and encompass language, imagination, perception, and planning (McKinney, Kelly). The replicants are cognitive beings because they have the ability to think and recall things. In the scene where Rachel is telling Deckard all the things she remembers about her past, they may not be her memories but they the memories she was given and she is able to recall that they happened. An example of a situation where one of the replicants was thinking/problem solving was when Roy was helping Sebastian play chess against Tyrell. He has to look at the chessboard and think what the moves had to be in order to win the game. This touches upon the problem solving because he had to figure out Sebastian's best moves in order to win. It also involved thinking because he thought of this intricate plan: he must win the chess game so Tyrell would invite Sebastian to go upstairs and talk to him. Roy had a strong motive to find Tyrell and his plan was successful. 

Weblinks

In the article “Being Human, How Realistic Do We Want Robots To Be”, the issue of creating such lifelike robots and developing them to have emotions is brought up. MacDonald believes that humans tend to fear robots becoming too advanced since humans attribute emotions uniquely to ourselves and not to machines (MacDonald, Keza). Therefore, seeing robots feel with emotion is unsettling since if this progression continues, eventually humans will not be able to tell themselves and robots a part. In Blade Runner, even though replicants aren’t supposed to have an emotional response, they clearly do as seen through Rachel’s feelings towards Deckard, Roy and Priss’ relationship and finally Zhora and Leon’s relationship. Another issue brought up in this article is that, currently, robots are becoming more and more human-like. In blade runner, we see that all the replicants are so human-like that distinguishing a replicant from a human is nearly impossible without Deckard’s retina scanner. This point also ties into the fear humans have regarding the possible take over of the robots. This article mentions how the Japanese are more welcoming to the idea of robot integration in society while western society tends to be more reluctant (MacDonald, Keza). In Blade Runner, the humans have the same fear since they banished replicants and have a job dedicated solely to hunting and retiring replicants.

In the article “Death and Dying (SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal & Clinical...)", the subject on the inevitability of death is touched upon. They discuss the two options when facing this fate: Living life in constant fear of death or Living life as positively as possible to enhance our experiences on Earth. This relates to Blade Runner because the replicants are in fear of dying instead of just existing in their present life and appreciating it. This results in them becoming violent to try and get what they want. In the article it mentions how denial can lead to violence and war with the self or others.

Questions raised by this film:

1. Should artificial intelligence be a main priority in today's society, especially in the face of the climate emergency and potential collapse of human society?
2. Do you believe that it is wrong to look at robots as “enemies”? Should they be granted rights and treated as persons legally or socially?
3. Do you think Deckard raped Rachel during the scene in his apartment?

Bibliography

“Blade Runner.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 15 September 1982, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/.

Golden John. “Introducing Cinematic and Theatrical Elements in Film”. Knowing the Inner Self, edited by Kelly McKinney John Abbott College, pp. 9-17. Course Pack.

MacDonald, Keza. "Being Human: How Realistic Do We Want Robots to Be?" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 27 June 2018.

McKinney Kelly. “Study Guide on Consciousness”. Knowing the Inner Self, edited by Kelly McKinney John Abbott College, pp. 3-7 and 19-30. Course Pack.

McKinney, Kelly. “Non-human Animal Study Guide.” Humanities: Knowing Inner Self, John Abbott College, October 17th, 2019. Class Handout.

Scott, Ridley, director. Blade Runner. Warner Bro’s., 1982.

Wong, Paul. "Death and Dying (SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal & Clinical...)." Dr. Paul Wong. N.p., 23 Aug. 2019. Web. 14 Nov. 2019.

Movieclips Classic Trailers. “Blade Runner (1982) Official Trailer - Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford Movie.” Youtube, 27 January 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eogpIG53Cis