Come on in and have a seat. Just move that stuff out of the way. Want a drink? OK. Well, this is where I have some information on what is perhaps my favorite film, Blade Runner. Because there are already a large number of available sites dedicated to this great film, consider this just an appetizer to whet your palette.
Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, in the most underrated and overlooked performance of his carreer to date. An ex-Blade Runner(a kind of bounty hunter) forced out of retirement by his manipulative ex-boss, Deckard is beautifully portrayed by Ford in a role that does not necessarily garner our sympathy. He performs his duty of "retiring" replicants (androids) with seemingly little emotion. Even less than the replicants themselves. To "retire" a replicant means, quite simply, to kill a replicant.
The device on the table in front of Deckard in this photo is called the Voight-Kompf Machine. With this, someone can detect if a person is a replicant by viewing the capillary dilation in the eyes when asked a series of questions designed to invoke a specific response.
Replicants are androids that were built to work for humans or fight their wars. In time, they began to acquire emotions; so much like humans that it became difficult to tell them apart. With emotions, they began to feel oppressed. Many of them became dangerous and committed acts of extreme violence to be free. Fortunatly, Dr. Elden Tyrell, the creator of the Replicants, installed a built-in safety feature: a four-year life span.
Rick Deckard is a great noir character. Dry, down on his luck, enjoys a shot or two of "the drink", and even frequents seedy places; including his own apartment. Blade Runner is the first and still the best example of the combining of film-noir and science fiction.
Could Deckard have feelings for a replicant? Could a replicant actually have feelings? He wasn't sure about the second part but the first part seemed possible. And that may be all that's needed to save a man drowning in loneliness.
But...replicants can't have souls. Can they? Watch Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty and you'll have your answer. A performance of sheer beauty. Life never meant so much to anyone. Until Deckard meets him face to face.
A rather ironic quote now. I recently found out that Brion James has passed away. I didn't know him as well as I'd liked, as I had only worked with him once. He was a good man, never saw him speak down to anyone. He was also a real professional. I will miss this guy and his work. Below is the announcement as printed as it was sent to me.
ANNOUNCEMENT
DEATH OF ACTOR BRION JAMES
Obituaries
Brion James; Character Actor in Thrillers
By MYRNA OLIVER, Times Staff Writer
ADVERTISEMENT Brion James, a character actor who appeared in 103 motion pictures in such roles as Leon the murderous replicant in "Blade Runner" and studio executive Joel Levison in "The Player," has died. He was 54. Philippe Mora, who directed James in seven films, said the actor died Aug. 7 at UCLA Medical Center after suffering a heart attack in his Malibu home. Usually the heavy and occasionally the buddy, the strapping 6-foot, 3-inch James had key roles in such motion pictures as "Corvette Summer" with Mark Hamill and Annie Potts in 1978, "48 HRS" in 1982 and "Another 48 HRS" in 1990 as Nick Nolte's partner, and "Striking Distance" in 1993 and "The Fifth Element" in 1997. "This is the first sequel I've ever been in," James jokingly told The Times after "Another 48 HRS" opened in 1990, "because I rarely live through a film. I've been boiled in oil, I've had my head ripped off by a freeway overpass, I've been thrown off a cliff. . . . I've killed a lot of people too." James regarded his studio executive role in Robert Altman's "The Player" as a career turning point that opened up a larger variety of roles for him. Nevertheless, he remained in greatest demand for thrillers, which often went straight to video. In the classic science fiction film "Blade Runner," James was one of the four replicants pursued by former cop Harrison Ford, and challenged Ford with the memorable line: "Wake up . . . time to die!" Although films were his major metier, James also appeared on the small screen in a variety of television movies and in guest roles on such series as "The Waltons," "CHIPs," "Little House on the Prairie," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "The A-Team," "Matlock," "Miami Vice" and "Walker, Texas Ranger." Actor Corey Feldman praised James, despite his large and potentially menacing stature, as "the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful person" in off-camera life. He said James was a recovering drug abuser who helped others, including Feldman, end their drug habits. Born in Beaumont, Calif., James was the son of an educator who owned the local movie theater. He majored in theater at San Diego State College and then went to New York to study with Stella Adler. Mora, who directed James in such satires as "Pterodactyl Woman From Beverly Hills," said the actor could not afford to pay Adler, so he earned his lessons by working as her cook and butler. James appeared in several off-Broadway productions, including "Long Day's Journey Into Night," "Picnic," "West Side Story" and "Lady Windemere's Fan." He also worked in stand-up comedy at New York's Improv before returning to Los Angeles, where he received positive reviews for his stage work in "The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel." He made his motion picture debut in 1975 in the tough-guy film "Hard Times," starring Charles Bronson and James Coburn. The actor is survived by two brothers, Chester and Craig, both of Beaumont. Mora said a memorial service will be planned next month.
Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times. All Rights Reserved
Here are a few places to find some great information on this film:
All of my images here have been selected from the above locations. Off-World is the most complete, but I found most, if not all, of the sites to be rather informative and enjoyable. This is a great film and anyone that enjoys science-fiction and film noir should see it. Harrison Ford fans will probably be caught a little off-guard at first by his rather down-beat performance, but for this film, it works perfectly. Anyone who likes Rutger Hauer may agree that this is the most wonderful performance by him and of any so-called antagonist character.
As brilliant a film as this is, I implore you to read the book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. The film is based on it, albeit somewhat loosely. However, reading the book will obviously give you some insight into some of the philosophies expressed in the film. If you enjoy this book, read more of his work-he was a great writer.
A suggestion: prepare to watch this film. Get what you need to sit down and not be disturbed during the viewing. Really set the mood by turning down the lights and get into it.
As I said, this film is amazing. So, just watch and enjoy.
One of the most beautiful moments in film is near the end of Blade Runner.
In its' final minutes, Roy Batty says this: Tears in Rain
