Saturday, November 17, 2007

Blade Runner's 25th Anniversary


Blade Runner is a 1982 cyberpunk, neo-noir film directed by Ridley Scott, from a screenplay written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah and Joanna Cassidy.

The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically manufactured beings called replicants, visually indistinguishable from adult humans, are used for dangerous and degrading work in Earth's "off-world colonies". After replicants became illegal on Earth, specialist police units — called "blade runners" — were trained to hunt down and "retire" (kill) escaped replicants on Earth. The plot focuses on a brutal and cunning group of replicants hiding in Los Angeles and a semi-retired blade runner, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment.

This futuristic adventure initially polarized critics; some were displeased with the pacing, while others enjoyed its thematic complexity. The film performed poorly in North American theaters but achieved success overseas, mostly in Spain, where it was first released in August 1982. Despite poor early ticket sales, it has since become a cult classic. Blade Runner has been hailed for its production design, one said to depict a "retrofitted future". The film is credited with prefiguring important concerns of the 21st century, such as globalization and genetic engineering. It remains a leading example of the cyberpunk and neo-noir genres. Blade Runner brought author Philip K. Dick to the attention of Hollywood and a number of films have since been made from his writings. Ridley Scott regards Blade Runner as his "most complete and personal film". In 2007, the American Film Institute listed it as the 97th greatest movie of all time.

Warner Bros. announced in January 2006 the upcoming 25th anniversary release in 2007 of the long-awaited remastered definitive Final Cut by Scott, opening at the Avenida Cinema in Seville on November 16th. Showing only until Nov. 29th!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US AT THE AVENIDA CINEMA TO SEE IT IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION WITH SPANISH SUBTITLES? We will be going on WEDNESDAY 28, at 8.10pm and we will meet at 7.45pm outside the cinema. €4,50

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of the best films ever. Absolutely awesome.

Anonymous said...

I love this movie, and the novel is amazing.

Anonymous said...

argh, I hate William Gibson... ¬¬

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see it, but I wouldn't be able to join u if u go on Tuesday evening. On Wed I would be able to go, though.

Pachi

Anonymous said...

As I suppose you enjoyed the film yesterday, I'll send you an information about a collector's edition of this amazing film, in case you are into it.

http://www.zonadvd.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5181

Rosario