Some questions on Blade Runner to replace those in the Critical Reader for Weeks 6-7!!
1. How has Blade Runner been received critically since its 1982 release?
2. How many versions of the film are there, when, and what are the differences?
3. Blade Runner is a highly complex movie has been described as a 'palimpsest' of clues and layers that rewards repeated viewing.
In particular, it is full of visual and written clues and references (often ironic) that help us in 'reading' it, but they are easy to miss. Here are some references that you can Google. Follow the clues:
- Zhora (snake dancing replicant) and Leon are staying a hotel called the Yukon at 1187 Hunterwasser St. What significance does the name Yukon have? (clue: frontier. colony). What is the significance of the name Hundertwasser? (clue: architecture, irony, dystopia)
- When Deckard goes to the Snake Pit nightclub in Chintown, Zhora (unseen) performs a dance called 'Miss Salome and the Snake.' What does this reference? (clue: Bible, John the Baptist).
- Not long after Roy arrives at Sebastian's apartment (after he kisses Priss and before he plays chess), he toys with the broken-half of a Barbie doll. In what way might this be allegorical?
- In the climactic scene in which Roy (uncomfortably for many viewers) kisses his 'father', Tyrell, what does the kiss represent? (clue: New Testament, Judas)
- Sebastian's apartment is located in the Bradbury building. How is this significant (clue: SF author Something Wicked this Way Comes).
- Much of the film is set in 21st century LA's Chinatown. How is this iconic? (clue: film noir, Polanski, femme fatale).
4. What did you think of the film? Does following these kinds of clues affect your appreciation of the movie?
I think 'Blade Runner' was bit boring at the beginning to be honest... because the story flew quite slowly and it wasn't that much dramatic comparing with present SF stories- though it finally got my attention as getting to the end of the story..^^;; ( but....it was quite creepy...kk) I think it is very dark and compelx movie to understand properly so that's way it's been received critical views since its 1982 release. - I
"It is a literate science fiction film, thematically enfolding the philosophy of religion and moral implications of human mastery of genetic engineering in the context of classical Greek drama and hubris,and draws on Biblical images, such as Noah's flood,and literary sources, such as Frankenstein..." (Wikipedia,2008)
With this quote, it is obvious that there is a huge complexity so i really need to see it again to get these ideas correctly...but now?...i think....it's bit blur.... T.T
Hi hanna,yes totally agree with you.blade runner was quite boring and dark for me.I think the movie was slow pace.I guess only towards the end it became a bit more interesting.I didnt quite enjoy it though..I think i still need time to recall what were the features in the movie...so will keep u all posted when i have more ideas.enjoy the break=)
Refer to the film Blade Runner, I got the same felling as you.
Frankly speaking, I felt this film is really slow-paced, and that’s might be the reason make people feel boring.
Actually, I've got confused about the plot at first. But after reading the text book and some critiques, I have a little bit idea about it. According to Brown (2001), this film is based on Philip K.Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The film was produced in 1982 which depicted a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019. The whole film pervades a mystical atmosphere: dark background, mist, rain, blood, snake, strange music, also the there are obvious oriental elements in this film. I think the creator probably wants to show the viewer a future world, a world pervades dark and rain; he probably wants to convey the warning that if human beings continue to destroy the world, in the future, there is no blue sky, sun shine any more.
Yet, I still don’t understand why there are considerably scenes about orient such as China Town, Japanese faces? Are there certain connections with the film?
According to Wikipedia, Yukon (IPA: /ˈjuːkɒn/) is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories, and Hundertwasser is an apartment house in Vienna, Austria, designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser who felt that standard architecture could not be called art. This landmark of Austria features undulating floors,a roof covered with earth and grass, and large trees growing from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows.
As for the significance of Zhora (snake dancing replicant) and Leon stay in a hotel called the Yukon at 1187 Hunterwasser St, I think the address probably implys that this hotel is the small territory of replicants, it’s the edge of the human world, and it’s odd for human beings.
I’m not sure about this, hope to hear from you guys.
According to Wikipedia, Salome, the Daughter of Herodias is known from the New Testament in connection with the death of John the Baptist. Christian traditions depict her as an icon of dangerous female seductiveness, for instance depicting her dance mentioned in the New Testament or concentrate on her lighthearted and cold foolishness that, according to the gospels, led to John the Baptist's death.
In the film, Zhora performs a dance called 'Miss Salome and the Snake’, I think it may imply Zhora’s identity of replicant, which is dangerous female seductiveness, like Salome.
7 comments:
Some questions on Blade Runner to replace those in the Critical Reader for Weeks 6-7!!
1. How has Blade Runner been received critically since its 1982 release?
2. How many versions of the film are there, when, and what are the differences?
3. Blade Runner is a highly complex movie has been described as a 'palimpsest' of clues and layers that rewards repeated viewing.
In particular, it is full of visual and written clues and references (often ironic) that help us in 'reading' it, but they are easy to miss. Here are some references that you can Google. Follow the clues:
- Zhora (snake dancing replicant) and Leon are staying a hotel called the Yukon at 1187 Hunterwasser St. What significance does the name Yukon have? (clue: frontier. colony). What is the significance of the name Hundertwasser? (clue: architecture, irony, dystopia)
- When Deckard goes to the Snake Pit nightclub in Chintown, Zhora (unseen) performs a dance called 'Miss Salome and the Snake.' What does this reference? (clue: Bible, John the Baptist).
- Not long after Roy arrives at Sebastian's apartment (after he kisses Priss and before he plays chess), he toys with the broken-half of a Barbie doll. In what way might this be allegorical?
- In the climactic scene in which Roy (uncomfortably for many viewers) kisses his 'father', Tyrell, what does the kiss represent? (clue: New Testament, Judas)
- Sebastian's apartment is located in the Bradbury building. How is this significant (clue: SF author Something Wicked this Way Comes).
- Much of the film is set in 21st century LA's Chinatown. How is this iconic? (clue: film noir, Polanski, femme fatale).
4. What did you think of the film? Does following these kinds of clues affect your appreciation of the movie?
I think 'Blade Runner' was bit boring at the beginning to be honest... because the story flew quite slowly and it wasn't that much dramatic comparing with present SF stories- though it finally got my attention as getting to the end of the story..^^;; ( but....it was quite
creepy...kk)
I think it is very dark and compelx movie to understand properly so that's way it's been received critical views since its 1982 release. - I
"It is a literate science fiction film, thematically enfolding the philosophy of religion and moral implications of human mastery of genetic engineering in the context of classical Greek drama and hubris,and draws on Biblical images, such as Noah's flood,and literary sources, such as Frankenstein..." (Wikipedia,2008)
With this quote, it is obvious that there is a huge complexity so i really need to see it again to get these ideas correctly...but now?...i think....it's bit blur.... T.T
There are seven different version of Blade Runner.
1. workprint version (1982, 113 minutes)
2.A San Diego Sneak Preview shown only once in May 1982
3.The U.S. theatrical version (1982, 116 minutes
4.The International Cut (1982, 117 minutes)
5.The U.S. broadcast version (1986, 114 minutes
6.The Ridley Scott-approved (1992, 116 minutes) Director's Cut
7.Ridley Scott's Final Cut (2007, 117 minutes), or the "25th Anniversary Edition
(wikipedia)
Hi hanna,yes totally agree with you.blade runner was quite boring and dark for me.I think the movie was slow pace.I guess only towards the end it became a bit more interesting.I didnt quite enjoy it though..I think i still need time to recall what were the features in the movie...so will keep u all posted when i have more ideas.enjoy the break=)
Hi, Hanna & Deli
Refer to the film Blade Runner, I got the same felling as you.
Frankly speaking, I felt this film is really slow-paced, and that’s might be the reason make people feel boring.
Actually, I've got confused about the plot at first. But after reading the text book and some critiques, I have a little bit idea about it. According to Brown (2001), this film is based on Philip K.Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The film was produced in 1982 which depicted a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019. The whole film pervades a mystical atmosphere: dark background, mist, rain, blood, snake, strange music, also the there are obvious oriental elements in this film. I think the creator probably wants to show the viewer a future world, a world pervades dark and rain; he probably wants to convey the warning that if human beings continue to destroy the world, in the future, there is no blue sky, sun shine any more.
Yet, I still don’t understand why there are considerably scenes about orient such as China Town, Japanese faces? Are there certain connections with the film?
How do you guys think?
According to Wikipedia, Yukon (IPA: /ˈjuːkɒn/) is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories, and Hundertwasser is an apartment house in Vienna, Austria, designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser who felt that standard architecture could not be called art. This landmark of Austria features undulating floors,a roof covered with earth and grass, and large trees growing from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows.
As for the significance of Zhora (snake dancing replicant) and Leon stay in a hotel called the Yukon at 1187 Hunterwasser St, I think the address probably implys that this hotel is the small territory of replicants, it’s the edge of the human world, and it’s odd for human beings.
I’m not sure about this, hope to hear from you guys.
According to Wikipedia, Salome, the Daughter of Herodias is known from the New Testament in connection with the death of John the Baptist. Christian traditions depict her as an icon of dangerous female seductiveness, for instance depicting her dance mentioned in the New Testament or concentrate on her lighthearted and cold foolishness that, according to the gospels, led to John the Baptist's death.
In the film, Zhora performs a dance called 'Miss Salome and the Snake’, I think it may imply Zhora’s identity of replicant, which is dangerous female seductiveness, like Salome.
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