Appropriately for a film about replicants – androids that are indistinguishable from real humans – Ridley Scott’s dystopian sci-fi classic Blade Runner has had no less than seven different versions shown to audiences over the decades since its production. But in 2007 – the 25th anniversary of the original release – Scott returned to the studio to oversee his ‘Final Cut’ of the film, tidying up certain scenes with digital effects and restoring others, and it is this version that is getting a re-release, courtesy of the BFI, across the UK from April.
The film stars Harrison Ford as a world-weary detective hunting down intelligent but murderous replicants in a future Los Angeles. Visually, the stunning realisation of Blade Runner’s decaying future megalopolis has earned it a permanent place in the history of cinema, and its themes of identity, mortality and the blurring of man and machine have been explored in countless other films since. The otherworldly Van Gelis score adds the final bit of polish.
The BFI has programmed an extended run of Blade Runner: The Final Cut starting April 3, and a time of writing, the Prince Charles Cinema has also announced a parallel run on its own screens due to massive demand. Other cinemas are offering screenings too.
To whet the appetite, there is a new trailer to enjoy, and photos of the Blade Runner model shop established during the film’s production have been floating about online.
“Have a better one.”