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Last Update:
24th Apr 2005

Blade Runner in the News
BR:SE 200? If you are wondering about the status of the Blade Runner Special Edition DVD release or have questions relating to it - please read the BR:SE News Page before e-mailing me.
20 Mar 2007 It seems that Izzy Camilleri's latest fashion collection is blade-runneresque. So says the Edmonton Journal.
20 Mar 2007 "300" is a wonderful spectacle. It doesn't matter what you think of the story or the acting or the critics' views, go see it for the spectacle - on as big a screen as you can. The L.A. Times has a view on why you should just go see it. BTW, when I went to see it, the cinema wasn't full of "scruffy guys", it was actually mainly filled with young couples. So take your girlfriend (or boyfriend) ... you'll have a wonderful evening.
19 Mar 2007 While I want to try to avoid stupid US politics on this page, I can't ignore the reuse of Ridley's 1984 "Big Brother" ad to parody Hilary Clinton. The Independent has an article about it and here is the YouTube video.
15 Mar 2007 This is another tangential connection to Blade Runner, but when I ask you to read "ALEVIATING YOUR TOXIC BODY BURDEN: THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE EXPERIMENTS WITH "GREEN CHEMISTRY"." in the California Progress Report, I do so because this is exactly the sort of thing that Philip K Dick was worried about.
13 Mar 2007 Even people who have no interest in fashion should still know who Dame Vivienne Westwood is. The connection to BR is tenuous in this story, but I include it because I want to.
11 Mar 2007 Jean Baudrillard has died. At least I think he has. For those not familiar with him, he theorized about us perceiving the depiction of reality being more real than what it depicted. The simulacrum - a copy - being preferred to real life. Or to put it another way, the Replicant being "more human than human". Or perhaps even more, the idea of living in The Matrix. I love the game (or non-game) he played. If you have no idea what I'm on about, please at least read this LA Times article on the man.
10 Mar 2007 The Guardian has a quick review of novel "Being". "On going in for a routine endoscopy at his local hospital, he discovers that what he feels and appears to be is not what he actually is on the inside."
Similarities to BR are obvious.
09 Mar 2007 What of the inspiration of BR? No small thing to many people. Inspiration enough to write in the same vein? Perhaps. The NY Daily News highlights where we might look for such inspiration.
08 Mar 2007 Interesting thought - what light fixtures do you think would work in your apartment? Would you ever think about Blade Runner before installing anything? How do these lights work in your apartment/house?
08 Mar 2007 The Hollywood Reporter reports on the 25th annual Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film - 25 years after the death of Philip K Dick, the festival's guest of honor will be Syd Mead, the industrial designer who influenced the look of sci-fi classics "Blade Runner," "Aliens" and "Tron."
Official festival site.
07 Mar 2007 "Robotic age poses ethical dilemma - An ethical code to prevent humans abusing robots, and vice versa, is being drawn up by South Korea." Reported by the BBC, South Korea is drawing up The Robot Ethics Charter to cover standards for users and manufactuers of robots. And so it begins...
Follow-up analysis.
03 Mar 2007 The festival's guest of honor will be Syd Mead, the industrial designer who influenced the look of sci-fi classics "Blade Runner," "Aliens" and "Tron.".
01 Mar 2007 OC Weekly review of PKD's 'new' non-SF novel, Voices from the Street.
26 Feb 2007 At the Home Theater Forum Live Chat with Warner Home Video, Warner had these comments on the big Blade Runner SE release this year:
- "The Tyrell Corporation is furiously working away on a release to knock your socks off before the holiday season. The contents are still being formulated. All the different iterations of the film will be available, including the new FINAL CUT. We think you'll be very pleased, and it will have been worth the wait!"
- "Given all our activity around BLADE RUNNER, which is one of our biggest, if not the biggest event of this year for our group, we have discussed various ideas to maximize the large catalog of Mr. Ford's films which we control."
- "There will be a lot more HD product announced (HD-DVD and Blu Ray Disc) by us in the next few weeks. We hope you'll be pleased. It is our intention to have the BLADE RUNNER releases all contain the same content, regardless of format."
25 Feb 2007 Even more obscure reference of the week: "When I am finally done, Suzie, the very nice make-up lady asks for my card and promises she'll watch her boyfriend's DVD of Blade Runner so she can learn to do Japanese robot eyes for me." "LAist Does Some Pre-Oscars Schwag Haging". Okay...
21 Feb 2007 Obscure reference of the week is in this FiringSquad entry on the current state of PC cooling and we're not talking just fans: "Considering thermal output has more than quadrupled, I am not surprised so many current coolers resemble the cityscape of Blade Runner."
20 Feb 2007 Is this The Future? It was a quarter of a century ago that I first played on the Internet, watched Blade Runner at the cinema, got my first computer (to play games...). So this is certainly retrospectively 'a' future. When I created my first website back in 1995, I excitedly subtitled it, "The Future Is Now" - a statement which is ironically very old. But it seemed like the future to me. Cynicism set in and I switched to, "The Future isn't what it used to be", eventually (as cynicism was proved correct) to be replaced by, "The Future never was what it used to be." I could be positive and say, "The Future is what we make it" - dream a good dream, plan how to make it come true and then work hard *now* to create it. But my cynicism has hardened, so my current observation is, "The Future will be the same old shit, but with cooler toys." "I am George Jetson" is an article in the NY Observer looking at whatever happened to The Future.
15 Feb 2007 If one reviews a noodle restaurant, then why not mention Blade Runner? However, I include this Orange County Weekly review not simply for the BR reference - I just found it somewhat surreal.
14 Feb 2007 Ever been interested in owning the costumes made for your favourite movies? How about then making a business out of them? That is what Stephen Lane did with The Prop Store Of London. The Sun reports on what is both a hobby and a business. He has owned such outfits as the red T-X suit (from T3) and Rachael's fur coat from BR.
11 Feb 2007 "True global cities make you dream about the future" - headline on an LA Times article about what differentiates the true global city from the wannabes. Los Angeles has long since staked its claim and Shanghai is well on the way. So how does one define which city has made it? Interesting addition to perceptions is the SF near-future view - like Blade Runner and Snow Crash set in L.A. of course. And Neal Stephenson's sequel (The Diamond Age) is set in and near Shanghai. (Since these, Neal has disappeared into the present and the past, rather than future novels.) More to the point, what cities do you think will be the global centres of business and culture in ten years time?
08 Feb 2007 GamePro has an interview with Phil Wilson, producer for Real Time Worlds' upcoming Xbox 360 game Crackdown. Asked about the "graphic-novel style", Phil listed big influences of Matrix and Blade Runner, with visual art style influenced by Blood: The Last Vampire.
29 Jan 2007 "While pedestrians ambled to the lake above, dramatic openings would bring shafts of natural light to cars racing below, "Blade Runner"-style, in a noir vision that seems right out of L.A." - yes it is another proposed cityscape change as described in the Chicago Tribune.
26 Jan 2007 Apart from the assault of noise I mentioned some posts back, there is also the increasing visual assault. The big BR-type screens in cities, the big screen billboards along highways, the TV screens everywhere we go. The Huffington Post voices an opinion on this subject.
26 Jan 2007 At IGN, Casey Hudson, Project Director at BioWare talks about new future combat game "Mass Effect". 200 years in the future Commander Shepard fights the ancient, intelligent machines. Interesting is that he wants to capture the atmosphere we see in films like Alien, ST II and Blade Runner, not just visually, but with the full orchestral sound of such as Jerry Goldsmith and Vangelis.
26 Jan 2007 In Blade Runner there is Cityspeak. In Star Trek we have Klingon, etc. In LotR, Tolkien created a whole set of languages, some of which make it into the films. Tonight looks at some other invented languages in films.
26 Jan 2007 The Ranger college paper reports on a talk by Edward James Olmos at McAllister Fine Arts Center. Sharing the message he has long promoted (which I wholeheartedly share) - "We are all one race". (Would that include Replicants, I wonder...)
22 Jan 2007 The New York Daily News extends a tentative hope that we are finally getting more intelligent SF films being made, not just the rare occurrence they've been for years.
22 Jan 2007 CGI - sometimes adding neatly to a creation and sometimes totally undermining it. BR was made with great sets, models and mattes to create the world of the future. James Cameron's next project will use extensive "photo-realistic" CGI to create his future and alien worlds. Will it be "seamless" or just artificial? PopMatters takes a look at CGI (or not).
21 Jan 2007 The newest tallest building - is it going up in Dubai or is it going up in Shanghai? The Observer checks out "Blade Runner: The Cocktail Party" in an examination of the super-rich in modern China. In stark contrast (in best Cyberpunk way), the ground level BR-city comparison is made by the L.A. Times in a look at Tepito - the "barrio bravo" of Mexico City.
20 Jan 2007 Is the world becoming too loud? Movies, city entertainment district, bars, etc. Is the busy street scene in BR the sound of the future, or indeed, the sound of now? The Paramus Post turns up the volume.
18 Jan 2007 Newest tallest building going up? The latest review of what is happening in 21st Century Dubai in USA Today.
12 Jan 2007 Many hold up the BR L.A. 2019 as dystopian vision and talk of avoiding letting our own cities become like that, even though (or perhaps because) many are already well on their way. In the BR OV, the much maligned "Happy Ending" has Deckard and Rachael driving into a Shining land of forests and fresh air. And yet... are they really driving to a happier place? Does closer inspection of the city actually show lots of busy people out and about enjoying life? Taffey's Snakepit Bar is certainly a happening place. Would Tyrell or JF really want to leave the city? Is it really dystopia at all or simply a not-utopia? It is easy to find the negative in any big city, but not everyone would be happier elsewhere. Seattlepi has an article that warns of the perils of moving away from the city - think twice about that dystopian vision.
11 Jan 2007 You are probably aware of Children of Men - the Science Fiction film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine. The Nashville Scene has an interview with Alfonso wherein he expresses views on the film, filmmaking and migration, particularly in the USA. Also mentions (again) that Blade Runner is a great film, but Children of Men is very much not about the big city, futuristic cars and hi-tech. That is not to say the influence of BR isn't there in more subtle ways.
08 Jan 2007 No surprise to hear lots of HD DVD talk at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including announcements of hundreds of films being released in this format in 2007. It was confirmed that Blade Runner would be one of them, but no specific release date was given.
21 Dec 2006 "Robots could demand legal rights - Robots could one day demand the same citizen's rights as humans, according to a study by the British government." So says the BBC. Yes indeed, "The paper which addresses Robo-rights, titled Utopian dream or rise of the machines? examines the developments in artificial intelligence and how this may impact on law and politics. The paper says a "monumental shift" could occur if robots develop to the point where they can reproduce, improve themselves or develop artificial intelligence. The research suggests that at some point in the next 20 to 50 years robots could be granted rights."
20 Dec 2006 A Back Stage interview with Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell about Battlestar Galactica: The most interesting comment made by Eddie on why he chose to do BG was, "There was a story that drew me in, especially with the mindset that one has after 9/11. You had a whole different perspective on the end of the world, that whole philosophy. What [Galactica executive producer Ronald D. Moore] did before you read the piece, he put three pages at the beginning. It was like a mission statement, kind of. It told you a little bit about how it was going to be shot. The script was very powerful. It was completely different. It was very much in the realm of Blade Runner, rather than in the realm of the kind of Star Wars, Star Trek opera that I was used to seeing in the genre, that had really permeated the genre since the early '70s. So when I talked to Ron and [executive producer David Eick], we talked about Blade Runner, and I said, "There was a door that was opened there that nobody ever walked in. Everybody walked through the door of Star Wars, but nobody walked through the door of Blade Runner." I said, "If you really want to do that, then I'm game to join up, but I'm going to be very honest: The first four-eyed creature I see, I'll faint. I will faint on camera, and I will be off the show." I just didn't want to go that route. I didn't want to act against those kind of situations; I didn't have the time to do that. So we went into this with a 9/11 perspective and mindset with a very strong understanding of Blade Runner."
01 Dec 2006 Flexible displays - how close are they in the real world? Not far away actually. Check out this Electronics Weekly report for more. There are numerous alternatives.
29 Nov 2006 Wired reports that The Fountain has not done very well in its opening box office receipts. This is such bad news for serious SF film fans as it only discourages the people with the money from financing films like this. The article laments the whole situation and ponders if some of the most famous of SF films of the past, like Blade Runner, would even get the green light these days.
28 Nov 2006 AP reports that "Library of America to issue volume of Philip K. Dick". PKD is to be canonized, of course for his work, but also recognizing Blade Runner's 25th Aniversary and Final Cut next year. Read article in USA Today for example.
21 Nov 2006 "Five Most Memorable Action Movies" - this list at IGN is: Star Wars, Blade Runner, Nikita, The Matrix and Enter the Dragon. All good films to watch, though of course I don't agree they're the best five. Oh BTW, LFN at five seasons is hardly a "short-lived" TV series - it is obviously different to a single film, but definitely worth looking into (I own it all on DVD).
21 Nov 2006 Crave has an interesting list - the "Top Ten Girl Geeks". The title could perhaps be improved as the list ranges from women who made history through the popular to the downright inane. The list includes Daryl Hannah (for more than just being in BR), but I'm sure geeks everywhere will have something to say about some of the choices.
18 Nov 2006 Henry Porter writes in The Observer of his film (with director Neil Ferguson) called Suspect Nation. It is about the increased surveillance on us in the last five years, the connected computer databases of our personal data (our lives) and the lack of government knowledge of what they are actually doing and the security needed to protect their systems. Porter ends by having an RFID chip injected into his arm - easily cloned by his tech friend simply by scanning it - just like passports, driving licences, etc. Does the Blade Runner World have this technology installed and perhaps it is so easy to override, it isno use in catching criminals, terrorists or Replicants? Only the innocent end up in the system.
12 Oct 2006 If you happen to be in Tokyo on December 12th, pay a visit to the Omotesando section of Shibuyaku. Because that is where you will see the Kyosho Athlete Humanoid Cup - a series of races between robots. Specifically Manoi AT01-model robots produced by hobby robot manufacturer Kyosho. According to the Mainichi News, the 40cm (16") tall biped robots have to 'sprint' along a 5m (16') course. A fast time would be 20 seconds, so still a long way to go to be "More Human than Human" though taking the first steps... Check out the excellent film at YouTube of these robots being put through their paces.
12 Oct 2006 "Now in Theaters Everywhere: A Celebration of a Certain Kind of Blockbuster is a new book by Kenneth Turan about a type of smart studio movie which, Turan argues, is increasingly under economic threat of extinction." Lynn Neary interviews Turan on National Public Radio (just over 5 minutes) about his views. Notable first example of how difficult it is to get this sort of movie made is the now-classic Blade Runner - sadly Turan says things have got progressively more difficult since then to make the large budget intelligent movie.
10 Oct 2006 Rutger Hauer's recent life has been filmed as "Blond, Blue Eyes". Reuters reports on the film by Simone de Vries.
09 Oct 2006 What of Science Fiction in Arabic literature? It seems this is a problem. Achmed A. W. Khammas discusses the issue in Telepolis.
08 Oct 2006 Can transferring your (legally purchased) version of Blade Runner onto your hand-held movie player prove to be a criminal offense? According to the NY Times, these people in France seem to think so..
08 Oct 2006 A noodle bar is still a noodle bar wherever you are - even atop a Japanese ski resort.The Observer talks about skiing Japanese style.
06 Oct 2006 Ridley Scott talks and Times Online has his story. There is lots to read, but short as it is, the Blade Runner section is most fascinating!
06 Oct 2006 TripmasterMonkey provides a timeline of Asians in Sci-Fi. I can understand the sarcasm. I can also appreciate that BR is head and shoulders way up there, not just because Deckard chooses to eat noodles, but lets face it, Chew is quite obviously a brilliant genetic engineer and thus an inspiration rather than simple stereotype. He makes eyes y'know.
06 Oct 2006 Every now and then, I like to bring you someone using the Blade Runneresque adjective in so absurd a way as it just becomes funny. Today, it is Newsday.com using it to describe Jessica Simpson's character in inane comedy "Employee of the Month". In this case, I don't actually get the connection at all. Ah well, file it under 'irrelevant' and move on, I guess.
04 Oct 2006 Anyone interested in the future designs, the artwork and the futurist views of Syd Mead should definitely check out this article in the Pasadena Weekly.
02 Oct 2006 I haven't seen this film yet and am in no hurry to do so. 'A Good Year' stars Russell Crowe directed by Ridley Scott. The review at Bloomberg.com (some of the film was shot at Bloomberg offices in London), suggests that the film is somewhat self-indulgent of Scott, filming Provence in France, where he has a residence. Even Ridley himself admits to it being an excuse to film there. The sad thing is, I can picture this film as made in the French style and it would be wonderful. Every country has their own particular signature style of film and a director from another country can rarely come close to duplicating that. It is regularly true of Hollywood trying to recreate cult British TV shows on film and failing miserably. It is also true of an English director, love him though I do, trying to create a French film. Just doesn't work. And Crowe? How can he possibly successfully create this English/French character?
30 Sep 2006 Maybe it is because I haven't had any decent Indian food recently, but this article made me salivate. The picture alone makes me hungry for a Biryani. And makes me miss England where international cuisine is vastly more available and much higher quality than in the US Midwest where I currently exist. Oh, the article (in The Australian - Travel section this time) - it says, "THE old Indian city of Hyderabad feels as if it were built for the future; prophetic, perhaps, because these days it's starting to look like a science fiction vision far stranger than the familiar fantasies of Blade Runner."
30 Sep 2006 It seems that short films are not what they used to be. The Australian (Arts section) laments the demise of narrative in short films and how that translates to big movies. Pointed to are a trio of Cinema 16 DVDs of short films - mostly created a long time ago by directors who are now household names - like Ridley Scott for example and his "Boy and Bicycle" which was made almost half a century ago (actually I thought it was mid-60s, but hey, I'm only an expert so what do I know...).
28 Sep 2006 The future keeps marching on and advertising takes advantage. Now in some cities, taxi cabs carry a visual advertising display atop the roof that changes the theme of advertising depending on location (financial district, urban, suburban, etc.) Wireless communication, bright visual digital displays, GPS - The Very Intelligent Display is truly affordable 21st Century technology being applied in our streets. Article.
28 Sep 2006 What will the city of the future look like? In 1982, "the future" was the 21st Century, so almost a quarter century later, we are living in what was the "near future" back then . Self-evidently, what was dreamed of 50 years ago is now the future 50 years hence. And while many of you reading this were not born 50 years ago, some were, and I would guess the majority of you are at least 25. So, 'that' future has arrived and what? Oil consumption higher than ever, especially in a greedy USA. Peak World oil production predicted even by oil companies themselves to be within 15 years (and some predict much sooner. So what of the city's transformation from back then to now to the future? James Howard Kunstler has a pessimistic view.
28 Sep 2006 Although many reviewers have drawn Blade Runner as an obvious influence on Renaissance, it is still nice that the creator has directly acknowledged the influence as reported in this straight.com article.
22 Sep 2006 If you want to know a little more about the Renaissance movie, then I suggest you read this IGN interview with its creator, Christian Volckman.
22 Sep 2006 I think the subject of the last article is quite fascinating, but to truly get all the way to the Edge, you need the urban Rooftop Cinema where you can watch such wonderful films as Blade Runner while sitting on your city rooftop quaffing wine. The Age tells us of "The new cinema, which will screen films via a digital projector, will seat 200 viewers in deckchairs on synthetic grass, and offer some of Melbourne's best views". This phenomenon is spreading across Metopolises around the world. Sounds great to me!
22 Sep 2006 When is an umbrella not just an umbrella? Of course BR fans will immediately start thinking of umbrellas that light up, but that just isn't offbeat enough. I'm out at the Edge and what I see are people turning the umbrella into a mechanism to display their photos. Portable telephone/mp3 player/camera not enough for you? Perhaps you need an Umbrella Photo Browser.
20 Sep 2006 Forbes.com interviews Colin Angle, co-creator/SEO of iRobot (creators of Roomba and Scooba and more), about the realities of current commercial robots and the immediate future of robotics in real life. Includes a link to 25 seminal moments in robotics history.
19 Sep 2006 Ronald D. Moore, inspired by the Original Star Trek Series and writer for latter day ST series, as well as Battlestar Galactica, puts forward his inpiration of the positive ST-type future as opposed to the dystopian BR-type future. His characters, in the footsteps of Kirk, acknowledge the failings of humanity, but eternally strive to rise above them. Article in the Herald Tribune.
18 Sep 2006 The Comic Book Bin reviews the new "Eight Way Bandits". Set in the very near future in a Cyberpunk type world, Bounyoy Pfau, aka 'Boy', is genetically engineered to be superior in strength, speed, intelligence, etc. than the men who engineered him... He is "owned" by the megacorp that created him. And he is the Bounty Hunter. Of course it rapidly gets more convoluted, but sounds like the sort of thing some of you BR fans might like.
18 Sep 2006 This article is titled 'Blade Runner' due to it's association with helicopters. I include it as inspiration for the real world where if you believe in a dream and are prepared to work at it, you can make the dream come to life. This is real life...
18 Sep 2006 Oh, I can't resist telling you about this. It is only vaguely related to BR, but is just so fascinating. Apparently, there is a certain area of New York (the East River Waterfront) that is absolutely ripe for a certain real estate developer to "redevelop". Problem arises when certain people voice their opinion that certain buildings should be preserved for "heritage". Oh, but strangely, said buildings end up on fire and burning to the ground. How unfortunate! Of course heritage protectors can't protect a hole in the ground, so redevelopment is now free to continue. And of course redevelopment entrepreneur Mr Guttman had nothing to do with any arson. So says his lawyer Israel Goldberg. You just can't make this up. Monty Python or Not the Nine o' Clock News Or Saturday Night Live would just die for material like this!
09 Sep 2006 How do the street vendors in BR speak? Well apparently the same way they speak in Singapore. The Daily Atorian has an article about Indonesia, Riau and Singapore.
09 Sep 2006 You've seen his posters. He is the ultimate film poster creator. John Alvin - read about him in the Washington Post.
05 Sep 2006 Syd Mead is well known to BR fans. Here he contributes to an art exhibition of the future. The Crewest Gallery in L.A. has an exhibition called “The Hidden Futures” which 'explores the possibilities of tomorrow'. On 9 Sep - 8 Oct.
05 Sep 2006 So what exactly is the effect of the internet or any other 'future' technology on our lives? Tyee Books reviews the book "Future Hype" by Bob Seidensticker which takes a somewhat cynical view of current developments in technology. Are we really progressing as fast as we think we are? Well, tell you what I think - you wouldn't be reading what I think if it weren't for the internet. Nor would you be able to read this book review unless you happened to be a subscriber and quite frankly, I will always read Wired magazine first.
29 Aug 2006 I've mentioned it before and now I'm mentioning it again, because you need to know. The New Zealand Scoop makes a strong recommendation for the animated movie 'Reniassance'. See Renaissance official site.
29 Aug 2006 'Blond, Blue Eyes' - Rutger Hauer of course! Or, more precisely, a documentary covering two years of his life. He is the most internationally famous Dutch actor of all time and you've probably seen him in numerous movies, so this insight into his life should be quite interesting. Filmed by Simone de Vries, according to Expatica it will be shown at the Netherlands film festival on 4th October.
25 Aug 2006 Is this new "designer garage" really like something out of Blade Runner? Commissioned by Citroën, it will cost you £112,330. Made of light-transmitting concrete and other high-tech stuff nobody needs, you can switch between 'pride or hide modes'. Or you could make a decision before you build your garage whether you want your car to be hidden, (buy concrete walls), or if you want it to be seen, (buy glass walls), ... and save yourself £100,000 (or buy yourself a couple more cars). And if you have that sort of money and want a terrace, you really don't need to make it on top of your garage... Read the article at ... umm... findaproperty.com (Yeah, I know, essential reading for the Cyberpunk futurist...)
24 Aug 2006 What can films such as "Blade Runner," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Super Size Me" teach us about the ethical, social and legal implications of bioethics? This question will be asked by Arizona State University's Bioethics, Policy and Law Program. This examination of biotechnology will show several excellent films during the course, including BR. I mention it not just for the inherent interest, but because the films are free and open to the public. Read more.
21 Aug 2006 Digital 04 Studios will be hosting a new Digital Art Conference in Montreal on September 23/24. Syd Mead will be one of the guest speakers. bytesector article.
18 Aug 2006 Full Metal Apache: Transactions Between Cyberpunk Japan and Avant-Pop America - By Takayuki Tatsumi (wow, glad I can copy/paste that!) The Daily Yomiuri Online reviews this book - an examination of postmodern culture, subculture and literary/filmic Oriental/Occidental recombination. Who is influenced by whom? In a world where we are constantly reinventing ourselves and others, country borders have little to do with the new world culture. Or to cite an obvious example: BRmovie.com is an international website reporting on an article in Japan's largest English language newspaper reviewing a book by a Japanese university professor about East-West cross-culturalism? I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so...
14 Aug 2006 Popular Science discusses "The Fembot Mystique". Why are we fascinated with the likes of Pris, Maria or any Number 6 (e.g. from Battlestar Galactica or Tripping the Rift, (but not The Prisoner!))? I shall refrain from suggesting an answer, or why I want a Nexus 6 pleasure model for myself...
11 Aug 2006 A film of cult British SF show "The Prisoner"? According to Coming Soon, it is to be written by Janet and David Peoples, (David was second scriptwriter for BR and together with his wife, they wrote Twelve Monkeys). Potential director is Chris Nolan, who is currently working on the sequel to Batman Begins - The Dark Knight. I'm wary. Hollywoodized movies of cult British TV shows are some of the most utterly crap movies ever made, because they usually lose the very essence of what made the show popular (on both sides of the Atlantic) in the first place. (e.g. The Avengers, The Saint, Thunderbirds, HHGG...) And with The Prisoner, part of what appeals is numerous episodes to tell the tale. Can it be done effectively in two hours? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
08 Aug 2006 I mentioned a week ago that Bill Pullman was being hailed as a bit of a Dick. Now Paul Giamatti is apparently also going to play Philip K. Dick. "Also" because we're talking about another PKD movie, that is, a movie about PKD rather than an adaptation of one of his stories. As my mother would have said, "It never rains, but it pours."
04 Aug 2006 Sir Ridley Scott was in charge of creation of the definitive future city of L.A. 2019 and apartments of a few of the characters in Blade Runner. He supervised creation of the most magical of forests in Legend. So what about his own house? Well, perhaps he really needs to rely on set designers... The Evening Standard reports on an interior designer's view of exactly what is wrong with Ridley's own digs.
04 Aug 2006 Apparently, according to EURweb, Mariah Carey will have lots of costume changes in each performance of her new tour, starting with a "Blade Runer look" - apparently a B&W R&B superhero... Okaaay.....
31 Jul 2006 Cinema Blend, Movieweb and Dark Horizons report on the Production Weekly story that Bill Pullman may have been been given the role of Philip K. Dick in "Panasonic". It will be a fictional film, but based on the writings and imagined worlds of PKD.
Update: Now confirmed.
30 Jul 2006 Don't be surprised when you visit Mawu Village in Beijing's Tongzhou District and see a 1.8 metre (5'11") tall robot pulling a rickshaw. This is the 25th robot creation of Wu Yulu who is a farmer and creates robots just for fun. Read the China Daily story to find out about this interesting character.
29 Jul 2006 I've probably mentioned "Second Life" in the past few months. Well. Now I'm mentioning it again! Until you get a virtual life in addition to your real one, you are only existing. Timesonline takes a look at the rapidly expanding Second Life. Is it Blade Runner? Well, it can be anything you make it. So go make it.
28 Jul 2006 I suspect that most of the regular readers here are at the very least open-minded about scientific advancemenents and the people who discover and create them. Blade Runner is one of many films that takes things to an extreme and sees what happens. Not human cloning as such, but creation of robot slaves from human DNA is only one step away. Like most films of this nature, the scientist behind it all is shown to be doing something that ultimately is "morally bad", (even though it starts with the best of intentions). No wonder the general populace has an apprehensive view of scientists and what they do. Brian J. Roseberg writes for the Harvard Crimson Opinion page of The Misunderstood Scientist and why The modern myth must be debunked.
27 Jul 2006 In today's world, does having a fanatical knowledge about films really have a place? Well, I've devoted a quite large website (with the help of many others' contributions) to just one film, so I think you can guess my answer! Even many of the film scholars or self-created critics would acknowledge that the fan interested in the minutiae of the film, the making of the film, etc. has an important place. Indeed, I suspect that two groups are actually two sides of the same coin. So, where do the fine details come from? One great source is the magazines devoted to film. PopMatters takes a look at these, especially in the horror genre, but ends up the first of two articles with a look at Cinefantastique. An excellent source for film detail in the 70's and 80's, the mags contain wonderfully in-depth information about Blade Runner. The assignment to cover BR went to Paul M. Sammon which eventually led him to write the book "Future Noir", widely referred to by BR fans as "The BR Bible". Can we have too much information about a film? ... No.
23 Jul 2006 Film versus TV? I strongly support both. No need to pretend one is "better" than the other. Film is powerful, but TV has more scope and much more time to build stories and characters. This is the view expounded by The Age - and how the best filmmakers really should also make TV - and I quite agree. Take, for example, the Scott Free produced "Numb3rs" - I am personally delighted the show even exists, let alone is quite enjoyable. I am sufficiently the math-whiz myself that I can appreciate it beyond the drama and even criticize at that level, but still appreciate the fact that I am watching a good detective show that incorporates advanced mathematical theories into practical applications to help solve crimes. Where else but TV? And who else but some talented people willing to push past the soap operas and "reality" TV dross?
21 Jul 2006 So, I was watching Stargate SG-1, as I still do, and they're still infusing it with humour and references their audience will relate to. Such as the reference to the "Knights who say 'Ni'" for Python fans. Then when Vala (from another planet, but human) is studying for a psych evaluation (so she can give the "right" answers) reads off the computer, "You're in a desert. You look down and see a tortoise lying on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun and you're not helping. Why is that?" The answer she comes up with for not helping is that she is also a tortoise...
20 Jul 2006 Watch out for animated film "Renaissance", set in Paris, 2054 - some are saying like Metropolis and Blade Runner. It has voice stars Daniel Craig (the new James Bond) and Ian Holm (one of my all-time fave actors - Alien, Brazil, Fifth Element, LotR amongst many others). Check the official site.
18 Jul 2006 What do the experts think are the Top 25 "must-see" films of all time? Well who cares as long as BR is on the list! The Radio Times "expert", Andrew Collins, is responsible for the "Film Buff's Guide", according to The Mirror, also reported in The Scotsman. An interesting selection - have you seen them all (probably not), some very deservely on the list and definitely the odd film there that I would strongly challenge.
16 Jul 2006 sonicstate points us to a collection of videos about Vangelis. Definitely worth a look as genius musician Vangelis tends to steer away from public view. Find out more about him and his music, (which goes far beyond the soundtrack for BR).
15 Jul 2006 "A documentary, "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead," will debut in Los Angeles next Sunday." Syd is the futurist behind much of the look of Blade Runner and his visions have inspired far beyond that. Last Monday, he was awarded a special commendation at the National Design Awards, honoring his influence on how others design for the future. The ceremony was held at the White House. The Washington Post takes a quick look at his visions with comments by Syd on what he really thinks about them. I found a trailer for the film and that led me to this. The film will be shown at the Dances With Films Festival. This year the festival runs July 21- 27 at the Laemmle's FAIRFAX 3. Syd Mead will be there for a Q & A on July 23rd, 12:30 p.m. showing.
14 Jul 2006 abc news has a great summary (from PC Magazine) of all those gadgets and technologies predicted in Science Fiction and where they are in the real world of 2006. Article by David Gerrold, SF author, who inflicted us with Star Trek's "The Trouble with Tribbles" (amongst many other things). Don't you just wish you could have one of those portable communication devices from those old SF films - you know, you could walk around a city with one and communicate with another person walking around the city? Well, I got my first cellphone over 10 years ago. Sometimes SF predicts the future, sometimes it inspires people to create the future!
13 Jul 2006 Instead of suggesting you look at one of the reviews for "A Scanner Darkly", (a few of which are good, some are factual and many make you realise that any tosser can get a job as a movie reviewer somewhere ...), I have something infinitely better: Well, actually IGN has it - the first 24 minutes of the film for free viewing on the internet. If you are not sure if you want to see the film, then watch this. The plot of the film deepens further on in the film, but you can at least identify if you will find it watchable. There are also interview clips available here.
06 Jul 2006 One of the many influences BR has is on the fashion world. Even haute couture, as The Telegraph + 2 reports of Galliano's latest collection for Dior, ("on Planet Botticelli"). The Telegraph articles don't have the relevant pictures - a better idea of what they look like can be found at Style.com - I've set the link to page 3 of the collection which is where the Pris-a-like models are.
03 Jul 2006 So, Film Four is finally going free. Whoopty doo... When I was living in the UK, I sure as hell didn't think they were worth 7 quid a month! So, they're celebrating by showing their 50 top films, according to BrandRepublic, who point out their blindingly obvious omissions. Notably Blade Runner, which never fails to make the Top 20 of EVERY British film survey for many years. No wonder Film Four have had to go free when they are so totally out of touch with the tastes of the British public!
28 Jun 2006 So, does the Maxwell Street Sunday market in Chicago look somewhat like the market in BR? Michael Nagrant sees the similarity. And the fact he's looking for an eyeball taco... makes one wonder what Chew might have done with his reject eyes... served on noodles perhaps, ("Two is enough!")
27 Jun 2006 With the approaching release of "A Scanner Darkly", just thought I'd mention that PKD's head is still missing... IHT
25 Jun 2006 If you would like to know a little more about who this Jerry Perenchio guy actually is and why he might make the decisions he does, <restrain self from saying anything I can get sued for...>, then you should read this in-depth Miami Herald article about the extremely successful multi-billionaire. I would like to be super-wealthy too, but I have to wonder, surely there comes a point where you just don't need to drive the hardest deal you can and maybe think you could also make some people happy?
28 June update: Univision has now been sold for $12.3bn, at least $1bn goes to Jerry (who already has a few).
23 Jun 2006 While I expect very soon everyone will have reviews up of "A Scanner Darkly", (and of course I, for one, will ignore the mainstream reviewers who I expect to throw in a load of vague/arty references to justify their not actually understanding the film), fishbowlLA looks at the marketing of the film, particularly the pack of goodies sent out. Which word would you display on your black wristband? I think I'll opt for "DESPAIR" right now...
22 Jun 2006 "The Surrogates" is a comic book set in 2054 where many people live through android surrogates out in the world while they stay at home, connected via data feed. The android's looks are chosen so that the person driving them can appear to the world how they want. With techo-terrorism, a tough cop and a quasi-religious leader, there is plenty of good SF material here. It isn't pulp SF though as the story goes deeper into speculative fiction. You might already be looking for the BR or even the DADoeS comparisons. The review at the comicbook bin likens the visual style to that of the cinematography in BR. Eye-catching visuals set a tone and mood as backdrop to character driven examination of near-future human identity and existence.
21 Jun 2006 The London underground is set to take one step closer to the look of Blade Runner and Minority Report from the start of next year. The BBC reports that following the LCD screens already installed at the sides of escalators, there will now be full colour, high def "posters" projected on wallscreens opposite platforms. Remotely controlled images means absolutely any image can be projected, including sports results. There will be a few per platform, interspersed between regular paper posters. It is not completely new and not the first city to do this, BUT, this is the perfect example of the 21st century being grafted into 20th and even 19th century architecture. We've always had retrofitting, but BR is the movie that truly recognised that the future isn't all new. Which of course is how the future has always been!
20 Jun 2006 The new Guthrie Theater complex in Minneapolis is opening this Sunday. The architecture and interior spaces are such that I really wouldn't be surprised to see it used in some or other SF film in the not too distant future. As the MSP City Pages says, "The lobby inside the front door, for instance, reminded me at first look like one of the big stark corporate spaces in 'Blade Runner'."
11 Jun 2006 Where has Daryl Hannah been most of the last 20 days? Well, up a Walnut tree actually. Protesting against a "significant" farm being replaced by a warehouse. The Guardian reports on she and many other Hollywood celebs trying to save this Los Angeles patchwork of hundreds of small farming plots.
Update: 15 Jun. Daryl was arrested as expected. The L.A.Times does a larger piece on the issue and her involvement in this and other environmental issues. Daryl hasn't stopped acting yet though - she'll be filming in Italy this time next month.
09 Jun 2006 Probably ought to mention the film "Natural City" which is popularly being referred to as "the Korean Blade Runner". It certainly has many of the same elements, though no doubt presented completely differently. Korean SF, in the BR style - definitely worth a couple of hours of any regular visitor to this site.
09 Jun 2006 William Sanderson is also interviewed by Delaware Online where he offers a view on the two types of actors - those like Harrison Ford, and those like him - the "journeymen" who take whatever roles they can. All I can say is thank goodness for the journeymen - that is surely what I would be if I took up acting! And, after all, aren't they the ones who end up being more interesting?
08 Jun 2006 TVguide interviews William Sandereson, mostly about Deadwood. They finish with the question, "As someone who was in Blade Runner [as lonely genius J.F. Sebastian], what was your take on the whole director's cut/narration-versus-no narration debate?". His rather non-committal answer, "I didn't get it. Because I'm a fan of Ridley Scott, I want to say to a degree "leave him alone." Ridley told me himself, "I couldn't get through the book [Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?]." [Laughs] I was just happy not to be cut out!"
08 Jun 2006 Should you read the book, "Sci-Phi - Philosophy from Socrates to Schwarzenegger" by Mark Rowlands? Well, this blogcritic recommends that if you are inclined towards philosophy as exposed in Science Fiction, (Sci-Phi), you probably will find it interesting. If you find yourself watching films like Blade Runner and asking yourself, "What is real", "What does it mean to be Human", "What is death", etc . then maybe it is for you.
07 Jun 2006 "The Olympics do not turn a Blade Runner megalopolis into a ghost town." But the World Cup does (except in the USA, but even there it is getting noticed, and every single game will be televised live.) Yes, it is time for the biggest sporting event on the planet. BR fans are not the most obvious soccer fans, so here is an alternative viewpoint in the Guardian. The last World Cup Final (in 2002) was watched by fully one quarter of the entire population of the world. A few more years and it will be the 2018 World Cup. Will Deckard watch? What about Roy out in space? I know this is a long way from being a sports site, but let me give my predictions anyway. It is being held in Europe, so it is almost certainly going to be won by a European team. Will they be defeating Brazil or Argentina - well actually I don't think those two are good enough this time and it will be an all-European final. So who? I'm English so I'd love England to be there - it's their best chance for years, but I have to admit, I don't think I'll be watching them in the final. The host nation has won one third of the World Cups, so Germany has a chance, but even Germans would be happy if they reached even the quarter finals. Other outside chances are Sweden, Holland and Portugal, but probably not. I'll take my choices from Italy, Spain, Czech Republic or France. But then, what do I know?
Update: Turns out the World Cup is the one sports event I have a clue about - Italy beat France in the final and Germany take third place against a @#$% Portugal team.
07 Jun 2006 Netflix and the time-space continuum. Glenn McDonald reports at popmatters of the strange world of unlimited DVD rental by mail and catching up on the back history of classic film. Why Harrison Ford should be limited to movies starring Han Solo, Indiana Ford and Rick Deckard. Why watching multiple time-travel films can screw with your mind and why you really should have watched Annie Hall back in 1977 (and maybe you still can...).
06 Jun 2006 Giant corporate signs on the sides of buildings? Very Blade Runner. Now very Raleigh as reported by The News & Observer.
06 Jun 2006 Flesh and Machines - MIT robotic scientist Rodney Brooks foresees a future mercifully free of robot-inflicted terror. Boston's Weekly Dig looks at Rodney's views of the future of robotics and the influence on human evolution. Interestingly promotes the view I have long-since proposed, that by the time the robots are sufficiently evolved to challenge us, we will have enhanced ourselves so much with the same technology that we will be the robots.
14 Apr 2006 The CalTrade Report has an interesting bio and update on Paul Moller, who many of you reading this will know is an engineer who has been working for decades to make the flying car a reality. Interesting addition for me is that Boeing's research arm is looking not just at flying cars themselves, but what it would take to create an airway control system that could handle thousands of flying cars.
11 Apr 2006 LAist mentions an interesting looking debate: If you want a dose of smartness on Saturday, what could be better than the Science Matters panel on The Science and Ethics of Reproductive Cloning at the California Science Center? If you can't make it, but live in L.A., then according to the official site, it will be broadcast later this month on LA36 (check site for times). The site also has further web links for those interested.
07 Apr 2006 Retro in the future? Of course that sums up Blade Runner, but it also describes our now. The Toronto Star looks further into technologies that some still cling to and why that really isn't such a bad thing.
07 Apr 2006 So who would describe Tokyo thus: "You feel like Forrest Gump in Blade Runner."? Well Robin Williams would, at Premiere.
05 Apr 2006 Do robots have souls? So asks Joseph Wilson in Now Toronto. How is the Western view different to the Japanese view? Shouldn't robots be seen as friendly? Depends on whether or not they take over?
03 Apr 2006 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? How about you?. Cnet brings attention to "Electric Sheep", the company. The name from the obvious source, but what their business? Creating virtual places in a virtual world. In 'Second Life' to be precise, and they have some major corporate clients. Don't miss the special screen saver offshoot. All sounds very "Snow Crash" to me.
"Blade Runner fully and richly deserves its reputation. It is simply one of the most extraordinary films ever made."
- BBC Online
Latest Changes on this Site
Note that only the larger additions/changes are listed here. Small changes (new links, etc.) are added to the site all the time
30th March 2006

Many site updates being done right now. Be patient.

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"The film is great on every level: the poignant screenplay about man's futile quest for immortality; Scott's tremendous direction; the incredible, futuristic sets designed by Lawrence G. Paull, Syd Mead and others; the phenomenal special effects; and the touching performances, especially from Hauer, a replicant fighting against the ebbing of his life. His swan song is one of the most touching in modern movie history."
- Desson Howe (Washington Post)
"Ridley Scott's science fiction classic is an absolute masterpiece" - Candid Critic
Welcome to the Home of Blade Runner!
Here you will find the ultimate Blade Runner FAQ, latest Blade Runner news and views. Read about Deckard, Rachael, Roy, Pris and the other BR characters. Find out about the Game. Read fan fiction and the Blade Runner Comic. Find similar movies or books about Bladerunner and much more!
"Ridley Scott's film remains the defining vision of futuristic science fiction."
- Cinescape Online
If you want to see the Roll Call with photos of some of the renegades that post to alt.fan.blade-runner, then point your browser here.
Please enjoy looking around and do drop me a line if you have any corrections, changes or new stuff to add to the site or you just want to leave a comment.
"A rare masterpiece in both the sci-fi and noir genres."
- Filmcritic.com
"Looking back, it is clear that Scott's film was years ahead of its time."
- The Reel Site
Click for Ray Kurzweil message to a.f.b-r
Click for Ray Kurzweil message to a.f.b-r
"Many films can lay claim to being influential, some are even considered landmark moments. Ridley Scott's staggering science-fiction epic Blade Runner is, however, in a league of its own. It is worlds apart from a lot of science fiction made in the last few decades."
- Special Reserve
"Flaws and all, it is a minor masterpiece at the least, and anyone looking for a real science fiction film of truly serious intent should go see it."
- Norman Spinrad, Starlog #64, November 1982
"It is a prophetic and emotional tale that stands as one of the most original and intelligent science fiction films ever made."
- Apollo Guide
Download the Blade Runner fonts from our Downloads section
"Blade Runner stands as a tough, idiosyncratic, and highly original vision of the future that asks meaningful questions about the nature of being human."
- TV Guide Online

 

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