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I enjoy Blade Runner so much - are there any other movies
or TV that might interest me that you can recommend?
Well, basically, every SF movie made after 1982. :-)
Seriously, though, BR has been enormously influential; it's
powerful visual style, a look at an all too plausible near-future,
has been copied countless times.
Here follows a list of some movies that may be of interest:
Note: For your convenience, I have added
links to Amazon.co.uk
- and Amazon.com
where you can find further information and reviews about each
of these films. A few might not be available at one or other
place and thus the corresponding link will be dead. Pictures
may not always be the same on UK and US boxes.
Warning: If you should be considering a
purchase of a movie from another country, remember that video
formats and DVD regions vary! In Europe most equipment plays
both PAL and NTSC formats and it is easy to get a multi-region
mod for many DVD players. In the USA, finding equipment that
plays anything other than NTSC format and DVD R1 is difficult.
Of course, in the USA, it is not usually an issue ...
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A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Is it Kubrick or is it Spielberg? Well, both.
Is it anything like Blade Runner? Well, how can you discuss
any film about androids and the question of "What is
it that makes us human?" without referring to Blade Runner?
The themes are in the same arena as Blade Runner and some
of the cityscape looks very similar (despite 19 years advancement
and a huge budget). However, this is a different movie with
a quite different story. Although very interesting, it doesn't
quite deliver in the end.
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Akira
The anime that blew the socks off the West. A few may have
experienced Japanimation before this came out, but this is
the one that got the ball rolling. Still stands up as one
of the best.
Post-apocalyptic intellectual evolution with biker kids and
rock music. "Neo-Tokyo is about to E.X.P.L.O.D.E."
The Limited Special Edition is now out in the USA!
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Ghost In The Shell (Kokaku kidotai)
VERY BR-ish, dark & brooding, it even addresses some of the
same themes as BR. Note for fans of "The Matrix": this was
almost certainly a major source of inspiration for the Wachowski
bros. (In interview on The Matrix DVD, they do refer to inspiration
by a particular anime film, but don't name it.)
A girl turned into a cyborg, investigating an AI in A BR-type
city. If you switch your brain on while watching, you'll see
more than just great animation - you'll see the film really
is questioning the nature of humanity.
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Perfect Blue
Reality and dreams become one as the nightmares merge into
the daytime and we lose track of what is real. Even a Replicant
would feel the paranoia and fear when watching this. One of
the very best examples of how an animated movie can succeed
with a psychological thriller.
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Brazil
Terry Gilliam's masterpiece with even more producer difficulties
than BR. The DC is a completely different movie to the "Love
Conquers All" version and considerably longer as well.
This ranks right up there with Blade Runner. The dark future
is not a happy place. Being outside the system, just like
the Reps in BR, is a dangerous place to be.
Note: The 3-DVD set is one of the most complete packages
of any movie, with just about everything you could ask for,
including both versions of the films.
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Dark City
Are they manipulating our lives? What is real? Why does everything
keep changing? A stunning movie that once again leaves us
questioning our existence.
Alex Proyas succeeds in bringing us a film where memory is
in question, where being paranoid is probably good, because
you don't know what is real and they really are out to get
you ...
One of those movies that donated a large chunk of plot to
The Matrix.
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Heavy Metal (1981)
Animated anthology movie based on the SF magazine of the
same name. Of interest to BR fans for several reasons. Also,
people who have seen "The Fifth Element" may be
interested in the first segment of the film...
[See also: "Origins of Blade Runner"].
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Impostor
Based on a PKD story, it is 2079 and Earth is at war with
alien invaders. Gary Sinise plays a well-known scientist who
is accused of being an Impostor - the suggestion being that
he has been replaced by a replicant that thinks it is the
real person, but is programmed to explode when it gets in
proximity to a certain target. He desperately tries to evade
capture to prove he is human and not a replicant.
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Metropolis
(1927)
The Grandfather of Science Fiction films. One of the earliest
but STILL one of the best. Also, one of the only films on
this list that could be said to have influenced Blade Runner,
rather than the other way around!
The robot creation rejecting its master and fighting the
revolution. The rich elite don't care at all about the poor
workers, but that is about to end!
Be warned, this film was redone with modern music by Giorgio
Moroder - some think that is sacrilege and destroys the movie,
others think it improves the film. Both versions are available
so take your pick. Note: In 2002, a restored version was released,
getting as close as possible to the original, and including
the original orchestral accompaniment.
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Metropolis (2001)
A Japanese animation that is not just for anime fans. With
inspiration drawn from both Fritz Lang's Metropolis and from
Blade Runner, this is a well told story, beautifully presented
and with great music. In a future where robots and humans
co-exist (with robots mainly acting as servants), some still
don't like the presence of these robots. A new robot has been
developed and there follows a story of friendship, distrust
and adventure. A great film that can stand alongside Akira
and GitS.
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Soldier
Blade Runner doesn't have a sequel, but some refer to this
as the "sidequel". David Peoples, (BR scriptwriter),
wrote the script. He contrasts the soldier trained from birth
with the new breed of soldier that are genetically engineered.
The two come into conflict and Kurt Russell kicks ass.
Not the best film as there are a number of bad points in
it, but worth a watch.
Note: there are a number of references to BR; at least once,
a spinner from BR can be spotted. In the beginning of the
movie, among medals Todd (Russell) has earned, we also get
a few BR references such as his fighting at Tannhauser Gate
and also the Shoulder of Orion. Tannhauser Gate is even mentioned
in dialogue.
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Total Recall
Paul Verhoeven brings aspects of another of Philip K. Dick's
books to the screen, ("We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.")
Also, together with Blade Runner, the inspiration for the
TV series, "Total Recall 2070".
Messing with man's brains and memories again - fighting for
truth and reality and people's freedom. "They stole his
mind, now he wants it back."
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Twelve
Monkeys
The threat this time is from a genetically created virus.
The difference is - its already happened.
Bruce Willis is sent hurtling backwards and forwards in time
trying to find the secret of the Twelve Monkeys and the plague
that swept the world and has trouble keeping track of his
memory and his sanity.
This is yet another David Peoples script, (based on French
art film "La Jetée"), this time brought to
screen by Terry Gilliam.
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The Crow
Brandon Lee showing what a great future he could have had.
Another dark Alex Proyas movie with many undertones. Excellent
acting, stunning visuals and originality make this a must-see.
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The Thirteenth Floor
"Question reality." Are we manipulating them, or
are we being manipulated? What is real? What happens when
the characters in your virtual reality appear in your real
world and you don't remember the murder you committed?
Don't look too closely at the cover if you haven't seen the
movie.
One of the interiors looks kind of familiar... :-)
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The Matrix
Some people love it. Some people make a noise about hating
it. Chances are you've already seen it and made up your own
mind anyway.
If you are a Keanu-hater, then you just need to get over
it and enjoy the action. There may not be any original ideas
in the film, but they are put together well and perhaps presented
to a new audience. And the Kung Fu and other SFX are stunning.
What is the real reality? And is it better than the false
one? If we climb out of reality, can we then manipulate it?
And whether you like it or not, Matrix 2 and 3 are coming.
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Johnny
Mnemonic
Chances are if you didn't like Keanu in The Matrix, you won't
like him in this either. Based on a William Gibson short story,
it is rather disappointing compared to what it should have
been. It was originally meant to be a small film, but studio
money made it into a larger budget movie and it suffered from
that.
However, this is very solid cyberpunk. The dystopian future,
memory dumps in the brain, bits of tech all over and a pretty
cyberspace representation.
"The danger is all in his head."
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Gattaca
Scientists messing around with humanity. The plight of the
not genetically perfect human has parallels with the Reps
in BR. Deception, a warped future, warnings for humanity.
If we are so similar, then what is the difference? Commenting
on discrimination based on genes is as valid to us today as
to the extrapolation into the Gattaca future world.
"There is no gene for the human spirit."
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eXistenZ
When computer games become reality. A movie that makes many
SF fans top 10 lists David Cronenberg revisits and updates
the very organic technology and the world of fantasy/reality
he first explored in "Videodrome". (See that as
well if you haven't!)
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Virtuosity
Computer generated villains escaping into reality again!
(When will those darn VR programmers learn?) This time Russell
Crowe is chased by Denzel Washington.
The VR entity, created from the personalities of over 150
serial killers takes control and downloads himself into a
nano created android and proceeds to wreak havoc. (Obviously!)
Not original, but the acting is good and the whole is fun
to watch if you switch off the critical eye.
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Nemesis
The cybernetic organism - once again leading to the question
of "what is human?"
A B-movie perhaps, but a decent Sci-Fi B-movie with cyborgs
and stylish directing is better than a poke in the eye with
a sharp stick.
"In the future .... it pays to be more than human."
(Also stars Brion "Leon Kowalski" James!)
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Trancers
Low-budget cross between BR and "The Terminator", starring
Tim Thomerson as "hardboiled detective" trancer-hunter,
Jack Deth aka Future Cop. We revisit the bleak future of L.A.
then go back in time.
Given the number of dark, depressing movies on this list,
this is perhaps one of those to watch when you are in a good
mood and feel in need of a chuckle.
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The Fifth Element
A designed person comes to earth to save us from evil. Although
she has to be recreated by Earth scientists in a handy genetic
recreation chamber that works just dandy! There is a lot of
shooting along the way and aliens pretending to be humans.
Not to mention the exciting flying car chase amongst the BR
inspired cityscape.
Not to be taken too seriously, there is plenty to entertain.
Gary Oldman is the epitome of an updated Tyrell. And watch
out for Brion James.
Directed
by Luc Besson, you know it will be stylish. Other of his films
to try are "Nikita" and the superb "Léon:
The Professional" (international cut).
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The City of Lost Children
(La Cité des Enfants Perdus)
Brains in jars, artificial humans, strange things happening
in a post-apoclyptic style world. Original, surreal fantasy
against a marvellously created backdrop.
Krank is the genius created by a mad scientist, (Tyrellesque?).
But as clever as he is, he cannot dream. Children are kidnapped
so that Krank can steal their dreams, but all he gets are
nightmares.
Made by the same lot who created the amazing "Delicatessen".
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The
Batman movies
Well, there are four of them - surely you must like at least
one?
Dark ponderings on the nature of being are mixed into action
and combatting strange enemies.
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Strange Days
Some cyberpunk elements brought forward to link into Y2K.
The date may have passed, but the memory experiences are put
on discs for all to share.
James Cameron writes a story exploring that "classic"
cyberpunk element of memories, emotions and experiences stored
on a disc and sold. The problem comes when a disc turns up
that is witness to murder. An ex-cop, played by Ralph Fiennes,
investigates murder, rape and corruption. The film captures
the maximum angst of a world rapidly approaching the year
2000.
"You know you want it."
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Nirvana
Rather weird but enjoyable cyberpunk thriller with Christopher
Lambert, which among other things, deals with artificial beings
questioning their existence, while Lambert has some issues
of his own to deal with. The brooding mood is lifted somewhat
by some nice touches of humor, so the movie never take itself
too seriously.
There are some imaginative futuristic backdrops in the movie,
but the BR influence is unmistakable (or should that be "unavoidable"?).
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Judge Dredd
Based on the comic book character, but toned down [a lot]
in its Hollywood incarnation. The most interesting thing about
the film is probably it's visual style, which is like a "BR
meets Total Recall", picturing a BR-ish overgrown "Mega-City".
It also deals with artificially created humans; Dredd (in
this movie, anyway) turns out to be a clone created from an
amalgamation of various people - to become the embodiment
of the law. Nice soundtrack by Alan Sylvestri, too.
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Freejack
Futuristic chase movie with cyberpunk elements thrown in;
a race car driver from the year 1991 (played by Emilio Estevez)
is about to die in a fatal accident, when suddenly he is whisked
away to the year 2009 where some rich guy, a powerful multinational's
CEO, wants to use his body for a mind transfer. Estevez escapes,
though, and lots of mayhem follow. Very loosely related (as
there are a couple of BR-inspired street scenes in there too…)
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Sixth Day
It is an Arnie film so expect plenty of action. But there
is far more to this movie than that. Once you accept the premise
of creating adult human cloned duplicates, there are a number
of ideas explored in this movie. (Particularly the clone that
doesn't know he is the copy until he is told - sound familiar
at all?)
Set in the near future, (they had to bring it even closer
because of rapid real world advances in cloning technology),
they have created a very realistic view of how technology
may be integrated into our everyday lives in the next decade.
"There's been a Sixth Day violation. A human was cloned.
That human was you."
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Related/similar Television:
Total Recall 2070
Loosely based on the film "Totall Recall" starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger AND (perhaps more directly) on "Blade Runner",
it looks somewhat like an unofficial "BR: The Series". Then
again, the androids featured in the series seem like direct
ancestors of those seen in the Alien movies, as they are clearly
mechanical, with white, milk-like fluid for "blood". Except
the latest model, who becomes a police detective, is different...
Bubblegum Crisis
A highly acclaimed anime OVA ("original video animation")
series, like many Japanese SF oriented animation, the series
is highly influenced by BR and that other influential 80's
film, "The Terminator". The series is about a team
of high-tech vigilantes, a group of women using high tech
exoskeleton suits who are fighting renegade "Boomers",
androids built by the ominous Genom corporation. One of the
main characters is called "Priss" and she has a
band called "The Replicants".
Dark Angel
SF action series set in a dystopian near future, featuring
people who are created as a result of genetic manipulation.
Some of them escape and try to lead 'normal' lives… Sound
familiar?
Mutant X
SF action series set in a world where genetic designers have
messed with human DNA to create people with enhanced or extra
abilities. Genome-X is the official group who exploit the
mutants, but a few have broken off to form a counter-group
who only want to help the resultant mutants.
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