Blade Runner [Director's Cut]

Rating:
Summary: Original better, much better
Review: No Extras, absolutely zero extras.
Transfer from Film, one of the worst ever.
After watching the original and the Directors cut 2 times each,
I like the original better. It reveals more about the time, the place and mostly about Fords character. And that voice, Harrison
Ford has a fantastic voice over voice. It's like deleting the flame on the Statute of Liberty. If they ever issue a improved version, put both versions on the DVD and for heavens sake clean the picture up.

Rating:
Summary: Tech Stuff Only reveiw
Review: Won't waste your time with movie analysis, just the DVD complaints:

1. No extras, like commentary, outtakes, etc.

2. No 5.1 sound

3. No DTS

4. Doesn't include both versions: with voice over and without.

I keep reading a new version is due out. Consensus seems to be wait and see if Warner addresses any of these complaints before buying. That's what I'm doing.

Rating:
Summary: A change of feel...
Review: Though the movie looks excellent and the story is still awesome, I find myself really missing the voice over from the earlier version. The running internal monologue of Harrison Ford's character vastly improved the depth of the film, in my opinion. So, the original version gets my 4 stars, while this version only gets 3. Still quite enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Better then the book.
Review: It's not often a movie is able to capture it's viwers, draw them in, intrest and tell a stroy as good as the novel (do anderiods dream of electric sheep), but this movie does just that. All the main Characters; Deckard, Tyrell, Rachael, Batty and J F are all fully developed, there are no two-dimentional characters in the movie. Great acting enables us to enjoy the film fully, and the director's cut is far more interesting then the original box office hit.

That said, the original does feature very good voice-over making it very worth while to see, especially if there are parts you struggle to understand in the directors cut which, if you ask me, expects a lot.

-Dab

Rating:
Summary: Polishing a turd.
Review: I was excited to see that the were coming out with a Limited Edition Collector's set of this film. I was excited because this is one of my favorite films and I thought this version would be loaded with extras. Well, it isn't. Not even a single commentary. Not a "Making of..". Nothing. You don't even get a choice of what version you want to see, the director's cut or the original. All you get is a poster and some pictures of the film! They want us to pay almost seventy dollars for that! Forget it. I'll wait for the Extra Special Super Collector's Edition Set (If it ever comes out.) This just proves Warner Bros. is responsible for some of the worst DVD transfers ever.

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the most powerful films I have ever seen!
Review: I accept that this movie may be considered a little strange to the average viewer; with its hood of constant darkness and seedy LA underbelly, with it's strange mix of film noir and science fiction. Certainly, it is a strange film, but one that is hugely meritous for it's somewhat apocalyptic vision of the capitalist future within the context of a city of fallen angels, and the manner in which it explores the concerns of the age and humanity's fall from grace. Does being human give us all the attributes of humanity, for example, compassion? Do we need to be on the edge of death before we can appreciate life?

This version leaves many questions unanswered, and though I have not seen any version but the Director's Cut, I cannot imagine 'Bladerunner' with a positive outcome. It seems to defeat the entire purpose of the text, and the loss of the most important and beautiful line of the piece (as I see it) 'Its a shame she won't live, but then who does?' would affect the entire concept. A piece were life was present (like the original work) seems almost contridictory to the hopeless, loveless and careless setting of the work. Deckard as a non replicant (he is a replicant-how else would Gaff know his unicorn dream unless they were programed..) would also destroy the entire meaning of the work.

It is truly a fabulous work if one really considers the concerns of the director, and how his view of the future and critism of the present world and growing capitalisation is considered.

Rating:
Summary: Very imaginative
Review: This is one of the few movies that I rented, then bought immediatly. You just have to watch it several times. The visuals are stunning for the time, and the overall picture of the movie conveys is amazing. As for the comments that have been made about the directors cut, I prefer it to the original. Just taking out the voice over opens up the movie to a more 'spacey' feel. The last thing I want to have to do when I see a movie is have half the plot shoved right in my face, I would rather figure things out myself. The dvd could have been much much better. The picture quality is decent, but very lacking. No special features. I'm hoping for a re-release sometime in the near future. But I'm not complaining, its still far better than the vhs version.

Rating:
Summary: Give Me The Studio Version
Review: Pass on this one. I want the narration and I love the happy ending. It is a classic, with the narration, and a bore without. Someone force Warners into releasing the original version.

This is one case where the Studio was right.

Rating:
Summary: a vision of the future
Review: When the history of the motion picture buisness is written, this is one of the films that will be spoken of in hushed tones. It's nightmare vision of a sprewling metropolis gone crazy, with a fusion of Americana and Japanese, will infulence generations of film makers. But to see the DVD edition, after suffering years of the VHS version, is akin to being given the gift of sight after being blind from birth. From the opening sequence of the cityscape, to the closing shot of the realeased dove, this is a joy. With the classic ensoble cast, and Harrison Ford, given a sript and a character with hidden depth, this is a film that triumphs on every level. All this, then coupled with Ridley Scott's direction, now split from the hideous voiceover, makes this a MUST OWN disc. I have to say also, that a film of this quality deserves a better disc with features, and I hear that one is coming out in the new year. Lets hope that is does the film justice. Channel 4 tv, here in England did a great documentry, and as has been said in other reviews the two versions on the one disc would be great.

Rating:
Summary: Big Mistake
Review: What happens when you take a dark and moody movie set in a futuristic Los Angeles, take out the voice over and add a few minutes of footage...? You get a cure for insomnia. I'm sorry, I think Harrison Ford is a very good actor and I love his role in this film. I realize he did not want to do the voice over in the original cut but this movie screams for it. Ridley Scott in my opinion is a hit and miss director. He seems to think he knows more about what we like to see as entertainment then we do. There is good news and bad news about this Directors Cut. The good news first. Artistically, this movie is incredible, absolutely stunning. The production design was worth every bit of praise. Never has there been to this day a better looking futuristic city in the movies. Visually it's timeless and beautiful. The characters and scenes are well shot and inspiring. The story is a good one, too. A small group of escaped manufactured humans looking for freedom. Ford is very good in his character as the Blade Runner who is sent to destroy them. This all sets the stage for a very intriguing morality play. They may be manufactured, but they are still human, shouldn't they have the right to live? This is basically what the movie talks about. Now the bad news. Scott's pacing is so slow and cumbersome (come on Ridley how long do we have to look at every scene?) that boredom sets in. I'm not asking for fast paced action or explosions, I realize this is Science Fiction and there is a story unfolding here, but there are scenes that don't even do anything to keep your attention. In addition, the original novels were inspired as pieces of futuristic Sci Fi detective film noir. The voiceover helped establish that, it also helped keep the movie going at the slower scenes. I am the first one to say that movie executives don't have a clue as to what movies are supposed to be like but in this one instance they were right. The movie needed a boost. Ford may not have liked doing it but even though he purposely did it poorly, it still fits the movie. His deadpanned tone and lack of inflections are a throwback to the detective stories like Philip Marlow and Mike Hammer. I was extremely disappointed in the directors cut, only because of the lack of voice over. I think it added more to the morality and substance, it brought to the front of the mind the questions the movie was trying to make you think about. I did like the alternate ending and the dream sequence, very interesting if not ambiguous. But it could have stood with the original. I still give this movie two stars because it's still a visually exciting movie to this day, but you can only look at a movie for so long before it pushes the boundaries of your attention.