WHICH IS THE DEFINITIVE VERSION OF BLADE RUNNER? A thorough and absolute examination On October 6th, Blade Runner 2049 will arrive in theaters, and audiences will finally get to find out how Arrival director Denis Villeneuve continues the story Ridley Scott started with Blade Runner in 1982. Both stories are about professional law enforcers who hunt down rogue androids, and both consider the philosophy of what exactly makes someone human. But the sequel also picks up storylines that the original film left open. Viewers will enjoy the new movie better if they brush up on the old one before heading to the theater. Unfortunately, that raises some questions: what’s the best way to catch up on the original film, given all the available versions, and all the arguments they’ve started? Eight different cuts of Scott’s 1982 original have been shown since the movie’s release, and the 2007 Ultimate Collector’s Edition of the movie includes five of them. For the average moviegoer, that’s approximately four too many. But even the most common debate — whether the original 1982 Theatrical Cut is better, or Scott’s 2007 Final Cut should take its place — leaves viewers with one too many options. Clearly what we need is a final showdown between them. Here at The Verge, trying to crown a single version of Blade Runner as the “definitive” one has proven impossible. Legend tells of a nightmare email chain between staffers years ago, hundreds of bad opinions long, over this exact issue. Because I seek to sow internal conflict at all times — and because I’m also not willing to sacrifice several hours of my precious life to watching five versions of the same movie — I’m reawakening this blood feud. I’ve enlisted two of my colleagues to dig into how the Theatrical and Final Cuts differ from each other, to explain why it matters, and to help settle this war for once and for all. Senior editor Bryan Bishop and managing editor T.C. Sottek, take your places. https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/3/...on-to-watch-ridley-scott-theatrical-cut-final
Watched the TC first as a kid. Definitely understood more of what's happening because of the noir like narration. I didn't realize I was watching a directors cut when I saw it again In college, so the missing voice over and the ending blew my mind. Didn't even realize he could be a replicant because the TC didn't play much on it. The second version is more cult and niche driven. The first is a pained compromise to an overall gloomy universe box office audiences aren't willing shell out money. This was confirmed when it's spiritual sequel tanked and any hopes of another sequel will neuter what made the first two BRs very special to it's fans. What the other guy said about immersion, some people could consider boring or slow. Voice overs help break slow execution, like a generic condiment to a very particular meal, but it isn't going to make or break the overall movie. Finding the right balance to immersion and pacing for all audiences is what gives a special category for geniuses in art (still love you Ridley...for now).
Good grief! I just saw this. Sorry, guys, and a nice find, @basso. It's deliberately a funny read, but the underlying discussion is serious. I agreed with both protagonists. The Theatrical Cut was mind blowing when it came out, a revelation. I saw it 4 times in about 3 weeks. Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer were tremendous, as were the rest of the cast. I don't think any of them gave less than an excellent performance. Yet that version had some clear issues. There were immediate arguments about the voice over among my circle of SF fans, as well as about the ending, which comes out of left field. I love it still and watch that version every few years, but the best, in my opinion, is the Final Cut. It's Scott's original vision fulfilled. Whether or not Deckard is a replicant gets more play (I'm human, of course). The whole flick just makes more sense. The "happy ending," which always seemed jarring, has gone it's merry way. That we are still discussing the film, as are uncounted others, so long after it came out speaks to its influence. I consider it the finest science film ever made. Blade Runner: The Final Cut. I don't care for the "in between" version.
