Films/DVD Asylum

RE: the original 1982 version...

24.22.189.36

This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: I rewatched the original 1982 version... posted by mkuller on October 08, 2017 at 10:29:44

There were a couple of different 'cuts' offered on, VHS, DVD and Blu-Ray over the years. The Director's Cut. "Then The Final Cut". It appears RS could not stop fiddling with it.
As I recall many of the reviewers were not completely enthralled by the theatrical release.
Perhaps it is the bleak and sad atmosphere that saturates every frame of the movie. There is a sense of gloom. The characters are unattractive.
I thought the acting was second tier. Well, I think the entire cast is second tier. Rutger Hauer delivers his best performance in a movie and I wasn't particularly impressed.
There is a running theme that the 'replicants' had a sense of 'self' and wished to continue living. Self-awareness. Perhaps the replicants felt they should dominate the humans? This was not fully explored but implied in some of the dialog.
The novel the movie was based on was even less compelling than the movie. I blame that on the rather dry narration coming from Philip K. Dick. What worked for me was the Sid Meade graphics and set design. Every scene is night time. All of the interior shots are dark. It tries to be a horror movie. With Ridley Scott you get horror, I guess. Iirc, the novel was less so.
-Steve

Edits: 10/08/17

Follow Ups: