A great AMC afternoon…
So I’m trying to get this chapter for Podcasting for Dummies done, but I’m hitting a brick wall. I turn on the television and on AMC I find a pleasant distraction: Dragonslayer. 1981. Walt Disney/Paramount Studios. WOW! I had forgotten what a completely cool movie it was, one of those movies that laid a goose egg at the box office, but on looking at it now you realize how ahead of its time it was and how bad ass it really is. And that dragon…damn!
Following Dragonslayer, AMC’s afternoon at the movies conitnues its streak with Blade Runner, and this was the Blade Runner I liked: The Blade Runner with Harrison Ford’s Bogie-style voiceover.
But here’s my question: What was so wrong with this version? I would so much love to have this-the original theatrical release-on widescreen…but all I can find is the “Director’s Cut” where Ridley Scott added in leftover Legend footage, cut the voiceovers, cut the ending, and said “Well, now it’s clear that Dekard’s a replicant.” It took a few people to explain to me how “clear” this was, and now, kinda sorta, yeah, maybe I can buy that…but I don’t get the whole “unicorm dream” which is vague at best. We see Dekard in his apartment, a fade into the unicorn, and then he’s analyzing the photo. This, along with the origami Adama — er, sorry, Gaff — is creating throughout the film makes Dekard a replicant.
Yeah, Ridley, clear as mud.
Am I in the minority here that the Director’s Cut is not all that? I miss the voiceovers. The voiceovers add to the film’s SciFi Noir aspect that I thought Ridley was going for. The “happy ending” cut…yeah, okay, if you want the “nitty gritty” ending, that’s cool to cut. But lose the voiceover and add in a slo-mo unicorn?
Nah, this is the better Blade Runner I’m watching now.
August 12th, 2005 at 3:44 pm
You still going with that podcasting for dummies book :p, taking your time aint’cha!.
Can’t say i’ve seen Dragon Slayer, any good?. I’ve got the Blade Runner DC, never seen any of the other five versions though http://www.blade-runner.it/p-versioni-e.html. All the fan-boys want to see the mythical uber version that was supposed to be released a few years back, not too fussed myself.
August 13th, 2005 at 3:29 am
“Dragon Slayer” is a great movie. I haven’t seen it in a few years, but when I accidently happen upon it, I always linger to watch.
I haven’t seen the DC of Blade Runner.
August 13th, 2005 at 6:21 pm
I think you are right about both movies, Tee. I have been meaning to see Dragonslayer since it was listed as the best Heroic Fantasy film by British SF magazine SFX in 2001, and in the top 20 Fantasy films of all time. (The Lord of the Rings hadn’t come out yet.)
Blade Runner was long my favorite purely SF movie. I guess it still is. But they really don’t make that point about Dekard, even though I keep trying to look for it.
August 17th, 2005 at 8:31 am
Dragonslayer was one of those movies that moved Disney out of the cutsie-cartoon movie business. However, their other attempt ‘Blackhole’ was horrible.
I guess they can’t all be gems, but someone should have thought twice about that movie.
August 20th, 2005 at 6:27 pm
I agree with Tee. I like the original Blade Runner. (The only one I know anyway.)The noir, LA aspect, that we originally got works best. What a great mix of genres. Dragonslayer kicks butt. It was one of the movies that made me a geek for fantasy worlds besides Star Wars! It was ahead of its time, dark and attempting to be very authentic. I always remembered that guy from Ally McBeal…
September 3rd, 2005 at 5:16 am
I saw Dragon Slayer first run way back when. I thought it was a good movie and certianly the best fantasy movie around in the early-mid 80’s. I get a chuckle when ever I see Peter Nicoles in anything else.
I remeber seeing BR for the first time with my very first girl friend. I have always like the orginal version best also. But, i never thought that Deckerd was a replicant. My thought was to whether the girl would live. Never thought that the ending was so bad either. I read it as them running! Running to get away from the world and see for themselves where she would live and to try and make the best of the time they did have. LIke Gaff said: “… She won’t LIVE! But, then again… who does?”
Plus, you just CAN”T beat the set design for that movie! It is just the most visually stunning movie to come out of the 80’s. Star Wars and Star Trek included!
September 4th, 2005 at 5:19 pm
Yes, Dragon Slayer was most excellent. I never listen to what critics say. They hated Star Wars when it first came out. As for Blade Runner, One of the Best Movies of all time. Best Overall movies forget about just SF. Roy Batty was a kick ass guy but what motivated him to come back to Earth? Fear. He comes to his maker and tells him, “I want more life, fucker.” Can you imagine a person saying that to our maker (God). He is scared about what he;s done and what it’s going to do to his after life. So, he doesn’t want to go. Everyone should see this movie.