The Blade Runner FAQ - V4.0 [2/3]
Lukas Mariman
strange, but it was fitting well into Gaff."
Problems in translating Cityspeak:
* How do you transcribe sounds you don't understand if you don't even
know which language is
being used for which word?
* There were considerable changes to Gaff's character and lines during
filming, so the final
script only helps a little.
* As far as we know, Olmos hasn't left us with his own transcription.
* Attempts to translate have to make assumptions of language used. For
instance the
"Hungarian line" assumes the sentence is all Hungarian words and makes
them fit. This is put
into doubt by the fact that Gaff's previous line contains at least three
different languages.
* Some of the speech is slang and therefore a standard dictionary is not
going to cut it.
* Although Olmos did an excellent job in his creating and speaking of
the different scraps in
coherent sentences, the fact is that it is still street lingo and thus
any "mistakes" he may have
made in words or pronunciation are irrelevant as they can be simply part
of Cityspeak.
- NOODLE BAR SCENE -
{Rainy, busy street scene. Deckard reading newspaper while waiting for a
spot to open up at the White
Dragon Noodle Bar.}
Blimp: A new life awaits you in the Off-world colonies. The chance to
begin again in a golden land of
opportunity and adventure.
Sushi Master: {To a customer} Nani ni shimasho ka. [Japanese: "What
would you like to have?"]
Blimp: A new life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies. The chance to
begin again in a golden land of
opportunity and adventure. Let's go to the Colonies!
<<OV only>>
Blimp: New climate, recreational facilities...
Deckard (voice-over): They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper.
That was my profession. Ex-
cop, ex-blade runner, ex-killer.
Blimp: ... absolutely free.
<<End OV>>
<<DC only>>
Blimp: This announcement has been brought to you by the
Shimago-Dominguez Corporation. Helping
America into the New World.
<<End DC>>
Blimp: {Continues over some of the following dialogue} Use your new
friend as a personal body
servant or a tireless field hand - the custom tailored genetically
engineered humanoid replicant
designed especially for your needs. So come on America, lets put our
team up there ...
Sushi Master: {To Deckard} Kimashita, kimashita! Irasshai, irasshai!
[Japanese: "Come, come.
Welcome, welcome!" ]
{Deckard goes over to Sushi Bar.}
Sushi Master: Sa dozo. [Japanese: "Come, please." (sit down here)]
{Deckard sits where Sushi Master indicates.}
Sushi Master: Nani ni shimasho ka. [Japanese: "What would you like to
have?"]
Deckard: {Points} Give me four.
Sushi Master: Futatsu de jubun desu yo. [Japanese: "Two is enough!"]
Deckard: No. Four. Two, two, four.
Sushi Master: Futatsu de jubun desu yo. [Japanese: "Two is enough!"]
Deckard: {Resignedly} And noodles.
Sushi Master: Wakatte kudasai yo. [Japanese: "Please understand!"
(Actually implying sarcastically,
"Can't you understand?") He knows Deckard by name, so this is probably a
familiar jibing between the
two.]
<<OV only>>
Deckard (voice-over): Sushi, that's what my ex-wife called me. Cold
fish.
<<End OV>>
Policeman: Hey, idi-wa. [Cityspeak-Korean: "Hey, come here." ? (More
likely "Hey, you." Anyone know
for sure?)]
Gaff: Monsieur, ada-na kobishin angum bitte.
[Cityspeak-French-(???)-German: "Sir, you will be
required to accompany me, please." (Note: The first and last words are
correct, but the rest is a
mystery and is probably transcribed incorrectly. However the translation
is close to the script.)]
{Deckard gestures to Sushi Master to translate. (The script had Deckard
not understanding the original
Japanese. The subsequent voice-over said of course he actually
understood Cityspeak. So whether
he really understands or not is pretty much your choice!)}
Sushi Master: He say you under arrest, Mr. Deckard.
Deckard: You got the wrong guy, pal.
Gaff: Lòfasz nehogy mar. Te vagy a Blade ... Blade Runner.
[Cityspeak-Hungarian-ish: "Don't be a
horse's dick." OR "Don't dick around with me." - "You are the Blade ...
Blade Runner." (Slang changes
the direct translation. And is it all Hungarian anyway?)]
Sushi Master: He say you 'Brade Runner'.
Deckard: Tell him I'm eating.
Gaff: Captain Bryant toka. Me ni o mai yo. [Cityspeak-?Japanese?:
"Captain Bryant sent me. He
ordered me to bring you in." (If anyone knows for sure, please let us
know.)]
Deckard: Bryant, huh?
Gaff: Hai! [Japanese: "Yes!"]
{Deckard and Gaff leave in spinner.}
--------------------------
(By Netrunner)
4.7.4. What is the language used by the midgets that are ripping stuff
off Deckard's car? What are they
saying?
They are speaking German.
Here is the complete dialogue of that scene:
[On the street... Police radio heard in background. Street vandals
approach
Deckards car. ]
Vandal: Jemand hat uns ein kleines Geschenk dagelassen. [German for:
"Somebody left us a little present."]
Vandal: Ist jemand drinnen? [German for: "Is somebody in there?"]
Vandal: Ich kann nichts sehen. Hey, warte bis die Bullen weg sind! Hey,
warte bis die Bullen weg -- [ German for: "I can`t see anything. Hey,
wait
`til the cops are gone! Hey, wait `til the cops -- "]
4.8. Themes & Subtexts Used In Blade Runner
4.8.1. Eye theme
- Holden's eye at the beginning of the movie; eyes at Chew's lab;
- Computer & TV screens throughout the movie; a media-saturated near
future;
- Tyrell's heavy glasses;
- Several eye references in the dialogue;
A sense of seeing, and of being seen, of being watched. Hinting at, or
creating, a sense of paranoia?
4.8.2. Religious theme
- The replicants coming "down" to earth are like angels descended from
Heaven.
- Tyrell, as creator of the replicants, represents a (flawed)
representation of God. He lives in a Mayan
pyramid-like structure high above the rest of the population. His bed is
a replica of that of Pope John
Paul II.
- Roy Batty is a Christ-like figure, but has also elements of Lucifer,
the Fallen Angel, who rebels
against God, and is cast out of Heaven because of it; again, a flawed
analogy: he does not sacrifice
himself, and even rebels - and finally destroys - his god, his "father".
4.8.3. Animal theme
Each character is associated with an animal:
Leon = Turtle
Roy = Wolf, Dove
Zhora = Snake
Rachael = Spider
Tyrell = Owl
Sebastian = Mouse
Pris = Raccoon
Deckard = Sushi (raw fish), unicorn
4.8.4. Chess Theme
The chess game between Tyrell and Sebastian uses the conclusion of a
game played between
Anderssen and Kieseritzky, in London in 1851. It is considered one of
the most brilliant games ever
played, and is universally known as "The Immortal Game".
The Immortal Game, in algebraic notation, was as follows:
Anderssen - Kieseritzky (London 1851):
1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Bc4 Qh4+ 4 Kf1 b5 5 Bxb5 Nf6 6 Nf3 Qh6 7 d3 Nh5 8
Nh4 Qg5
9 Nf5 c6 10 Rg1 cxb5 11 g4 Nf6 12 h4 Qg6 13 h5 Qg5 14 Qf3 Ng8 15 Bxf4
Qf6
16 Nc3 Bc5 17 Nd5 Qxb2 18 Bd6 Qxa1+ 19 Ke2 Bxg1 20 e5 Na6 21 Nxg7+ Kd8
22 Qf6+ Nxf6 23 Be7 Checkmate.
(To play through this game visually, try this site:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Hangar/5176/replays/gm0007.htm )
The chess boards in the film are not arranged exactly as they would in
be the Immortal Game, and
Sebastian's board does not match Tyrell's.
This is what happens in the movie:
Roy makes a move.
JF says, "No, knight takes queen, see? Won't do."
Roy then does that on the board and sits down to examine the board
further.
Later, in the elevator, JF (repeating Roy) says "Queen to Bishop 6.
Check."
Tyrell responds with "Knight takes queen." and the response is "Bishop
to King 7. Checkmate."
These are the last moves of the "Immortal Game" that are being played.
So, Roy's initial move which JF discounts is the second last move to
winning the game and JF
has not seen it, and Tyrell does the same as JF had initially responded
to Roy.
The concept of immortality has obvious associations in the ensuing
confrontation between Tyrell and
Batty. On one level, the chess game represents the struggle of the
replicants against the humans: the
humans consider the replicants pawns, to be removed one by one. The
individual replicants (pawns)
are attempting to become immortal (a queen). At another level, the game
between Tyrell and
Sebastian represents Batty stalking Tyrell. Tyrell makes a fatal
mistake in the chess game, and
another fatal mistake trying to reason with Batty.
4.9. Miscellaneous Movie Questions
4.9.1. The unicorn footage is from the movie "Legend", right? [NO, IT IS
NOT!]
The unicorn footage is definitely NOT from Legend, although it is easy
to see why the rumor is so
persistent, since the imagery looks quite a lot like that of "Legend".
Despite what many seem to believe, original unicorn footage was in fact
shot for the 1982 release;
however, at the request of the producers (who didn't "get it", or just
decided it was "too arty") it was
cut.
When plans were made to make a DC, Scott insisted the footage be
reinserted. Unfortunately, by that
time, the intended unicorn footage had disappeared. However, one
particular shot - an out-take from
the original footage that had been discarded by Ridley Scott in 1982 -
was found. That shot was
cleaned up and color-corrected, and became that particular BR scene we
all know and love... ;-)
[- Source: Future Noir, page 366]
4.9.2. Can you tell me how to make my own origami unicorn?
No, but Shigeki Hayashi can! Visit his site for detailed instructions
on how to fold the unicorn:
http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~null/index_br.html
4.9.3. What do Gaff's origami figures mean?
Chicken:
Deckard is "chicken", he is reluctant to take the job.
Stick man:
Deckard may be getting *too* involved (probably meant in respect to
Rachael).
Unicorn:
a) "Gaff was here!" basically, it was a calling card;
b) In the DC, there is an extra layer to it: (See question "Is Deckard a
Replicant")
4.9.4. Who is this Gaff anyway? What is his function in the LAPD?
We know very little about Gaff. Is he a Blade Runner, like Deckard and
Holden? Perhaps, although his
physical condition leaves little opportunity to do any "running". Maybe
Gaff has some other function
within the police department, some sort of supervisor, assigned to
keeping an eye on Deckard.
But who really knows what his function is?
4.9.5. In the beginning of the movies we see these big fireballs. What
are they?
The flares are known as "sour gas".
From: "The Disposal of Sour Gas through Flaring by Oil Companies"
Robert D. Guy, Dept. of Chemistry, Dalhousie University
"Sour gas is any gas in its natural state that contains impurities which
form acidic combustion
products. Sour gas also contains compounds of sulfur at concentrations
exceeding levels for practical
use because of their corrosion and toxicity. Sour gas contains over 250
different compounds, some of
which are carbon dioxide, methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide..."
"Flaring is a means of safely disposing of waste gases through the use
of combustion. With an
elevated flare the combustion is carried out at the top of a pipe or
stack where the burner and igniter
are located."
4.9.6. Whose eye is that in the beginning?
According to the script, the eye is supposed to be Holden's. The actual
eye belongs to one of the
technicians and was filmed later. (This explains why it is the wrong
colour for Holden.)
Note: because of the level of the windows, the character wouldn't be
able to actually see the
cityscape, even though this seems to be the intention...
4.9.7. Does Holden survive being shot by Leon Kowalski?
Yes, he does. Although it's easy to miss for the casual viewer, Holden
survived, but is heavily
wounded and needs to remain "plugged" in, as Bryant calls it. In a
deleted scene, Deckard visits
Holden in a hospital.
4.9.8. I think I remember a scene with Deckard jumping over a car in
Zhora's chase scene, but I can't
find it in any of the tapes or DVD's. What gives?
The extended chase over the car rooftops was shot, but never included in
any released version of the
film, either theatrically or on home video. However, there are a few
still photos from this deleted
sequence which have been used repeatedly in promoting the film, so
that's probably where you saw it.
4.9.9. Which companies were featured in BR?
ANACO, Atari, Atriton, Bell, Budweiser, Bulova, Citizen, Coca-Cola,
Cuisine Art, Dentyne, Hilton, Jovan, JVC, Koss, L.A. Eyeworks, Lark,
Marlboro, Million
Dollar Discount, Mon Hart, Pan Am, Polaroid, RCA, Remy, Schiltz,
Shakey's,
Toshiba, Star Jewelers, TDK, The Million Dollar Movie, TWA, Wakamoto.
4.9.10. Why is there talk of a BR curse?
Someone once noticed that a number of the companies whose logos appeared
in BR had financial
difficulties after the film was released. Atari had 70% of the home
console market in 1982, but faced
losses of over $2 million in the first quarter of 1991. Bell lost it's
monopoly in 1982. Pan-Am filed for
bankruptcy protection in 1991. Soon after Blade Runner was released,
Coca-Cola released their "new
formula", resulting in losses of millions of dollars. (It is interesting
to note that since then, the Coca-
Cola Company has seen the biggest growth of any American company in
history.) Cuisine Art filed for
bankruptcy protection in July 1989.
Then again, it should also be noted that a lot of companies NOT featured
in BR went bust too. It's a
fact of life, if you will; either they go bankrupt, or they merge with
another company, or just change
names, etc.
4.9.11. Who is the actor who plays Abdul-Ben Hassan, the snake dealer?
No one seems to know! It's a mystery! He is not mentioned anywhere in
the credits... Even Future Noir
does not have any information regarding the man's real-life identity.
He's not in any other FAQ.
And, yes, we did check the IMDb.
4.9.12. When Roy Batty meets Tyrell, does he call him "father" of
"f***er"?
Actually, both versions exist. The "Father" version of that line was
used for American TV showing.
4.9.13. Who wrote the "voice over" in the original theatrical release
version of BR?
A veteran TV screenwriter named Roland Kibbee was hired to write the
voice over when producers
decided it was required. Reportedly, Ford read it the way he did on
purpose, hoping it wouldn't then be
used. By the time the movie came out, Peoples and Fancher had become
friends and when they saw
it, they were so worried about the possibility that the other had
written it, they didn't make any negative
comments about it for months afterwards.
III. THE SOUNDTRACK
1. About The Soundtrack
1.1. Who wrote the soundtrack?
Most, but not all, of the score was written by a Greek man called
Evangelos Odyssey Papathanassiou,
better known to the world as, simply, "Vangelis" (the name Vangelis is a
commonly used Greek first
name, which literally means "Message from God").
1.2. More about the composer.
Vangelis was born March 29, 1943, in Volos, Greece.
During the 1960's, together with Demis Roussos and Lucas Sideras, he
formed the successful pop
group "Aphrodite's Child", that had a number of hits including "Rain and
Tears" and "It's Five O'Clock".
Vangelis doubled as composer and keyboard player.
Demis Roussos, who was the group's singer, also performed the strange
voice in the BR soundtrack
"Tales of the future" featured on the 1994 soundtrack release, and in
the Offworld & Gongo bootlegs.
In the early 70's the band broke up, and Vangelis started a solo career,
becoming a pioneer in the field
of electronic music in the process. His biggest success during the 70's
was the groundbreaking album
"Heaven & Hell", which would go on to provide the theme and part of the
soundtrack of Carl Sagan's
popular science TV-series "Cosmos".
1.3. Other work by the composer.
Vangelis has produced a number of soundtracks for movies including:
The Bounty (starring Mel Gibson & Anthony Hopkins)
Antarctica (Japanese movie, big hit over there)
Bitter Moon
Francesco
L'apocalypse des animaux (based on a series of nature films by French
director Frédéric Rossif)
1492: conquest of Paradise (also a Ridley Scott film)
Apart from his film scores, Vangelis has released a number of albums
going back to the early
seventies, sometimes in collaboration with singer Jon Anderson (of Yes
fame), but mostly solo. His
latest work was released
1.4. Why did it take so long for Vangelis to release his own original
work for the movie?
At the time there were rumors that Vangelis was upset because Ridley
Scott had also used music from
sources other than Vangelis to use in the soundtrack, and that this was
supposedly the reason why he
didn't want to release his music. But, again, these are just rumors.
According to people who work
closely with Vangelis, the rumours have been refuted as untrue.
The truth is, nobody (except Vangelis perhaps) knows for sure why. Maybe
there is no "why".
1.5. How many versions of the soundtrack are there?
There are at least 7 different soundtrack albums (8, if you count the
Themes album). 2 of those are
official releases, the rest are bootlegs.
Sometime around 1982, a first bootleg (on audiocassette tape) was made.
Availability: unknown (probably impossible to find anymore)
Blade Runner (Orchestral Adaptation of Music Composed for The Motion
Picture by Vangelis)
Performed by The New American Orchestra
Released by WEA in 1982
For many years this was the "official" BR sountrack album.
As the text on the cover states, it is an orchestral arrangement of the
soundtrack performed by the
New American Orchestra. This album contains the following tracks:
1. Love Theme (4:12)
2. Main Title (5:01)
3. One More Kiss, Dear (4:00)
4. Memories of Green (4:50)
5. End Title (4:17)
6. Blade Runner Blues (4:38)
7. Farewell (3:10)
8. Love Theme (4:12)
The album is kind of disappointing for two main reasons:
- it is not the music in it's original form, since it isn't performed by
the original artist;
- it only has a very limited selection of music from the film.
On the plus side, what music is there isn't all that bad, and it does
feature some nice saxophone work
by Tom Scott.
Availability: originally released on vinyl record; should still be
available on audio CD.
In 1989, Vangelis released his compilation album "Themes", which
contained 2 previously unreleased
tracks from his original BR score:
1. End Titles from "Bladerunner" (4:57)
8. Love Theme from "Bladerunner" (4:55)
A third track on that album, that was used in Blade Runner, is "Memories
of Green" (Track 11; 5:42)
which originally appeared in his 1980 album "See You Later".
Note: the New American Orchestra rendition of "See You Later" was later
used in another Ridley Scott
film, namely "Someone To Watch Over Me".
Availability: should still be available.
"Off-World" 1993 Limited Edition (bootleg - 2,000 numbered copies)
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Blade Runner
Limited Edition of 2,000 ("not licensed for public sale")
Off World Music, Ltd., no. OWM 9301
Compact Disc (ADD)
Apart from the original Vangelis compositions, this album also contained
some extra music, like the
sound from the original BR trailer, and the song "If I Didn't Care" by
the "Ink Spots", which was
originally intended to be used in the movie, but because of copyright
reasons had to be replaced; it
was ultimately replaced by the original Vangelis composition "One More
Kiss, Dear".
Also present on the Off-World album is "Harps of The Ancient Temples" by
Gail Laughton; it's the
music that was used in the scene with the bicyclists, when replicants
Roy Batty & Leon Kowalski are
on their way to see Chew, the "eye designer".
Track listing:
1. Ladd Company Logo (0:24) (composed by John Williams)
2. Main Titles and Prologue (4:03) Vangelis
3. Los Angeles, November 2019 (1:46) Vangelis
4. Deckard Meets Rachael (1:29) Vangelis
5. Bicycle Riders (2:05) (from: "Harps of the Ancient Temples";
performed by Gail Laughton)
6. Memories of Green (5:39) Vangelis
7. Blade Runner Blues (10:19) Vangelis
8. Deckard's Dream (1:12) Vangelis
9. On the Trail of Nexus 6 (5:30) Vangelis
10. If I Didn't Care (3:03)
(Written by Jack Lawrence/performed by the Ink Spots; only used in
the "Workprint")
11. Love Theme (4:57) Vangelis
12. The Prodigal Son Brings Death (3:35) Vangelis
13. Dangerous Days (1:02) Vangelis
14. Wounded Animals (10:58) Vangelis
15. Tears in Rain (2:41) Vangelis
16. End Titles (7:24) Vangelis
17. One More Kiss Dear (4:00) Skelling and Vangelis [theatrical release]
18. Trailer and Alternate Main Titles (1:39) (by Robert Randles)
Total disc time (72:42)
The bootleg CD includes an 8-page booklet containing 6 movie stills.
Cover art is from the British one-
sheet movie poster that accompanied the 1982 release. The back cover is
a color still from an aborted
sequence in which Leon's photo turns out to be a hologram that shows
Batty's head turning (Cinefex
no. 9, July 1982). The inside back cover is a bird's eye view of
Deckard's spinner as he and Rachael
escape the city (Official Blade Runner Souvenir Magazine, 1982).
Another photo possibly unfamiliar
to many is Deckard looking at Holden in a life-support machine (a
similar photo appeared in Video
Watchdog, Nov-Dec 1993).
According to the booklet, Scott contacted several composers in case the
score by Vangelis didn't work
out. His ultimate decision to supplement the film with other source
music led to a contractual dispute
with the composer. As a result, Vangelis refused to release the
soundtrack album. However, this is a
rumour which has been denied by various official sources.
Notes on the various pieces were interesting - like the fact that the
Love Theme and Rachael's piano
playing are a variation on Chopin's 13th Nocturne. (The love theme used
in the Workprint is not
included in this album.) The music for several pieces is heard complete
for the first time and will prove
fascinating listening for fans of the film, particularly nos. 9, 12, 13,
and 14. Those familiar with the
Warner Bros. New American Orchestra CD [see below] will also appreciate
that Blade Runner Blues is
more than twice as long on this CD. The producer (Christopher L.
Shimata-Dominguez) displays a
sense of humor with his name and Off World Music label. He also warns
that unauthorized
"replication" is a violation of applicable laws.
Availability: unknown.
"Vangelis - Blade Runner" (the official 1994 Vangelis release by Warner
Bros.)
Warner Music (4509-96574-2)
Finally, in 1994, some 12 years after the release of the film, Vangelis
released the definitive(?) version
of the BR album.
The cover of the album is a close-up of the movie poster, showing
Deckard, Rachael, and the roof of
the police headquarters.
There are various photos inside (both in color and black & white)
including a shot of Ridley Scott
directing Harrison Ford.
The cover/booklet contains Vangelis' notes accompanying the album say:
"Most of the music contained in this album originates from recordings I
made in London in 1982, whilst
working on the score for the film BLADE RUNNER. Finding myself unable to
release these recordings
at the time, it is with great pleasure that I am able to do so now. Some
of the pieces contained will be
known to you from the Original Soundtrack of the film, whilst others are
appearing here for the first
time. Looking back at RIDLEY SCOTT's powerful and evocative pictures
left me as stimulated as
before, and made the recompiling of this music, today, an enjoyable
experience."
- VANGELIS Athens, April 1994
The sound quality is excellent. Not all music heard in the movie is
used, while interestingly, some
previously unreleased tracks were added, containing music which wasn't
even in the film. Also, a few
snippets of dialogue from the movie have been sampled.
While this will undoubtedly annoy the purists among us, the result is an
outstanding album, and what
is (in the humble opinion of this author, naturally) one of the best
movie soundtrack albums ever.
Note 1: it's not like the "new" tracks are completely unrelated.
Actually, "Wait For Me" was the only
new recording; the other tracks were indeed composed for the original
release, but ultimately replaced
by other music.
Note 2: the "reworking" of music used in movies is typical for the way
Vangelis works, feeling that
often the music as heard in the movie is not varied enough, and that it
benefits from being "enhanced".
Much the same thing happened on the soundtrack album for "1492: Conquest
of Paradise", for
example.
Track listing:
1. Main Titles (3.42)
2. Blush Response (5.47)
3. Wait for Me (5.27)
4. Rachel's Song (4.46)
5. Love Theme (4.56)
6. One More Kiss, Dear (3.58)
7. Blade Runner Blues (8.53)
8. Memories of Green (5.05)
9. Tales of the Future (4.46)
10. Damask Rose (2.32)
11. Blade Runner (End Titles) (4.40)
12. Tears in Rain (3.00)
Availability: should still be available.
1995 "Gongo Music" (bootleg)
"Sunetul Original Al Filmului"
Limited Edition (3000 copies)
Gongo Music - GM-003
Compact Disc - ADD
Although very similar to the Off-World bootleg, this album does contain
at least one unique track not
found on the Off-World album. It is the "Blimpvert" track, where you
hear a Japanese woman singing
an old traditional song.
The album was supposedly Rumanian, but was probably meant for the
American market
Track listing and information (in Rumanian!):
1. Tema de Semnatura a Companiei Ladd (0:25)
2. Titlurile si Prologurile Principale (3:58)
3. Los Angeles, Noiembrie, 2019 (1:46)
4. Intilnirea Lui Deckard Cu Rachel(1:28)
5. Ciclisti (2:12)
6. Amintirile Verdelui (5:40)
7. Tristetile Lui Blade Runner (10:20)
8. Visul Lui Deckard (1:13)
9. La Procesul Lui Nexus 6 (5:28)
10. Inca un Sarut, Draga (4:02)
11. Tema Iubirii (4:59)
12. Fiul Multiubit Aduce Moartea (3:34)
13. Blimpvert (2:52)
14. Zile Periculoase (1:03)
15. Animale Ranite (10:59)
16. Lacrimi In Ploaie(2:43)
17. Titlurile de Sfirsit(7:26)
Muzica compusa, aranjata, cintata si produsa de VANGELIS.
Copyright 1995 Gongo Music, Ltd. "Blade Runner" este marca inregistrata
detinuta de Parteneriatul
Blade Runner. Arta grafica si fotografica cu drepturi de copiere
copyright 1982 Compania Ladd. Toate
drepturile de producator si de productie sint rezervate. Copiera
neautorizata, inchirierea, auditia
publica si distribuirea sint interzise. Produs in Romania.
Availability: unknown.
A special collector's bootleg album called "Memoires 5" was released in
a very limited number;
reportedly only 20 silver CD's were ever made. It basically contains
Vangelis' music exactly as heard
in the movie, minus the voices.
Availability: unknown.
A 2CD bootleg soundtrack, called the "OWM2000" CD, was released late
2000. With it came a
"bonus" CD. Reportedly, it does not contain any new material. It's a
collection of work already out
there. See the following list for what's on it and where it comes from:
(Legend: NAO - New American Orchestra; OWM - Off World Music; GGO -
Gongo Music; JSE - Japan
Special Edition; OST - Official Soundtrack; LD - Laser Disc)
DOUBLE CD
-------------------------------------------------------------
DISC 1
1. Opening 3.32 GGO (track 2)
2. The First Test 1.29 JSE (track 2)
3. Los Angeles, November 2019 1.39 GGO (track 3)
4. Deckard Meets Rachel 1.40 OWM (track 4 = 1:29)
5. Rachel's Song 4.34 OST (track 4)
6. Blush Response 4.58 OST (track 2)
7. Bicycle Riders 2.14 GGO (track 5)
8. Memories of Green 5.05 GGO (track 6)
9. Blade Runner Blues 10.22 GGO (track 7)
10. Deckard's Dream 1.15 OWM (track 8)
11. Investigate 0.43 LD
12. Flying Kabuki 2.49 GGO (track 13)
13. On The Trail Of Nexus 6 5.30 GGO (track 9)
14. The Market 1.47 JSE (track 12 pt.1)
15. Turkish 2.36 JSE (track 12 pt.2)
16. Blade Runner Blues (reprise) 8.56 OST (track 7)
17. Quietness At Home 4.07 JSE (track 14 pt.2)
18. I Dreamt Music 4.42 JSE (track 18)
DISC 2
1. Deckard And Rachel 1.22 OWM (track 4)
2. Damask Rose 2.34 OST (track 10)
3. Love Theme 4.57 OST (track 5)
4. One More Kiss, Dear 3.57 OWM (track 17)
5. Wait For Me 5.29 OST (track 3)
6. The Prodigal Son Brings Death 4.28 OWM (track 12 = 3:35)
7. Dangerous Days 1.05 GGO (track 14)
8. Wounded Animals 11.02 GGO (track 15)
9. Farewell 2.44 OWM (track 15)
10. End Titles 7.25 GGO (track 17)
Bonus Tracks
11. Main Titles 3.42 OST (track 1 dialogue)
12. Blush Response 1.40 OST (track 2 dialogue)
13. Tales of The Future 4.41 OST (track 9)
14. Tears In Rain 2.48 OST (track 12
dialogue)
15. End Titles 4.37 OST (track 11)
16. If I Didn't Care 3.06 OWM (track 10)
BONUS CD
-------------------------------------------------------------
DISC 3
1. Opening 1.36 NAO (track 2 pt.1)
2. Los Angeles, November 2019 1.49 NAO (track 2 pt.3)
3. Deckard Meets Rachel 1.09 NAO (track 2 pt.2)
4. Blade Runner Blues 4.36 NAO (track 6)
5. Memories of Green 4.48 NAO (track 4)
6. Love Theme 4.10 NAO (track 1)
7. Farewell 3.05 NAO (track 7)
8. End titles 7.04 NAO (track 5 = 4:17)
Bonus Tracks
9. One More Kiss, Dear 4.02 NAO (track 3)
10. End Titles (Reprise) 3.05 NAO (track 8)
Availability: unknown.
2. Other Music in BR
2.1. What was the language used in the piece "Tales of The Future"?
Reportedly, it's not in any actual existing language; rather, singer
Demis Roussos used sounds that,
uhm, sound vaguely Middle-Eastern. [If anyone knows a better way of
formulating that, do let me
know]
However, here and there actual Arabic words may have slipped in.
2.2. What is the music Rachael is playing when she is in Deckard's
apartment?
For this scene, Vangelis composed a variation on Chopin's "Thirteenth
Nocturne". (Trivia: the "temp"
music for the scene was a variation on Ravel's "Piano Concerto".)
2.3. What is the music heard when Roy & Leon are on their way to visit
Chew?
The music is from "Harps of The Ancient Temples" by Gail Laughton.
The album is listed as cat #111 in the old CD catalogs on the Laurel
label.
2.4. What is the Japanese music that the blimp flying over Sebastian's
apartment is playing?
The old BR FAQ by Murray Chapman provides the following information:
"Japan: Traditional Vocal and Instrumental Music, Shakuhachi,
Biwa, Koto, Shamisen"; performed by Ensemble Nipponia, 1976.
Electra Asylum Nonesuch Records/Warner Communications Inc.
(Compact disc; catalog number not available)
The music is produced by plucking on what is called a "biwa" - a
traditional Japanese instrument.
The Japanese lyrics are from a song called "Ogi no Mato", which is,
according to FN, "part of a song
cycle/epic somewhat reminiscent of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' and
the William Tell legend (as
'Ogi no Mato' features young people from opposing clans and a crucial
moment of archery)."
Reportedly, "the lyrics tell of the tragic and utter destruction of one
Japanese clan by another."
2.5. What is the music that is playing in Taffey's bar when Deckard
enters?
Since that track is not on any of the soundtrack albums (not even on the
Off-World and Bongo
bootlegs), this has been some kind of a mystery, but most likely it's
simply one of those many little
Vangelis gems that never made it to the soundtrack album. The vocals are
definitely done by Demis
Roussos.
In the BR Workprint, an instrumental version of "Qu'ran" by David Byrne
and Brian Eno from "My Life
in the Bush of Ghosts" was used in Taffy's bar.
2.6. What is the music playing when Zhora is "taking the pleasures from
the serpent"?
When Zhora starts her "act", a disco-like music starts playing; like the
previous track, it is not on any of
the soundtrack albums. Probably another short Vangelis mystery track,
but who knows?
3. References to BR in other music
[See the "Trivia" section]
IV. Related Literature
1. About The Source Novel
1.1. What is the source novel for BR? Who wrote it?
In 1968 Philip Kindred Dick wrote a science fiction novel called "Do
Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep?" (commonly abbreviated as DADoES) which won that year's Nebula
Award. The Nebula is an
award given annually by the Science Fiction Writers of America, to
acknowledge excellence in science
fiction writing.
In recent years, since BR came out, the book has been reprinted using
the double title "Blade Runner /
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
1.2. More about the author
Philip K. Dick was born in Chicago in 1928 and lived most of his life in
California. He attended college
for a year at Berkeley. Apart from writing, his main interest was music:
at one time he ran a record
shop and also a classical music programme for a local radio station. He
won the Hugo award for his
classic novel of alternative history, The Man in The High Castle (1962).
He was married five times and
had three children. He died in March 1982.
[Source: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Harper-Collins paperback
edition, Voyager series,
1996; ISBN 0-586-03605-9]
1.3. Did the author ever get to see the movie adaptation?
Unfortunately, Dick passed away about 4 months before BR was released,
so he never got around to
seeing the final product. However, shortly before Christmas 1981 Ridley
Scott invited Dick to a private
showing of about 20 minutes of completed BR footage.
Reportedly, he was blown away by what he saw, stating after the showing
how the "texture and tone"
of the images, and the environment that was shown, corresponded to what
he had imagined.
[Source: Future Noir]
1.4. Differences between the book DADoES & the movie BR...
There are lots of differences between the novel DADoES and the film that
was (loosely) based on it. In
fact, there are so many differences they are really two different
stories.
The book is situated in San Francisco - in the year 1992(!) - while the
film takes place in L.A., in the
year 2019.
The main character is still called Rick Deckard, but in the book he has
a wife named Iran. Deckard is
not a "blade runner" (not by that name anyway, as the term is not used
anywhere in the book) but a
"bounty hunter". The job is essentially the same as it is in the movie,
but in the book the targets are
known as androids or "andys" for short.
Many events from the book were changed or dropped entirely for the film
(just like the movie contained
things not in the book). Some characters have different names in the
book: Eldon Tyrell is called Eldon
Rosen in the book; interestingly, Rachael is called Rachael *Rosen* in
the book. There is a character
called J.R. Isidore in the book which seems to have inspired the J.F.
Sebastian we know from the
movie, (although it is quite a leap from a "chickenhead" to an alleged
top level genetic engineer).
The novel also seems to have a different focus: it is very concerned
with ecological themes, explaining
how a nuclear world war ravaged the earth (forcing the majority of
humanity to leave the planet) and
making most animal life extinct - thereby rendering the surviving
species & specimens invaluable.
These things are never explained in the movie; the opening scene does
suggest heavy industrial
pollution is responsible for the dreary condition the city is in, and
the situation with the animals is
alluded at in some of the dialogue, but we are never explicitly told.
In the movie, Deckard's big problem is obviously retiring the replicants
without getting himself killed in
the process, while in the book, Deckard's biggest issue was getting
himself a real sheep. Having a real
animal is kind of a status symbol in the book, because of their value.
(Also, getting a real sheep ties in
closely to the title of the book...) Hunting the "andys" is merely an
opportunity for him to get the money
to buy the sheep. Deckard has relatively little trouble dealing with all
of them - compared to the movie,
it almost seems like an afterthought.
In the movie, focus is much more on the replicants themselves, who are
also presented much more
like real humans, giving a moral ambiguity to Deckard, his job, and
society in general.
Also, the book emphasizes the androids lack of empathy, which is the
concept behind the Voight-
Kampff test: measuring empathic responses. The concept of Mercerism also
ties into this empathy
concept, emphasizing people's need for it and thereby contrasting the
androids' lack of it.
1.5. Themes in DADoES
[NOTHING YET]
1.6. Is Deckard a replicant in the book?
No, he isn't, although the question is raised when at one point, he is
suspected of being an android; he
also meets another bounty hunter who (Deckard suspects) might be an
android himself.
Eventually, they test each other; both come out "clean".
1.7. Are there any sequels to DADoES?
Yes! Sort of... :)
2. About The Sequels
2.1. What sequels are there?
There have been 3 sequels so far: "BR 2 - The Edge of Human", "BR 3 -
Replicant Night" and "BR 4 -
Eye and Talon".
Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human
K.W. Jeter
First published: 1995
Orion Paperback
ISBN 0-75280-188-0
"Rick Deckard has been snatched from the side of his lover, Rachael.
Back in the decaying,
labyrinthine sprawl of L.A. Deckard's blade runner skills keep him
alive, but one step behind his
anonymous abductors.
A visit to his old boss only deepens his confusion: why is he facing a
murder rap? Who is the
mysterious sixth replicant? Why is ex-blade runner Dave Holden stalking
his every move? Should
he trust Sarah Tyrell, who now heads her uncle's corporation, just
because she's the living, breathing
image of Rachael?
'The Edge of Human' adds a new dimension to one of the most enduring of
SF stories, recreating the
dark brooding intensity and relentless suspense of the original."
Blade Runner 3: Replicant Night
K.W. Jeter
First published: 1996
Orion Paperback
ISBN 0-75280-607-6
"Life on Mars is hell for Rick Deckard - and for Sarah Tyrell. All
pretence at civility has been bandoned
and while Deckard is off-planet, advising a movie company shooting his
blade runner history, Sarah
disappears from home.
Back on Earth, Sarah moves about the shadowy hulk of the decommissioned
'Salamander 3', rusting
on the dried out floor of Scapa Flow. Encouraged by Tyrell Corporation
zealots, she confronts the
ghosts of a childhood shrouded in questions. One ghost travels back with
her to Mars, bringing
Deckard a whole new future. But first he has questions of his own to
ask. And the rep-symps who want
him dead need answers too...
'Replicant Night'... continues one of the most enduring of SF stories,
recreating the brooding intensity
and suspense of the original 'Blade Runner' vision."
Blade Runner 4: Eye and Talon
[No information available at this time - any info appreciated]
Note: about these being "sequels" to BR:
2.2. What is the general opinion about these "sequels"?
Opinion in the newsgroup has been divided (isn't it always?), but the
predominant opinion seems to be
a "thumbs down". The thing is, Jeter tried to write a sequel to both
DADoES and the film BR - in spite
of their numerous differences.
The result is sort of a mixed bag at best. Events from the movie we all
know so well are casually
turned inside out and upside down; characters who were definitely
replicants in the movie suddenly
turn out to have been human all along, and supposed dead characters turn
out to be still alive, while
interesting characters (who *did* make it through the movie in one
piece) are killed off before the story
even gets started.
*Maybe* P.K Dick fans might appreciate them somewhat more?
2.3. Who wrote them?
They were written by K.W. Jeter.
2.4. More about the author...
K.W. Jeter was born in Los Angeles in 1950.
He has been writing novels since the mid-seventies.
His own fiction includes:
Morlock Night (1979)
Dr. Adder (1984)
The Glass Hammer (1985)
Noir (1998)
He has also written some SF movie and TV series tie-ins, such as Star
Wars, Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine, Alien Nation... and Blade Runner.
5. THE GAMES
1. Is there a Blade Runner game?
Yes, there is, or rather, there ARE. Throughout the years there have
been 3 BR games: a board
game, an old game for the C64
2. About the board game.
"Apparently, this is an item that was never put into full production and
is thus exceptionally rare -- only
100 boards were made. It was printed by a small company in California
(now defunct) and released to
test markets in San Francisco and Los Angeles back in 1982-83. These are
licensed products and
bear the "Blade Runner Partnership" trademark.
As for the game itself, it's obviously a prototype. The box (a little
smaller than average board game
size) features a still of Deckard at the VK apparatus with a couple of
Blade Runner logos and very
vague description of the game. There's nothing on the bottom half. The
box contains a board, game
pieces, cards, and a notepad. The pieces are little skyscrapers, 4
colours, and a standard D6. The
cards represent VK test results that you're supposed to write on the
pad. According to the two-page
photocopied instructions, the game seems to play something like a
variation on that old game
Scotland Yard. Basically you move your pieces around and when you land
on a VK terminal, the other
players give you a test and if the cards they draw add up to a certain
number, then that player is a
replicant and the others have to try to catch him. The game sort of
plays on that uncertainty of who's a
replicant and who isn't - something that's not really expressed in the
original theatrical release.
Occasionally you can find one up for bid at eBay.com"
[from article at Bladezone.Com; article provided by ALZ]
3. About the old computer game.
The official BR computer game was released for the Commodore 64 around
1982-1983.
It featured the player as Deckard, tracking down the replicants on an
electronic map.
Upon locating one, you had to chase them down a crowded street and shoot
them. The music in the
game is a Commodore 64 rendition of the End Title track by Vangelis.
Copyright problems with the
name ``Blade Runner'' resulted in CRL (the game's producers) obtaining
the rights to the music, thus
allowing them to refer to "A game based on the music of Vangelis' 'Blade
Runner'".
3.1. Can I still get the game? If so, how & where?
This game can now be downloaded from the newsgroup website:
http://www.Brmovie.com/Downloads
4. About the 1997 PC game by Westwood Studios
4.1. General & Technical Information
4.1.1. When was the game released?
It was released in November, 1997.
4.1.2. What are the hardware requirements? Can I run it on my system?
The game, as stated on the original box, supports Windows 95 and Windows
NT 4.0. It also works fine
on Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and on Windows XP.
It *should* also work under Windows ME, and Windows 2000. I cannot
confirm this, however, so if
anyone knows for sure, please send e-mail to lukas....@skynet.be.
Minimum Windows requirements:
- Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Win ME (?), Win XP;
- Pentium 90 MHz (or equivalent);
- 16 Mb of RAM;
- 2 Mb DirectX 5.0 compatible graphics card;
- DirectX 5.0 compatible sound card;
- 4x CD-ROM drive;
- DirectX compatible mouse and driver;
- 150 Mb of free hard drive space.
4.1.3. Does the game work on systems with AMD processors?
Yes, it does. However... [See "Troubleshooting"]
4.1.4. How many versions of the game are there?
The retail version of the games consists of 4 CD-ROMs.
There is also a DVD-ROM version, which to my knowledge was only sold
bundled with certain DVD-
ROM drives. To my knowledge, the DVD-ROM game is identical to the one
available on CD-ROM.
4.1.5. Swapping CD-ROMs sucks. Can I play the entire game from my hard
disk?
Yes, you can! He installation program will give you 3 degrees of
installation. The maximum installation
option will copy the entire contents of all four CD-ROMs to your HD, so
you do not need to insert any
of the CD-ROMs any more.
The DVD-ROM version has the same installation options.
4.1.6. Where can I find out more about the game's cast?
A comprehensive list can be found at http://us.imdb.com/Title?0126817
4.1.7. Who wrote the music for the game?
Parts from Vangelis' original soundtrack were re-recorded by Frank
Klepacki, Westwood's resident
composer; Klepacki also provided additional music that emulated the feel
of Vangelis' original work.
4.1.8. Will there ever be another Westwood "Blade Runner" game?
For the time being, there don't seem to be any plans for a sequel,
though who knows what the future
will bring? In the meantime, however, don't hold your breath.
4.2. Playing the Game (WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS)
4.2.1. Is Ray McCoy a replicant?
Whether McCoy is a replicant or not is entirely up to you, the player.
Hints are given that suggest he is,
while there are also hints that contradict this notion. Is he human, or
is he a replicant - or is he a
human who happens to be on the reps' side (a sympathizer)? You decide.
Reportedly, there is a way to be sure: at the end, in the stolen moon
bus, you see the original copy of
a picture that had both McCoy and the other replicants on it. If you're
on the picture, you ARE a
replicant. If you're not, well, then you were tricked.
4.2.2. Who else is a replicant in the game?
The replicant leader, Clovis, is always a replicant.
Spencer Gregorian & Bullet Bob always turn out to be human.
The others, like Lucy, Gordo, Izo, Sadik & Dektora, may or may not be
replicants, depending on your
game. This is randomly determined when you start a new game.
4.3. Troubleshooting
4.3.1. Are there any updates available for the game?
Yes, there are. 2 small patches were released, one for the CD-ROM
version, and one for the DVD-
ROM. They can be downloaded from the newsgroup website at
http://www.brmovie.com/Downloads/
4.3.2. What are the patches supposed to fix?
Louis Castle from Westwood Studios had this to say: "Very minor database
anomalies as I recall.
There is another issue with some video cards that we overlooked that
came up when we got our beta
copy of Windows 98. No major changes."
Bottom line: if your game worked fine before, then you probably don't
really need the patch anyway.
4.3.3. Trouble getting away from the bomb at Moraji's lab?
[See "4.3.5. Workaround solution"]
4.3.4. There's something wrong with the shooting range! Why does it take
so long for anything to
happen? Where are the targets?
[See "4.3.5 Workaround solution"]
4.3.5. Workaround solution
There seems to be a problem running the game on recent PCs; overall, the
game works fine, except
for the 2 problems described above. What's more, the problem seems
speed-related. Slowing down
the microprocessor with a utility like Turbo before running the game has
been known to help.
As for the optimal setting, experimenting might yield the best results.
Someone once reported having
success after setting the CPU to "53%", but your mileage may vary. Try
starting at about 60 or 70%
and work your way down from there at 5-10% increments.
Note: it might also turn out to be an "issue" with AMD processors, but I
cannot confirm this either way.
Any feedback on this is greatly appreciated.
Turbo can be downloaded from: http://www.wiw.org/~jess/turbo.html (Turbo
was developed for W95,
but *seems* to work just fine under other versions of Windows).
VI. Trivia
1. Trivia
1.1. Film Trivia
- The film was originally going to be set in 2020, (even while they were
filming it). However they
thought this would make people think of 20:20 vision, so they changed it
to 2019 - one reason that
Roy dies in less than four years!
- Right before working on BR, Syd Mead ("visual futurist" for BR) and
Moebius both did Production
Design on another SF film that, like BR, would become a major influence
on moviemaking and
computer animation. That movie was "Tron".
- Returning props... The newspaper Deckard is reading in his first
scene, at the White Dragon Noodle
Bar, returns at two points during the movie; the piece of newspaper
Deckard finds in the drawer inside
Leon's room at the Yukon; finally, it's also the same one he is reading
while he's waiting for Zhora to
show up, inside Taffey Lewis' place.
- More returning props... The first scene with Chew has some pipes
standing in a box in the
foreground. These appear to be the same pipes people are smoking in
Taffy Lewis' bar (and perhaps
elsewhere?).
- The model of the blimp is currently in the possession of Warner
Brothers and is on display in their
museum in California. You can take a tour, but they don't allow
photography. It was purchased from
Christie's in 1998. You can find a detailed photo in Christie's sale
catalog 8115.
- When Deckard meets Rachael in Tyrell's office, he asks her if the owl
that is there is artificial. She
tells him "Of course it is." However, originally the owl was supposed to
be real and Rachael even says
so - her words were changed afterwards, to give more emphasis to the
artificial.
The former version emphasized the fact that Tyrell must have been
incredibly rich to be able to
possess a rare specimen of an all but extinct species. (In the world of
BR, real animals have becomes
virtually extinct, so any surviving ones are priceless.)
However, it was changed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the owl is
shown to have these big glowing
eyes, and it is used to establish the notion (towards us, the audience)
that artificial beings, like the
replicants, and animoids like the owl, have glowing eyes.
Also, it illustrates the level of perfection Tyrell has reached in
creating these "imitations" of natural
beings.
- At one point, while Deckard is V-K-ing Rachael, you can faintly hear
Deckard talk about a "Bush
outside your window... orange body, green legs." This is actually a
piece of the dialogue in a later
scene, where Deckard tells Rachael she is a replicant.
Why? Well, it's just the director playing with memories. With those of
the characters - and ours, as
well. :-)
- Only one of the origami figures made by Gaff was actually made by
actor Edward James Olmos; he
made the chicken himself. The other figures were made by people from the
props department. (IIRC -
I have to check on this one)
- Leon's line about his mother changes from the first time ("My Mother?
... Let me tell you about my
mother.") to the time Deckard is listening to the recording ("... I'll
tell you about my mother!").
Memories - you just can't trust them.
- After Leon is retired, Deckard buys a bottle of "Tsing Tao". Tsing Tao
is actually a well-known brand
of Chinese beer. However, the brewery is named after the place in
Northern China where it is brewed.
The name is also given to some red and white wines that are made in that
region. So they could easily
have a spirit made there as well - perhaps Vodka.
- The microscopic image of the snake scale Deckard finds is actually a
close-up of the bud on top of a
female marijuana plant. The serial number was added by manually
retouching the photograph. The
number we see doesn't quite match the dialogue.
- Many (if not all) scenes from the original Outer Limits episode "Demon
With a Glass Hand" (from a
screenplay written by SF author Harlan Ellison) take place inside the
Bradbury Building.
(Note: I've never seen this episode myself, so correct me if the info is
somehow incorrect)
- Smoking habits in BR: Rachael, Pris and Holden all smoke French brand
"Boyard" cigarettes.
- What is Deckard's registration number?
It's either B-260-354 or B-263-54 (there's a subtle difference there;
either way, without the final script
it's not possible to be sure)
Note: be careful if you are watching the movie with subtitling; the
registration no. is often -
mistakenly(?) - printed as "B26354".
- What number does Deckard dial when he phones Rachael from Taffey's
Bar?
The number is 555-7583. (American movies and TV shows always use the 555
prefix in phone
numbers - it is specifically not used in 'real life'.) It costs Deckard
$1.25 for the 30 second call.
- On what floor is Deckard's apartment located?
It's located on the 97th floor. (The apartment no. is 9732)
- What is the address of Leon's apartment?
1187 Hunterwasser [Street] - The Yukon Hotel.
- About Deckard in Leon's bathroom...
It wasn't Harrison Ford! The shot was done after principal photography
had ended, when Ford had
ended his work on the film. This is why you only see his silhouette; the
guy who played Deckard was a
man called Vic Armstrong, who had worked as a stunt double for Ford in
"Raiders of the Lost Ark".
- About Zhora on Deckard's "3D photograph"...
It wasn't Joanna Cassidy! Again, this footage was shot after principal
photography had ended, and a
stand-in was hired.
- About Roy Batty on one of Leon's other photos...
It wasn't Rutger Hauer! Once again, this footage was shot after
principal photography had ended, and
a stand-in was used.
- The "artificial" snake Zhora has, is (or was?) in fact Joanna
Cassidy's own pet snake, a Burmese
python named "Darling".
- The owl's name is/was "Aztec"; the animal was trained in England by
Steve Beart who at the time
was a trainer of birds of prey.
- Harrison Ford was not the first choice for Rick Deckard. At one
point - believe it or not - Dustin
Hoffman (!) was considered for the role.
- J.F.Sebastian's address is: Bradbury Apartments, Ninth Sector; N.F.
46751. The Bradbury, by the
way, is an existing building, one of LA's landmarks. (It looks nothing
like in the movie, though.) It is
located at 304 South Broadway, at the corner of 3rd Street. The lobby is
open during the day, but they
won't let you go upstairs. The Million Dollar Theater is across the
street, and Union Station (where the
interior of the police HQ were filmed) and the tunnel which is seen in
the movie, are also in the same
general area.
- BR's street scenes were filmed on a set called the "Old New York
Street", part of what was known
back then as the Burbank Studios (now Warner Brothers). Ironically, it
was on this same movie set -
"retrofitted" for the occasion - that old "film noir" detective classics
like "The Maltese Falcon" and "The
Big Sleep" were once filmed, the very genre that BR seems to evoke and
emulate.
- Most of the scenes inside the Police HQ (all except the briefing
room - AKA the "Blue Room" by the
film crew) were shot at Union Station, downtown L.A.'s central train
terminal. The outside (which was a
model, of course) was made in a style that evoked the Art Deco look of
the Chrysler building in New
York.
- Ridley Scott did not want the term "android" to be used in the movie,
likely because it was deemed
misleading (as the replicants are much more "human" than "machine"). The
term "replicant" was
thought up by David Peoples after his daughter, Risa, who was involved
in scientific work at the time,
brought up the term "replicating". It is a term used in biology that
means: to reproduce exactly an
organism, genetic material, or a cell.
The term "replicant" has, interestingly, also been included in the
Encarta World English Dictionary
(among others, I presume?):
REPLICANT (plural: replicants) [noun]
Half-human, half-technological being: an imaginary being, especially in
science fiction, that has been
constructed from organic and computerized components to look like a
human being. (See also:
"cyborg")
[Source: Encarta(r) World English Dictionary (c) & (P) 1999]
However, "replicant" is no longer a term used just in Science Fiction.
It is one of the many influences
that has filtered out of Blade Runner and now is a term that actually is
used by scientists in the real
world!
- The image on the screen in the spinner cockpit was exactly the same
used in Scott's previous SF
movie, "Alien". Also, the background sound heard in Deckard's apartment
at the end of the movie was
also used in "Alien", as well as in "The Empire Strikes Back" (during a
quiet moment in Luke
Skywalker's lightsaber duel with Darth Vader).
- Religion in BR: apparently, religion will still be very much around in
2019: amongst the crowds of LA,
we see Hare Krishnas, orthodox Jews, and nuns.
Actor Trivia
- Actor Joe Turkel, who plays Dr. Eldon Tyrell, played a character
(Lloyd, the bartender) in Stanley
Kubrick's movie "The Shining" (starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley
Duvall); at the end of the OV of
BR, there was a "happy ending", a scene that used unused footage from...
"The Shining"!
1.2. Book Trivia
[Nothing yet...]
1.3. Music Trivia
- "Memories of Green", the music that can be heard during the scene in
Deckard's apartment, when he
(basically) tells Rachael she is a replicant, was (surprisingly perhaps,
since it fits the scene so
perfectly) *not* composed for the movie. It had already existed for
years, on the Vangelis album "See
You Later". This track, together with the "End Titles" and "Love Theme",
was also featured on his 1989
album "Themes". The New American Orchestra rendition of this music was
used in another Ridley
Scott film, "Someone to Watch over Me" (starring Tom Berenger & Mimi
Rogers).
1.4. Game Trivia
- Mark Rolston did the voice acting for the Clovis character from the
Westwood Blade Runner PC
game. Rolston is a familiar face both on TV and in the movies; he played
Private Drake, one of the
marines, in "Aliens", and appeared in Robocop 2, Eraser, episodes of The
X-Files, Dark Angel,
Babylon 5 and Star Trek: The Next Generation and many other movies and
TV series.
- While Joannna "Zhora" Cassidy did not appear in the 1997 Blade Runner
game (although her
character gets mentioned at one point) she did appear in another
Westwood game, "Nox".
2. Goofs & continuity errors
(... Or is it just Ridley Scott cleverly playing tricks on our minds?)
Continuity:
- The first shot of Batty's hand clenching up includes the nail, not
inserted until later. The window in
that scene is also visible, broken, before he breaks it.
- Deckard's instructions to the Esper machine aren't consistent with its
behaviour.
- Number of replicants that Bryant claims are at large.
- Zhora's boots are high-heeled until she crashes through the glass.
- Batty's shoes change from blue (when he's climbing through the window)
to black (when he's on the
roof).
- Deckard's shirt (not) tucked in when Batty saves him from falling.
- When Deckard releases the dove there are black clouds overhead. In the
next shot the dove flies
toward clear blue skies.
- When the street vendor is examining the snake scale, the serial number
she reads out loud doesn't
match the number on her video screen.
Revealing mistakes:
- When Deckard takes out the VK machine to test Rachel, he mimes the
action. The machine is
already on the table.
- Support cables for spinner.
- Obvious stunt player when Zhora crashes through the glass walls.
Audio/visual unsynchronised:
- Rachael's claim that the owl is real.
- Deckard's conversation with the snake merchant.
- Zhora's wounds appear before the sound of the bullets hitting her.
Miscellaneous:
- The sheet music that Rachael reads does not match the song that she
plays on the piano.
- A hand is visible on Batty's shoulder while he is in the phone booth.
This is a reversed shot from later
in the film when Batty meets Tyrell.
Crew or equipment visible:
- Shadow of a camera crew when Deckard is being chased by Batty through
the Bradbury building.
- The Marquee for the Million Dollar Movie changes. When first seen over
Pris' shoulder as she is
lighting her cigarette, it is unreadable, BUT distinctly different from
later in the scene after JF arrives.
3. Film Quotes
Rick Deckard:
Sushi. That's what my ex-wife called me. Cold fish.