Ridley Scott sharpens up for final 'Blade Runner'
- From: The Scarlet Parsnip <The_Scarlet_Parsnip@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:47:11 GMT
Ridley Scott sharpens up for final 'Blade Runner' cut
Published: 10/30/07, 12:00 PM EDT
By Mairi Mackay for CNN
LONDON, England (CNN) - "Blade Runner" is so firmly entrenched as a
contemporary classic that it is hard to believe it was a box office
flop when it was first released in 1982. A cheesy voice-over by
Harrison Ford as Deckard and the stock "happy ending" of the first
version broke the rules of the world Scott had created and left
audiences unconvinced. It was 10 years before he was able to unleash
the full effect of the visual spectacle he had created.
But the growing popularity of VHS tapes and DVDs helped the film gain
a cult reputation and a loyal following. Finally, in 1992 Scott was
able to make a new version of the film in which he removed the
voice-over and switched the ending. "Blade Runner: The Director's Cut"
is closer to Scott's original vision and revered by fans as a
masterpiece.
In spite of his aversion to remakes, Ridley Scott released his
definitive cut of the film, "Blade Runner: The Final Cut" at Venice
Film Festival earlier this month.
Director Ridley Scott and actors Daryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer and Edward
James Olmos spoke to CNN about "Blade Runner" and its enduring appeal.
CNN: Why is this latest version of "Blade Runner" the definitive
version?
Ridley Scott: They asked me back. It was actually put to rest 25 years
ago. We had ... less than adequate reviews, bad box office, so I was
disappointed and seriously confused. I actually thought I'd made a
pretty good movie.
We had to do a lot of screenings for audiences, which actually starts
to produce a hybrid of what you originally intended. I think the film
should always be ahead of the audience.
And then gradually it seemed to be finding a fan base, a cult base
through ... tape -- VHS, and then through the emerging DVD outlets. It
started to gain momentum ... and then it was inducted into the Library
of Congress. I think in, like, 1990, early 1990s it joined an
exclusive, small group of films that will be seen in 300 years' time,
as part of America's best of the best of the twentieth century.
I was pleased about that, but also even more confused because I was
thinking about the release, thinking we blew the release somehow,
which kind of leads me to where I am today, because they said, "Do you
want to do the original version that was originally intended?" and I
said, "Well, yeah."
CNN: What did working on "Blade Runner" mean to you? How has it
affected your career?
Daryl Hannah: "Blade Runner" was really the most thorough [of her
films] in terms of its creating another reality; in terms of the
detail, beauty and the magnitude of its sets; and of the costume and
the attention to every aspect of filmmaking.
Even the screen test for the character was a three-day project, with
lights and smoke and rain and everything. Now, they wouldn't even put
that into one day of shooting, much less for screen tests. It was a
completely different experience to any other that I've had. It was
probably the closest to films in the 30s and 40s where they really put
so much into every shot.
CNN: The film is [more than] 20 years old. Why do you think it has
stood the test of time?
Daryl Hannah: I think it's Ridley's original vision. It really was an
original perception of the future, and it has proven to be very
accurate in many ways. As well as this, the story in the film is quite
vague so it's left to the viewers' interpretation. Many people have
different interpretations for what happens -- the film leaves that
open. Of course, it's also just exquisite. It's beautifully shot. It's
beautifully made.
CNN: Ridley has had the opportunity to change and re-cut the film a
couple of times. Is there anything you would change about the way he
portrayed your character, Pris?
Daryl Hannah: No. Sorry, no. It was so much fun! Just do more of it.
CNN: What does "Blade Runner" mean to you personally?
Rutger Hauer: When I got the part, I thought it had lots of
interesting corners to it. The script had a lot of wit to it and so
did Ridley. The whole design of the future, being a design of a past,
an old future, I thought was brilliant. I immediately thought that
this was something that I would really feel at home with. That was my
third role in America but, of course, now I can easily look back and
say, that was best role in film that I've done. How lucky can you get,
to have it open again, 25 years later?
CNN: Is there anything you would change in Ridley's portrayal of your
character, Roy?
Rutger Hauer: I'm not smart enough. I really wouldn't know and I
wouldn't dare touch it. I think it's really interesting that there
have been two versions before this one. I think this one is more
honest and stronger than all of them. But that's just my opinion. I
also think it's more human, which I think is very interesting.
CNN: Why do you think it's more human?
Rutger Hauer: It's more human because in his edit this time he has
given more time to certain elements in Harrison's character. It's a
two-edged sword because he's given a little more humanity to all of
the replicants. See all the players have become more human, in a world
run by batteries. It's kind of interesting.
CNN: What does it mean for you to be involved with "Blade Runner"?
Edward James Olmos: When we were doing it, I knew I was working with
an extraordinary director, but like anything else you have no idea
what the outcome is going to be. So, it was a classic in our minds to
how things were being done. The production value was tremendous.
Jordan Cronenweth, the cinematographer, was doing exquisite work.
But when it came out in the United States it was rudely received.
There was a small cult following immediately, but it took the rest of
the world telling North America that they had something special here
for them to realize. It was ten years before the United States really
locked into saying that this is really one of the best science fiction
or dramatic films made in the history of film.
CNN: Would you change anything about Scott's portrayal of your
character?
Edward James Olmos: No, I wouldn't change the character. I would just
use him more.
CNN: What do you think it is about "Blade Runner" that resonates with
different generations?
Edward James Olmos: I think it's the truth. The truth everyone finds
inside artistic endeavor is what really keeps bringing you back. If
you look at a piece of work that Michaelangelo did, when you look at a
piece of work by Picasso and Matisse -- brilliant, brilliant artists.
"Blade Runner" has resonated and people have viewed it with more and
more clarity and people are starting to understand it more and more,
especially in the direction we're going. We're in the year 2007, this
was shot with the understanding of 2019. Now, will there be cars that
fly, like this? Will the world look like it did there? It can.
Religious war could, with the usage of nuclear weapons, bring about
this kind of an understanding. A very dark, a very fearful world where
technology completely annihilates the human species. This is what's
happening now.
.
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