Blade Runner (1982)
Do Replicants Dream of Electric Runners?
Although the movie is largely based on Dick's novel, there is no mention of a ‘Blade Runner’ (which refers to the title of a book by A. Nourse and its adaptation by William S. Burroughs) or the term ‘replicants’, who are simply referred to as androids. After some initial attempts, the script was passed to Hampton Fancher and then to David Peoples, who, with Dick's approval, arrived at the final draft, even though, ironically, neither he nor Ridley Scott himself had ever read Dick's novel.
The writer in the science fiction castle
In his career, Philip Dick mainly focused on science fiction despite its low prestige and profitability at the time. Since the '50s, he had been using amphetamines, leading to a marginal life and even suicide attempts. Initially skeptical of Hollywood, his perspective changed when, although he never saw the completed film due to his premature death, he watched a preview and He was pleasantly surprised by the faithful portrayal of his imagined world and the performances of Ford and Hauer.
Crafting the dystopian Blade Runner world
Renowned concept artist Syd Mead, initially hired for vehicles design, expanded his collaboration to enhance authenticity of the scenery and infuse intricate details. Despite budget limitations, the special effects team crafted stunning environments, such as the Hades landscape in the opening shot filmed using forced perspective on the 13ft by 18ft miniature, lit by 7 miles of fiber optics. Similarly, the model of Tyrell's pyramid, which measures 9ft square at the base, was made of plexiglass and painted black.
The Gov'nor British perfectionism vs the American crew
blade runner was Scott's first movie with an American crew, and his pursuit of perfection often led to unexpected changes to lighting and sets. Towards the end of filming, Scott expressed a preference for working with british crew, due to their greater respect for his directorial authority, referring to himself as the Gov’nor. Tensions arose also between Scott and Harrison Ford when the director insisted on adding a previously removed voiceover narration by Ford, which led them to not talk for years.
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