What's the best Blade Runner version? (Off-Topic)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Wednesday, October 11, 2017, 13:35 (2439 days ago) @ Claude Errera

It is the version I originally saw. And I hated the movie. But while I understand it is playing to that trope I don't think the film benefits from it. At all. There are definitely movies where a VO like that is great (Fallen, for example) I think it is totally a disservice to Blade Runner.

The question I have is, did you see it before you saw all the other movies that came after it and looked like it?

In 1982 it was unique, and its uniqueness went a long way.

I don't think I did. I think the first version I saw was the Director's cut, in 1992. (I don't remember seeing the original in theaters in 1982, though I was certainly watching movies then. not sure exactly why - probably a money thing.)

I'm not sure, but it really sounds like the movie resonated with you in a way that it didn't resonate with most people, at that point. And that's awesome for you, but it makes your opinion harder to use as a starting point. :)

I've tried to qualify my comments here and elsewhere to say I was talking about the people who liked it at the time it was released. I didn't hear anyone complain about the V.O. until after it became well-known that Ridley Scott didn't want it, the director's cut was released, and it became an article of faith among the nerd set that the V.O. sucked. I agree it's better without it, but not that much better (and something is lost, too).

In 2017 most people have probably seen the Director's Cut and like it best, and that's fine. I'm only providing historical perspective. Among people who appreciated it in 1982, the V.O. didn't detract from the perception that it was unique and special, obviously. I'll go further, though. I think the director's cut, if that had been the only version, would not have done better box office. Likewise, if the theatrical cut had been the only cut, it's reputation still would have grown, and it'd still be considered groundbreaking today.