Convince me Bladerunner doesn't SUCK

juv3nal wrote:

Blade Runner is great mainly for the visuals, the realization of this world/sense of place.

Which is why I prefer to get my cyberpunk fix through something like Deus Ex to Bladerunner. I'd rather explore that world than watch it, especially when watching it involves a dull-as-spoons story.

I am really enjoying the responses, and they are resonating with me. I just want to chime in and say you guys are great. I knew I could count on you guys.

juv3nal wrote:

Blade Runner is great mainly for the visuals, the realization of this world/sense of place.

That's how I felt about the movie too. We're talking about the 1982 movie right? I heard rumors of a new Bladerunner movie a while back, but I haven't been following it.

Spoiler:

Didn't really like the generic gunfight at the end very much or Roy's lines as he died.

Oh also, in my head I imagine a goofy tongue-in-cheek Deus Ex: HR type thing that recreates the "I want more life, father/f*cker!" scene and then the other guy goes "Oh, ok, here's a health upgrade."

krev82 wrote:

I know some modern first viewers feel like BR is derivative, this tends to be because they have been exposed to a large chunk of things which BR influenced.

Either way you're certainly not alone, I know plenty of people who could not get through any version of the movie. Like many things in life there's nothing wrong with saying "that's not for me".

WipEout wrote:

I think the big reason that Bladerunner is considered a seminal Sci-Fi flick isn't because the story is fantastic or because of the adaptation of Phillip K Dick's novel, but because the setting and the visuals were more or less unheard of at the time. Ridley Scott and David Snyder (Art Director) took the futuristic tone in a realistic direction, sans rocket ships and clean, tall buildings. They looked at the cultures and influences of Los Angeles during the early 80s (predominantly Asian at the time) and extrapolated from there-- architecture, pollution and all. I honestly feel that the basic story could take place in any number of different settings, but this particular backdrop is amazing and (for the time) rather unique.

EDIT: TANNHAUSER'd by juv3nal

All this. Bladerunner's magic is in the context of the time it came out. I personally still find it contemporary and much more appealing than many modern science-fiction/cyberpunk material.

I was once again blown away by the visuals of the blu-ray version on a big plasma screen.

garion333 wrote:
Jeff-66 wrote:

I didn't like Bladerunner the first time I saw it. Later I saw the director's cut on bluray, and something about the film clicked with me, and now I love it. There's just something about it.

Yup. Didn't love BR the first time I saw it. Liked a lot about it, but it was too ponderously boring for me. The director's cut is my favorite out of all the versions out there.

IlleBellus wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
IlleBellus wrote:

also.... there's a book?

Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? Go read it, and come back a better person.

Ohhhhh yeah - I remember seeing that in the credits now.... that good a book, eh?

I think it's one of Dick's worst books, but each to his own.

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

wordsmythe wrote:

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

If you've only ever had mediocre sex, maybe.

[quote=WipEout]I think the big reason that Bladerunner is considered a seminal Sci-Fi flick isn't because the story is fantastic or because of the adaptation of Phillip K Dick's novel, but because the setting and the visuals were more or less unheard of at the time. Ridley Scott and David Snyder (Art Director) took the futuristic tone in a realistic direction, sans rocket ships and clean, tall buildings. They looked at the cultures and influences of Los Angeles during the early 80s (predominantly Asian at the time) and extrapolated from there-- architecture, pollution and all. I honestly feel that the basic story could take place in any number of different settings, but this particular backdrop is amazing and (for the time) rather unique.

EDIT: TANNHAUSER'd by juv3nalTannhauser Gated?

ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

If you've only ever had mediocre sex, maybe.

Or if you've only ever had mediocre reading experiences.

IMAGE(http://www.abload.de/img/tumblr_ldvvy3qljp1qe0ef797.gif)

Roy Batty wrote:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

One of the most affecting movie scenes I have ever watched.

Yay! I know have a support group.

wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

If you've only ever had mediocre sex, maybe.

Or if you've only ever had mediocre reading experiences.

If you're equating Philip K. Dick with favorite phenomenal sex memories, then I'd argue that you need to read more, yes. Borges, for one. Like a lot of the sci-fi writers of his day, Dick's stories are great ideas wrapped in bad to mediocre prose.

I saw the first 20 minutes of Blade Runner in the theater when my dad brought me because he thought it would be a cool, Star Warsish flick. He yanked me out of there while using his considerable verbal skills earned on his way to being a Staff Sergeant in the Marines. An important data point to keep in mind is that my father's favorite movie of all time was Smokey and the Bandit... followed closely by Smokey and the Bandit 2.

ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

If you've only ever had mediocre sex, maybe.

Or if you've only ever had mediocre reading experiences.

If you're equating Philip K. Dick with favorite phenomenal sex memories, then I'd argue that you need to read more, yes. Borges, for one. Like a lot of the sci-fi writers of his day, Dick's stories are great ideas wrapped in bad to mediocre prose.

I like Borges, too. I just have a hard time abiding clocking on Dick.

I only have one thing to say

Heretic!!

Sinatar wrote:

IMAGE(http://www.abload.de/img/tumblr_ldvvy3qljp1qe0ef797.gif)

Roy Batty wrote:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

One of the most affecting movie scenes I have ever watched.

Ok, I'll give you that one. Even not being emotionally invested in the film I enjoyed that particular scene.... right up until Decker's voice over of "I don't know why he saved me..... blah blah blah, annoying voice over, annoying voice over...."

Sinatar wrote:

IMAGE(http://www.abload.de/img/tumblr_ldvvy3qljp1qe0ef797.gif)

Roy Batty wrote:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

One of the most affecting movie scenes I have ever watched.

Believe it or not, that tears in rain part was improvised

wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

If you've only ever had mediocre sex, maybe.

Or if you've only ever had mediocre reading experiences.

If you're equating Philip K. Dick with favorite phenomenal sex memories, then I'd argue that you need to read more, yes. Borges, for one. Like a lot of the sci-fi writers of his day, Dick's stories are great ideas wrapped in bad to mediocre prose.

I like Borges, too. I just have a hard time abiding clocking on Dick.

sig'd!!

interstate78 wrote:
Sinatar wrote:

IMAGE(http://www.abload.de/img/tumblr_ldvvy3qljp1qe0ef797.gif)

Roy Batty wrote:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

One of the most affecting movie scenes I have ever watched.

Believe it or not, that tears in rain part was improvised

Tanhausser Gated:

juv3nal wrote:

Also, Rutger Hauer is awesome.

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

Norfair wrote:

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

AV Club's Gateways to Geekery: Philip K. Dick

iaintgotnopants wrote:
Norfair wrote:

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

AV Club's Gateways to Geekery: Philip K. Dick

"He" might try Ubik. One of my all around favorites.

garion333 wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:
Norfair wrote:

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

AV Club's Gateways to Geekery: Philip K. Dick

"He" might try Ubik. One of my all around favorites.

I've usually heard people say not to read Ubik or Valis first because they're too "weird". That said, I've never actually read anything by him because like so many sci-fi/fantasy writers there's just so much. After reading the AV Club article that I posted, I did buy a couple Dick books (tehe) but I haven't read anything non-research related in the last couple years.

Just got back from browsing the Kindle store. They have a pretty healthy chunk of Philip K. Dick short stories for free...picked up a few; I figure it will give me a taste of what his long-form work is like, yes?

iaintgotnopants wrote:
garion333 wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:
Norfair wrote:

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

AV Club's Gateways to Geekery: Philip K. Dick

"He" might try Ubik. One of my all around favorites.

I've usually heard people say not to read Ubik or Valis first because they're too "weird". That said, I've never actually read anything by him because like so many sci-fi/fantasy writers there's just so much. After reading the AV Club article that I posted, I did buy a couple Dick books (tehe) but I haven't read anything non-research related in the last couple years.

I started with Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and it was a great first PKD. Then came Man in the High Castle. Both are pretty firmly engraved in my memory ten years after reading them. PKD is good with imagery. Also with crazy twisted storylines.

Is the reason you guys are falling asleep during BR because you're watching it on new years day with a hangover?

wordsmythe wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Jeff-66 wrote:

I didn't like Bladerunner the first time I saw it. Later I saw the director's cut on bluray, and something about the film clicked with me, and now I love it. There's just something about it.

Yup. Didn't love BR the first time I saw it. Liked a lot about it, but it was too ponderously boring for me. The director's cut is my favorite out of all the versions out there.

IlleBellus wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
IlleBellus wrote:

also.... there's a book?

Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? Go read it, and come back a better person.

Ohhhhh yeah - I remember seeing that in the credits now.... that good a book, eh?

I think it's one of Dick's worst books, but each to his own.

That's like picking your least favorite phenomenal sex memory.

I think by and large Dick's novels are far weaker than his short stories. There's also a huge quality variation in his short stories, some of them are just incoherent benzedrine-fuelled rants.

Ghostship wrote:

Is the reason you guys are falling asleep during BR because you're watching it on new years day with a hangover?

That might be a Canadian thing. It was always on CityTv, if I recall correctly.

wanderingtaoist wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:
garion333 wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:
Norfair wrote:

OK wordy, if "a friend" of mine were never to have read any Phillip K Dick where would "he" start?

AV Club's Gateways to Geekery: Philip K. Dick

"He" might try Ubik. One of my all around favorites.

I've usually heard people say not to read Ubik or Valis first because they're too "weird". That said, I've never actually read anything by him because like so many sci-fi/fantasy writers there's just so much. After reading the AV Club article that I posted, I did buy a couple Dick books (tehe) but I haven't read anything non-research related in the last couple years.

I started with Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and it was a great first PKD. Then came Man in the High Castle. Both are pretty firmly engraved in my memory ten years after reading them. PKD is good with imagery. Also with crazy twisted storylines.

I read Man in the High Castle followed Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said, followed by Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I definitely enjoyed the first 2 far, far more than the last. There's several whole dimensions to the Android novel that are not even touched on in the movie. Man in the High Castle is a great, light entry novel to PKD.