Warners have released the following trailer for their upcoming 30th Anniversary Blu-ray box set.
You can order the set from Amazon in the UK here or in the USA here, and here’s what you’ll get:
Disc 1: Blu-ray of The Final Cut
Disc 2: Blu-ray of US Theatrical, International Theatrical, and “Director’s Cut” seamlessly branching on one disc
Disc 3: Blu-ray of Workprint Cut (from the UCE Disc 5), Dangerous Days documentary (from the UCE Disc 2), everything from the UCE “Enhancement Archive”(UCE Disc 4). This disc also includes a new Photo Gallery with “over 1000 new photos”, and “more”
Disc 4: DVD of The Final Cut
An “all-new” Ultraviolet Digital Copy
An “all-new” concept spinner car toy
An “all-new” action lenticular
An “all-new” 72-page photo book
Here’s what you’ll get in the box (click to enlarge):
You can order the set from Amazon in the UK here or in the USA here.
Musician Neil Rudd dropped us a line to tell us about the new album from his solo project Eat Lights Become Lights.
The album, Heavy Electrics, is inspired and informed by his favourite movies, including, of course, Blade Runner.
Says Neil, who travelled to Los Angeles to record the album:
“It’s as though I was creating a soundtrack for an imaginary film. I was trying for a journey through a space, a city, country whatever and the different locations and themes that would occur during this journey, at rest, adventure, solitude, excitement, etc.
“My favourite film of all time is Blade Runner and that’s what finally made me come here, just to take a look at some of the locations where it was filmed, the Bradbury Building, the Ennis House etc.”
The track ‘Syd Mead Cityscapes’ was inpired by a meeting with the futurist designer (and Blade Runner concept artist) at one of his exhibitions, while the track ‘Sunrise At Marwar Junction’ pays homage to director John Houston and his 1975 adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Man Who Would Be King’.
Head on over to Amazon UK to get this in CD or MP3 download
If you prefer Amazon USA, follow these links for the CD or MP3 download
During his stay in LA, Neil couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit two iconic Blade Runner locations: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House, and the Bradbury Building, and he has kindly allowed us to show some of the photos he took:
The set is due for release on October 29th. Extras on the UK release are TBC, but, based on the image below and previously released details of the US version, it would be safe to expect:
Disc 1: Blu-ray of The Final Cut
Disc 2: Blu-ray of US Theatrical, International Theatrical, and “Director’s Cut” seamlessly branching on one disc
Disc 3: Blu-ray of Workprint Cut (from the UCE Disc 5), Dangerous Days documentary (from the UCE Disc 2), everything from the UCE “Enhancement Archive”(UCE Disc 4). This disc also includes a new Photo Gallery with “over 1000 new photos”, and “more”
Disc 4: DVD of The Final Cut
An “all-new” Ultraviolet Digital Copy
An “all-new” concept spinner car toy
An “all-new” action lenticular
An “all-new” 72-page photo book
Here’s what you’ll get in the box (click to enlarge):
Wired caught up with creature designer Neville Page, who discusses his work on several recent projects, including Prometheus, and, in the final seconds, the Blade Runner sequel.
It’s clear that Scott has a trusted circle of creative collaborators that he takes with him from film to film, including cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, production designer Arthur Max, editor Pietro Scalia, and costume designer Janty Yates. It seems Page can now be added to that exclusive club!
I’ve just had confirmation from Warner UK that this set will be released on October 22nd in the UK!
Warner Bros in the US have confirmed more details on the TWO 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Releases for Blade Runner, to be released on the 23rd October 2012.
As previously announced, one will feature everything from the old Ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD set, plus some new extras and a replica ‘Spinner’ car. That’s available to order here for $58.49.
Click to enlarge
Disc 1: Blu-ray of The Final Cut
Disc 2: Blu-ray of US Theatrical, International Theatrical, and “Director’s Cut” seamlessly branching on one disc
Disc 3: Blu-rayof Workprint Cut (from the UCE Disc 5), Dangerous Days documentary (from the UCE Disc 2), everything from the UCE “Enhancement Archive”(UCE Disc 4). This disc also includes a new Photo Gallery with “over 1000 new photos”, and “more”
Disc 4: DVD of The Final Cut
An “all-new” Ultraviolet Digital Copy
An “all-new” concept spinner car toy
An “all-new” action lenticular
An “all-new” 72-page photo book
Also announced (and available here for $24.49) is version containing just the 3 Blu-ray discs, and nothing else.
Warner Bros have yet to confirm a UK release, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t get to see it.
Morgan Paull, best known to sci-fi fans as the Blade Runner Holden, who appears in the opening scene of the movie, has died aged 67 after a short battle with stomach cancer.
The actor was originally hired by director Ridley Scott to simply perform in screen tests being filmed to film the lead actresses, but was soon given the brief but memorable role of Holden, who meets his end at hands of the replicant Leon. Paull recommended the casting of Daryl Hannah as Pris, but did advice Scott against giving Sean Young the role of Rachael.
Paull recalled the experience in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
“My agent called and said, ‘Would you stand in and do the tests for these girls?’I said, ‘Are you kidding?’ And he said, ‘Just do it.’ So I did it.
“Halfway through the tests, Ridley fell in love with me. He wanted me around all the time. He cast me as Holden, and whenever he had an idea, he’d say, ‘Hey, Morgan, what do you think of this?’ ”
As well as his brief but iconic Blade Runner appearance, Paull appeared in dozens of movies including Patton, Norma Rea, and TV shows including The F.B.I., Gunsmoke, The Waltons, Quincy M.E., McCloud, Black Sheep Squadron and Ironside.
Away from his on-screen career, Paull involved himself with Screen Actors Guild politics and also became a talent agent during the 80s.
Former Screen Actors Guild Vice President Kent McCord told The Hollywood Reporter:
Paull as Holden in Blade Runner
“I knew Morgan long before we became friends. First, from his wonderful work as an actor and then as adversaries fighting for what we felt was the right direction for SAG to take during a time of change in the picture business. He has always been a straight shooter who said exactly what he thought. His love of acting and his love for the Screen Actors Guild were always what motivated his fight to protect actors wherever they worked. I’m going to miss him.”
Paull is survived by partner Jenny Elam, and daughters Melissa Paull and Kristen McCarthy Paull.
7:00-8:00 Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Celebration — In 1982, Blade Runner, director Ridley Scott’s classic adaptation of SF master Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was released to theaters and forever changed the face of cinematic science fiction. Filmmaker, BR expert, and acclaimed author Paul M. Sammon (Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner) hosts a 30th anniversary celebration of this influential masterpiece. Sammon (who was present throughout BR’s filming and met Philip K. Dick) will interview numerous BR cast and crewmembers, including BR art director David Snyder and BR: The Final Cut producer Charles de Lauzirika. Be there to meet these and other very special BR guests.
With Fox putting on some sort of Prometheus event at Comic-Con as well, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ridley Scott also makes an appearance, but either way this promises to be a real treat for fans.
On June 25th 1982, Blade Runner was released in the USA to a deafening chorus of ‘Meh’.
Hobbled by a studio-mandated happy ending and pointless voice-over narration from a very bored-sounding Harrison Ford, it would be some time before Ridley Scott’s classic would be fully appreciated.
Now of course, the film is rightly regarded as one of THE all-time great entries in the sci-fi genre, and countless words have been used to discuss the movie’s intricacies, including this newly published piece by Nathan Hardisty.
Rather than then let me waffle on, why not head over to this page at the BFI, which includes a brief write-up, a nice collection of stills and video from March 2009′s ‘Blade Runner’ day, where guest of honour Ridley Scott shares his thoughts about the radical influence of the film on architecture, fashion and design, before being awarded a BFI Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to film culture.
17 year old writer Nathan Hardisty has published a superb 130 page essay on Blade Runner, titled ‘Tears in Rain’ on his blog. I really do recommend you give it a read.
You can download the PDF from this page here, but below are a couple of snippets.
In a weird sort of way, the film asks who we should be cheering on: the humans or the replicants? I’m not exactly thrilled when Deckard chases after some Replicant trying to make her way in the world, and then shoots her in the back. Yes, she’s done terrible things, but I don’t think she’s deserving of being shot to death. Deckard simply carries the “I only enforce the rules” excuse as he wanders over the broken glass and looks at Zhora’s corpse.
As a hero, Deckard fails out of the gate. As an anti-hero, he succeeds in every way but that isn’t exactly a good thing. He is inhuman, he remains unchanged for the vast majority of the film and the reflections he takes upon his humanity are any revealed towards the end. He changes, eventually, but it takes quite a lot of inhumanity to throw him into a new state of mind.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is set in a dead, dead world. It is not of Orwellian like heights or filled with minutia or human filth; it is a world after a war. It is a world where power is scarce, in which there is no real ‘Big Brother’ but there is power out of both order and chaos of this world.
Naturally then Blade Runner, as all artistic endeavours usually are about, includes a complex exploration of the nature of power. This coupled with the existence of two ‘humanities’ (Replicant and Human) makes for a change of pace in the usual exploration of power. I feel that this world is one devoid of God in the supernatural sense, but of course, power carries on.
The film even begins as two characters, Holden and Leon, wrestle over the conversation. Leon keeps questioning the questions as Holden continues to try and probe Leon with the Voight-Kampff test. There’s a very clear gap here between the two, man and machine. Holden’s power lies in his occupation, a blade runner himself, whereas Leon relies upon more brute force methods.
leon wins, naturally, and sets off the film’s storyline. Already we have a swing of power in the Replicant’s favour and from then on it seems like the pendulum doesn’t come back. We pick up the story on Deckard, a retired blade runner, who sits around all alone watching the sheep walk by. Already we have some display of power from decade, at least socially, he seems to have evolved from the basic docile template the citizens are all about. He’s aware.
Knowledge is power.
Anyway, it’s a great piece, and very well thought out. Do yourself a favour and download it.
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On June 25th 1982, Blade Runner was released in the USA to a deafening chorus of ‘Meh’.
17 year old writer Nathan Hardisty has published a superb 130 page essay on Blade Runner, titled ‘Tears in Rain’ on his 
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