New Blade Runner DVD

[redshifter]

i don't know if there are any "blade runner" fans here, but you should know that a 3 disc special edition dvd is in the works.

blade runner se

i have the original dvd, but will get the se as it is one of my all-time top 10 favorite movies. according to the website there will be some changes made to the special effects for the se dvd:

Quote:

Wire removal on spinners (obviously) Taking the thumb off Batty's shoulder in the 'flopped' phone booth sequence Matching the voice and image in the snake scale scan Fixing continuity problems with Deckard's scars after shooting Zhora (very difficult and possibly won't happen) Making the Million Dollar Theatre's billboards match (Should be easy?) Removing the shadow of the crew on the wall in the end sequence Matching the sky in the end shot with the dove to be continuous with the rest of the film Re-doing the credits, just to clean them up and remove the jitter

most of these seem fine, except for the one i highlighted. **spolier** i always thought the patch of blue sky at the end was a visual symbol of hope, but according to this report it is a goof.

anyway, just a heads up for br fans, and maybe to discuss "cleaning up" or changing old films for dvd release--should it be done and where should they stop?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Redshifter,

I remember when the Criterion Collection version of this came out on laser disc a number of years ago. Seems they lightened up the movie so you could see stuff that you couldn't in the original. That kind of stuff I like. Made the whole movie more enjoyable to actually be able to see things down into the lower parts of the city which were obscured in the original.

As to fixing and changing, I am usually for it, except where it makes the movie less enjoyable. Most people would never notice the things they listed here as changes while watching the movie, but adding scenes, or changing certain scenes makes a big difference. Example: watch the deleted scenes on either Sta Wars EP I or II and tell me they not only would have changed the movie, but didn't fit the flow of it either. If they make too many changes to BR, it may flow differently, and that would be bad in my book. If i timproves the movie and makes it easier to watch, I'm all for it personally.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

personally I feel it is blasphemy to do what was done to the original star wars trilogy, a money making scam if I ever saw one and on top of it there were no improvements to the story. the scene that stands out in my mind is the scene from a new hope with jabba the hut that was added. the computer generated jabba looks horrible and almost comic book to me and it actually made me laugh when I saw it. I grew up on star wars, I mean the originals, not the computer generated crap being released today, so I guess I feel strongly about movies from that period.

As far as blade runner goes, leave it alone, except for cleaning it up, it's hard to improve on what was already an exceptional feast for the eyes and ears!!!!

 

[redshifter]

doug,
look forward to huge improvements in video and audio for the se. according to the site a new high-def digital master was struck from the original negatives, including cut scenes.

br is a film that relies heavily on atmosphere and audio and visual detail, so this se i hope will deliver buckets of detail.

 

[kpfeifle]

This is great news and I look foreward to buying it when it comes out! I'm usually in favor of "changing" movies if the original director is involved. It seems a lot of things are cut or changed for commercial reasons, and it's nice to get a chance to have them back (or fix any mistakes) on the new release.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by fyrfytrhoges personally I feel it is blasphemy to do what was done to the original star wars trilogy, a money making scam if I ever saw one and on top of it there were no improvements to the story. the scene that stands out in my mind is the scene from a new hope with jabba the hut that was added. the computer generated jabba looks horrible and almost comic book to me and it actually made me laugh when I saw it. I grew up on star wars, I mean the originals, not the computer generated crap being released today, so I guess I feel strongly about movies from that period. As far as blade runner goes, leave it alone, except for cleaning it up, it's hard to improve on what was already an exceptional feast for the eyes and ears!!!!

i am completely with you on that, hoges. hey, someone put big squirmy dinosaurs in a classic 70's scifi movie! i still have my original trilogy on laserdisc, and there is still no word if lucas will ever let the originals see the light of day on dvd. there were rumors a few months back that lucas destroyed the original negatives to prevent the originals from ever being released.

another of lucas' creations, the "raiders of the lost ark" films, are having their sfx "improved" for dvd. i think it would be a shame to change anything in those films, even some of the cheesey looking effects just add to the saturday-morning action serial feeling the raiders movies have. and if they TOUCH the last scene where the power of the ark shoots through the eyes of the nazis...grrrr.

 

[bootman]

I'm glad they are redoing blade runner.
I will get a copy as soon as its out.
I don't know if I'll get raiders just because Lucas has pissed me to no end with the whole SW debacle.
I mean whats the hold up on releasing the original trilogy?
I just don't get it.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by fyrfytrhoges personally I feel it is blasphemy to do what was done to the original star wars trilogy, a money making scam if I ever saw one and on top of it there were no improvements to the story. the scene that stands out in my mind is the scene from a new hope with jabba the hut that was added. the computer generated jabba looks horrible and almost comic book to me and it actually made me laugh when I saw it. I grew up on star wars, I mean the originals, not the computer generated crap being released today, so I guess I feel strongly about movies from that period. As far as blade runner goes, leave it alone, except for cleaning it up, it's hard to improve on what was already an exceptional feast for the eyes and ears!!!!

I agree on this one whole heartedly. I only hope that they make the DVD trilogy more true to the original. I have heard about the new explosion of the Death Star and how hoaky it looked with the new "special effects". I can see how cleaning up soem things like the boxes around the tie fighters and stuff would make the movie better, but to add some of those other effects really messed up the movie and for that I will probably not buy the set.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by bootman I'm glad they are redoing blade runner. I will get a copy as soon as its out. I don't know if I'll get raiders just because Lucas has pissed me to no end with the whole SW debacle. I mean whats the hold up on releasing the original trilogy? I just don't get it.

according to lucas, there is only one version of the original trilogy, and that is whatever the latest re-cut version is (not the unaltered one). makes about as much sense as warner brothers claiming there is only one version of "eyes wide shut" (us version=censored; european version=uncut).

another thing you shoudl realize about the special editions of the ot, greedo shoots first (changing han solo's character), and lucas removed all the scenes where blaster fire hits characters (often about 1 second long), making it more "p.c.".

my guess his heavy-handedness in changing the ot was to promote his lucasfilm digital sfx company, which so far has underwhelmed me, especialy compared to peter jackson's weta digital.

i agree cleaning up some scenes should be enough, but for example, in "raiders" should they remove the reflection of the cobra in that glass protecting harrison ford's face? it is a telling mistake, but i grew up with it. also, should they get rid of the bit of blue sky at the end of blade runner? i never considered it a goof, but a poetic visual meaning hope.

 

[Ebonyks]

Movies are a mostly a directors image, and for them to modify their works due to advances in techology is somehow a bad thing?

As long as the origional director is doing the work, i have no problems with modifications.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ebonyks Movies are a mostly a directors image, and for them to modify their works due to advances in techology is somehow a bad thing? As long as the origional director is doing the work, i have no problems with modifications.

i believe and so do many directors like scorsese, that you release one version of a film, and that is it, no director's cuts or special editions. now in cases where the studio has meddled, such as "blade runner" or "legend", the director should be able to release the version he ORIGINALLY INTENDED. lucas is taking a beloved trilogy that belongs to the fans as much as it does to him, and making what most consider unwise and stupid changes for all the wrong reasons. another thing, the 2003 lucas is very different director than the 1976 lucas. just compare "phantom menace" to "american grafitti" or "star wars". they guy has lost his game big time.

 

[mbriant]

I was lucky enough to get invited by Maxell Canada, as a promotional perk, to an advance, private screening of Blade Runner when it was first released.

It was hysterical being in a theatre full of Maxell executives and dealers when the big rooftop fight scene came on at the end of the movie....all around a giant TDK sign.

Talk about marketing blunders......

 

[ai0tron]

yay for blade runner se.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Greedo fires first. No blaster hits. Cheesy ring explosion. Goofy Jabba. Did he also delete Uncle Owen and Aunt Veru's charred corpses from Luke's front porch?

A travesty. I miss the old Lucas... where is he?

On the bright side, Peter Jackson is eating George Lucas's lunch!! Two Towers today feels like Star Wars did back then.

There's always hope.

 

[millerdog]

yes yes!
Bladerunner! Been waiting for something to happen with that DVD.
md