From: jjonsson@alexandria.lib.utah.edu
Subject: Re: Blade Runner (OPENS TODAY!) The last word.
Organization: Marriott Library, University of Utah
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 18:50:29 GMT

In article <flar.716183990@vincent2.iastate.edu> flar@iastate.edu (Bradley M Armitage) writes:

>Hello,

>I was in the local vid store, picking up "my girl" (wow, great flick)
>when I saw "Blade Runner.....Tenth Aniversary Release" and said, wow,
>get both of the flicks.......I did, I thougth the Tenth Aniversary vid
>would be the famed "Director's Cut"  or whatever you all have been
>calling it......to my dismay, I found nothing real new......I was
>looking for new and I think I found a few scenes that were different for
>the original copy that I have..........

>My question, what did I just watch????was that the famed "Director's
>Cut" or was this a "rerelease" of the original.......You would think I

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Here's the last word on Blade Runner. . .

	The version you bought is the original 1982 release, with the 
possible exception of a few seconds of the scene in which Batty crushes 
Tyrell's skull.
	Warner Bros. and Nelson Entertainment re-released the video in a 
tenth anniversary box, and told everyone that it was "re-mastered" which 
usually means they struck a new print of the film and re-transferred it to 
video. I have not been able to find a copy of the 10th anniversary tape, 
because all of my local stores still have plenty of copies of the old tape. 
I could not tell you if it has actually been re-mastered.
	They are not printing new copies of the old version of Blade Runner 
after this 10th anniversary run is gone. Presumably the directors cut 
will be available on video in the future.

	Blade Runner the directors cut opens nationwide TODAY Sept 11th. 

****IF IT IS NOT AT A THEATER NEAR YOU, THEN YOU DON'T LIVE IN A BIG ENOUGH 
CITY. IT IS BEGINNING A RUN OF EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT 
WILL ONLY BE SHOWING AT ONE THEATER IN YOUR AREA. CHECK YOUR LOCAL 
LISTINGS.****

	I got a copy of the Blade Runner Director's cut presskit, which 
states that Ridley Scott originally intended it to be seen without the 
narration by Deckard, and without the cheesy ending. 

	These are the only changes that have been made as far as I know, 
because I haven't seen it yet, (I will tonight.)

1. Most or all of the Harrison Ford narration has been removed.

2. The upbeat ending with Deckard and Rachel driving into the mountains has 
been removed.

3. There are some additional scenes, or shots, involving a "unicorn" which 
calls into question the nature of Deckard's "Essence" (This is a direct 
quote from the Press Kit.)

4. The music has been re-mastered and additional music added by Vangelis.

5. There are additional scenes which "broaden" the relationship between 
Deckard and Rachel.

That's it. And as far as I know, Ridley Scott did not actually oversee the 
re-cutting. A few years ago in Los Angeles, some people at Warners found a 
copy of the film in a vault which was the original Ridley Scott edit. 
They showed it at a local art house, (The NUart?) and it sold out. So they 
decided they would do this "Director's cut" project. Scott did not oversee 
or re-cut the film himself, although he approved it before the current 
release. In the press kit, it states that he is "pleased" with how the 
current edit has turned out.


Jeff Jonsson
Marriott Library System Support, University of Utah.
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--"It's the sound of the secret--  jjonsson@alexandria.lib.utah.edu
-- machinery at the center of  --  jjonsson@utahlib.bitnet
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