Do yourself a favor and find the theatrical version. *contains partial spoilers*

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2000)

This is easily one of the best films ever made. I first saw this on video back in the early 80s when VHS movies still cost $100 a piece, and it has continued to be a favorite of mine despite my aging and changing tastes.
I tend to be the exception and not the norm in that I much prefer the theatrical release to the director's cut. I have always viewed Blade Runner as a futuristic detective film with a sci-fi setting, and thus Deckard's voice-overs in the theatrical release are a key part of the film for me. the director's cut lacks these and to me has far less impact.
I also disagree with the view that the director's cut takes. It strongly suggests that Deckard himself is a replicant that is simply fooled into killing his own kind. I feel that ruins the entire movie, as my interpretation of the film is that the replicants are the only beings in the bleak future who truly understand the importance of loving life. In the theatrical release, there is a certain amount of irony that the short lived replicants are teaching Deckard just how important life is. In the director's cut, we are lead to believe Deckard himself is a replicant and thus that irony is lost, as is the entire concept of loving whatever live we are given. In short, the director's cut transforms Deckard from the hurt and confused man (and human as he is in the Theatrical release) to simply a machine programmed to kill his own kind. Thus motives go from being emotions to programming, which kills any concept of feelings. I have viewed my old VHS tape time and time again and refuse to purchase the DVD until they come out with a version of the theatrical release. With the technology of DVDs, I do not see why they cannot have both versions on one disc- wasn't that a prime selling point of DVDs?- to have multiple versions of a film on the same disc? I have been flamed time and time again, but I think the director's cut is simply not very good in that it removes the most powerful element of the film- that being Deckard's voice overs which express his humanity and motives. View both of them for yourself and see which one makes you think about your own life....
Ratings: Theatrical release: **** Director's cut **