Blade Runner

Rating: 10/10 (20 November 2008)

My kudos to John who had a similar experience with this movie. I had just been stationed to NAS Key West in the summer of 1982, and felt like I was on the dark side of the moon. The isolation, the loneliness was reflected back upon me like a sledgehammer when I went to see "Blade Runner" the first time. I was impressed by it, but not really moved. In retrospect, I believe the movie was so layered and textured that it overwhelmed me. Months later, I watched it again on video, and this, I believe, allowed me to get more into the story, theme and characters. I then thought it was the greatest movie of all time.
Like a lot of hidden masterpieces, "Blade Runner" went from disaster to masterpiece without ever having been a success. I believe it is so richly constructed that it takes most people a couple of viewings before they begin to realize how much depth is there.
This phenomenon, not the "Director's Cut", or the lack of narration, or the -Deckard- is- a- replicant question is what really occurs when people walk out of a second viewing thinking, "That was a great movie!" Basically, everyone, especially critics who panned it originally, can't admit to anyone (even themselves) that they didn't "get it" the first time around. So, instead they say, "Wow, those changes made all the difference!" Wrong, moron, you just weren't able to appreciate a challenging piece of art with just one viewing. I, at least, can admit that. And I'm grateful to all who made and supported this movie.
It isn't perfect and I have a lot more to say about it, but I'll leave it at this for now. This movie has changed my life and has stayed with me for over 25 years now. Thanks for listening.
Mike