Retro Live 2017 - issue 2

TANDS THE TEST OF TIME…
Set in the city of Los Angeles in
2019, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner
is a science fiction masterpiece.
From the opening synthesisers
of Vangelis, the thud that reverberates
as the titles come on
screen. The futuristic electronic
sounds and the fire exploding
across the landscape from factories
as you’re drawn forward into
the city of Los Angelis in 2019. In
the distance the massive Tyrell
buildings are seen and then in a
smokey room a Blade Runner is
standing with a cigarette about to
interview Leon Kowalksi … test
him to see if Leon is a replicant.
The Blade Runner doing the test,
Dave Holden is there to test new
employees at Tyrell Corporation.
Holden’s job is to see if any of the
escaped replicants are trying to
infiltrate the Tyrell Corporation. It
doesn’t end well for Holden, Leon
is an escaped replicant, one of
six.
The replicants, led by Roy (Rutger
are there for one reason only,
to find out how long they have to
live and to see if it is possible to
have their lives extended. Replicants
are given a four year lifespan.
The Tyrell Corporation builds in
an end date for replicants.
The movie is based on the sci-fi
novel by Philip K. Dick - Do Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep.
Director, Ridley Scott creates a
world that is dark, seemingly always
raining and overcrowded.
Ads for “starting a new life” offworld
are shown on massive
screens outdoors, tempting those
fed up with their lives to move to
another world. In the novel, those
moving are offered replicants as
servants to encourage people to
move. Scott’s Earth is depressing
and dark. The cinematography by
Jordan Cronenweth brilliant conveys
a possible future where everything
seems bleak and shadowy
and looking at it you’d be mighty
tempted to take up one of those
off world offers.
Blade Runner won quite a few
awards including:
Best Film Editing - Terry Rawlings
- BAFTA
Best Score - Vangelis - BAFTA
Best Original Score - Vangelis -
Gold Globe
Best Art Direction - Set Decoration
- Lawrence G. Paull, David L.
Snyder, Linda DeScena - Oscar
1983
Best Effects - Visual Effects -
Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich,
David Dryer - Oscar 1983
As well as Saturn Awards including
Best Science Fiction Film,
Best Director and best supporting
actor for Rutger Hauer.
It wasn’t an initial success in
North America but grew to cult
status. Some critics liked it and
others like Sheila Benson from
the Los Angeles Times called it
“Blade Crawler” due to its pace.
Roger Ebert added the Directors
Cut to his “Great Movies list and
it holds an 89% rating on Rotten
Tomatoes.
Coming soon is Blade Runner
2049 featuring Ryan Gosling with
Harrison Ford reprising his role
as Deckard. It’s now 30 years
after the first film and Gosling is
LAPD Officer K who unearths a
long-buried secret that has the
potential to bring an end to humanity.
We’re looking forward to
the new movie … for some fans
is the most exciting movie news
in years. The hope is they do the
original justice with this sequel.
Live Magazine will be featuring
a full run down of the new movie
in coming issues, so keep an eye
out for our October issue.
THIS WAS
NOT CALLED
EXECUTION IT
WAS CALLED
RETIREMENT...