tears-in-rain

trace of sarcasm from Holden. He’s just trying to fish for Replicants, and maybe the
Replicants just don’t consider things ‘homely’ or ‘nice’ but more functional.
I’ve covered some religious symbolism before, but I feel it’s supported by Batty’s
rip on the timeless America: A Prophecy poem by William Blake. “Fiery the angels
fell…” and Batty’s riff on the ‘angels’ might in fact highlight his own rebel against the
‘angels’. In the same way Tyrell rebelled against God, Batty is willing to insert his
rebellion straight into his language. There are massive Paradise Lost references as we
see this fallen angel fight against his creator and try to tempt humanity with a new step.
Some might say Roy even wins the end that indeed for as much moody pessimism the
film portrays it does eventually leave us with an optimistic conclusion. An ambiguous
future for Deckard and Rachael, but both of chosen to rebel against the system.
The use of the unicorn in Deckard’s dreams has confused and divided a lot of
folks. Personally, I think it’s a play on “beauty and the beast”. The horse, a symbol of
beauty, with a horn of a beast. Deckard is also caught between these two realities, and
although there exists no boundaries there are indeed blurs. Deckard’s very job as a
‘blade runner’ is him living life on the edge, and his character is a reflection of this. His
entire arc is built out of his realization. Whatever he actually realizes, however, is up to
the audience.
I’ve read several times about Ridley Scott forcing lipstick on to Sean Young,
wanting her to be more and more beautiful. He wanted a young, beautiful woman to
portray Rachael and in fact wanted someone fresh. The youthful, gutsy confidence of a
femme fatale that fades into a misery-fuelled husk could be perfectly captured through
projecting her against the likes of Harrison Ford. A muscled, experienced actor who
infamously avoided Young on set and took an apparent dislike to her. This brutish force
towards a beautiful “it” (Deckard’s words, not Harrison’s) created one of the most
memorable characters in cinematic history. The movement of ‘beauty’ from strength to
vulnerability, in tune with the movement of Rachael from a femme fatale to a vulnerable
Replicant, is interesting. It parallels Deckard’s own movement of heroism in that he
chooses to use his skills to rebel rather than to conform. In fact, characteristics all seem
to appear differently when the actions of the plot take place. Leon’s rapid violence takes
form as revenge after Zhora’s death, Sebastian is tricked by his own kindness but more
interestingly Pris’ own beauty is the death of her. She becomes a mannequin, a doll,
displaying herself as an attractive being. She even stops from killing Deckard to show
off her athleticism, allowing the blade runner to get a lucky kill.
There are some heavy religious ties with Zhora’s themes, given her association
with the snake. It’s interesting that the film spends the time to show her getting
undressed, shying away from Deckard’s own point of view. She sheds her sequin layer
in the shower in the same way a Snake shed its skin, and we’re told that “the snake that
once corrupted man!” is part of her show. Zhora, in becoming a snake-like figure,
tempts Deckard with sensual pleasure. She succeeds too and almost kills him, but