Episode 99: Blade Runner (1982)

Sushi.  Cold fish.  That’s what my ex-partner used to call me before he ran off with Bumpy the Wonder Pony.  Now it’s just me, alone, hunting podcasts and wondering . . . am I a podcast as well? Welcome to this week’s episode of “Max, Mike; Movies” and the last in our brief series “A Few of Our Favorite Things,” leading up to next week’s super-spectacular 100th episode! This week we’re hooking up the old  Voight-Kampff  testing equipment and chatting about one of Mike’s most-watched, most-beloved movies, Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner,” a cheerful, upbeat romp about a wacky razor delivery boy trying to make it in the big city . . . you’re not buying any of this, are you.  Set in the distant future of . . . last year, I think, we follow the adventures of hard-boiled former cop Rick Deckard as he is called out of retirement to hunt down a group of renegade replicants, aka humanoid androids, now outlawed on Earth.  Deckard has to face opponents who are almost indistinguishable from ordinary humans, and who are smarter and stronger than ordinary humans.  Why, that’s just like our listeners, who are also more charming and better dressed than ordinary humans! “Blade Runner” has been released in no fewer than four cuts (maybe five) and Mike has chosen what he believes to be the best one (all I know is that it’s the one without the annoying voice-over narration, which puts it streets ahead of the theatrical release). Come listen to our annoying voice-over narration, won’t you?

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3 thoughts on “Episode 99: Blade Runner (1982)”

  1. I have had the extreme privilege of having my assessment of that not to re named Blade Runner sequel downgraded substantially after discussing it with Mike. I never loved it, but I didn’t hate and Im not sure that I hate now, but it’s not a great follow to such a classic film. I saw The original the first time at a preview showing and there was no narration and all the violence, some of which was cut out when I saw it the second time. I almost walked out because of the voice over. I always thought the unicorn could be symbol that Rachel was one of a kind before we heard the cut out parr’s that insinuated that Decker was a replicant. The book was nothing like the movie and concentrated more on the environmental devastation that I remember.

    1. The book was -nothing- like the movie. I maintain that the movie was better, though it still didn’t meet the discussion on whether Replicants were people head-on. I saw the original when it came out and we were all making fun of the narration. It’s really terrible and if you have a special edition copy or have watched the VERY long documentary, you get to hear Harrison telling you how terrible it is. This is very much an example of how editing can make or break a movie. Thanks for listening, Vince!

      1. I have that 5 version blurry set that came awhile ago… I am not sure if the doc is on it i’ll have to look… it’s I have it, I watched it! I was looking forward to this one!

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