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Author Topic: Happy 25th, 'Blade Runner'! Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 06-25-2007 01:08 AM                     "Man Has Made His Match. Now It's His Problem" On June 25, 1982, twenty-five years ago today, "Blade Runner" was released. The film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, opened in 1,295 theatres in the United States and Canada, eleven of which showed the film in the deluxe 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo presentation format*. It opened to mixed reviews and would gross a paltry $27 million. The film did, however, receive numerous movie-industry award nominations, including Academy Award nods for Art Direction and Visual Effects, and, of course, the film developed a tremendous following over the course of the past two and a half decades. Anyone see it in its (brief) theatrical run? Any memories you care to share? Me? Believe it or not, I did not see "Blade Runner" in its original theatrical run. I had wanted to see it, but a couple of things got in the way: (1) the film's "R" rating (I was 13 at the time), and (2) "E.T." As a sci-fi/fantasy buff and big fan of Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Indiana Jones performances, I had every intention of seeing "Blade Runner." I recall pre-release coverage in magazines like Starlog, but was disappointed upon learning of its R rating. And since my folks had no intention of taking me to see it, the only way I was to see "Blade Runner" was if I snuck in. (I suspect my parents regret taking me to see R-rated fare like "Saturday Night Fever," "Slap Shot" and "The Deer Hunter," films I probably had no business seeing at a young age.) So, on a weekend in July of '82 at the now demolished Movies 7 in Victorville, California, the plan was to purchase a ticket to "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," which I had not yet seen, then, following "E.T." I would sneak into the auditorium showing "Blade Runner." I had made arrangements to have my folks pick me up about 5 hours after dropping me off, allowing me time to see two movies. The hiccup: I was so overwhelmed by "E.T." that I failed to leave the theatre, instead staying through the break and watching "E.T." a second time! (I would end up seeing "E.T." nine more times that year.) And, unfortunately, because "Blade Runner" performed poorly at the boxoffice, the film was gone by the next time I went to the movies. We didn't have a VCR at the time, but thanks to cable movie channels like HBO, I did finally see "Blade Runner" about a year after its original run in the theatre. But, I hated the movie! I thought at the time Ford and the rest of the cast played unsympathetic characters and the movie didn't have enough action or fantasy elements to hold my interest. (I did enjoy Joanna Cassidy's nude scene, though! ) But…as the years went on, additional exposure to "Blade Runner" through TV broadcasts, the great Criterion Collection laserdisc, the Fairfax Theatre's infamous 1990 screening of the "test" print, and the book "Future Noir: The Making Of Blade Runner" allowed me to come to the realization that the film is quite good and deserving of the status of a "classic," justifying in my mind celebrating the film on this, the 25th anniversary of its original release. I'm looking forward to seeing the 25th anniversary, multi-disc DVD due out later this year and which is scheduled to include as many as five(!) different cuts of the film. There's also been some talk of a theatrical re-release in selected markets, possibly in D-Cinema and/or IMAX. And now that I've written this reminisce, I realize I probably should have posted something similar back on June 11 to celebrate the anniversary of the original release of "E.T." So, knock yourself out if you wish to post about "E.T." in addition to or instead of "Blade Runner." __________________________ *For the technology and history buffs, here are the original 70mm bookings of "Blade Runner": Chicago, IL: Esquire Corte Madera, CA: Cinema Denver, CO: Cooper Los Angeles, CA: Bruin Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood New York, NY: Criterion Center New York, NY: Murray Hill Pasadena, CA: Hastings San Francisco, CA: Coronet San Jose, CA: Century 22 Seattle, WA: Cinerama A 70mm workprint was used for the film's test screenings in Denver (March 5, Continental) and Dallas (March 6, Northpark). The film was also test-screened in San Diego (May 8, Cinema 21), but I do not have confirmation that a 70mm print was screened. [ 07-08-2007, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: Michael Coate ]  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 06-25-2007 02:05 AM                        I did have an opportunity to see BLADE RUNNER during it's original theatrical engagement at the Coronet Theatre in San Francisco in 70mm on my way home from a photographers convention on the east coast and recall sleeping through most of the movie. At first I thought it was jet lag but when I tried watching it again in 70mm during a revival showing here in Honolulu at the Cinerama, I slept through it again, I found that it was not my kind of movie and that is the reason I probably slept through it. It may be a classic and I envy everybody that love this movie and might give it another chance when the special 25th anniversary DVD is released soon. -Claude  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-25-2007 03:45 AM                     I saw "Blade Runner" on week after opening and was quite impressed with it since "Raiders" was still fresh in our minds from the previous year (and we can forget his "Hannover Street" for the time being...) and seeing Ford change from a Nazi chaser an adventurer, to a futuritic policeman was quite the change as well.. His voice over narration was very good and really helped out with the story. Also, with Vangelis doing the music which was also excellent as his music for "Chariots of Fire." I was sore disappinted that the voice over narration was eliminated in the director's cut for DVD. (Ridley Scott - "Alien" a few years before .."brrrr!" that was a chiller of a movie...) Just unfort, didn't see it in the 70mm format, just plain scope and mono sound. But,I did see "E.T." in 70mm around that same time of year...then "TRON" later in the fall in 70mm..  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-25-2007 08:14 AM                     A little bit of info on that test screening most people don't know about... GCC Northpark was still a changeover house at that point. There were two last reels to Blade Runner with the print, each having a different ending. Ridley Scott sat on the projectionist balcony to view audience reaction and about 5 minutes before the final changeover was to happen, made the decision on which ending to use.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-25-2007 08:24 AM                     I saw Blade Runner in 35mm at the now defunct Town Theatre in Emerson NJ. This once nice single screen theatre had recently been twinned into two long "hallway" style theatres. In spite of bad presentation and mono sound, I loved the film. Did not get to see it in stereo until Criterien released the Letterboxed LaserDisc. I believe, but not sure, that Bladerunner was their first letterboxed release.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-25-2007 09:29 AM                        I saw it at the Edwards Huntington Cinema in Huntington Beach, CA. My recollection is the large single theater had been twinned by that time, which turned it into a horrible place to see a movie. Long, skinny rooms, seats not aimed at the screen, and a lot of noise from the projection booth. I was aware at the time that the movie's imagery was unique and maybe groundbreaking, but I also thought the narrative was "off". It seemed underwhelming at best. HOWEVER, the fact that I can recall that experience 25 years later shows that the movie made an impact. I now rank it as a flawed masterpiece. Having seen the subsequent alternate cuts, with and without Harrison Ford's narration and other tweaks by Ridley Scott, the original theatrical cut is still the best for me. Mitchell, I think you're right about it being Criterion's first letterboxed laserdisc. If not, it was at least one of the earliest. (Could Woody Allen's "Manhattan" be the first?)  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-25-2007 10:10 AM                     I saw Blade Runner opening night at the Mann's Bruin Theatre in Westwood in 70MM. (Sold Out show-800 people) And I saw it again at the Cineplex Fairfax Cinemas during one of their Special Sunday Series. That 70MM print turned out tobe an early preview print. No one knew the print was not a regular release print, not even the studio. (Another Great show) [ 06-25-2007, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 06-25-2007 10:57 AM                     I'd like to hear more about the 70mm workprint screening, is that the 1990 screening you are talking about Coate? The only thing I know about it is that WB apparently sent the wrong print out.  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 06-25-2007 11:00 AM                     I actually saw ET and BLADE RUNNER on the same day in Hollywood the day after the latter opened. I started with the 10am showing of ET at the DOME, I THINK I saw THE THING next at the Hollywood Pacific, then it was BLADE RUNNER at the Hollywood (around 3pm if memory serves), and last was FIREFOX at the Vogue. All 4 were in 70mm. As far as my BLADE RUNNER memories, the Hollywood had a superb 70mm image, albeit on a very small screen at the end of a very narrow, shoebox theatre built before the Palace era. Whether this film had a surround track, I don't know, as the theatre didn't have it activated (a problem I had with several other Mann houses with films I knew full well had surround tracks). Excellent bass, though. The images were ravishing to look at, though. Unfortunately, the narration really distracted. It was way too folksy and stripped away the dark, somber tone of the film. There was a sadness to it that clashed with that last-minute narration. The theatre was completely packed for the show. (It would have been far more approriate to have opened this at one of the smaller Chinese Theatres).  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-25-2007 12:29 PM                     Unfortunately, the narration really distracted. I used to feel that way, but after seeing the "Director's Cut", I have come around to feeling the narration is an essential part of the film.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-25-2007 01:25 PM                     According to the IMDB, BladeRunner was released in Australia on December 16th, 1982. That makes sense as I remember running the trailer with E.T. that Christmas. I ran it in the cinema the first week it was on in Mackay and the print was pretty new still. Nobody came to see it which explained the condition of the print. I remember seeing the opening scene and thinking this was going to be pretty special. The next week it was at the Westline Drive-In on its fabulous scope screen and that's where I truly learned this was something special. Years later, I ran BR in repertory at the soon-to-be-office-space Valhalla Cinema in Glebe, Sydney and we were guaranteed to have 300 people to see it whenever we ran it which was at least two or three times every six months (Valhalla had a famous calendar which told you what was on up to six months in advance ) My friends and I went to the Village Double Bay Cinema to see the Director's Cut (Cameron, were you there too?) on its first Friday night and the place was packed. However, I couldn't help thinking there was a track missing whenever Deckard was supposed to be speaking. They made a big error with the DC by not cutting down the length of the shots where the narration used to be. It just seemed too bizarre. As a result, I continue to prefer the 1982 version over the re-issue. I quite enjoyed the fact that Harrison Ford hadn't been in anything contemporary to that point (his bellboy scene not withstanding) and wouldn't be until he teamed with Polanski with Frantic. (You can't count the headmaster scene in E.T.)  |  IP: Logged Chad M Calpito Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 06-25-2007 01:53 PM                        While I never saw Blade Runner in the theatre, since I was only around 11yrs old at the time, I did see it on HBO. I thought it was a great movie, especially with the Narration which added Depth to the film and the music was great. While I liked the Director's Cut, it lacked the ambience of the original because the narration was taken out.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-25-2007 01:54 PM                        Now that you mention it, the theater was practically empty when I saw it first. When the Director's Cut without the narration showed at the Bijou Art Cinemas here in Eugene, it was to sellouts. Parents brought their kids to see it. I recall they were charging a higher admission price than normal too. Unfortunately, the Bijou's sound and projection just wasn't that great. They cranked the volume up as loud as they reasonably could but you can't get something from nothing. Why one of the better theaters in town didn't show this is a mystery, they could have sold a LOT of tickets. Plus the Bijou's print looked kind of milky-grey, not all that good, even though it seemed to be brand new. And I missed the narration.  |  IP: Logged Jim Bedford Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 597 From: Telluride, CO, USA (733 mi. WNW of Rockwall, TX but it seems much, much longer) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-25-2007 02:13 PM                        Few film in my life have moved me like BLADERUNNER did when I saw it opening week; I think only VERTIGO, CITIZEN KANE, KING KONG and MY DINNER WITH ANDRE got to me in a like manner. I've long been a fan of the narration voice-over. I have it in Word and it amounts to only 419 words but really says so much more. It's the only way we can get into Dekard's (Scott's?) head. And here's the thing, everyone I've ever spoken to or read who isn't a fan of the voice-over comes to the "Director's Cut" with the voice-over already ingrained in their mind. Even if they don't actually hear the words, they're in your mind and contribute to the story. I've seen this film 30-40 times and it never fails to amaze and move me.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-25-2007 02:24 PM                     The biggest problem with the "Director's Cut" is that when they removed the voice overs, they did not re-cut the scenes accordingly. What you are left with is chunks of the movie with people doing nothing for an inordinately long time. As Jim said, those of us who know the film will hear the voice overs in our heads, but for everyone else, the film stops dead where the voice overs should be. You know what a turtle is? Same thing.  |  IP: Logged

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