Blade Runner

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

During the class lecture, I remember the topic came up about how certain things within Blade Runner were shot. Supposedly, there were sets that were built to depict the world that was being created, and then the sets were filmed at various angles to portray the effects desired. When hearing this, I was amazed after actually finishing the screening at how real everything seemed in the film. If I did not have this information beforehand, I would have never known the subtle nuances of the techniques used to create the film. Also mentioned in the discussion was the fact that the film takes on aspects of film noir and crime movies, and I couldn’t help but notice the way the film would slip in and out of a sort of stealth mode that engulfed it in only the best ways possible. Blade Runner is potent, for lack of a better word, and I am glad that I had the chance to be able to witness it.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content. 

“Tears in rain? Why Blade Runner is timeless” by Michael Newton was a rather in depth article in the sense that it honed in on the most important highlights of the film. Newton started by mentioning the different versions of Blade Runner, as well as summarizing the bulk of what the film is about. He then went on to explain the aspects of the film that stand out, putting particular emphasis on subtle touches that bring out different time periods in the film. Newton touched on the fact that the replicants aren’t supposed to feel empathy, and how the film alluded to the idea that emotions in a replicant are bad (which is why their life span is for only 4 years). Moving along, Newton talks of the decisions made in the film for the people to be beholden by corporations instead of governments, and he also picks up on the ambiguity of Deckard and whether he could actually be blade runner.

***Link to article used*** 

Newton, Michael. "Tears in Rain? Why Blade Runner Is Timeless." The Guardian. Guardian

News and Media, 2015. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/14/why-blade-runner-is-timeless>.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.  

The article mentioned above definitely touched on some things that made me look at the film itself differently and broaden my perspective. Just going over the plot before starting the screening in class had me hooked because I enjoy science fiction, and was anxious to see how Harrison Ford would carry out this idea that he had. I especially looked at Deckard differently in the film after reading the article because it brought attention to the ways in which Deckard may not really be who we think he is (or who he thinks he is for that matter). I wouldn’t have thought, from my first viewing, to look at Deckard as anything other than a blade runner, but Newton obviously seems to have other interesting opinions.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film.

I can see how Blade Runner is considered one of the best science fiction films in cinema history. The film itself has such a fascinatingly menacing quality to it that makes it impossible to lose focus even for a second. For such an unilluminated film in terms of setting, Blade Runner shines bright and has such a uniqueness to it.  The ending is left on a bit of a mysterious note, but I dont

Know if I can see the film having a sequel just yet. I feel as though it is almost too good to touch, and that that is the way the it should stay. Isn’t the cliché: leave the people wanting more?

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.